Design Thinking

Presented at WordCamp San Diego 2016

Design Thinking is an alternative approach to the problems we’re working to resolve. It focuses on empathy and asking the right questions (which is normally, “why?”) to explore new solutions that may not initially be so obvious. This talk will review the process of Design Thinking and how it applies to our life and to the problems we face regularly. It’s about putting the user first and producing results that fit the user’s desires, needs, and capabilities. This method is rooted in the discipline of human-centered design and promotes a holistic effort to accomplishing everyday tasks. Come learn why Design Thinking isn’t about designing by committee, but rather an integral part to solid results that are understandable, usable, and purposeful.

Transcript

1. Design Thinking A talk by Mark Uraine
2. Mark Uraine Twitter: @mapk WordPress.org: mapk markuraine.com
3. I like to think about design because design is about thinking.
4. So I thought about thoughtful design and began to design what others were expecting and thus thoughts of expected designs were thought through as users expected them to be.
5. What it is, what it is Design Thinking is another way to approach the problems we’re working to resolve. It focuses on empathy and asking the right questions (which is normally, “Why?”) to explore new solutions that may not have initially been obvious.
6. Why? x5
7. The 5 Whys A concept developed by Sakichi Toyoda to find the source of a problem. Don’t stop when you found the initial answer. Chances are, that too is a symptom of something greater.
8. The 5 Whys There aren’t any new accounts created today. Why? Because the submit button isn’t working. Why? Because a bug was introduced last night in the release. Why? Because there was no testing done before the release. Why? Because we didn’t have time. Why? Because management demands too much and doesn’t give enough time to complete the tasks.
9. DING DING DING DING You get the point.
10. The 5 Steps 1. Empathize 2. Define the Problem 3. Ideate 4. Build a Prototype 5. Test
11. People like steps. It tells them how long the process is, gives them an idea as to where they are in the process, and offers something to look forward to - like the end of this talk. I empathize with you. So you get 5 steps.
12. 1 Empathize
13. 1. Empathize To understand and share the feelings of another. This requires observation. There is no substitute for the user insights you can gain by observing actual user behavior in authentic settings. Ethnography. Get to know the user, create personas, and become a user too.
14. EMPATHY
15. – Justin Keller “I shouldn’t have to see the pain, struggle, and despair of homeless people to and from my way to work every day.” http://justink.svbtle.com/open-letter-to-mayor-ed-lee-and-greg-suhr-police-chief
16. Photo courtesy of Best Car Magazine 1990 Ford Mustang
18. 1994 Ford Mustang
19. 2 Define the Problem
20. –Albert Einstein “If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.”
21. 2. Define the Problem This requires “The 5 Whys” and is probably the most difficult step. Why? Because we often don’t have all the information. Why? Because we don’t provide enough resources or time into learning about our users.
22. Why? Because they want to see forward momentum. Why? Because that’s the nature of the beast called ‘Business’. Why? Because when challenged to solve an issue, the correct path is often backwards into a study about the problem itself. And managers don’t like this.
23. Whew
24. LEGO
25. LEGO They branched out: • Theme parks • Larger LEGO pieces • Children’s clothing line • Video games • Books • Magazines
26. LEGO Turns out, they defined the wrong problem.
27. LEGO After sending out Ethnographers, they realized that this generation was interested in achieving high level mastery in specific skills. LEGO redefined the problem. They re-engineered smaller pieces, and more intricate building instructions. LEGO became a master skill. It became about craftsmanship.
29. 3 Ideate
30. 3. Ideate Brainstorm, make lists, write down stuff. Generate numerous ideas. Be creative without regard for restraints. Question everything.
33. 4 Build a Prototype
34. 4. Build a Prototype Build something. Draw stuff, use post-its, or rapid prototype. Provide scenarios through which users can interact.
35. Visual Fidelity Functional Fidelity Sketches Paper Wireframes Paper Design Comps Image Mapped Sketches Interactive Wireframes Image Mapped Comps Rich Interactive Wireframes Rich Comp Prototype Proof of Concept Prototype ‘Production Ready’ Prototype
38. 5 Test
39. 5. Test Test the thing. Get it into user’s hands and watch them use it. WHAT THEY DO Gather feedback. WHY THEY DO IT
40. the thing is not done yet.
41. 6 Reiterate
42. Now cycle back through the steps. This is called reiterating.
43. ing ing reiterate Empathize, Define the Problem, Ideate, Build a Prototype, Test upon the 5 steps
44. Double-Diamond Model Finding the right PROBLEM Finding the right SOLUTION Discover Define Develop Deliver Time
45. The 5 Steps 1. Empathize Design Thinking 2. Define the Problem 3. Ideate 4. Build a Prototype 5. Test 6. Reiterate :)
46. Design Thinking Thoughtful Designer ==
47. Learn from people Find patterns Design principles Make Tangible Iterate relentlessly Empathize Define the problem Ideate Build a prototype Test Iterate Observation Idea generation Prototyping Testing 1 2 3
48. –Eric Eriksson “If you look at your Product Designer as someone that makes your solution look presentable, look again. A product designer helps you identify, investigate, and validate the problem, and ultimately craft, design, test and ship the solution.”
49. Design Thinking isn’t only about design. It can be applied to your life.
50. Ex. 1: Relationships Empathize by putting yourself in the other’s shoes. Define the problem by being aware, mindful, and honest. Ideate and examine yourself. Explore the possible ways in which you can improve things. Build a prototype by implementing ways in which the solutions can be achieved. Test IRL. Be the change you want to see in others.
51. Ex. 2: Traffic Empathize with the other drivers who need to use these roads. Observe the frequency of traffic at particular times to find patterns. Ideate solutions such as working from home, or working different hours to avoid the rush. Implement communication practices that allow the solutions. Test IRL.
52. Design Thinking has been around the block.
53. The Past 1969 - Design as a way of thinking has been around since it was introduced in Herbert Simon’s book The Sciences of the Artificial. 1987 - It found the expression “Design Thinking” in Peter Rowe’s book Design Thinking. 1991 - David Kelley at IDEO adopted the practice for business purposes.
54. Today Design Thinking is on par with the Scientific Method. Yes, the freakin’ Scientific Method
55. The Future In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.
56. Break the rules. Be creative.
57. BONUS Resources
58. Empathy RESOURCES • Empathy Quotient Test ( https://psychology-tools.com/ empathy-quotient ) • Well Designed: How to Use Empathy to Create Products People Love by Jon Kolko ( greatproductsbydesign.com ) • Ford Mustang Report ( sloanreview.mit.edu/article/stories-that- deliver-business-insights )
59. Define the Problem RESOURCES • The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman • LEGO’s problem ( https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lego- engineered-remarkable-turnaround-its-business-howd-lindstrom )
60. Ideation RESOURCES • UX Tools ( uxdesign.cc/ux-tools ) • Notebooks ( thedotgrid.com ) • Post-it Notes are great for Card Sorting Methods during IA research.
61. Build a Prototype RESOURCES • Paper Prototypes • InVision App ( invisionapp.com ) • Marvel App ( marvelapp.com )
62. Testing RESOURCES • User testing websites ( usertesting.com, opentest.co, usabilityhub.com, userzoom.com, validately.com, userinterviews.co ) • Integrated software ( getjaco.com, userbrain.net, peekin.io ) • Buy people coffee for a few minutes of their time • Learn more about User Research (Jeff Sauro’s books)
63. Thank you.