IBM Design’s mission was to shift how it approached product strategy, but it led to friction between multidisciplinary teams grasping for a unified vision. Learn lessons from a research team that broke bad data analysis habits and started inclusive generative and evaluative techniques. Research is more than just testing designs with users. We bring insights to all members of the tribe and help them make better decisions, and increase the value and meaning of the work for the teams we support. Matt is a Research Team Lead for IBM Design. He has worked on projects for companies such as IBM, AT&T, Ogilvy, and Symantec. During these projects, he has conducted numerous research efforts that helped to align and focus stakeholders with diverse needs. His experience as a Team Lead for the IBM led him to discover new techniques for bringing together multidisciplinary teams and internal stakeholders into the research process for quicker alignment. When he is not untangling team priorities, he shares his lessons and experiences with other communities such as UX Australia, Nerd Summit, THAT Conference, Big Design, and TEDx San Antonio. On the side, he runs experiments with bicycles, old computers, and his dog.

1. Research is the Glue
Inclusive techniques to share data
@engmatthew

2. IBM Design
@engmatthew
2
@engmatthew

3. !3
@engmatthew

4. I do design research
@engmatthew

8. We like to think
that invention
comes as a
flash of insight
-Vaclav Smil
“
@engmatthew

9. Allowing one person to
believe that he or she is a
vessel for creativity and
(innovation) is too much
responsibility.
“
@engmatthew
-Elizabeth Gilbert

10. It can also be
beneficial to
create a mashup
of skills and
duties
-Lauren Marchese
“
@engmatthew

11. Everyone can contribute to research
Research can work in Agile environments
Research must facilitate data inclusion
@engmatthew

12. My Team
@engmatthew

13. Squads
Embedded Research
!13
Research
PM
Dev
@engmatthew
Design

14. Accounts
Embedded Research
!14
Research
PM
Dev
@engmatthew
Design
Access

15. Navigation Case Study
@engmatthew

16. Tokyo Station Yoyogi Park
@engmatthew

17. @engmatthew

18. @engmatthew

19. @engmatthew

20. @engmatthew

21. !21
@engmatthew

22. Accounts
Help
Docs
Network
Containers
DevOps
Security
Compute
AI
@engmatthew

23. Accounts
Help
Docs
Network
Containers
DevOps
Security
AI
Help and Assistance
Network
Compute
VM
Bare Metal
Storage
Compute
Security
Learn
@engmatthew

24. Customer 1 Customer 2 Customer 3 Customer 4
!24
@engmatthew

25. Green Olive Tree Avnet
Indeed Ogilvy
Arrow
Kollacode
Customer 1 Customer 2 Customer 3
Customer 4 Customer 5 Customer 625

26. Seems like it is laid out by lines of business
in IBM. Not necessarily the way I would
architect an app
“
!26
-Customer
@engmatthew

27. IBM is currently dealing with a major rebranding exercise which is hurting
its positioning. It is in the process of phasing out the SoftLayer and
Bluemix brands
!27
“
-Forbes
@engmatthew

28. Reflections
@engmatthew

29. Product design / dev models
!29
@engmatthew
Daily Scrum
Design Sprint
Daily Scrum
Dev Sprint

30. Product design / dev models
!30
@engmatthew
Daily Scrum
Design Sprint
Daily Scrum
Research Sprint
Daily Scrum
Dev Sprint
Usability Testing

31. 31
Design
PM
Dev
Discovery Validation Implementation
IBM Cloud | IBM Confidential | ©2017 IBM Corporation
Process
How we worked together
@engmatthew

32. 32
Design
PM
Dev
Discovery Validation Implementation
IBM Cloud | IBM Confidential | ©2017 IBM Corporation
Process
How we worked together
Research
@engmatthew
Customer and
user interviews

33. 33
Design
PM
Dev
Discovery Validation Implementation
IBM Cloud | IBM Confidential | ©2017 IBM Corporation
Process
How we worked together
Research
Analytic Trends
Competition Adoption
and Tickets
@engmatthew

34. 34
Design
PM
Dev
Discovery Validation Implementation
IBM Cloud | IBM Confidential | ©2017 IBM Corporation
Process
How we worked together
Research
Analyst
NPS Feedback
New Shining Thing
@engmatthew
Leadership

35. Changes
@engmatthew

36. Open up the testing sessions
@engmatthew

37. Open up the synthesis
@engmatthew

38. Experiment
Feedback
Generative Research Design Thinking Lean UX Agile Evaluative Research
Revise Hypothesis
Explore
New Problems
and New Ideas
Build it
HypothesisClear Need Observe,
Analyze,
Synthesize,
Product design / dev models
!38
@engmatthew

39. !39
Process
Bringing Data Together
Experience Outcomes
Design
Business KPI’s Analyst
PM Leadership
Support Tickets
Users

40. Teach
@engmatthew

41. @engmatthew

42. 42@engmatthew

43. Takeaways
@engmatthew

44. Find what your team needs

45. Invest time in an open process

46. Be a guide

48. 2:00 pm @ Schubas Tavern
!48
@engmatthew
Office Hours

49. Q/A
!49
@engmatthew

50. Thank you
!50
@engmatthew