BE HERE NOW.

Patrick DiMichele

2 Locations in Chicago and St. Louis

100 Employees, making us the largest independent agency in the Midwest

165 Minutes until the WebVisions wrap-party starts over at our place.

15 Fortune 500 brand partners

CX One of the largest Customer Experience teams in America

MANIFEST

TODAY WE’LL TALK ABOUT HOW TO BECOME A BETTER…

Observer Practitioner Facilitator Manager Leader

BUT FIRST, I’D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT PIZZA.

Near Here Near North North Specialty Deep Dish

BUT FIRST, I’D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT PIZZA.

Near Here - BONGIORNO’S • LA MADIA • EATALY Near North - COALFIRE • PIZZA METRO • PIECE North - PEQUOD’S • PIZZERIA DA NELLA • SPACCA NAPOLI Specialty - SANTULO’S • ROOTS • DIMO’S Deep Dish - LOU MALNATI’S

O K , L E T ’ S G E T S TA R T E D

BE HERE NOW

Yes. No.

MINDFULNESS

PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORLD INSIDE YOU.

PAY ATTENTION THEN ACT WITH INTENTION.

(Your mileage may vary.)

C R E A T E S PA C E

SMART PHONE ALARM CLOCK ≠

CONTROL FLOW INBOX

Mailbox helps me process mail quickly.

Filters get messages into categories and out of my face by default.

Subscription email gets routed through Unroll.me.

MOBILE When strangers call, nothing happens.

When I get an email, nothing happens.

When an app wants to alert me, nothing happens.

When something happens on social media, nothing happens.

Wunderlist Todoist Things

Index Card Calendar Box – Design Sponge

B E A B E T T E R O B S E R V E R

FEEL TOUCH

OBSERVE SEE

LISTEN HEAR

SAVOR TASTE

SNIFF SMELL

DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE A WEIRDO.

PAY ATTENTION Study routines and rituals. Watch behaviors change as environments change. Realize how usage changes as tasks change. Note inconsistencies and gaps. Keep a list of insights.

UNTAPPED

UNTAPPD MOBILE Facilitates both social sharing and reference look-up. Activity is likely highly task-driven. Accessed a lot in dark, loud, crowded spaces. Probably used one-handed more often than most apps. Power-users are almost definitely drunk.

IT’S EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO OBSERVE YOURSELF.

B E A B E T T E R P R A C T I T I O N E R

PROCESS IS JUST A MEANS TO AN END.

DISCOVER

DESIGN

DEFINE DEVELOP

DOES ANYBODY REALLY CARE?

FOCUS ON OUTCOMES.

OUTCOMES “Here’s the business benefit of that heuristic evaluation…” “Our usability tests will uncover ways to make you money…” “Research confirmed sending fewer mailings increased open-rates…” “We can find a way to bring more attention to the call-to-action…” “Coding it this way decreases your maintenance costs…”

HONE YOUR PROCESS BEHIND THE SCENES.

DISCOVER

DESIGN

DEFINE DEVELOP

UX

Interaction: Inputs, Behaviors, Interaction States

Interface: Design Principles, Wireframes, Prototypes

DISCOVER

DESIGN

DEFINE DEVELOP

Research: Competitive Review, Interviews, Personas

Architecture: Scenarios, Flows, Maps, Navigation

AN OPEN INVITATION TO COLLABORATION.

HOW-TO GUIDE Listen before speaking. Pull before pushing. Add before subtracting. Build before tearing-down. Don’t be an asshole.

B E A B E T T E R FA C I L I TA T O R

MEETINGS, MEETINGS, MEETINGS.

EXPLORE DECIDE REVIEW

EXPLORE Early

Listen

Would

Genesis

Open doors

Learn ‘what’

Spot obstacles

Gain momentum

DECIDE Mid

Speak

Could

Analysis

Close doors

Explain ‘how’

Choose battles

Build consensus

REVIEW Late

Lead

Should

Synthesis

Lock doors

Defend ‘why’

Beat opponents

Get final approval

EXPLORE 1. UNDERSTAND THE GOALS. 2. ASK QUESTIONS. 3. FRAME THE PROBLEM. 4. EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES. 5. YES, AND…

1. UNDERSTAND THE GOALS

“It needs to be easy to use.”

“This initiative is very

important to leadership.”

“We need to redesign, our current thing

sucks.”

“Wow-factor!”

“It has to look good on a

mobile phone.”

“We want to switch to

open-source.”

1. UNDERSTAND THE GOALS

“It needs to be easy to use.”

“This initiative is very

important to leadership.”

“We need to redesign, our current thing

sucks.”

“Wow-factor!”

“It has to look good on a

mobile phone.”

“We want to switch to

open-source.”

X X X

1. UNDERSTAND THE GOALS

“It needs to be easy to use.”

“This initiative is very

important to leadership.”

“We need to redesign, our current thing

sucks.”

“Wow-factor!”

“It has to look good on a

mobile phone.”

“We want to switch to

open-source.”

X X X X X X

1. UNDERSTAND THE GOALS

This project will be a huge success for our business when… …it’s increased our customer retention rates.

…it’s moved high volume, low value transactions to the web.

This project will be a huge success for our customers when…

…it provides fresh and relevant content that is actionable.

…their satisfaction scores are 20% higher.

This project will be a huge success for our employees when…

…it’s reduced time spent processing low-value transactions.

…it’s improved customer retention through customer satisfaction.

1. UNDERSTAND THE GOALS

Increase customer

satisfaction.

Increase customer retention.

Move high-volume,

low- value tasks online.

2. ASK QUESTIONS Relentlessly. Understand the current state and the thinking that got them there. Find out what’s been tried before, with what degree of success. Embrace the fact that you are likely not a subject-matter expert.

3. FRAME THE PROBLEM Right now we can’t… Our customers complain that… We’re losing-out to the competition because... We need the project to help us… It would be really great if... We currently spend way too much time... It shouldn’t be so hard to...

3. FRAME THE PROBLEM

4. EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES

5. YES, AND… “The first rule of improvisation is agree. Always agree and say yes... ...the Rule of Agreement reminds you to ‘respect what your partner has created’ and to start from an open-minded place. Start with a yes; see where that takes you.” — Tina Fey

DECIDE 1. CLARIFY THE GOALS. 2. MAKE SUGGESTIONS. 3. FRAME THE SOLUTION. 4. EVALUATE OPTIONS. 5. MAYBE, IF…

1. CLARIFY THE GOALS

Increase customer

satisfaction.

Increase customer retention.

Move high-volume,

low- value tasks online.

HOW RELEVANT CONTENT

NEW CAPABILITIES EASY TO GET HELP

HOW RECURRING PAYMENTS

UPSELL / CROSS-SELL LOYALTY DISCOUNTS

HOW NEW CAPABILITIES

RECURRING PAYMENTS 3rd-PARTY INTEGRATION

2. MAKE SUGGESTIONS Could we try a version of things that... What if instead of that way, we try it this way... I get what we’re going for here, but how about... That doesn’t make sense yet...

3. FRAME THE SOLUTION

3. FRAME THE SOLUTION

3. FRAME THE SOLUTION

4. EVALUATE OPTIONS

PROS USER-CENTERED

ACTION-ORIENTED CLEAR AND SIMPLE PROVIDES GUIDANCE SCALABLE

CONS PROMOS DOWN-PLAYED LOTS OF CONTACT INFO

5. MAYBE, IF… Negotiate trade-offs. Identify dependencies. Gently remind everyone of the goals. Be candid about scope implications.

REVIEW 1. RESTATE THE GOALS. 2. PROVIDE ANSWERS. 3. FRAME THE EVOLUTION. 4. DEFEND DECISIONS. 5. NO, BUT…

1. RESTATE THE GOALS

Increase customer

satisfaction.

Increase customer retention.

Move high-volume,

low- value tasks online.

HOW RELEVANT CONTENT

NEW CAPABILITIES EASY TO GET HELP

HOW RECURRING PAYMENTS

UPSELL / CROSS-SELL LOYALTY DISCOUNTS

HOW NEW CAPABILITIES

RECURRING PAYMENTS 3rd-PARTY INTEGRATION

2. PROVIDE ANSWERS We did it this way, not that way because... I hear what you’re saying, but... This is the best approach because... That doesn’t work because...

3. FRAME THE EVOLUTION

4. DEFEND DECISIONS

5. NO, BUT… ...we can add that idea to the product road map. ...we’re doing something similar in another part of the project. ...next time around we’ll make sure she’s included. ...if you’ve got more time and money, I’ll make it happen.

EXPLORE

Understand the goals.

Ask questions.

Frame the problem.

Explore possibilities.

Yes, and...

DECIDE

Clarify the goals.

Make suggestions.

Frame the solution.

Evaluate options.

Maybe, if...

REVIEW

Restate the goals.

Provide answers.

Frame the evolution.

Defend decisions.

No, but...

B E A B E T T E R M A N A G E R

UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF ASSIGNMENTS. YOUR TEAM MEMBER’S WORKING STYLES. YOUR OWN DEFAULT ORIENTATIONS. THAT YOU NEED TO PUSH AND PULL.

71

TACTICAL

EMPOWERED CONSTRAINED

STRATEGIC

72

TACTICAL

EMPOWERED CONSTRAINED

STRATEGIC Build-out the other months of a calendar mockup. We need it early this afternoon.

73

TACTICAL

EMPOWERED CONSTRAINED

STRATEGIC We need a team and a timeline for a project starting next week. See ya’ at the kick-off.

74

TACTICAL

EMPOWERED CONSTRAINED

STRATEGIC Identify new offerings we can bring to market. Show us what you can by mid-Q4.

75

TACTICAL

EMPOWERED CONSTRAINED

STRATEGIC Do a competitive review to help us position this new product. Our first check-in will be morning of 10/8.

EVERYBODY HAS A SWEET SPOT.

77

TACTICAL

EMPOWERED CONSTRAINED

STRATEGIC

INCLUDING YOU.

79

TACTICAL

EMPOWERED CONSTRAINED

STRATEGIC

YOUR JOB IS TO CREATE BALANCE.

SERVE AS CONDUIT OR COUNTERVAILING FORCE.

ADAPT YOUR STYLE AS SITUATIONS DEMAND.

PUSH AND PULL “What worked last time might not work this time.” “Not the best solution possible, the best solution possible by Friday.” “We need to consider what the user sees before and after this screen.” “Good enough. Ship it.” “Let’s take a step back and consider this more broadly.” “We’re done debating. Everybody clear on what needs to happen?”

B E A B E T T E R L E A D E R

TAKE CONSCIOUS ACTION.

INACTION IS AN ACTION.

YOU’LL NEVER HAVE COMPLETE INFORMATION.

DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND.

IT’S JUST SAND.

THANK YOU.

Patrick DiMichele

www.linkedin.com/in/theparanoids/

patrick.dimichele@gmail.com