This document discusses UX Thinking (UXT), which aims to bridge human-centered design and agile development practices. It presents UXT models and principles for building digital solutions that have business impact. The key aspects covered are: - The 3 dimensions that shape solutions: technology, users/solutions, and trends/frameworks. - Activity theory as a way to understand user motives and design for outcomes. - The UXT phases from product discovery to delivery. - The importance of shared understanding and vision statements in aligning teams. - Psychological safety and its role in team performance based on Google's Project Aristotle research.

1. UX Thinking
Dr. Herbert A. Meyer & Hias Wrba
Berlin 2017
(english language version)

2. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
an introduction

3. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
UX Thinking (UXT) strifes to bridge
the current divide between human-
centered design - and agile
development practices to help teams
build digital solutions that have a
lasting business impact.

4. Communities of Trust
UX Thinking - Ideas
Shared Understanding
Do your part to create an atmosphere of trust and psychological safety among those
you work with and use this as a basis for creating a shared understanding of what you
are trying to achieve and why.
Bricolage
Know, understand and constantly broaden your repertoire of methodologies and use
your intuition to improvise with it. Don’t be afraid to break rules - but do it consciously.
Critical Thinking
Never stop asking questions and acknowledging assumptions. Remain curious and
continue to challenge yourself and others. Use logic and reasoning to identify strengths
and weaknesses of alternative solutions to problems.

5. UX Thinking
3 dimensions shaping solutions
Technology
Solution
Relevant keywords
Companies, business goals,
organisational purpose, structures,
business processes, business
analysis…
Users, well-being, experiences,
needs, tasks, effectiveness,
efficiency, satisfaction…
frameworks, platforms, languages,
features, standards, architectures…

6. UX Thinking
3 dimensions shaping solutions
Trends
Lean Startup
Lean UX
New Work
Design Thinking
Human-Centered Design
Agile Development
Technology
Solution

7. UX Thinking
3 dimensions shaping solutions
Output
What we did build
Outcome
What it changed for our
users
Impact
What it changed for our
organisation
Technology
Solution

8. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
Strategize for impact
Design for outcome
Build for output

9. UX Thinking
Activity Theory
To understand and design for outcomes we
need a theory which is able to describe
users motives, activities and actions.
It will help us analyse data from user
research and will make it easier to frame
our solution when we start to ideate.

10. UX Thinking
Activity Theory - Scheme
Activity
Motive
Motive
Motive
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Why What How

11. UX Thinking
Activity Theory – Motives (sensu Diefenbach & Hassenzahl)
Relatedness Autonomy Competence
SecurityStimulation Meaning Popularity

12. UX Thinking
Activity Theory - Example
Activity
Motive
Motive
Motive
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Why What How
Trip around
the world
with partner
Relatedness
Stimulation
Meaning
Information
retrieval on
Wikipedia
Typing
“Vietnam”
into search
box
Research
on Vietnam

13. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
If you break it on the
motivation and activity level
you won’t be able to fix it on
the operation level.

14. UX Thinking
Activity Theory – Artifacts
Activity
Motive
Motive
Motive
Action
Action
Action
Action
Handlung
Action
Action
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Operation
Epics  User Stories  Interface

15. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
Good user stories describe
actions in the context of the
users needs – they must not
describe the solution on an
interface level.

16. Communities of Trust
UX Thinking - Phases
Research
Discover Define
Ideation
Generate Refine
Understanding possibilities
Agile
Development
Implementation
Project
Incubation
Strategy
Vision
Finding solutions

17. Communities of Trust
UX Thinking - Phases
Research
Discover Define
Ideation
Generate Refine
From product discovery to product delivery
Agile
Development
Implementation
Project
Incubation
Strategy
Vision

18. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
In all phases business, technology
and UX experts collaborate and
communicate closely with the
intention of creating a shared
understanding of the solution to build.

19. UX Thinking
In the future
4-day advanced training
• Two events planned for 2018 (May & September)
• Trainers: Dr. Herbert A. Meyer & Hias Wrba
• Target groups: Product Owner, Developer, UX, Management
Community of Practice
• We aim to build a community of practitioners around the
central UXT ideas to further the advancement of the approach

20. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
Focus on Vision Statements

21. UX Thinking
Vision Statement
A good vision for the solution furthers
shared understanding and serves as a
source of motivation and inspiration for the
whole team.
The vision is the benchmark for all further
deliverables.

22. UX Thinking
Vision Statements – The Basics
For whom?
For which group(s) of users are we creating our
solution? Who is our primary person?
In which field?
What activity is aided by our solution? What motives
play a role in the context of this activity?
What?
What are the key actions? Which needs play a role in
the context of these actions?
Motives &
Activities
Key Actions
User groups

23. UX Thinking
Modelle – 3 Dimensionen
Focus on Shared Understanding

24. UX Thinking
Shared Understanding

25. UX Thinking
Project Aristotle
A team of scientists at Google starts out to
answer the big question:
What is it that makes teams successful?

26. UX Thinking
Project Aristotle
• Combining the best people?
• Introverts work better with other
introverts?
• Teams are more effective when
everyone is friends away from work?
NOPE
NOPE
NOPE
WELL…

27. UX Thinking
Psychological Safety
Evidence for a collective intelligence factor in the
performance of groups
Studie Carnegie Mellon / MIT, Science 29, Oct. 2009
• High social sensitivity of all members
• A sense of confidence that the team will
not embarrass, reject or punish someone
for speaking up
• Every member speaks in roughly the same
proportion (moderated or not)

28. UX Thinking
Lencioni: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
TrustAbsence of
ConflictFear of
CommitmentLack of
AccountabilityAvoidance of
ResultsInattention to

29. To be continued...
Kontakt:
hello@hiaswrba.net
@screaminHias
meyer@artop.de
@ekphorie