getting ux done (for ux australia)

Getting UX done | @ifenn #uxaustralia UX Australia 2013

Getting UX done

Ian Fenn (@ifenn)

#uxaustralia

1. The issue conflicted with a decision maker’s belief or opinion.

2. Not enough resources available to fix the problem.

3. Deferred until next major update/redesign.

A designer solves problems within

a set of constraints.

Mike Monteiro

Ian Fenn

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

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

Ian Fenn

Build consensus

Point out the flaws and inconsistencies

• enthusiasm

The six project phases

• enthusiasm• total confusion

• enthusiasm• total confusion• disillusionment

• enthusiasm• total confusion• disillusionment• search for the guilty

• enthusiasm• total confusion• disillusionment• search for the guilty• punishment of the innocent

• enthusiasm• total confusion• disillusionment• search for the guilty• punishment of the innocent• reward and promotion of the non-

participants

Unfortunately for us, we care.

“It is always the best policy to tell the truth, unless of course you are an exceptionally good liar.”- Jerome K Jerome (English writer)

Interviewer: What’s your greatest weakness?

Me: Honesty.

Interviewer: I don’t see honesty as a weakness.

Interviewer: What’s your greatest weakness?

Me: Honesty.

Interviewer: I don’t see honesty as a weakness.

Me: I don’t care what you think.

h"p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzgoXoOqnn0

Communication and influence are just as important as a well-thought out prototype.

Be labelled an ‘expert’ or ‘specialist’.

Ian FennUser experience / Interaction design portfolio

Contact details:

Email ian@chopstixmedia.comWeb http://chopstixmedia.com/LinkedIn http://uk.linkedin.com/in/ifenn

Client testimonials“Ian is an exceptional UX practitioner, balancing the business requirements with the user's needs to produce an intuitive experience and functional design. Ian's analytical and detailed approach was key to a number of recent projects, guiding their direction and producing some great results.” - Peter Lambert, Head of UX, Global Personals

“Ian is dedicated to delivering the simplest solution possible and always keeping the core customer need the focus of the experience, resulting in quality, intuitive interface and functionality design.” - Richard Edwards, Digital Planning Director, LIDA

“Ian joined us to help develop a web application for a new Insurance proposition. He brought with him an abundance of usability knowledge and expertise which he was more than happy to share. This enabled us to work collaboratively increasing our in-house knowledge as well as him producing some first class outputs. He has great attention to detail and showed great flexibility in producing top notch work in a climate of incomplete and changing requirements.” - Christian Young, Lead User Experience Architect, AVIVA plc

“I worked with Ian on the international research study of wi-fi services. Ian showed himself as an expert in user experience, his results were precise and of very high quality. It's great to have a reliable partner in the UK.” - Natalia Sprogis, User Research Consultant, UIDesign Group

“Ian is a hard working and dedicated usability and interaction design expert. At Virgin Media he worked tirelessly to champion the user, always thinking creatively around business requirements to achieve the best experience possible. His work is backed up by a wealth of experience both in user interface design and in front end development, and I would welcome the opportunity to work with him again.” - Kirsty Brown, User Experience Manager, Virgin Media

“Ian is a highly focused and hardworking individual who offers a wealth of knowledge particularly in the areas of user experience and accessibility. Ian is an innovative thinker and is able to bring fresh thinking to any project. Given the opportunity, I would happily employ Ian again in the future.”- Lian Brook-Tyler, Head of Site, BT plc

“Having worked with Ian for over 3 years I've really valued his support and learnt from his depth of knowledge and understanding of the internet industry. His commitment to placing the customer at the heart of everything he does is unquestionable, as is his desire to provide an optimal, accessible user experience for all.” - Martin Faux, Head of BT Broadband Office, BT plc

“Ian was invaluable at BT, bringing in-depth expertise in online user experience to the team as well as a passion for all things internet. His efforts went well beyond normal hours as he invested personal time to investigate opportunities to improve the site and ensuring his thinking was up-to-date by networking with other experts.” - David Morgan, Head of Online Business, BT plc

“Ian Fenn was a very talented contributor to Alchemy Digital's projects. With his unique mix of journalistic and broadcasting experience, Ian developed compelling, content-driven solutions that were a perfect fit for our broadcast clients. Ian is a great web copywriter and is also very visually oriented; he understands what works from the end-user's perspective, what "sells" and how to develop content that is engaging and immersive. Ian always brings fresh thinking to projects and has an entrepreneurial attitude that keeps him focused on the end results. I would wholeheartedly recommend Ian for any senior interactive production or management position.” - Adrian Tennant, Managing Director, Alchemy Digital

• Bring solutions, not problems

• Bring solutions, not problems• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes

• Bring solutions, not problems• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes• Have multiple outs

• Bring solutions, not problems• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes• Have multiple outs• Say when you don’t know something

• Bring solutions, not problems• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes• Have multiple outs• Say when you don’t know something• Build self-awareness

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

h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/joybot/7747594318/

Open up your process

Help others provide feedback: Encourage critique, rather than ‘design review’

The purpose of critique is to understand the design of a product and to help the creator improve it by giving them more information.

The purpose of a design review is sign-off and often results in a list of specified changes.

Take cake!

When you present work, acknowledge other’s input and explain how their needs will be met.

Praise others freely, frequently, and at any time, regardless of accuracy.

h"p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxIE0OWsh7E

Have pre-meetings

Send designs out ahead of time or you’ll just get knee-jerk reactions

Never say, ‘You’re wrong’ unless you want problems to escalate.

Criticise others with caution, keeping it brief and specific, and always with clear follow-up actions.

h"p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO1kmfLmGRA

Yes, listen. Really.

Lose the jargon

“The cognitive load is too high...”

(“It’s just plain confusing.”)

“This screen has such poor visual hierarchy”

(“This screen is a cluttered mess.”)

“Enhance the call to action”

(“Make that button bigger”)

If you need more time to respond, take it. Promise you’ll come back to people and do it when you say you would.

Consider social styles

Personal styles and effective performance

David W. Merrill

DriverAnalytical

ExpressiveAmiable

Less More

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

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

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

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

Consider learning styles

• Activists learn best by doing things - engaging in activity

• Reflectors prefer to stand back and think about things

• Theorists learn best from models, concepts and theories

• Pragmatists enjoy putting ideas into practice

Watch your body language

h"p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjwOL9HDzOM

Smile!Keep gestures open.Nod!Look interested and attentive, but avoid intense, dominant eye contact.

Lack of time is our biggest enemy.

h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/benm_at/4683099590

• Demonstrate excellence without arrogance

• Demonstrate excellence without arrogance• Enthusiasm is contagious

• Demonstrate excellence without arrogance• Enthusiasm is contagious• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes

• Demonstrate excellence without arrogance• Enthusiasm is contagious• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes• Listen

• Demonstrate excellence without arrogance• Enthusiasm is contagious• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes• Listen• Act as a consultant

• Demonstrate excellence without arrogance• Enthusiasm is contagious• Don’t be over-invested in outcomes• Listen• Act as a consultant• Make time to think

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/

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.”

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI

Any questions?

Ian Fenn (@ifenn)

#uxaustralia

getting ux done (for ux australia)

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