1.
BETTER PRODUCT
DEFINITION WITH
LEAN UX &
DESIGN THINKING
Crisp - May 2013

2.
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

3.
@jboogie
“While the initial launch and
traction proved extremely
exciting, it misled us into
believing there was a larger
market ready to adopt our
product.”
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/22/post-mortem-for-plancast/
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

4.
@jboogie
“100,000 have registered and
over 230,000 people visit each
month.”
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/22/post-mortem-for-plancast/
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

5.
@jboogie
“People often tell me “I like
Plancast, but I never have any
plans to share.”
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/22/post-mortem-for-plancast/
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

6.
@jboogie
“Most social networks feed
primarily on vanity….Sharing
plans, unfortunately, doesn’t
present the same opportunity to
show off and incur the same
subsequent happy feelings.”
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/22/post-mortem-for-plancast/
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

7.
@jboogie
“…[lack of an invitation feature]
…caused a situation where
many people feel awkwardly
aware of events to which they
don’t feel welcome…”
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/22/post-mortem-for-plancast/
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

8.
@jboogie
http://blog.capwatkins.com/formspring-a-postmortem
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

9.
@jboogie
http://blog.capwatkins.com/formspring-a-postmortem
@neo_innovation || @jboogie
“…The first big project we worked on was a
Formspring button that sites could embed at
the end of blog posts... We had millions of
users, so we figured it wasn’t a stretch to
imagine they browsed other web sites and
would gladly click a Formspring button at the
end of a post ... This was just as the Facebook
Share and Twitter “Tweet This” buttons were
appearing...”

10.
@jboogie
http://blog.capwatkins.com/formspring-a-postmortem
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

11.
@jboogie
http://blog.capwatkins.com/formspring-a-postmortem
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

12.
@jboogie
http://blog.capwatkins.com/formspring-a-postmortem
@neo_innovation || @jboogie
“…We spent months on that system. We had
to make sure our servers could handle…huge
influx of traffic, had to design & implement
the feature, make sure the implementation
was easy for publishers, make deals with
publishers, etc.
We bet huge.
On someone else’s (Facebook and Twitter’s)
plan.
Flop...”

13.
@jboogie
Key questions:
How long do we wait before
launch?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

14.
@jboogie
Key questions:
How long do we wait before
launch?
How do we define the right
requirements for our product?
What signals are we looking for
from the market?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

15.
REQUIREMENTS
ARE ACTUALLY
ASSUMPTIONS
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

16.
@jboogie
Do you know this
product manager?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

17.
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

18.
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

19.
Requirements = Assumptions
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

20.
Requirements = Assumptions
We know We believe
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

21.
Requirements = Assumptions
We know We believe
Let’s build it! Let’s test it!
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

22.
DESIGN THINKING
CAN HELP!
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

23.
@jboogie
Design Thinking
“As a style of thinking, it is generally
considered the ability to combine
empathy for the context of a problem,
creativity in the generation of insights and
solutions, and rationality to analyze and fit
solutions to the context. ”
- Tim Brown, CEO & President, IDEO
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

24.
I’VE HEARD GOOD
THINGS ABOUT
THIS LEAN UX
THING TOO
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

25.
@jboogie
Lean UX
Inspired by Lean Startup and Agile
development theories, it’s the practice of
bringing the true nature of a product to light
faster, in a collaborative, cross-functional
way with less emphasis on deliverables and
greater focus on a shared understanding of
the actual experience being designed.
That’s me!
I said this.
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

26.
PRIORITIZE
LEARNING OVER
GROWTH
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

27.
@jboogie
Early product definition assumptions
include…
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

28.
@jboogie
Early product definition assumptions
include…
Who is our customer?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

29.
@jboogie
Early product definition assumptions
include…
Who is our customer?
What pain points do they have related to our
product or service?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

30.
@jboogie
Early product definition assumptions
include…
Who is our customer?
What pain points do they have related to our
product or service?
How will our product/service solve their pain
points?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

31.
@jboogie
Early product definition assumptions
include…
Who is our customer?
What pain points do they have related to our
product or service?
How will our product/service solve their pain
points?
What features are important?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

32.
@jboogie
Early product definition assumptions
include…
Who is our customer?
What pain points do they have related to our
product or service?
How will our product/service solve their pain
points?
What features are important?
What is our differentiation?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

33.
@jboogie
Early product definition assumptions
include…
Who is our customer?
What pain points do they have related to our
product or service?
How will our product/service solve their pain
points?
What features are important?
What is our differentiation?
What is our business model?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

34.
@jboogie
…which we then turn into hypotheses…
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

35.
@jboogie
…which we then turn into hypotheses…
We believe that
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

36.
@jboogie
…which we then turn into hypotheses…
We believe that
[building this feature]
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

37.
@jboogie
…which we then turn into hypotheses…
We believe that
[building this feature]
[for these people]
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

38.
@jboogie
…which we then turn into hypotheses…
We believe that
[building this feature]
[for these people]
will achieve [this outcome].
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

39.
@jboogie
…which we then turn into hypotheses…
We believe that
[building this feature]
[for these people]
will achieve [this outcome].
We will know we are successful when we
see [this signal from the market].
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

40.
@jboogie
Hypothesis: We believe that
creating the ability for people to
share events will provide them with
better awareness and greater
enjoyment of their social circles.
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

41.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

42.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

43.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
Requirement: Provide each paying customer
with a personal job search assistant
available via email and phone
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

44.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
Requirement: Provide each paying customer
with a personal job search assistant
available via email and phone
Hypothesis: We believe that providing a
personal assistant to each customer will
drive up customer satisfaction, renewals and
retention rates
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

45.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

46.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
How could we have better defined our
products?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

47.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
How could we have better defined our
products?
Articulated our assumptions
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

48.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
How could we have better defined our
products?
Articulated our assumptions
Defined our hypotheses
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

49.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
How could we have better defined our
products?
Articulated our assumptions
Defined our hypotheses
Run lightweight tests to validate the need
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

50.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
How could we have better defined our
products?
Articulated our assumptions
Defined our hypotheses
Run lightweight tests to validate the need
What outcome were we targeting?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

51.
@jboogie
What problem are you trying to solve?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

52.
@jboogie
What problem are you trying to solve?
How will you solve it?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

53.
@jboogie
What problem are you trying to solve?
How will you solve it?
How do you know it will work?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

54.
@jboogie
How does this change the way a team
approaches a project?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

55.
@jboogie
How does this change the way a team
approaches a project?
The measure of progress changes…
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

56.
@jboogie
How does this change the way a team
approaches a project?
The measure of progress changes…
…from output to outcome.
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

57.
@jboogie
You can launch features…and they can
still suck.
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

58.
@jboogie
Output
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

59.
@jboogie
Outcome
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

60.
@jboogie
Impact
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

61.
@jboogie
Many companies currently manage to
output.
Instead, they need to focus on outcome and
not task teams with responsibility for
impact.
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

62.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

63.
@jboogie
Case Study: TheLadders
14%
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

64.
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

65.
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

66.
MAKE DECISIONS
BASED ON
OBJECTIVE
OBSERVATIONS
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

67.
@jboogie
Kill
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

68.
@jboogie
Pivot
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

69.
@jboogie
Double-down
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

70.
@jboogie
Case Study: Lenddo
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

71.
@jboogie
Case Study: Lenddo
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

72.
@jboogie
Case Study: Lenddo
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

73.
MITIGATE RISK BY
NOT BUILDING
THINGS PEOPLE
DON’T WANT
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

74.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

75.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
Entering a new market
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

76.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
Entering a new market
Heavy investment
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

77.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
Entering a new market
Heavy investment
High risk
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

78.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
Entering a new market
Heavy investment
High risk
Long term initiative
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

79.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

80.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
In-class observation
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

81.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
In-class observation
V1 = PDF content test
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

82.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
In-class observation
V1 = PDF content test
V2 = card sorting
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

83.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
In-class observation
V1 = PDF content test
V2 = card sorting
V3 = clickable prototype
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

84.
@jboogie
Case Study: Sesame Street
In-class observation
V1 = PDF content test
V2 = card sorting
V3 = clickable prototype
Not a line of code
written
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

85.
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

86.
@jboogie
Case Study: Agile UX NYC 2012
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

87.
@jboogie
Case Study: Agile UX NYC 2012
Would anyone attend our conference?
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

88.
@jboogie
Case Study: Agile UX NYC 2012
Would anyone attend our conference?
Lots of up front costs
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

89.
@jboogie
Case Study: Agile UX NYC 2012
Would anyone attend our conference?
Lots of up front costs
Increasing fidelity of tests
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

90.
@jboogie
Case Study: Agile UX NYC 2012
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

91.
LEAN UX AND
DESIGN THINKING
ARE NOT JUST FOR
DESIGNERS
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

92.
@jboogie
Cross-functional teams…
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

93.
@jboogie
Cross-functional teams…
Bring perspective to the product definition
process from all disciplines
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

94.
@jboogie
Cross-functional teams…
Bring perspective to the product definition
process from all disciplines
Possess increased empathy for the user
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

95.
@jboogie
Cross-functional teams…
Bring perspective to the product definition
process from all disciplines
Possess increased empathy for the user
Understand the “why” behind every initiative
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

96.
@jboogie
Cross-functional teams…
Bring perspective to the product definition
process from all disciplines
Possess increased empathy for the user
Understand the “why” behind every initiative
Learn more, faster, by sharing the discovery
and creation process
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

97.
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie

98.
@jboogie@neo_innovation || @jboogie
Competencies over roles
Jeffrey Allen "Jeff Skunk" Baxter (born December 13, 1948) is an
American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely
Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s. More recently, he
has been working as a defense consultant and chairs a
Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense.

99.
@jboogie
Case Study: PayPal
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

100.
@jboogie
Case Study: PayPal
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

101.
@jboogie
Defining the right product…
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

102.
@jboogie
Defining the right product…
Reduces the time spent building the wrong
product
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

103.
@jboogie
Defining the right product…
Reduces the time spent building the wrong
product
Builds team-wide momentum & shared
understanding
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

104.
@jboogie
Defining the right product…
Reduces the time spent building the wrong
product
Builds team-wide momentum & shared
understanding
Ensures that resources are spent on the right
initiatives
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

105.
@jboogie
By shifting the way we work…
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

106.
@jboogie
By shifting the way we work…
Requirements are assumptions
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

107.
@jboogie
By shifting the way we work…
Requirements are assumptions
Focus on outcomes
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

108.
@jboogie
By shifting the way we work…
Requirements are assumptions
Focus on outcomes
Work together to come up with ideas
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

109.
@jboogie
By shifting the way we work…
Requirements are assumptions
Focus on outcomes
Work together to come up with ideas
Test those ideas ruthlessly
@neo_innovation || @jboogie

110.
@jboogie
Thank you!
jeff@neo.com
@jboogie
www.leanuxbook.com
@neo_innovation || @jboogie
www.neo.com