Ensuring your design vision is implemented

As designers we want our work to result in real, tangible change; but this is not guaranteed, even if our work is brilliant.

There are many reasons y(our) designs might not get traction; not least that the systems we often try to influence and change are complex, unclear and dynamic.

This talk - by veterans Karina Smith and Nova Franklin from Meld Studios - introduces a number of practical techniques you cna use to make your change more sticky, beyond simply delivering great designs.

Presented by Nova Franklin and Karina Smith at UX Australia 2017

Transcript

1. Ensuring your design 
 vision is implemented Nova Franklin (@menovaf)
 Karina Smith (@kreategirl)
2. 2 As designers we want our work to result in real, tangible change. We work hard to create solutions with humans at the centre. But… As we apply design to more increasingly complex problems, the systems that support us in implementing great designs - those that we must influence and change - are dynamic and unclear. Why are we here (today)
3. 3 Ideas are worth nothing if they aren’t implemented…well. Why are we here (today) Intent Realised
4. 4 About us Psychology Design Technology Change management In-house Private and government Meld Studios
5. 5 Project process: ideal
6. 6 Project process: reality
7. 7 Project process
8. 8 •‘Ego’ vs customer led projects •Solutions born out of silos •Solutions that bare no resemblance to the original intent •Desire for ‘quick wins’ that cause problems down the line •Lack of understanding of what is required for implementation, including staff needs Challenges we have experienced
9. 9 The project within the project Manage
 scope Killer 
 teams Influence 
 outcomes Engage 
 stakeholders
10. 
 
 1. Manage scope
11. 11 What to watch out for Manage
 scope • Unclear scope / misunderstanding of scope • Scope change impacts ability to deliver • Unrealistic expectations of what can and will be delivered
12. 12 Tips for managing scope 1. Clear identification of the problem space Manage
 scope • Make a list of what’s in an out of scope, 
 display it and refer to it often. • Get specific, talk through examples where needed – “Its this, not that”. • Use a dart board to see what’s core and what’s peripheral.
13. 13 Tips for managing scope 1. Clear identification of the problem space Manage
 scope Example problem statement Improve citizen experiences in government service centres. In scope: • self-service offerings and interactions • connecting citizens to government agents who can help outside of stores • physical store layout Out of scope: • in centre counter services • website used in centres for self-service
14. 14 Tips for managing scope 1. Clear identification of the problem space Manage
 scope
15. 15 Tips for managing scope 1. Clear identification of the problem space Manage
 scope
16. 16 Tips for managing scope 2. Deconstruct concepts, identifying future capabilities Manage
 scope Collaboratively break down concepts into components so as to: • Develop shared understanding of concept intent • Identify capabilities needed to deliver the concept (people, process, technology) • Identify feasibility and viability • Identify how the concept impacts the wider service context
17. 17 Tips for managing scope 3. Deconstruct concepts, identifying future capabilities Manage
 scope
18. 18 Tips for managing scope 3. Deconstruct concepts, identifying future capabilities Manage
 scope
19. 
 
 2. Killer teams
20. 20 What to watch out for Killer 
 teams • Not having access to the right people at the right time - Lineup not ideal - Comings and goings
 • Underperformance - Skill versus will • Conflict - Unclear expectations - Personalities that rub - Courageous conversations are scary!
21. 21 Tips for killer teams 1. Aim for a strong line up • Look for convergence and divergence - Disciplines - Strengths - Personalities • Plan for comings and goings - Ensure overlaps if you can - Ask leavers to induct newbies - Ensuring there’s enough time for induction Killer 
 teams
22. 22 Tips for killer teams 2. Kickoffs / induction Killer 
 teams • Put aside time for a thorough kickoff - “On this project my role is…” - “I want to develop …” - “I can grow and support others by…” - “What cheeses me off is…” - “When I’m grumpy I…” - “During the project we commit to…” • Display commitments and undertakings and check on progress
23. 23 Tips for killer teams 2. Kickoffs / induction Killer 
 teams
24. 24 Tips for killer teams 3. Frequent check-ins • Align activities to intent - Where do we need to get to overall? - Where do we need to get to by the end of today? - What activities will get us there? • Reflect on activities - What did learn? - What did we do really well? - What would we do again/change? Killer 
 teams
25. 
 3. Engage 
 stakeholders
26. 26 What to watch out for Engage
 stakeholders • Conflicting agendas - Cross silo conflict - Limited dollars/resources - Tick box vs real change • Lack of buy-in / support - Knowing who’s powerful - Unknown stakeholders who come in too late • Uncertainty / backchat • Change of guard (lack of continuity)
27. 27 Tips for engaging stakeholders 1. Identify and manage influencers and blockers Engage
 stakeholders Decision makers Owners Builders Implementers Those impacted (e.g., clients, unions, service providers) Influence Support Potential 
 blockers Potential 
 champions Generate buy-in Enlist help
28. 28 Tips for engaging stakeholders 1. Identify and manage influencers and blockers Engage
 stakeholders Stakeholder Impact Say/think Do Intervention Project sponsor Time Reputation Ability to provide better service This intervention is critical because… Tell others why this change is critical Provide budget Attend research Attend showcases Key messages + targets
29. 29 Tips for engaging stakeholders 2. Design with not for • Understand what has / hasn't worked before 
 internally and externally. • Build empathy and understanding in internal stakeholders via participation in research. • Involve internal/external stakeholders in idea generation and idea testing. Engage
 stakeholders
30. 30 Tips for engaging stakeholders 3. Externalise the process Design walls • As public as possible • Invite casual input • Messy is fine • Virtual options - Google Apps, Trello, and RealtimeBoard Engage
 stakeholders
31. 31 Tips for engaging stakeholders 3. Externalise the process Engage
 stakeholders
32. 32 Tips for engaging stakeholders 3. Externalise the process Showcases • Who • When • It’s a work in progress • Input needs to be respectful • Virtual options Engage
 stakeholders
33. 
 4. Influence 
 outcomes
34. 34 What to watch out for Influence
 outcomes •Lack of understanding of / support for the design process •Project versus program focus •Inadequate handover for implementation
35. 35 Tips for influencing outcomes 1. Help people understand the design approach Meet project owners to help them understand: • the rationale behind your approach • the emotional journey of a design project • the rationale behind research approach Influence
 outcomes “Talking to 40 people won’t give you reliability and validity” Quote from stakeholder with a scientific research background. “I made too many assumptions about their readiness, their availability and their understanding of the process.” Reflections on a recent design project
36. 36 Tips for influencing outcomes 1. Help people understand the design approach Influence
 outcomes & define & refine Implement & evaluate Share Understand Explore We are
37. 37 Tips for influencing outcomes 1. Help people understand the design approach Influence
 outcomes Optimism Anxiety Research Analysis & synthesis Concept generation Prototyping Delivering the vision
38. 38 Tips for influencing outcomes 2. Support handover to implementation • Continue to collaborate with the implementation team to ensure alignment to the intent • Checkins • Testing • Find ways to share your findings and designs so it can be used for the length of the program of work, to communicate intent in the long term. Influence
 outcomes
39. 39 Influence
 outcomes Australian Bureau of Statistics New website project Discovery playbook June 2017 Australian Bureau of Statistics New website project 63 62 What we heard Customers found key indicators a good starting point which would allow them to establish a baseline understanding of a theme and would be useful to direct other members of their organisation to. "These would be good for our marketing team who don’t want to delve too deep" - Non-Profit Organisation Customers who need more detail valued the pathway to more information. "It’s great to have a theme and the ability to dig deeper" - Local Government Customers who need specific cuts of information wanted the theme pages to reflect these. "It would be great if the page would adapt if you were accessing it from South Australia - it could show more regional information" - Industry Body Suggestions for future iterations • Investigate potential for key indicators as navigation framework • Investigate how much contextual metadata needs to be included in key indicators • Investigate geolocation to automatically select region • Investigate high-demand figures for key indicators which may involve working with statistical programs to inform which figure or variation to use Guiding statements Customers need to get to and understand information as quickly and clearly as possible. The pathway to get to various depths of information needs to be clear and simple. Relevant personas Rita Social planner Overview of concept A page that takes the most in-demand figures for a theme and displays them as dashboard style indicators on a single page, giving a broad snapshot. The indicators can be clicked to get to more information. Capabilities 1 Indicators can be refined to reflect a particular geographic region 2 Links to relevant stories can be displayed here 3 Includes navigation pathways to other topics 1. Key indicators NAVIGATION 1 2 3 21 Discovery playbook June 2017 21 Triggers Reasons customers use statistical information • Make decisions informed by information » Government (e.g. policy development, service provision, hiring) » Business (e.g. share trading, data analytics, forecasting, service provision, premise locations) » Personal (e.g. tourism, migration) • Add evidence to and support for a recommendation they are making (e.g. briefings) • Understand and report on Australian current affairs » Tell a story (e.g. journalism) • Verify information that has come from elsewhere • Confirm an assumption • Teach / learn with and about statistics » Primary, secondary, tertiary education • Support others who need help with statistics • Satisfy an interest Reasons customers go to the ABS for information • The ABS is found as part of a wider search • The ABS is a credible source. People trust the information because: » It’s a government organisation » It’s impartial » It’s an authoritative source • The ABS is front of mind to some when they seek statistical information "The ABS is a treasure trove" • They been directed to use the ABS by someone else • They are seeking the source information for references to ABS information made by others • Dependency on the ABS as there are no or limited other sources for what they need • The ABS information is largely free / open source Insights across the customer's website journey Discovery playbook June 2017 59 Guiding statements From Discovery, this project will move into Alpha where guiding statements will be tested by building concepts and prototypes to explore different ways the ABS might be able to better meet our customers’ needs. We will explore multiple versions of selected concepts and iteratively test and refine with customers to learn which approach works best. These statements are a reflection of the desired customer experience. They were derived from the research insights that will be used to guide the design as we move through Alpha and Beta. As an outcome of further research and testing these guiding statements will be refined appropriately. 1. The pathway to get to various depths of information needs to be clear and simple. 2. Customers need to get to and understand information as quickly and clearly as possible. 3. Customers need to easily understand what the ABS does or does not have. 4. Customers need to use information without knowing ABS terminology and structures. 5. Customers need immediate access to information in all channels as soon as it becomes publicly available. 6. Customers need to be kept informed when there is something new, better or something has changed. 7. Customers need language simplified without the technical meaning being lost. 8. Customers with less time or statistical experience need technical content to be simplified. 9. Customers need to easily access the information that helps them to understand what they are looking at, when they are looking at it. 10. Customers need to be able to combine and make their own cuts of information. 11. Customers need to be able to easily extract information into their environment. 12. Customers need to be able to reuse information and artefacts straight from the site. 13. Customers need to be able to easily refer back to information for themselves or others. 14. Customers need to be able to reach out for assistance when they need it. 15. There needs to be a place for customers to provide feedback to allow for continuous improvement. Looking ahead Concepts Insights Design principles
40. 40 What’s your favourite idea from today? Chat to the person next to you
41. Karina Smith Principal, Meld Studios 0457 526 472 @kreategirl karina@meldstudios.com.au Nova Franklin Principal, Meld Studios 0415 544 935
 @menovaf nova@meldstudios.com.au Meldstudios.com.au Twitter: @WeAreMeld