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Design for Humans: How to make better modernization decisions

Design for Humans: How to make better modernization decisions

Many times, we’ve seen organizations with particularly complex domains fail in their modernization efforts. To be successful, we need to have a firm grasp on the domain and the relationships to other systems and domains. But most importantly, we need to put the people who are using our systems at the center of our problem solving.

When we only use an engineering lens to design our systems, we don’t always get enough perspective to make sure we’re building the right thing. Are you asking the right questions? Are you anchoring your architecture to the wrong needs? Is your decision-making influenced by assumptions and biases?

Without a holistic understanding of how each component of your system is (or isn’t) meeting the needs of your users— no matter how well your systems are architected, you risk having critical gaps in your design and strategy. You risk not being able to deliver value for your users.

Olivia’s product design background and Indu’s software architecture background bring a set of methods that will help you look at the complexity and make sense of the mess in a structured, repeatable way. We’ll expand your toolbox of (remote-friendly) collaborative, cross-disciplinary techniques to understand your domain and center the people that your systems serve.

Indu Alagarsamy
PRO

June 25, 2022
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  1. View Slide

  2. View Slide

  3. For over 170 years, the New York Times
    has been seeking the truth and helping
    people understand the world.
    Our journalism covers the complex
    human experience — from everyday life to
    the extraordinary to the unimaginable.

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  4. Our journalism is for people.
    Our systems should be too.

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  5. 👋 modernizing systems
    👋 building systems that are used by people
    RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU ARE

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  6. …hey, did you really need a designer?
    ✅ Legal
    ✅ Compliance
    ✅ Security
    ✅ Performance
    ✅ Scalability
    ✅ Observability
    ❓ User Experience
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  7. reading the paper solving wordle
    cooking together
    our users
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  8. our systems

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  9. reading the paper solving wordle
    cooking together
    our users
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  10. reading the paper solving wordle
    cooking together
    WHAT HAPPENS WHEN…
    the complexity of our systems bleeds into
    the user experience?

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  11. when system complexity bleeds over
    can’t switch subscriptions

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  12. when system complexity bleeds over
    can’t switch subscriptions unexpected problems

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  13. can’t innovate on features
    when system complexity bleeds over
    can’t switch subscriptions unexpected problems

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  14. Everything evolves… or it dies 🪦☠
    Newspaper delivery
    Early digital content
    Publishing on nytimes.com
    Digital subscriptions introduced
    Expansion of products

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  15. If your existing system cannot change
    with the pace of the market…
    Ultimately, you’re not going to
    compete in the market.

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  16. Reduce complexity in our systems for
    newspaper and digital subscriptions
    Improve experiences for both our
    developer teams and end users
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  17. 3
    ???
    4
    Profit ✨
    1
    Use cases workshops
    2
    Eventstorming
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  18. docs
    meetings
    meetings
    meetings
    going in circles
    😭😭😭
    more docs?!
    eventstorming
    rabbit holes

    reality

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  19. View Slide

  20. View Slide

  21. WE’RE GOING IN CIRCLES
    How do you build a shared model of
    understanding?

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  22. View Slide

  23. Service Blueprinting
    /ˈsəːvɪs /ˈbluːprɪnt/
    A service blueprint visualizes the relationships between different service
    components: people, props, and processes tied to touchpoints in a customer journey.
    MAP THE COMPLEXITY
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    METHOD

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  24. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Selecting a product Registering

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  25. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Reads
    articles
    Sees
    opportunity to
    get the paper
    at a discount
    Selects a
    product, the
    Sunday paper
    Registers for
    an account
    Enters
    payment info
    Enters
    delivery
    location
    Selecting a product Registering
    Clicks
    “subscribe”
    Enters
    delivery info

    View Slide

  26. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Reads
    articles
    Sees
    opportunity to
    get the paper
    at a discount
    Selects a
    product, the
    Sunday paper
    Registers for
    an account
    Enters
    payment info
    Enters
    delivery
    location
    Selecting a product Registering
    Display offer
    landing page
    Clicks
    “subscribe”
    Enters
    delivery info
    Display
    registration
    form
    Collect
    delivery
    information
    Collect
    payment
    information
    Complete
    payment
    Display
    newspaper
    delivery options

    View Slide

  27. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Reads
    articles
    Sees
    opportunity to
    get the paper
    at a discount
    Selects a
    product, the
    Sunday paper
    Registers for
    an account
    Enters
    payment info
    Enters
    delivery
    location
    Selecting a product Registering
    Display offer
    landing page
    Look up offers
    Clicks
    “subscribe”
    Enters
    delivery info
    Display
    registration
    form
    Collect
    delivery
    information
    Collect
    payment
    information
    Complete
    payment
    Display
    newspaper
    delivery options
    Services

    View Slide

  28. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Reads
    articles
    Sees
    opportunity to
    get the paper
    at a discount
    Selects a
    product, the
    Sunday paper
    Registers for
    an account
    Enters
    payment info
    Enters
    delivery
    location
    Selecting a product Registering
    Display offer
    landing page
    Look up offers
    Provide offers
    Clicks
    “subscribe”
    Enters
    delivery info
    Display
    registration
    form
    Collect
    delivery
    information
    Collect
    payment
    information
    Complete
    payment
    Display
    newspaper
    delivery options
    Services

    View Slide

  29. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Reads
    articles
    Sees
    opportunity to
    get the paper
    at a discount
    Selects a
    product, the
    Sunday paper
    Registers for
    an account
    Enters
    payment info
    Enters
    delivery
    location
    Selecting a product Registering
    Display offer
    landing page
    Look up offers
    Provide offers
    Services
    Clicks
    “subscribe”
    Enters
    delivery info
    Legacy Systems
    Digital
    products
    Home Delivery
    products
    Display
    registration
    form
    Collect
    delivery
    information
    Collect
    payment
    information
    Complete
    payment
    Display
    newspaper
    delivery options

    View Slide

  30. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Reads
    articles
    Sees
    opportunity to
    get the paper
    at a discount
    Selects a
    product, the
    Sunday paper
    Registers for
    an account
    Enters
    payment info
    Enters
    delivery
    location
    Selecting a product Registering
    Display offer
    landing page
    Look up offers
    Provide offers
    Clicks
    “subscribe”
    Enters
    delivery info
    Digital
    products
    Home Delivery
    products
    Display
    registration
    form
    Collect
    delivery
    information
    Collect
    payment
    information
    Complete
    payment
    Display
    newspaper
    delivery options
    Services
    Legacy Systems

    View Slide

  31. Touchpoints
    User Actions
    Frontstage
    Backstage
    Exploring Subscribing to the Paper
    Reads
    articles
    Sees
    opportunity to
    get the paper
    at a discount
    Selects a
    product, the
    Sunday paper
    Registers for
    an account
    Enters
    payment info
    Enters
    delivery
    location
    Selecting a product Registering
    Display offer
    landing page
    Look up offers
    Provide offers
    Clicks
    “subscribe”
    Enters
    delivery info
    Digital
    products
    Home Delivery
    products
    Display
    registration
    form
    Collect
    delivery
    information
    Collect
    payment
    information
    Complete
    payment
    Display
    newspaper
    delivery options
    Services
    Legacy Systems

    View Slide

  32. Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  33. Service Blueprinting
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  34. Stakeholder & User Research
    FIND THE GAPS
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    PROCESS

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  35. 1⃣ Questions & Assumptions
    2⃣ Stakeholder Mapping
    3⃣ Guided Stakeholder Interviews
    4⃣ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED USER RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  36. Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Questions & Assumptions
    A team workshop that draws out shared knowledge gaps by getting
    major questions and assumptions out in the open to reduce bias.
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    WORKSHOP

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  37. Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  38. Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    Stakeholder Mapping
    Identity, analyze and prioritize your most important users to
    understand their influence and why, to prepare for discussions.
    EXERCISE

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  39. Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  40. Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    Guided Stakeholder Interviews
    Repeatable sessions based on a research plan, where session formats are
    shaped around specific research questions and learning goals.
    INTERVIEWS

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  41. A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID

    View Slide

  42. Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  43. Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    Analysis with ORID
    ORID is a facilitation and inquiry framework that can be applied to
    analysis to build insights and conclusions in an unbiased way.
    SYNTHESIS

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  44. A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    Objective
    What did we see, hear, and learn? 👀
    Extract observations in a structured way.
    Reflective
    Interpretive
    Decisional

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  45. A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    Objective
    What did we see, hear, and learn? 👀
    Extract observations in a structured way.
    Reflective
    Do we understand what we’ve learned? 🤔
    What’s unclear, new or surprising?
    Interpretive
    Decisional

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  46. A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    Objective
    What did we see, hear, and learn? 👀
    Extract observations in a structured way.
    Reflective
    Do we understand what we’ve learned? 🤔
    What’s unclear, new or surprising?
    Interpretive
    What does this mean for us? 🧠
    Identify common themes, needs, challenges
    Decisional

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  47. A STRUCTURED RESEARCH APPROACH
    Questions & Assumptions ➡ Stakeholder Mapping ➡ Guided Stakeholder Interviews ➡ Analysis with ORID
    Objective
    What did we see, hear, and learn? 👀
    Extract observations in a structured way.
    Reflective
    Do we understand what we’ve learned? 🤔
    What’s unclear, new or surprising?
    Interpretive
    What does this mean for us? 🧠
    Identify common themes, needs, challenges
    Decisional
    What’s next? Document ✍
    How has our current understanding and scope of
    responsibilities evolved? What do we prioritize?

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  48. Questions & Assumptions Workshop
    A team workshop that draws out shared
    knowledge gaps by getting major questions and
    assumptions out in the open to reduce bias.
    Stakeholder Mapping
    Identity, analyze and prioritize your most important
    users to understand their influence and why, to
    prepare for discussions.
    Analysis with ORID
    ORID is a facilitation and inquiry framework that
    can be used for analysis to build insights and
    conclusions in an unbiased way.
    Guided Stakeholder Interviews
    Repeatable sessions based on a research plan,
    where session formats are shaped around specific
    research questions and learning goals.
    We must anchor the priorities
    of the system and our modernization
    strategy directly in the pain of our
    users.
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  49. Service Blueprinting
    Stakeholder Research
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  50. Rewriting our systems
    MODERNIZING THE SYSTEM
    Rewriting our systems??
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  51. Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  52. … usually don’t have happy endings
    Big Bang Rewrites
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  53. … usually don’t have happy endings
    Big Bang Rewrites
    WHAT HAPPENED?
    We didn’t prioritize what our users needed.

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  54. A different approach to modernization
    API Integration Points
    ✨Modernized user experience ✨
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  55. Healthcare.gov’s approach to modernization
    90% Modern 10% Legacy
    (All other scenarios)
    Legacy Systems
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  56. Modernize incrementally by continuously
    delivering value to your users.
    PRINCIPLE
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  57. Service Blueprinting
    Stakeholder Research
    Incremental Modernization
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  58. “Can we find a vendor that
    does all of this?”
    — Product & Business
    “We can build all of this
    ourselves!”
    — Engineers
    BUY VS BUILD
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  59. Wardley Mapping
    /wôrdlē mapping/
    The process of making strategic decisions based on the purpose, a description
    of the competitive landscape, the external forces acting on the landscape, and
    the training of your people. (learnwardleymapping.com)
    MAKE STRATEGIC DECISIONS
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    STRATEGY

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  60. Everything evolves… or it dies 🪦☠
    Value chain
    User
    NYT
    Subscriber
    Delivery
    Fulfillment
    File
    Generator
    Capabilities & Dependencies User Needs
    Have the
    newspaper
    delivered to
    their home
    Change the
    days of
    their
    delivery

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  61. Surprising, exciting
    STAGE I
    Genesis
    Leading edge,
    competitive advantage
    STAGE II
    Custom
    Disappointing if not in
    use, feature-rich
    STAGE III
    Product
    Expected, just the cost of
    doing business
    STAGE IV
    Commodity
    Delivery
    Fulfillment
    Is this a business differentiator?
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  62. Surprising, exciting
    STAGE I
    Genesis
    Leading edge,
    competitive advantage
    STAGE II
    Custom
    Disappointing if not in
    use, feature-rich
    STAGE III
    Product
    Expected, just the cost of
    doing business
    STAGE IV
    Commodity
    Delivery
    Fulfillment
    Is this a business differentiator?
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  63. Surprising, exciting
    STAGE I
    Genesis
    Leading edge,
    competitive advantage
    STAGE II
    Custom
    Disappointing if not in
    use, feature-rich
    STAGE III
    Product
    Expected, just the cost of
    doing business
    STAGE IV
    Commodity
    Delivery
    Fulfillment
    Is this a business differentiator?
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  64. Surprising, exciting
    STAGE I
    Genesis
    Leading edge,
    competitive advantage
    STAGE II
    Custom
    Disappointing if not in
    use, feature-rich
    STAGE III
    Product
    Expected, just the cost of
    doing business
    STAGE IV
    Commodity
    Delivery
    Fulfillment
    Is this a business differentiator?
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  65. Disappointing if not in
    use, feature-rich
    STAGE III
    Product
    Expected, just the cost of
    doing business
    STAGE IV
    Commodity
    Should we build or buy?
    Surprising, exciting
    STAGE I
    Genesis
    Leading edge,
    competitive advantage
    STAGE II
    Custom
    BUILD
    Delivery
    Fulfillment
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  66. Surprising, exciting
    STAGE I
    Genesis
    Leading edge,
    competitive advantage
    STAGE II
    Custom
    Should we build or buy?
    Disappointing if not in
    use, feature-rich
    STAGE III
    Product
    Expected, just the cost of
    doing business
    STAGE IV
    Commodity
    BUY
    Delivery
    Fulfillment
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  67. Service Blueprinting
    Stakeholder Research
    Incremental Modernization
    Wardley Mapping
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

    View Slide

  68. Heuristics for
    Modernizing Your Systems
    STEP BY STEP APPROACH
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  69. HEURISTICS FOR MODERNIZING YOUR SYSTEMS IN A HUMAN CENTERED WAY
    Service Blueprints
    Build a shared map of the current state
    anchored in user scenarios.
    Wardley Mapping
    Know when to buy and when to build.
    But always build your own secret sauce.
    Modernize incrementally by continuously
    delivering value to your users.
    Inspect all the tools in the toolbox, before
    grabbing the first hammer.
    See above :)
    Value Stream Mapping
    Example Mapping Capability Mapping EventStorming
    SWOT Analysis
    Kano Model RICE Scoring
    MoSCoW Method
    Stakeholder & User Research
    Understand how your systems impact your
    users before making changes. Questions & Assumptions ORID Framework
    Stakeholder Mapping
    Blend your own!
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy

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  70. 🧪 Experiment.
    🧠 Learn.
    🔁 Repeat.
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    🤝 Trust & Human Connection.
    + The Secret Sauce 💧

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  71. Organizations exist to serve the needs of humans.
    The systems that we build should too.
    Design for Humans @heyits0livia @indu_alagarsamy
    illustrat
    ions by
    Arun
    Swamy

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