How User Experience Designers

Take Hugely Complicated Systems

and Make Them Less Complicated

For The People That The

Organization Serves.Starring James Schmittler & Tim Leisio

01.14.16

UX Simplification & StrategyStarring James Schmittler & Tim Leisio

01.14.16

Tim LeisioUser Experience Architect

Twitter & Medium: @timleisio

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/timleisio

James SchmittlerUser Experience Team Lead

Twitter: @jamesschmittler

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/jamesschmittler

Who are we?Write this down, there might be a test later.

James & TimExperts...probably.

● Bit of experience

● Lots of ideas

● A presentation

Legal UXWe stole all the whiteboards.

● 50+ people

● 40+ projects

● Design, IA, Research, CSS, Accessibility, etc...

Thomson Reuters“The Answer Company”

● Lots of segments

● Billions (with a B) in revenue

● Many employees

● Global

● Eagan is the largest

Where are we headed?I’m think a beach somewhere. Is Minnesota always this cold?

Company ShiftDesign thinking company

Planning the Future*Maniacal Laugh!*

Cross UX Team CollaborationLean on me...when you need a wireframe.

Cross Company AwarenessPeople know me. I’m...kind of a big deal.

How are we changing who we are?pain (n) 1. physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury 2. careful effort; great care or trouble.

Level UpReal mature.

http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/12/applied-ux-strategy-part-1-maturity-models.php

Level UpReal mature.

http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/12/applied-ux-strategy-part-1-maturity-models.php

25%50%25%

3 Years Ago...So, what’d we actually make?

2 Years Ago...Can I haz juice box too?

1 Year Ago...We need more coffee.

Why is all of this important?So we’ve grown up. Good for us. Why do you care?

ContextThe environment and situation people are experiencing.

● Growing team

● Large enterprise company

● UX only one of many voices

● Takes time to build relationships

● Change is slow

ContextThe environment and situation people are experiencing.

● Growing team

● Large enterprise company

● UX only one of many voices

● Takes time to build relationships

● Slow to change

● We have complex products

● Ever growing scope

ContextThe environment and situation people are experiencing.

● Growing team

● Large enterprise company

● UX only one of many voices

● Takes time to build relationships

● Slow to change

● We have complex products

● Ever growing (potential for) scope

What happens if we lose control of scope?The first step is admitting you have a problem.

It Doesn’t FitYou can try all day lady, but that couch isn’t going in that car.

Why is it so damn hard to maintain

scope?Go home scope, you’re drunk...

Mind Your SurroundingsOr fall through the ice like a ninja.

Short on UX KnowledgeCan you make it a blue button!?

Attitude Bias EvidenceWe build what they say they want.

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/which-ux-research-methods/

People for ResearchOr just empty seats?

Funding the UnknownNot quite as epic as exploring strange new worlds.

Role Ratio DisparitiesWhen you have 1:100 ux-to-not ux skill sets on your product team.

Focus on FeaturesI heard the abominable market wants a spoon.

Fear of Damaging RelationshipsNo. And here’s why...

Dogma of “The” TechnologyWhen competition isn’t good.

Reliance on 3rd PartyThe world changes. Change with it.

UX DebtI thought there was only technical debt...

http://nform.com/blog/2013/05/user-experience-debt/

Are We Done Yet?Not at all, but OK.

What do we know about scope?Well, how about an example.

We’ve Been ThereWireframe hell!

Taking a RiskJump now, worry about landing later.

Organizing the ChaosWhat the hell are we trying to build here anyway?

Presenting Our IdeasHave at you!

Coming to an AgreementNo one sleeps until we figure this out.

AftermathBlue skies and happy faces next 100 miles.

Customer PartnershipsEveryone being super friendly.

Better ProductJust in time for Spring too!

Better ProductOh, you meant Spring in Minnesota...

Why We Think Less Scope = More HopeDOWN WITH SCOPE! UP WITH HOPE!

● Sustainability

● Growth

● Market understanding

● User research

How do YOU advocate for simplicity?Can you make it simple. Like 3 a step process?

Find the CoreCut the crap, strengthen the core

Seed PossibilityAnd maybe prototype it...

CollaborateMilk could make a Dark Side parody...

How to handle chaos & prepare for the

future?Scout Motto: Be Prepared

Do Things That Make You BetterTreat Yo’Self

Build TrustHow to influence friends and eliminate enemies.

Be A Part of the Project TeamCowabunga!

Increase Your SkillsetChange is good. Sometimes you’re an alien, sometimes you’re a pop star.

Be Strategic Without Being AskedStill waiting for that invitation?

Be VocalFor example...

Follow ThroughEven the best laid plans have flaws.

Learn From MistakesObviously, you wouldn’t design the same flaw twice...obviously...obviously…

Questions?Besides “Who shot first?”