You don't get a second chance to make a great first impression. Have your project kickoff meetings become stale, remote, or awkward conversations? After having one too many unproductive (and occasionally sleepy) kickoffs, Happy Cog reinvented it's project definition process around full-day, interactive activities and collaborative design exercises. Kevin M. Hoffman will explore approaches for identifying business strategy, company culture, and project risks before you even shake your client's hand for the first time, and then walk you through the strategy behind Happy Cog's kickoff processes for clients like Zappos.com, Georgetown University, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. #ias10

1. I HATE SPORTS.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

2. I HATE SPORTS.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

3. I DON’T HATE SPORTS.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

4. I DON’T SPORTS.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

5. I DON’T UNDERSTAND SPORTS.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

6. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

7. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

8. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

9. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

10. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

11. How to create a
successful project culture,
from the first meeting.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

12. Does a great kickoff meeting
guarantee a great project?
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

13. Does a great kickoff meeting
guarantee a great project?
NO!
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

14. Does a great kickoff meeting
guarantee a great project?
NO!
Does a lousy kickoff
guarantee project problems?
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

15. Does a great kickoff meeting
guarantee a great project?
YES. NO!
Does a lousy kickoff
guarantee project problems?
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

16. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

17. First impressions
1 are powerful &
lasting.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

18. First impressions
1 are powerful &
lasting.
2
Roles are
unclear or hidden.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

19. First impressions
1 are powerful &
lasting.
2
Roles are
unclear or hidden.
3
Time & money
is wasted.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

20. Trust.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

21. Good Meeting Design
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

22. Meeting Basics
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

23. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

24. Facilitator
Is a neutral servant
Doesn’t evaluate
Doesn’t contribute
Coordinates/Manages
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

25. Facilitator Recorder
Is a neutral servant Creates group memory
Doesn’t evaluate Records publicly
Doesn’t contribute Is silent
Coordinates/Manages Follows up afterwards
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

26. Facilitator Recorder
Is a neutral servant Creates group memory
Doesn’t evaluate Records publicly
Doesn’t contribute Is silent
Coordinates/Manages Follows up afterwards
Group Member
Contributes ideas
Stays positive
Isn’t defensive
Checks/balances
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

27. Facilitator Recorder
Is a neutral servant Creates group memory
Doesn’t evaluate Records publicly
Doesn’t contribute Is silent
Coordinates/Manages Follows up afterwards
Group Member Leader
Contributes ideas Designs the meeting
Stays positive Selects attendees & roles
Isn’t defensive Decides upon goals
Checks/balances Becomes a group member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

28. Good Meeting Design
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

29. Good Meeting Design
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

30. Good Kickoff Meeting Design
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

31. Kickoff
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

32. Kickoff
1 Open process
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

33. Kickoff
1 Open process
2 Actionable meeting goals
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

34. Kickoff
1 Open process
2 Actionable meeting goals
3 Good ideas are everyone’s job
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

35. Kickoff
1 Open process
2 Actionable meeting goals
3 Good ideas are everyone’s job
4 Learn more than people’s names
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

36. 1
2
3
4
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

37. 1 Conference
2
3
4
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

38. 1 Conference
2 Business Strategy
3
4
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

39. 1 Conference
2 Business Strategy
3 Design Studio
4
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

40. 1 Conference
2 Business Strategy
3 Design Studio
4 Culture
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

41. 1 Conference
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

42. 1 Conference
★ Editorial direction
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

43. 1 Conference
★ Editorial direction
★ Divide and conquer
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

44. 1 Conference
★ Editorial direction
★ Divide and conquer
★ Open but custom attendance
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

45. 1 Conference
★ Editorial direction
★ Divide and conquer
★ Open but custom attendance
★ Sufficient preparation
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

46. Stakeholder “Frontloading”
Conduct your full stakeholder interview phase before
you hold your kickoff meeting.
This provides content for kickoff exercises and a
framework for you to test the expectations of
stakeholders against the larger organization.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

47. Stakeholder “Frontloading”: Tips
Find a personal connection to the subject early.
Gather specific expectations regarding features and
functionality.
Be sure to inquire what are risks for project failure.
Maintain an “off-the-record” tone.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

48. Stakeholder “Frontloading”: Roles
This technique requires:
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

49. Stakeholder “Frontloading”: Roles
This technique requires:
Facilitator Recorder
Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

50. Multiple Meetings
Kickoffs at Happy Cog are never a single meeting.
We define a core team, and then branch out from that
core team into meetings that tackle the different layers of a
project in different, appropriately sized and staffed sub-
groups.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

51. Multiple Meetings: Roles
This technique requires:
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

52. Multiple Meetings: Roles
This technique requires:
Facilitator Recorder
Group Member Leader
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

53. 2 Business Strategy
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

54. 2 Business Strategy
★ Identify must-haves
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

55. 2 Business Strategy
★ Identify must-haves
★ Work across the organization
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

56. 2 Business Strategy
★ Identify must-haves
★ Work across the organization
★ Assess fit between groups
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

57. 2 Business Strategy
★ Identify must-haves
★ Work across the organization
★ Assess fit between groups
★ Surface points of contention
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

58. Prioritization Card Sort
Card sorts aren’t just for building sitemaps.
A variation on the poker game “Pass the Trash,” you can use
this technique to assess the priorities of a large
organization, and if you play your cards right, assess the
amount of variance between two organizations.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

59. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 1
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

60. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 1
Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4
Topic 5 Topic 6 Topic 7 Topic 8
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

61. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 2
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

62. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 2
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

63. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 3
Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4
Topic 5 Topic 6 Topic 7 Topic 8
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

64. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 3
Topic 8
Topic 4
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 36
Topic
Topic 7
5
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

65. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 4
Topic 7 8
Topic 4
Topic
Topic 1
Topic 23
Topic
Topic 6
Topic 5
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

66. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 4
Topic 7
Topic 8 Topic 1
Topic 23
Topic
Topic 6
Topic 5
Topic 4
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

67. KEVIN
Prioritization Card Sort: Step 5 Variation
Topic 7 8
Topic 4
Topic
Topic 1
Topic 23
Topic
Topic 6
Topic 5
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

68. KEVIN
Prioritization Card Sort: Step 5 Variation
Topic 84
Topic
Topic 7 Topic 1 Topic 5
Topic 23
Topic
REMOVE Topic 6 SAVE
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

69. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 6
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

70. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 6
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

71. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 7
Topic 7 Topic 5 Topic 6 Topic 8
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

72. Prioritization Card Sort: Step 7
1 2 3 4
Topic 7 Topic 5 Topic 6 Topic 8
KH KH KH KH
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

73. Prioritization Card Sort: Analysis
Topic Passes Average Client Avg. Happy Cog Avg. Variation
Donate to a Specific Program 8 1.31 1 1.67 -0.67
Get Help 1 5.23 5.42 5 0.42
Integrated Events Calendar 12 1 0.14 2 -1.86
Reviews of New Technology 2 3.38 4.71 1.83 2.88
Services Organized by Topic 2 6 3.57 8.83 -5.26
Sign Up to be a Volunteer 0 1.53 1.28 1.83 -0.55
Simulations 0 2.31 3 0.33 2.67
Volunteer for a Specific Program 1 0.46 0 1 -1
Out of 10, n=13 Out of 10, n = 7 Out of 10, n = 6
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

74. Prioritization Card Sort
This technique requires:
Facilitator Recorder
Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

75. Priority & Feasibility Plot
This is something we picked up from Henning Fischer at
Adaptive Path’s UX Intensive.
Have all participants evaluate a list of proposed features on
a scale of 1 to 5, but limit the total allowed points to 3X the
number of features. Plot the results.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

76. Priority & Feasibility Plot: Step 1
Feature or Functionality Priority Feasibility
Donate to a Specific Program 2 5
Get Help 4 5
Integrated Events Calendar 5 1
Reviews of New Technology 3 1
Services Organized by Topic 1 3
Sign Up to be a Volunteer 3 3
Simulations 4 4
Volunteer for a Specific Program 2 2
Must total 24 24 24
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

77. Priority & Feasibility Plot: Analysis
5 Donate
Get Help
4
Simulations
3 Volunteer
Priority
2 Volunteer for a Specific Program
1
1 2 3 4 5
Feasibility
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

78. Priority & Feasibility Matrix
This technique requires:
Facilitator
Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

79. 3 Design Studio
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

80. 3 Design Studio
★ Develop shared vocabulary
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

81. 3 Design Studio
★ Develop shared vocabulary
★ Volume of ideas
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

82. 3 Design Studio
★ Develop shared vocabulary
★ Volume of ideas
★ Low risk
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

83. 3 Design Studio
★ Develop shared vocabulary
★ Volume of ideas
★ Low risk
★ Build something!
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

84. Design Studio/Prototyping
Design studios have been around for awhile, but
Todd Zaki Warfel made them sexy with his Prototyping book.
Everyone starts with a blank grid, a pencil, and a time limit.
Have them prototype, form groups of 2, present, then critique.
Repeat until you get down to two large groups.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

85. Design Studio/Prototyping
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

86. Design Studio/Prototyping
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Your Name: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Your Name(s):
November 9, 2009 November 9, 2009
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

87. Design Studio/Prototyping
Design Studio/Prototyping
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

88. Design Studio/Prototyping
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

89. Design Studio/Prototyping
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

90. Design Studio/Prototyping
This technique requires:
Facilitator Recorder
Group Member Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

91. Social Mania
Based in part on their recent O’Reilly book Designing Social
Interfaces, Social Mania is a card game created by Christian
Crumlish and Erin Malone that allows encourages players
build & ship hypothetical social experiences.
It’s a great way to help “non-web” people understand the
social web. Make sure you have prizes.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

92. Social Mania
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

93. Social Mania!
This technique requires:
Facilitator
Group Member Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

94. Social Mania!
This technique requires:
Facilitator Facilitator
Group Member Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

95. 4 Culture
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

96. 4 Culture
★ Create a new culture
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

97. 4 Culture
★ Create a new culture
★ Explore and define values
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

98. 4 Culture
★ Create a new culture
★ Explore and define values
★ Build trust & relationships
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

99. 4 Culture
★ Create a new culture
★ Explore and define values
★ Build trust & relationships
★ Identify challenges & colleagues
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

100. 20 Second “Gut” Test
Show someone a series of websites. Give them 20 seconds
to score their reaction to that site on a scale of 1 to 5.
Compare the overall averages, averages by organizational
division, and then follow up with folks on high and low
scorers.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

101. 20 Second “Gut” Test
Example
A Rate your reaction to
this website:
Dislike Like
1 2 3 4 5
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

102. 20 Second Test
This technique requires:
Facilitator
Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

103. Design X Health Check
We adapted the basic framework behind Austin Govella and
Livia Labate’s User Experience Health Check to evaluate the
visual aesthetic of individual functional components.
Uses a methodology similar to the 20 second test, but
evaluates individual interface components outside of their
larger context.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

104. Design Experience Health Check
Example
Rate this element:
Bad Good
Importance
1 2 3 4 5
A2 Aesthetic Appeal
1 2 3 4 5
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

105. Design Experience Health Check
This technique requires:
Facilitator
Group Member
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

106. Design Experience Health Check
This technique requires:
Facilitator
Group Member Leader
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

107. Values Exploration
Projects excel when you can identify shared values between
you and your client.
Internally, agree upon your own values about a particular
aspect of your work, for example visual design. Then
prepare an open discussion based on examples of each
value.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

108. Values Exploration
Happy Cog Visual Design Values
Beautiful Typography
Usability
Less is More
Understand Convention to Innovate
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

109. Values Exploration
This technique requires:
Facilitator Recorder
Group Member Leader
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

110. A Few
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

111. A Few
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

112. A Few
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

113. A Few
Continuity.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

114. A Few
Adaptation.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

115. A Few
Depth.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

116. A Few
Trust.
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

117. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

118. @kickoffmeeting
http://www.goodkickoffmeetings.com
hoffman@happycog.com
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

119. Q&A
@kevinmhoffman #kickoffs

120. @kevinmhoffman #kickoffs