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Defuzzing Fuzzy Concepts - MinneWebCon Presentation Version

Scott Kubie
April 16, 2013

Defuzzing Fuzzy Concepts - MinneWebCon Presentation Version

The presentation version of my 2013 MinneWebCon presentation "Clarity, Copy, and Content Strategy: Defuzzing Fuzzy Concepts".

Scott Kubie

April 16, 2013
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  1. Scott Kubie - MinneWebCon 2013 De-fuzzing Fuzzy Concepts #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship

    Clarity, copy, and content strategy: Monday, April 15, 13
  2. “ #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship There’s nothing worse than a sharp image

    of a fuzzy concept. - Ansel Adams, photographer Monday, April 15, 13
  3. “ #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship People who think well, write well. Woolly

    minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches. - David Ogilvy Monday, April 15, 13
  4. Rework p. 44, 2010 “ #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship When you don’t

    know what you believe, everything becomes an argument. Everything is debatable. But when you stand for something, decisions are obvious. - Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson Monday, April 15, 13
  5. As predicted in her closing plenary at the 2013 IA

    Summit “ #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship In 30 years... Every business is digital. Every business is in the user experience business. - Karen McGrane Monday, April 15, 13
  6. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Purpose Focus Structure Consistency Meaning Distinction Conviction Ownership

    Ambition Authenticity Perspective Purpose Focus Structure Consistency Meaning Distinction Conviction Ownership Ambition Authenticity Perspective Monday, April 15, 13
  7. Voice and branding? Check. Qualitative analysis? Check. Asking “Why?” well

    past the point where everyone else is exhausted? Check. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Monday, April 15, 13
  8. UX designers fight for the user. Content strategists fight for

    the future. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Monday, April 15, 13
  9. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Next, A Totally Made-Up but Reasonably Useful Six-Part

    Framework for Evaluating your Purpose and Combatting Fuzziness Monday, April 15, 13
  10. So what? Why are we doing this? What's the point?

    Will anyone care? Is this even possible? Isn't someone already doing this? #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Monday, April 15, 13
  11. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship 1. Figure out what you believe (easy, right?).

    2. Write it down. Write a manifesto TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  12. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship 1. Figure out what you believe (easy, right?).

    2. Write it down. 3. Review regularly. Write a manifesto TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  13. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Watch for silent dissent. Not vocalizing disagreement is

    not the same as agreeing. Write a manifesto TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  14. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Write it on the wall... Publish it on

    your website.... Make it Visual BEST PRACTICES Monday, April 15, 13
  15. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Write it on the wall... Publish it on

    your website.... Tattoo it on your chest... Make it Visual BEST PRACTICES Monday, April 15, 13
  16. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Whose thing is this? Is this us? How

    do we decide? Do we believe that? Where does it belong? Monday, April 15, 13
  17. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship 1. Make a list of common questions about

    your thing. Elevator Pitch Workshop TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  18. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship 1. Make a list of common questions about

    your thing. 2. Record answers individually. Elevator Pitch Workshop TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  19. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship 1. Make a list of common questions about

    your thing. 2. Record answers individually. 3. Play back to the full group. Elevator Pitch Workshop TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  20. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship 1. Make a list of common questions about

    your thing. 2. Record answers individually. 3. Play back to the full group. 4. Facilitate discussion on themes, concerns. Elevator Pitch Workshop TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  21. “ #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship I’m not Mr. Lebowski. You’re Mr. Lebowski.

    I’m the Dude. - Jeff Bridges is The Dude The Big Lebowski Monday, April 15, 13
  22. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Start with a good name When brainstorming, seek

    hyponyms, not just synonyms. BEST PRACTICES Monday, April 15, 13
  23. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Start with a good name When brainstorming, seek

    hyponyms, not just synonyms. BEST PRACTICES Monday, April 15, 13
  24. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Start with a good name When brainstorming, seek

    hyponyms, not just synonyms. BEST PRACTICES Monday, April 15, 13
  25. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship What IS this thing? What problem are we

    trying to solve? What type? App? Site? Book? Event? Can we cut this? Do we need this? Monday, April 15, 13
  26. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship MoSCoW TECHNIQUE Must Include Should Include (if it’s

    easy) Could Include (if X wasn’t in our way) Won’t Include (in this version, at least) Monday, April 15, 13
  27. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship MoSCoW TECHNIQUE Must Include Should Include (if it’s

    easy) Could Include (if X wasn’t in our way) Won’t Include (in this version, at least) Monday, April 15, 13
  28. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship MoSCoW TECHNIQUE Must Include Should Include (if it’s

    easy) Could Include (if X wasn’t in our way) Won’t Include (in this version, at least) Monday, April 15, 13
  29. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship MoSCoW TECHNIQUE Must Include Should Include (if it’s

    easy) Could Include (if X wasn’t in our way) Won’t Include (in this version, at least) Monday, April 15, 13
  30. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Concept Modeling TECHNIQUE Give the abstract more substance

    with a structured diagram focused on relationships. Monday, April 15, 13
  31. Facebook Page Complete Vehicle Inventory Dealership Information Homescreen Icon Website

    Portal available at idealer.co/ dealername is built by is a Service for that powers Native Mobile Apps for Auto Dealerships used by Dealership Customers Dealership Staff to enhance the relationship and communication with used to manage Auto Dealers designed for featuring Apple's App Store Android Marketplace iPhone iPad iPod Multiple Android Devices Twitter Profile YouTube Google Plus Push Messages about Events News Special Offers In-App Logo In-App Photos & Graphics that run on that run on downloaded through downloaded through Social Links to with dealership branded User Toolbox containing Flashlight Loan Calculator Parking Assistant Vehicle Manuals including Contact Details Hours and Services Map and Locations who access Application Features including Vehicle Photos Detailed Descriptions Links to more info Overall Look and Feel brand company #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Monday, April 15, 13
  32. Website Portal available at idealer.co/ dealername is built by is

    a Service for that powers Native Mobile Apps for Auto Dealerships used by Dealership Customers De to enh and used to manage Auto Dealers designed for who access brand company Monday, April 15, 13
  33. Facebook Page Complete Vehicle Inventory Dealership Information Homescreen Icon Native

    Mobile Apps for Auto Dealerships used by Dealership Customers Dealership Staff to enhance the relationship and communication with used to manage d featuring Twitter Profile YouTube Google Plus Push Messages In-App Logo In-App Photos & Graphics Social Links to with dealership branded User Toolbox containing Flashlight Loan Calculator Parking Assistant Vehicle Manuals who access Application Features Overall Look and Feel Monday, April 15, 13
  34. Facebook Page Complete Vehicle Inventory Dealership Information Homescreen Icon Native

    Mobile Apps for Auto Dealerships used to manage d featuring Android Marketplace Twitter Profile YouTube Google Plus Push Messages about Events News Special Offers In-App Logo wnloaded hrough Social Links to with dealership branded User Toolbox containing Flashlight Loan Calculator Parking Assistant Vehicle Manuals including Contact Details Hours and Services Map and Locations including Vehicle Photos Detailed Descriptions Links to more info Monday, April 15, 13
  35. “ #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Use concept models for yourself. Ultimately, they

    are the most selfish, introspective, and self- indulgent artifact... - Dan M. Brown Communicating Design, 2nd Edition, p.65 Monday, April 15, 13
  36. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship WHO needs WHAT because WHY Problem Statement TECHNIQUE

    Described by Whitney Hess at MinneWebCon 2012 http://www.slideshare.net/whitneyhess/whats-your-problem- putting-purpose-back-into-your-projects Monday, April 15, 13
  37. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship What goes on the homepage? What should the

    tagline be? Do we need to mention that? Do we have to mention that? What's the most important part? Where do they start? Monday, April 15, 13
  38. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Identify conflicting priorities and identify important messages with

    a cardsorting workshop. Message Architecture TECHNIQUE Monday, April 15, 13
  39. “ #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship A message architecture is a hierarchy of

    communication goals... [T]hey’re attributes that appear in order of priority, typically in an outline. From “Content Strategy at Work” by Margot Bloomstein Monday, April 15, 13
  40. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Subjective language (we’re the best!) is weak and

    often inappropriate. OBJECTIVE LANGUAGE BEST PRACTICES Monday, April 15, 13
  41. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship OBJECTIVE LANGUAGE BEST PRACTICES Tip: you can be

    objective about subjectivity. (We think we’re the best!) Monday, April 15, 13
  42. Do we have to do all this work for every

    project? #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Monday, April 15, 13
  43. Are you discounting play and discovery by being so prescriptive

    up front? #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Monday, April 15, 13
  44. Sounds great...if only they’d let me do it the right

    way. #FuzzyConcepts @scottrocketship Monday, April 15, 13