I was hired once to review implementation of UCD process in a modern and fast paced publishing company. It turned out, that a good idea can go wrong, if there’s temptation to subordinate it to managerial comfort - in this case, standardization. Enough to say, the creative process cannot be standardized at all. My job was to get insight about the situation and find a solution. After a two week long observation, I came with some conclusion and this presentation. It was just the beginning of fantastic journey with people I love to day.

1. Inspira(onal
(tle
goes
here
And
here
goes
an
explana(on
1

2. What
the
presenta(on
is
about
• I
was
hired
once
to
review
implementa(on
of
UCD
process
in
a
modern
and
fast
paced
publishing
company.
• It
turned
out,
that
a
good
idea
can
go
wrong,
if
there’s
tempta(on
to
subordinate
it
to
managerial
comfort
-­‐
in
this
case,
standardiza(on.
Enough
to
say,
the
crea(ve
process
cannot
be
standardized
at
all.
• My
job
was
to
get
insight
about
the
situa(on
and
find
a
solu(on.
• AHer
a
two
week
long
observa(on,
I
came
with
some
conclusion
and
this
presenta(on.
It
was
just
the
beginning
of
fantas(c
journey
with
people
I
love
to
day.
2

3. Agenda
• Issues
and
boKlenecks
• Assembly
line
• Framework
for
successful
design&deploy
3

4. Issues
and
boKlenecks
4

5. Issues
• Produc(on
process
is
organized
as
linear
assembly
line.
• No
proper
ini(a(on
and
closing
for
projects,
therefore:
• No
proper
evalua(on
• Allocated
share
of
liability
• No
quality
check
in
the
process
• Speed,
not
thought
oriented
process
5

6. Speed
over
quality
• „Let’s
do
now
-­‐
we’ll
start
worrying
later”
aXtude
(cut
first,
then
measure).
• Some
products
suffer
„leaking
boat
syndrome”,
that
results
in
enhanced
demand
for
resources
for
maintenance
of
defected
products.
• Quick
fixes
that
are
conceptual
prostheses
tend
to
accumulate,
making
development
costly
and
sub
effec(ve.
• Loss
of
opportuni(es
due
to
disappointed
expecta(ons
from
Users.
6

7. 7
Every project should start with
a decent analysis of its
business goals and expected
outcome.
It turns out, that 30% design
time is actually dedicated to
finding creative solutions for
aligning business needs with
actual user needs.
It's challenging, but also very
satisfying.
Business oriented thinking

8. 8
Money.
The only
Esperanto!
Use scenarios exploration
reveals events of business
importance.
These are called „Opportunity
Moments” - moments where
we can convince User to
execute various actions -
registration, purchase,
reccomendation etc.
In simple words: we've got
opportunities and we won't
hesitate to use them!
Business oriented thinking

9. 9
User Stories now
They're in fact basic requirements indexes.
Represent static concept of time. Everything here is just possibility
waiting to happen with no actual hierarchy of actions.
No modality. Do not describe various states under specific
conditions.
User Stories improved
Scenarios matching identified business goals and user needs.
Stories with real life background, giving answers for real life
problems and needs.
Structured as sequence of events under different conditions.

10. 10
Assembly
Line

11. IA/GUI (food processing unit) Development
(transformational unit)
deliverables
Project management (food chamber)
Sales
(energy generator)
(caloric fuel)
Distribution
(power grid)
Assembly
line
logic
is
I/O
system
11
as
long
as
it
works
ok,
no
one
cares

12. In
every
I/O
system
failure
starts
at
input
12
IA/GUI (food processing unit) Development
(transformational unit)
deliverables
Project management (food chamber)
Sales
(energy generator)
(less caloric fuel)
Distribution
(power grid)
Low quality food
(ambiguous input)
Stacks of unprocessed fuel
(lower caloric value)
Low efficiency
and
it
oHen
does

13. 13
Development
(transformational unit)
deliverables
Sales
(energy generator)
Project management (food chamber)
IA/GUI (food processing unit)
Wrong food (irrelevant input)
Chaos
(incommunicable madness)
Substandard produce
Wrong and uncontrollable reaction
(days of joy and indomitable creativity)
Obliterated turbines, no energy
produced
Diseases (self fired workers)
Some(mes
it
goes
even
worse...

14. If
cats
were
made
this
way...
14
Project management IA/GUI UI testingCoders
Screens! Improvements!It's alive!
Business
Idea!
User Story!
Sudden struck of insight
First draft Product design
Hey!
The Product

15. Interac(ve
product
is
not
ar(fact
• Web
applica(on
-­‐
in
fact
-­‐
is
conversa(on
agent.
• Design
for
conversa(on/user
experience
needs
different
approach.
• 19th
century
idea
of
assembly
line
is
dedicated
to
mul(plica(on
by
workforce
(humans
or
robots),
not
electronic
distribu(on
system,
where
copies
can
be
infinite.
• Assembly
line
works
properly,
when
everything
is
standardized,
but
in
crea(on
process
it’s
fairly
impossible.
15

16. • In
21st
century
user
experience
is
strategic
driver
of
growth
for
products.
• It’s
extension
of
brand
value
and
people
switch
to
products
they
find
well
designed,
thoroughly
thought,
smart
-­‐
just
as
they
wish
they
were
themselves.
• The
only
way
to
avoid
issues
specific
to
assembly
line,
is
to
take
design
back
to
manufacture
produc(on
model,
create
great
product
prototypes
together,
then
replicate.
16

17. • We
need
a
design
studio
approach
• We
need
a
different
set
of
prac(ces
17

18. Framework
Techniques
for
successful
design
and
deploy
18

19. Build half a product, not a half-assed product
You can turn a bunch of great ideas into a crappy product real fast by trying to do
m all at once. You just can't do everything you want to do and do it well. You have
You can turn a bunch of great ideas into a crappy product real fast by trying to do
them all at once. You just can't do everything you want to do and do it well. You
have limited time, resources, ability, and focus.
You need to approach your idea the same way. Details make the difference. But
getting infatuated with details too early leads to disagreement, meetings, and
delays. You get lost in things that don't really matter. You waste time on decisions
that are going to change anyway. So ignore the details--for a while. Nail the
basics first and worry about the specifics later.
Ignore the details early on
When we start designing something, we sketch out ideas with a big, thick
Sharpie marker, instead of a ballpoint pen. Why? Pen points are too fine. They're
too high- resolution. They encourage you to worry about things that you
shouldn't worry about yet, like perfecting the shading or whether to use a dotted
or dashed line. You end up focusing on things that should still be out of focus.
A Sharpie makes it impossible to drill down that deep. You can only draw shapes,
lines, and boxes. That's good. The big picture is all you should be worrying about
in the beginning.
Walt Stanchfield, famed drawing instructor for Walt Disney Studios, used to
encourage animators to "forget the detail" at first. The reason: Detail just doesn't
buy you anything in the early stages.
Excerpts from the book "Rework" by Jason Fried, founder of 37 Signals

20. Wireframes
don’t
work
as
crea(on
tool
20
Good for:
Documenting: help other parties in the process get the idea of extent and nature of work
Bad for:
Innovation: describe page contents, not overall experience (wrong scope)

21. Explora(on
• Build
an
interdisciplinary
team
• Bring
lots
of
ideas
together
• Pick
best
ones
and
remix
21

22. 22
Exploration = Structured Brainstorming + Collaborative Design
New ideas Lot of funInnovationsReality check
lots of time saved for
succesive iterations
Idea 1: don't waste time for documenting half-baked ideas. Instead,
use this time to get best ideas fast, then document.
Productivity
sketch review repeat
Idea 2: it's 100x more effective to multiply brainpower here and now by
teamwork, than letting team members do the job apart in process chain

23. Roles
in
the
process
(design
team
composi(on)
23
Project manager
Information architect
UX Expert
Developer
Facilitator / Team Lead
- providing relevant business input
- capable of making business decisions on-the-fly
- visioning the product
- identyfying opportunities
- providing web best practices, patterns
- visioning interfaces and mechanics
- being User's advocate
- identyfying opportunities
- translating sketches into wireframes and flow diagrams
- providing input in technical area of the product
- providing best practices, new possibilities
- reviewing feasibility
- structuring the process (keeping up with script)
- moderating discussions
- visioning product

24. Facilitators
• Facilitator
role
should
be
given
to
a
person
working
across
all
projects.
• Even
though
it’s
not
an
excep(onal
requirement,
it’s
beKer
to
have
couple
of
individuals,
that
contain
knowledge
of
all
projects
in
the
Organiza(on
at
their
idea(on
stages.
• It
helps
to
avoid
requirements
conflicts
and
duplicates
between
different
projects.
24
Facilitator / Team Lead
- structuring the process (keeping up with script)
- moderating discussions
- visioning product

25. Process
Structure
25
Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation

26. Business
analysis
26
Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
• We
have
2
handy
techniques
at
our
disposal:
CCU
and
Stack
Of
S+ckies
• Stack
Of
S(ckies
is
rapid
method
and
does
not
require
much
effort.
Works
best
in
situa(ons
where
team
is
communica(ng
directly
with
business
owners
(or
BO
is
the
team
themselves),
team
is
aware
of
general
goals
in
the
project.
It
can
be
completed
in
less
than
15
minutes.
• CCU
is
generally
heavy,
1-­‐2
day
consuming
workshop
script,
which
is
used
to
create
precise
vision
of
digital
product.
It’s
also
handy
in
situa(ons
of
ambiguous
managerial
input
and
helps
to
organize
pieces
of
knowledge
from
various
areas
of
organiza(on
(in
other
words:
for
cleaning
up
mess).

27. Stack
Of
S(ckies
27
Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
• Facilitator
gives
post-­‐it
cards
to
everybody
in
the
team
• The
task
is
to
write
one
sentence
goals
for
the
project
on
each
card.
Each
par(cipant
works
independently.
• Facilitator
collects
cards
and
puts
them
on
wall.
Groups
similar
cards
and
creates
context
areas.
Duplicate
cards
can
be
disposed.
• Team
examines
and
discusses
the
overall
strategy
to
achieve
its
objec(ves.
WHAT WE’D LIKE TO
ACHIEVE WITH THIS
PROJECT?
up to 15 min.

28. 28
- Mission [something we pursue]:
- Operational short term goals [ up to 1 year ]
- Operational long term goals [ 3 years+ ]
- What are communicational goals for the
project? What should Users remember in
particular in context of the project? Is there a
catch phrase, key thought we want to share?
- Are there any communicational elements of
great importance?
- What are business goals for the project? (eg.
building Client base, pursuit for specific
position on the market etc.)
- Having a look on local and foreign markets, do
we have something we can use as standard?
- Do we have any research input that could be
helpful in the process?
- Technology defines constraints we must
embrace when designing IA. What is our
playground?
- What do we know about actions our
competition takes in the area of our interest?
- What are our measures for mission fulfillment?
KPI's? What is the measurement architecture?
Context Content Users
- What is general idea of a structure we want to
build?
- What is the rule/system we use to organize
content in the website?
- Types of ads in the website
Pareto rule:
- 20% of content satisfies 80% users - what
content is it?
- 20% IA capabilities is oriented to stimulate
consumption of 80% content - what content,
what capabilities (features)?
- 20% functional capabilities meets 80% users
needs - what main features are? What are
secondary?
- What is the way we’d like to use so as to bind
data within the system? Do we use manual
CMS binding, or specific rules?
- Do we expect that content will accrue? What
could result from it and what problems in the
future could we expect?
- What is the way and who would be in charge
to content entry? Do we anticipate need for
content control (moderation)? How should we
design CMS?
- In the system we expect that some objects
from different categories will require crosslinks.
What logic should we apply?
- What Users? Who are they?
- What are they interested in?
- Traffic sources?
- How are we going to build value?
up to 16 hrs.

29. Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
Product
Design
29
• Product
design
in
this
process
is
basically
discussion
about
Unique
Value
Proposi(on,
about
what
user
experience
we
want
to
give
our
customers
• Techniques:
Design-­‐the-­‐Box
and
Elevator
Test

30. Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
Design-­‐the-­‐Box
30
Front Back
Design the Box
Think about:
+ the value proposition the box should convey
+ how the box is different/unique from other boxes on the shelf
+ the key message (front of the box) versus reassuring details (back of the box)
Front
Think about:
+ the value proposition the box should convey
+ how the box is different/unique from other boxes on the shelf
+ the key message (front of the box) versus reassuring details (back of the box)
This
prac(ce
helps
bring
ideas
for
overall
user
experience
to
the
product.
Par(cipants
draw
their
own
ideas
on
boxes.
AHer
they’re
done,
they
present
their
ideas
to
the
rest
of
the
team.
Par(cipants
can
re-­‐iterate,
or
take
elevator
test.
up to 1 hr.

31. Elevator
test
31
Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
The
classic
way
to
validate
the
product
vision
is
to
answer
the
elevator
test:
“Can
you
explain
your
product
in
the
(me
it
takes
to
ride
up
in
an
elevator?”
This
test
leads
to
a
product
vision
that
is
clear,
engaging,
and
brief.
Product Vision
A product vision helps team members pass the elevator
test - the ability to explain the project to someone within
two minutes.
- For (target customer)
- Who (statement of the need or opportunity)
- The (product name) is a (product category)
- That (key benefit, compelling reason to buy)
- Unlike (primary competitive alternative)
- Our product (statement of primary differentiation)
less than
10 min.

32. Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
Personas
• Personas
are
aKribu(on
models
used
to
envision
future
product
users.
• Describe
how
ordinary
people
try
to
accomplish
things
in
their
daily
lives.
• In
our
framework
we
start
modelling
business
processes
using
personas
as
entry
points.
32
up to 1 hr.
Name, Last Name
age education income
motto
personality
marital status, familial situation
technical skills
interests, hobbies
attitude and experience in area related to the product
goals, lifetime expectations
end goals, expectations related to product

33. Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
User
Scenarios
• User
Scenarios
are
explora(ons
of
ac(ons
that
could
possibly
be
executed
by
Personas.
We
purposely
give
them
some
restric(ons
and
Persona-­‐specific
issues,
so
as
to
examine
how
would
they
behave
in
real
situa(ons.
• We
start
giving
them
tasks,
that
contain
possible
obstacles.
These
obstacles
stand
for
opportuni(es
if
removed,
so
in
fact,
this
is
value
building
exercise.
• Extensive
background
and
storytelling
makes
these
scenarios
even
more
detailed.
33
up to 4 hrs.

34. Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
User
Scenarios
34
up to 4 hrs.
step step step
• We
post
scenario
events
on
wall
as
steps
of
the
process.
• Every
step
stands
for
a
screen.
• We
like
to
use
S(ckies,
because
they’re
very
easy
to
rearrange.
• Every
persona
should
be
examined
against
at
least
2
situa(ons.
• Scenarios
of
other
personas
can
be
reused,
though
it
requires
examining
against
other
Persona’s
restric(ons.

35. Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
Collabora(ve
Design
35
up to 4 hrs.
• Prac(ce
of
bringing
ideas
for
interfaces
and
itera(ng
with
team
members
• We
use
method
of
successive
approxima(ons,
leading
to
genera(on
of
mul(ple
ideas
and
narrowing
choice
op(ons.

36. Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation
Design
Sketches:
HP
36
up to 4 hrs.
Every participant sketches 6 different ideas for
one home page.
Team discusses all designs. Pick 3 designs that
contain most promising ideas.
Team sketches chosen designs in higher fidelity
Team discusses 3 favourite designs. Pick 1 that
is the winner, or decide to mix ideas.
Home Page is design
guide for other pages,
so they don't require so
much treatment.

37. Courtesy of Adaptive Path

38. Courtesy of Adaptive Path

39. 39
Putting everything together

40. 40
Business
Discussion
Area
Scenario Lane
Scenario Lane
Scenario Lane
Scenario Lane
Persona
Persona
Persona
Persona
Prototypes
Area
misc. annotations
This shows how You can structure Your sketchboard. This
structure proved to be very successful in many of my
projects, but You can modify it to your taste.
From now on, it's Your map to the user experience in Your
product.
Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation

41. 41
PersonasBusiness goals index
(in groups)
Scenarios, User Journeys, Use Cases
Sticky
Notes
Sticky
Notes
Sticky
Notes
step step step
step step step
step step step
step step step
Sticky
Notes
Sticky
Notes
Sticky
Notes
Sticky
Notes
Paper prototypes and annotations

42. 42
After it’s done, IA can put everything into
Axure and craft a prototype...

43. 43
...that could be tested on real user

44. So,
if
cats
were
made
this
way...
44

45. Collabora(ve
design
of
a
cat
45
Has to be cute
Has to chase
mice. People
hate mice
Low milk
consumption
Good hearing,
eyesight and
agility
Functional requirements
to meet Product Purpose
Technical requirements
Unique Selling Proposition
(user experience)
Product purpose
Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation

46. Cat
product
design
46
quadrupled motoric system
sonic navigation subsystem
ophtalmic navigation subsystem
milk intake port
olfactory sensor
(navigation subsystem and fuel recognition device)
CPU waste outlet
(compatible with Brand™ cuvettes only)
Cuteness generator
mice graspers
Cat run motoric phases
Runs on CatOs v.1.1
Minimum requirements:
- CPU
- 128Mb RAM
- Cache 32kb
- bioFlash memory: 64Mb
Business Analysis
Product Design
Design Sketches
User Scenario Analysis
Documentation

47. 47
Cat
at
user
tes(ng
sessions

48. 48
Cat
ready
for
shipping

49. 49
Thank You!
In case You'd need to contact me:
Tomek Jakubowski
ojacie@gmail.com
+48 510 196 996