Many designers and developers do not have business backgrounds, and MBAs, yet setup agencies because we love the thrill of design and want to make a difference. There are many thriving small studios but often, we find ourselves challenged by leading teams, running sales departments, propelling marketing, managing processes and doing web design all at the same time. So how can we grow our agencies from singular clients and 1-2 staff to international stardom? Also does a yearly business plan make a difference and when is the right time to create one? Danny will explain how better processes and recurring procedures increase revenue, reduce risk, improve profitability, transform HR and lead to better client relationships. He will explain how strategic R&D, innovation and a passion for usability are key to success.

1. How processes
can pivot a digital
agency
HOW STRATEGY, PROCESSES AND INNOVATION
HELP TO TRANSFORM A DIGITAL AGENCY

2. 1. WHY THE DUCK
2. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
3. WHY PROCESSES
4. USER CENTRED DESIGN
5. LEAN PROCESSES
6. STRATEGY
7. INNOVATION
8. MARKETING
9. PEOPLE
10. CONCLUSION
@cyberduck_uk
@danny_bluestone

3. WHY THE DUCK?

9. Organic growth
• Started off as a ‘one man band’ working with freelancers in my bedroom
• Funded using credit cards, initial revenue was £40K-£50K per year
• Used user centred design (UCD) as a methodology to deliver quality
• Gradually moved into serviced office, hired staff and did marketing
• Revenue tripled, innovated new services and marketed at trade shows
• Income continued to almost double every year for the first 4-5 years
• Moved offices again, hired 4 staff per year (on average)
• Used Scrum and agile to improve project management processes
• Cemented business processes via lean principles and ISO9001
• Blue Ocean business planning improved profitability within 2 years
• R&D, hackathons and compassionate HR continue to lead our philosophy

10. FAST FORWARD TO 2014

11. Org chart
We currently have three people layers: strategy, management and experts

12. Thinking about holacracy
Holacracy is hierarchical and allows roles to overlap, with a lead link
within each department/division

13. GET MENTORS AND INSPIRATION
Image credit: http://just-tri-hard.blogspot.co.uk/2010_05_01_archive.html

14. Image credit: http://vapor-studio.com/art-design/legendary-design-guru-jony-ive-now-runs-apple-software-too/
THE INFLUENTIAL DESIGNER

15. Image credit: http://uxpodcast.com/51-brad-frost-future-friendly/
THE CODE NINJA

16. THE MARKETING THINKER
Image credit: http://delfi-net.com/home/img/hs-seth-godin.png

17. Image credit: http://web.braintive.com/10-reglas-heuristicas-de-usabilidad-de-jakob-nielsen/
THE USABILITY RESEARCHER

18. THE BUSINESS GURU
Image credit:https://poppeelings.wordpress.com/tag/alan-sugar/

19. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT AT EVERYTHING
Image credit:http://img.fark.net/images/cache/850/7/76/fark_76Ru0JwFEefbW3eEPX-ol5X4AYA.jpg?t=94VPRgdzNIy7UfUksJLG_A&f=1405310400

20. JUMP INTO THE MIDDLE OF THINGS
GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY FALL FLAT ON
YOUR FACE AND REACH FOR THE STARS
The T shaped human
Breadth of knowledge
Depth of
expertise
Image credit: http://filmecon.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/team-money-monopoly-and-counterfeit.html

21. Image credit:http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/freddie-mercury/images/31652011/title/freddie-photo
OK, DO I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

22. FUSE YOUR GIFT OF WORK INTO THE
BLESSINGS OF LIFE WHILE INSPIRING
THOSE AROUND YOU.
Work ethos
Image credit:http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/true-grit-wallpaper-99133-1920x1200.html

23. HUMILITY PUSHES US TO ACHIEVE
MORE
Be humble
Image credit: http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/true-grit-wallpaper-99133-1920x1200.html

24. ARE YOU A TAKER, MATCHER OR
GIVER?
Givers
Image credit: http://article.wn.com/view/2014/04/02/Wharton_Professor_Adam_Grant_Explains_Why_The_Most_Successfu/

25. FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BOLD
Be bold
Image credit: http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-worstbiopicactors/4/

26. WHY PROCESSES?

27. research development marketing on going
support
art directionuser experience
UCD

28. research development marketing on going
support
art directionuser experience
Scrum

29. research development marketing on going
support
art directionuser experience
ISO 9001 & Lean

30. USER CENTRED DESIGN
TRANSFORM DESIGN
CAPABILITIES

31. Design for generations
EACH GENERATION HAS A DIFFERENT
MENTAL MODEL
SILENT GEN
BOOMERS
GEN X
MILLENNIALS
DIGI’ NATIVES
1960s-1980s
1940s-1960s
1920s-1940s
1980s-2000s
Now

32. Personas
REMOVE ASSUMPTIONS FROM YOUR
DESIGN PROJECT

33. Brand overlap
THE BRANDING AND MARKETING
CAN BE TRANSFORMED VIA UCD

34. LEAN THINKING
PIVOTS YOUR
CULTURE

35. DECISIONS ARE BASED ON LONG TERM
PASSIONS AND AMBITION AS OPPOSED
TO SHORT-TERM OBJECTIVES AND PROFITS
Philosophy

36. USE RESEARCH AND VALIDATED
LEARNING TO ENSURE DESIGN DECISIONS
ARE MEANINGFUL AND USEFUL. KEEP
DOCUMENTATION LIGHT AND SMART
Waste

37. STANDARDISE PROCEDURES, TECHNOLOGY
AND DESIGN SO WE CAN FOCUS ON FLOW,
CREATIVITY AND MAKING A HUGE IMPACT
WITHIN THE DETAIL
Standardisation

38. STOP WHEN PROBLEMS HAPPEN TO
REFLECT, CHANGE AND IMPROVE
ENSURING THAT QUALITY ASSURANCE
IS AT THE HEART OF WHAT YOU DO
(“JIDOKA”)
Get quality right first time
Image credit: https://www.adsgroup.org.uk/articles/38410

39. ENSURE THE EFFORT IS EVEN
AMONG THE TEAM (“HEIJUNKA”)
Level out the workload

40. INVEST IN OUR TEAM, GROW AND NOURISH
LEADERS SLOWLY AND RETAIN THE ONES
WE HAVE, SO THEY KNOW HOW TO RUN
OUR BUSINESS
Grow leaders

41. INVEST IN CROSS FUNCTIONAL TEAMS
TO AMPLIFY LEARNING AND BOOST
CREATIVITY
!
Diversify the teams

42. Decide by consensus
PONDER ON MANY OPTIONS BUT
IMPLEMENT RAPIDLY (“NEMEWASHI”).

43. ONCE YOU HAVE A STABLE PROCESS USE
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT (KAIZEN) TO
ANALYSE AND IMPROVE ON IT
Continual improvement

44. A STRATEGY IS
ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVE A
TIPPING POINT

45. THE BLUE OCEAN CANVAS HELPS
TO VISUALISE YOUR STRATEGY.
Blue ocean strategy

46. A LONG TERM PLAN IS REQUIRED
TO DEFINE TARGETS, MARKETING
TACTICS AND A NEW STRUCTURE
TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
Our three year plan

47. INNOVATION IS KEY

48. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO INNOVATE?
WHY DO YOU NEED TO DO IT?
HOW DO YOU DO IT? WHO DO YOU DO
IT FOR? WHEN DO YOU DO IT?
The big ‘I’

49. ON THE NEXT SLIDE WE WILL SEE (A VIDEO) OF WHAT A HACKATHON
CAN GENERATE!
Innovation in action

50. PIVOTAL MARKETING

51. IT TAKES A DAY TO LEARN BUT A LIFE
TIME TO MASTER.
Marketing
Image credit:http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2010/evian-baby-inside/

52. Image credit
START A TRIBE TO MEET, LEARN AND SHARE

53. CREATE A TRIBE OF
SUPER HUMANS

54. Image credit
PEOPLE BELIEVE WHAT THEY TELL THEMSELVES, NOT WHAT YOU TELL THEM

55. BUILD UP AND RAISE THE PROFILE OF KEY
TEAM PLAYERS
Recognition

56. Image credit http://aludin.com/2013/12/
TRAIN PEOPLE WELL ENOUGH SO THEY CAN LEAVE,
TREAT THEM WELL ENOUGH SO THEY DON’T WANT TO

57. A GREAT LOCATION = STAFF LONGEVITY.
Location

58. IN TODAY’S CONNECTED WORLD, YOU
CAN FIND THAT PERSON.
The unicorn myth

59. THERE ARE FOUR PRINCIPLE
PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS WE USE TO
EXPERIENCE THE WORLD: SENSATION,
INTUITION, FEELING AND THINKING
Myers Briggs
ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ
ISTP ISFP INFP INTP
ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP
ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

60. •Go for a long term plan but keep it lean and adaptive
•Innovate is key to success, but think why you need to innovate
•Explore holacracy, lead and manage with compassion
•Invest in training, great recruitment and solid HR processes
•Departmentalise your business and interlink everything (ISO:9001)
•Use recurring procedures to automate as many things as possible
Summary

61. THANK YOU!
@cyberduck_uk
@danny_bluestone