Stop Doing What Youre Told

The title of this presentation is

which, if you think about it for too long, is a rather odd and difficult imperative statement, as complying with this command would also place you in violation of this command…

This presentation has been lovingly crafted by S T E P H E N P. A N D E R S O N and will begin in a few moments. Tweeting? Please use #whywhy and/or #ias13 hashtag. Comments and questions may alse be directed to @stephenanderson. Enjoy!

Stop Doing What You’re Told!

Anderson

Product

DesignStrategy aND

Stephen P.

Stephen P. Anderson

Consulting

A C T I V I T Y

(example from Marc Rettig)

You have 2 minutes. Design a vase.

A C T I V I T Y

(example from Marc Rettig)

You have 2 minutes. Design a vase.Design a better way for people to enjoy flowers in their home.

Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question.”

– E . E . C U M M I N G S

“

?

FRAMING

DESIGN AS

PROBLEMSOLVING

FUNCTION AND FORM

STYLE

NO CONSCIOUSDESIGN

A ROUGH DESIGN MATURITY CONTINUUM

+

!!!!!

Design redefines the challenges facing the organization.

Framing sets the agenda, outlines the boundaries and axes of interest, and moves design from executing strategy to shaping strategy. Disruptive innovation lives here.

Design finds new opportunities by solving existing problems.

Design process generates alternatives within a problem space. Design also narrows down those options to a specific solution.

Design makes things work better.

This is the classic practice of design - but it's still commonly limited to incremental improvements through iteration over existing solutions.

Design is the gateway to be hip and cool.

Design is stylish, but too often is percieved and practiced as a cosmetic afterthought.

Design value isn't recognized.

This attitude fosters design by default - however things come out is fine, because there are more important issues to deal with.?

www.bplusd.org

© 2005, Jess McMullin

bplusd

BUSINESS+DESIGN

(Jess McMullin - Design Maturity Model - http://www.bplusd.org/2005/10/19/a-rough-design-maturity-model/ )

http://www.bplusd.org/2005/10/19/a-rough-design-maturity-model/

http://www.bplusd.org/2005/10/19/a-rough-design-maturity-model/

What I’m not talkin! about (thou!h relevant and important!)

Tame, Complex, Wicked and Super-Wicked Problems

Systems Thinkin!

4 Types of Problem According to Drucker, there’s four types of problems:

1. Truly Generic (individual occurrence is a symptom; Two Different Kinds of Compromises)

2. Generic, but Unique for the individual institution3. Truly exceptional, truly unique4. Early manifestation of a new generic problem

Known vs Unknown Problems

Cynefin Framework

Chaotic, Complex, Complex and Simple Problems

Frames, Metaphors, Lan!ua!e (a la Lako"),

Lin!uistic Relativity

Adjacent Problems

What I’m not talkin! about (thou!h relevant and important!)

Tame, Complex, Wicked and Super-Wicked Problems

Systems Thinkin!

4 Types of Problem According to Drucker, there’s four types of problems:

1. Truly Generic (individual occurrence is a symptom; Two Different Kinds of Compromises)

2. Generic, but Unique for the individual institution3. Truly exceptional, truly unique4. Early manifestation of a new generic problem

Known vs Unknown Problems

Cynefin Framework

Chaotic, Complex, Complex and Simple Problems

Frames, Metaphors, Lan!ua!e (a la Lako"),

Lin!uistic Relativity

Adjacent Problems

Unicorns!

*Build a tricycle with wings!

*Build a tricycle with wings!

(SILLY REQUEST)

*B

What color do you want it?

Build a tricycle with wings!

(SILLY REQUEST)

*B



BWe can try out some

HTML5-coated titanium!

(SILLY REQUEST)

*B


bStop.

Why is this valuable? And

for whom?


BWe can try out some

HTML5-coated titanium!

(SILLY REQUEST)

Let’s name some bad requests.

But first… Write down a recent problem you were asked to solve.

Is this the real problem, or are we…

“Anchorin!”Framin! the problem in the context of a specific solution which immediately discounts all other solutions

write some case studies to show

how our customers love us!

We need a health game to help employees meet wellness goals

Design a better way for people to enjoy flowers in their home.

Design a vase.

Experience Focused.Product or Task Focused

Design a better way to learn about [topic]

Design a better search engine results page.



Calculator Calcbot Soulver

If we’re thinking of [designing] a lunchbox we’d be rea&y careful about not having the word “box” already give you a bunch of ideas that could be quite narrow. Because you think of a box as being square and like a cube. And so we’re quite careful with the words we use, because those can determine the path you go down.

— S I R J O N A T H A N I V E O N “ B L U E P E T E R ”


We need a new Drupal CMS to make it easier for our team to edit pages.

“Solutioneerin!”Framin! the problem in terms of a technolo!y purchase when the issues may not be technical

Our company needs a Sharepoint installation.


“Wishlistin!”Framin! a problem as a set of desired features

We need our new site to be able to do this,

this and this.


Y

We're going to be the iTunes of health

insurance!

“Buzzwordin!”Likenin! the solution to some other popular product or service

This will be the Angry Birds of online

shopping!

Y


“Frankensteinin!”Framin! the problem as a blend of thin!s (that may or may not mix)

YouTube meets Craigslist

A tool for students to log into the computer lab, but also a way for teachers to sift through

student data

Friendster + Tribe + Craigslist


“Boilin! the Ocean”Framin! the problem as a HUGE blend of thin!s that are most certainly not acheivable out of the !ate!

iTunes + iPhoto + YouTube + Facebook + Cloud Storage

Eva-Lotta Lamm drew this!


“Treatin! a Symptom”Reactin! to ur!ent problems rather than seekin! the reason for that problem

We need more customer support folks to answer all

these incoming calls.


“Treatin! a Symptom”Reactin! to ur!ent problems rather than seekin! the reason for that problem

We need more customer support folks to answer all

these incoming calls. Why are you gettting so many calls? How can we improve the product to reduce the number of incoming

calls?

Our customers don’t know how to use [x].

Let’s give them more training... or add more

instructional text. Or maybe a ‘tooltip’ to explain what to do.

(Insert Jeremy’s example from Quizno’s)

The problem of !ettin! a kid to learn to ride a bike… Two solutions:

The engineer looks at the problem and says "Oh, Timmy falls down. We can fix that:"

The designer looks at the problem and says: "What if Timmy keepsfalling down because he isn't learning to balance, in turn becausewe're giving him too many things to learn at once? What if we takesomething away?"

trainin! wheels pushbike

http://doriantaylor.com/teachin!-timmy-to-ride

http://doriantaylor.com/teaching-timmy-to-ride

http://doriantaylor.com/teaching-timmy-to-ride


“Amplifyin! the Feedback”Allowin! the complaints (or praise) of a few people to drive decisions, even when statistically invalid

We must fix this now! I’ve got several customers complaing

about our new changes


We’ve tried that before

“Hamstrin!in!”Artificially constrainin! the problem with assumptions (usually tech, user or political)

Our technology doesn't allow us to do that The Senior VP will

never go for that


We’ve tried that before

“Hamstrin!in!”Artificially constrainin! the problem with assumptions (usually tech, user or political)

Our technology doesn't allow us to do that The Senior VP will

never go for that “John selects a nearby fishing spots on the map”

“John needs a way to discover a great new fishing spot”


“Bandwa!onin!”Framin! the problem as somethin! important to do because everyone else it doin! that thin!

We need a Facebook page!

We need a blog


“Narrowin! the problem”Framin! the problem in the context of a specific solution which immediately discounts all other solutions

Book a hotel


“Narrowin! the problem”Framin! the problem in the context of a specific solution which immediately discounts all other solutions

Book a hotel

which sellers will give me the products I want with the

best contract offer?

User needs to compare pricing.


We need a new homepage to promote our featured deals.

“Pacifyin! [insert name]”Problem is framed entirely in terms of one !roup's priorities (typically the business)

Users will complete brief conversation surveys that will help us measure program impact


“Bein! Presumptuous”Presumin! users will do some implausible activity.

User will book a hotel w/ Expedia People will educate their

families, friends about our life saving product


“Overlookin! the Obvious”Problem as presented is missin! a vital piece of information or based on a flawed assumption

Where to best add armor to the plane's structure?

A B

WRONG PROBLEM!

! ?

(RIGHT PROBLEM TO SOLVE)


“E!o Strokin!”

[Insert whatever you like - the HiPPO* asked for it…]

*Hi!hest Paid Person’s Opinion

Problem exists because it's important to the HiPPO


“Flavorin!”

Like AirBNB, but with this missing feature

Framin! the problem as an existin! product + “missin!” features.

*credit !oes to Matthew Milan for this one!


“Satisficin!”

"Don't spend too much time on this"

*as practiced!

M.V.P.*

Aims for a "!ood enou!h" solution that avoids the risk and costs associated with identifyin! and respondin! to the root problem


“Followin! the Leader”

Just copy Amazon

Framin! the problem as havin! been already been solved by someone else


“Supsendin! Reality”

We're building THE Community for parents of

Type I diabetics

Believin! the problem has not been solved already.

ALREADY EXISTS!


“Future Proofin!”

This UI looks great while we only have a few options, but we’ll have hundreds in a few years! We need to design for both…

Solvin! for a problem that doesn’t exist yet

Anchorin!Solutioneerin!Wishlistin!Buzzwordin!Frankensteinin!Boilin! the OceanTreatin! a SymptomAmplifyin! the FeedbackHamstrin!in!Bandwa!onin!

Narrowin! the problemPacifyin! [insert name or role]Bein! PresumptuousOverlookin! the ObviousE!o Strokin!Flavorin!Satisficin!Followin! the LeaderSupsendin! RealityFuture Proofin!

http://bit.ly/badproblemsPlease add to, edit, and improve this list:

http://bit.ly/badproblems

http://bit.ly/badproblems

“So… How can I write a GOOD problem statement?”

One simple tip:

Ask Why

Getting to the real problem…

Keep questionin! for clarity (why? why? why?)Define the desired outcomesResolve conflictin! desired outcomes

I!nore requirements (and user stories)

Separate Real from Perceived Constraints

guide, w//o directing

Step back, look for complementary projects… and people!Rinse & repeat. Learn alon! the way.

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x






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x x






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x x

Y=






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Keep questionin! for clarity (why? why? why?)






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Keep questionin! for clarity (why? why? why?)

My wallpaper is peelin! o"– how do I !et the wallpaper to stay on the wall?

Why is it fallin! o" the wall?

The wall is wet

Why is the wall is wet?

The wall is wet because there’s a leak in the attic.

Why is there a leak in the attic?






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Desired Outcome(s)Worksheet

Define the desired outcomes

Who needs what by when?Why do they want it?What are their conditions of satisfaction?How will we measure success?

If Who = userWhat Needs and Insi!hts are drivin! this request?

Focuses on Desired OutcomesShifts the conversation to ExperiencesCreates a Generative Thinkin! SpaceFocuses on ValueEncoura!es Objective Feedback






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A teenage girl needs

more nutritious food

because vitamins are

vital to good health

A teenage girl with a bleak outlook needs to feel more socially accepted when eating healthy food, because in her hood a social risk is more dangerous than a health risk

*example from Stanford D. School






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Business Goals

User Goals

Desired Outcome(s)

Desired Outcome(s)

Resolve conflictin! desired outcomes

the Sweet Spot!






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Business Goals

User Goals

the Sweet Spot!

Desired Outcome(s)

Desired Outcome(s)

Resolve conflictin! desired outcomes






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Desired Outcome(s)







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CONSTRAINT

CONSTRAINT

CONS

TRAI

NT

CONS

TRAI

NTDesired Outcome(s)


You can pry the greenscreen out of my cold, dead hands


Our technology stack doesn’t let us do that…

The CEO will never go for that

We’ve already tried something like that







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CONSTRAINT

CONSTRAINT

CONS

TRAI

NT

CONS

TRAI







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CONSTRAINT

CONS

TRAI


CONS

TRAI

NT Desired Outcome(s)

CONSTRAINT

CONSTRAINT

CONS

TRAI

NT

CONS

TRAI

NT

Step back, look for complementary projects… and people!

Project C

Project AProject B

Project B

Project A






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Stop. Why are we

doin! this? What is the Desired

Outcome?

Good. You're finally askin! the ri!ht questions!

Thank you!

Stephen P. [email protected]

slideshare.net/stephenpa

getmentalnotes.com

www.slideshare.net/stephenpa

http://www.poetpainter.com

http://www.poetpainter.com

http://www.poetpainter.com/sixd-uxi.zip

http://www.poetpainter.com/sixd-uxi.zip

Stop Doing What Youre Told

Business

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