Design Thinking for ContentAndrea Ames (@aames)#LavaCon

About Andrea

Technical communicator since 1983

Areas of expertise:Content experience design: strategy, architecture, and interaction designArchitecture, design, and development of product-embedded assistance Information and product usabilityUser-centered process for content development and experience design

Senior Technical Staff Member and chief content strategist for Integrated Content (IC) Center of Excellence (CoE), IBM Digital Business Group

University of CA Extension program chair and instructorSTC Fellow, past president, former member of Board of DirectorsACM Distinguished Engineer

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Workshop agenda

Design Thinking

Exercise context

Empathize-Define (aka “Understand”)Ideate

Prototype

Wrap-up/Q&A

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Design Thinking

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Wikipedia says…

Design thinking is a methodology not exclusive (sic) for designers, that helps people understand and develop creative ways to solve an (sic) specific issue, generally business oriented.

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The secret sauce (IMO)

Divergenceto ensure that many solutions are initially explored

Convergenceto narrow down to a single solution

“Design thinking encourages divergent thinking to ideate many solutions (possible or impossible)

and then uses convergent thinking to prefer and realize the best resolution.”

– wikipedia

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Not just for “design”

Lamoine Comprehensive Planning Committee community meeting

IBM integrated contentUCSC Extension in Silicon Valley IA & Design course projects

The list goes on…

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What

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As-is experienceEmpathy mapAs-is scenario map

BrainstormPrioritize

To-be scenario mapLow-fi prototypeRequirementsRoadmapping

User test

Stanford’s process depictionSome of the methods you can use – the ones I’ve found to be most useful

WhoImage by StockUnlimited

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Cross-functionalIdeally, PM, Marketing, Design, Content, Dev, Support

Tools

Room with clear, flat walls

Flip charts (preferably sticky)

Sticky notes

Colored dots (at least 2 colors)

Virtual?Document camera (e.g., Ziggi)Mural.lyPost-it Plus (iOS)

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Empathize-DefineAka “Understand”

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Empathy map

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Empathy map

Quick

Multiple user dimensions (more than role)

Leverage your advocacy role

Consider hopes, fears, and challenges

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As-is scenario map

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As-is scenario map

Visual representation of user workflowMakes explicit the team’s knowledge Exposes gaps and what needs further researchIdentify pain points and biggest opportunities for improvementInput to requirementsConsider…

“extra” stepspoints of inefficiency (doing)pain points (feeling)points of confusion (thinking)

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Ideate

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Ideation

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Ideation

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Brainstorming

Ideas – broad, conceptual, focused on user needs

NOT features – discreet, tacticalBIG ideas, not small ones

Prioritize

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Prioritize

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Which BIG idea is most important and feasible for the given time frame and project scope?

Prototype

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To-be scenario mapImage from ibm.com

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To-be scenario map

Visual representation of user workflowMakes explicit the team’s knowledge Exposes gaps and what needs further researchIdentify pain points and biggest opportunities for improvementInput to requirementsConsider…

“extra” stepspoints of inefficiency (doing)pain points (feeling)points of confusion (thinking)

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Story-boardfromibm.com

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Story-boarding

Create a seamless, comic-book like story

Beginning, middle, end

Focus on the userNOT on screens

Be ready to tell your story to someone else

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ResourcesIBM Design Thinking

Stanford University Institute of Design

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QuestionsImage by StockUnlimited

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Follow/ contact Andrea@aamesImage by StockUnlimited

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