People, not process (Revised)

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People, not process Ian Fenn Twitter: @ifenn

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2012

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“Are you interested in a UX ROLE?” I asked.

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“YES,” she said.

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“What experience do you have?”

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“C, C#, C++, and visual basic”

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http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/76657755@N04/6881496274

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A designer solves problems within a set of constraints. Mike Monteiro

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A designer solves problems they often have to help identify within a set of ever-changing constraints. Ian Fenn

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A designer solves problems they often have to help identify within a set of ever-changing constraints. Without authority. Ian Fenn

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MOST FREQUENT REASON USABILITY ISSUES GO UNFIXED. http://www.slideshare.net/cjforms/why-do-usability-problems-go-unﬁxed-13865768

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1. Start with people, not process.

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You got hired. Why?

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๏ enthusiasm ๏ total confusion ๏ disillusionment ๏ search for the guilty ๏ punishment of the innocent ๏ reward and promotion of the non-participants THE SIX PROJECT PHASES

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Unfortunately for us, we care

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THE EXPECTATIONS PYRAMID Succeeding the Project Management Jungle (Doug Russell) http://www.amazon.com/Succeeding-Project-Management-Jungle-Projects/dp/0814416152/

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1. ARRIVE ARMED WITH KNOWLEDGE ๏ Read the usual suspects - Jared Spool, Jakob Nielsen, Johnny Holland, Boxes and arrows, UX magazine... ๏ Familiarize yourself with the high trafﬁc websites that people visit - how are they shaping user behaviour? ๏ Question everything around you. Why are things the way they are? ๏ Is there a formal project brief? If so, ask for a copy in advance. Print it off. Scribble questions on it.

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2. Be dressed for success. http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/littlebitmanky/424680015/

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3. SHOW YOUR HRT (HEART) ๏ Humility - you are not center of the universe ๏ Respect - you genuinely care about others you work with ๏ Trust - you believe others are competent and will do the right thing Team Geek (Brian W. Fitzpatrick, Ben Collins-Sussman) http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920018025.do

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4. Meet the project sponsor

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I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. - Rudyard Kipling in his "Just So Stories" (1902)

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๏ Why are we doing this? (Business needs) ๏ What do the users need? (User needs) ๏ Where do they want it? (Environment/Device) ๏ Who is doing it? (Team) ๏ When do we have to get it done by? (Time available) ๏ How will we measure success?

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THE FIVE WHYS 1. “Why did the robot stop?” The circuit has overloaded, causing a fuse to blow. 2. “Why is the circuit overloaded?” There was insufficient lubrication on the bearings, so they locked up. 3. “Why was there insufficient lubrication on the bearings?” The oil pump on the robot is not circulating sufficient oil. 4. “Why is the pump not circulating sufficient oil?” The pump intake is clogged with metal shavings. 5. “Why is the intake clogged with metal shavings?” Because there is no filter on the pump.

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MORE QUESTIONS ๏ What do they expect? ๏ What’s in it for them? ๏ What challenges do they face? ๏ How will they know the project has been successful? ๏ Who else should you meet?

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JIM KALBACH’S PROJECT CANVAS http://uxtogo.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/the-project-canvas-deﬁning-your-project-visually/

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5. Meet the team members

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http://bit.ly/war-developers

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http://alextoul.posterous.com/the-war-between-developers-designers-project

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MEET TEAM MEMBERS ๏ What’s their history? ๏ How do they work? ๏ What has been useful in the past? ๏ What has annoyed them? ๏ What are their expectations? ๏ How do they like to communicate?

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PRODUCT MANAGERS ๏ Some are ux-focused, others are business or technical ๏ None of them will be short of an opinion ๏ Support all of your work with evidence ๏ Share it often

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PROJECT MANAGERS ๏ Treat as you would a project sponsor ๏ Be honest about timings and try to stick with them ๏ Keep them informed ๏ Ask them to coordinate feedback

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DEVELOPERS AND DESIGNERS ๏ Involve them early on ๏ Share your work or collaborate often ๏ Understand their constraints

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Task People Ask Tell Driver Analytical Expressive Amiable

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DRIVER (FAST, INTENSE, FORMAL, RISK-TAKER, LIKES TO BE IN CHARGE) ๏ Focus on the present ๏ Get to the bottom line ๏ Speak in terms of short-term concrete results ๏ Give them options ๏ Don’t get too personal ๏ Don’t get into a control contest ๏ However, don’t back down if you believe you are right http://www.softed.com/resources/Docs/SSW0.4.pdf

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EXPRESSIVE (ANIMATED, IMPATIENT, CREATIVE, FOCUS OF ATTENTION, FUNNY, BACK-SLAPPER) ๏ Focus on the future and the big picture ๏ Illustrate concepts with stories ๏ Seek their ideas, input ๏ Show personal interest and involvement ๏ Stimulate their creative impulse ๏ Compliment them ๏ Don’t dwell on details ๏ Don’t be too serious ๏ Don’t talk down to them http://www.softed.com/resources/Docs/SSW0.4.pdf

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AMIABLE (SLOW, EASY-GOING, QUIET, FRIENDLY AND INVITING, FORGIVING) ๏ Be ﬂexible ๏ Be easy and informal ๏ Be personal and personable ๏ Emphasize a team approach ๏ Don’t push for too much detail ๏ Don’t hurry them ๏ Don’t confront them ๏ Don’t attack ๏ Don’t be dictatorial or autocratic http://www.softed.com/resources/Docs/SSW0.4.pdf

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ANALYTICAL (SLOW, QUIET THOUGHTFUL, PREFERS TO BE ON THEIR OWN) ๏ Focus on past, present and future ๏ Talk facts ๏ Focus on detail and accuracy ๏ Be logical, well- organized, and serious ๏ Tell them exactly what you will do and when ๏ Don’t rush things ๏ Don’t be too personal ๏ Don’t be overly casual http://www.softed.com/resources/Docs/SSW0.4.pdf

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Dealing with Difﬁcult People Dr. Rick Brinkman and Dr. Rick Kirschner (Hat tip to Giles Colborne   for directing me to this book.)

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Dealing with people you can’t stand Dr. Rick Brinkman and Dr. Rick Kirschner

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Task focus Relationship focus Passive Aggressive

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Task focus Relationship focus Passive Aggressive Tank Whiner Think they know it all Yes person

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Task focus Relationship focus Passive Aggressive Tank Whiner Think they know it all Yes person

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Task focus Relationship focus Passive Aggressive Get it done Get it right Get appreciated Get along

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CULTURAL ISSUES: UK ๏ Beware the USA sitcom stereotype ๏ Humor is regarded as one of the most effective weapons in a British citizen’s arsenal ๏ Brits will agree where possible, but qualify their agreement ๏ When you wish to criticize, disagree or even praise, do it obliquely (using understatement or coded speech) When Cultures Collide: Leading across cultures (Richard D. Lewis)

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CULTURAL ISSUES: JAPAN ๏ Face must not be lost and politeness must be maintained at all times ๏ Their reluctance to say no is well-known ๏ Decisions will eventually be made by consensus ๏ They are cautious, skilled in stalling tactics and won’t be rushed When Cultures Collide: Leading across cultures (Richard D. Lewis)

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CULTURAL ISSUES: CHINA ๏ Politeness is observed at all times. Confrontation and loss of face (for both parties) must be avoided ๏ Meetings are principally for information gathering - the real decisions will be made elsewhere ๏ A collective spirit prevails - nobody says ‘I’, only ‘We’. ๏ They will work step by step in an unhurried manner When Cultures Collide: Leading across cultures (Richard D. Lewis)

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CULTURAL ISSUES: INDIA ๏ Indians emanate and expect warmth and respect ๏ Do not risk joking with them ๏ Be ﬂexible ๏ Accept chaos and ambiguity When Cultures Collide: Leading across cultures (Richard D. Lewis)

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USEFUL PHRASES ๏ ...... (Silence: Beg for forgiveness, not for permission.) ๏ “Do you mind me asking - are you looking for solutions or do you just want to get things off your chest?” ๏ “Which of the solutions you mentioned would you choose?” ๏ “If we were going to meet the delivery date, how could we make that happen?” ๏ “How could we ﬁnd out...”

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KNOWLEDGE IS KEY ๏ know what you know ๏ ﬁnd out what you don’t know ๏ ask what you need to know now ๏ tell others what you now know

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Staying sane ๏ What am I feeling now? ๏ What am I thinking now? ๏ What am I doing at this moment? ๏ How am I breathing?

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http://sarahmillican.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-11-o-clock-rule.html Millican’s Law “This is Millican's Law. If you have a hard gig, quiet, a death, a struggle, whatever, you can only be mad and frustrated and gutted until 11am the next day. Then you must draw a line under it and forget about it. As going into the next gig thinking you are shit will mean you will die.” “Equally, if you nail it, slam it, destroy it, whatever, you can only be smug about it until 11am the next day (in the past, I have set an alarm so I could get up and gloat for an extra half hour) as if you go into the next gig thinking you are God's gift to comedy, you will die. That is Millican's Law and it totally works. It means you move on quickly.”

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Well done. Now you can think about process

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A cautionary tale

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Last november I received an email...

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9.05 – you're greeted in the lobby by a unicorn - yes, a unicorn - trotting around for a promotional photo shoot. It's just another day at the ofﬁce.

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9.10 – grab an espresso in the cafe; in the queue have a chat with a fellow lead about line management. You've recently changed the format of your bi-weekly meetings to a more casual lunch and it's working brilliantly.

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9.20 – your main client is running an Agile process; in your scrum you give a snapshot of what you and your team of 4 are up to.

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9.30 – run a workshop with key stakeholders, the creative and tech teams (we like to blend) to scamp 2 routes for an improved purchase process. Our lead strategist kicks the workshop off with research insights.

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11.00 – host a `Big Mama' (our bi- weekly team knowledge share). Today's topic: insights from your recent trip to Adaptive Path's UX Intensive.

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12.00 – attend another workshop, this time for your other client, hosted by the Creative Director on the account. The objective: sketch a few user journeys to show how content can be shared across a campaign site, mobile and tablet devices.

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1.30 – pick up a few lunch buddies for a walk through the local area and a sandwich from a nearby cafe.

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2.30 – attend a user testing session in our in-house lab.

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3.45 – meet with your team to go through the detail of new wireframes in Axure. Run the wireframes through the personas and stress-test them with experience principles.

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5.15 – get debriefed on a pitch you'll be helping out with next week. The prospect: a high fashion brand who want to re-energise their online presence.

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6.15 – wind down with a game of table tennis and a beer in the company bar.

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Notice anything missing?

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2. Make time to think

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A technique for Producing ideas James Webb Young

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A TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING IDEAS ๏ An idea is nothing more nor less than a new combination of old elements ๏ The capacity to bring old elements into new combinations depends largely on the ability to see relationships

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A TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING IDEAS ๏ First, gather raw materials - both the materials of your immediate problem and the materials from your rich store of general knowledge. ๏ Second, work over those materials in your mind and try to identify patterns.

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A TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING IDEAS ๏ Third, go for a walk in the park. This is the incubating stage, where you let something beside the conscious mind do the work of synthesis. ๏ Fourth, an idea will be born, often when you least expect it. ๏ Fifth, shape and develop an idea to practical usefulness.

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One last thing...

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First Rule of Consulting: No matter how much you try, you can’t stop people from sticking beans up their nose. Jared Spool - http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/

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Twitter: @ifenn Good luck... ...and thank you. http://chopstixmedia.com/