parenting is experience design: the ultimate omnichannel case study

#codemash @practicallyUX

Gail Swanson

CodeMash 2015

Parenting is Experience Design�The Ultimate Omnichannel Case Study

© Gail Swanson


Where are the case studies?�


Omnichannel != Marketing�


Experience design is making decisions.�


Parenting is omnichannel design.�

•  Enterprise level objective •  Diverse channel set •  Everything is always changing •  Finite resources •  Constraints


The days are long but the years are short.�


Chasing every opportunity doesn’t let you get much out of it.�


Objectives and Key Results�[OKRs]�

•  Driver for success at Intel, Zynga, LinkedIn and Google

•  A marriage of qualitative and quantitative aspects of goal setting

•  Works well with Agile and Lean


Honesty�Compassion�

Bravery�Gratitude�

Service�Trust�


“Do not confuse working within constraints with making sacrifices.”�

~Kristian Bjornard


No one knows it all.�


We are all omnichannel noobs.�


“No one besides venture capitalists […] requires five-year plans to forecast complete

unknowns. These plans are generally fiction,

and dreaming them up is almost always a

waste of time.”

Blank, Steve. "Why the Lean Start-‐Up Changes Everything." HBR. May 1, 2013.


Know who you’re dealing with.�


Know your audience.�

"The State of Mobile." Lecture, MOBIU2014week from comScore, Inc., , September 17, 2014.


Know yourself.�


Do your reality check.�

•  Time •  Resources •  Skillset •  Environment •  Personality (Culture) •  Politics •  Ethics •  Integrity Covert, Abby. How to Make Sense of Any Mess. Edited by Nicole Fenton. 2014. 52.


Pave the cowpaths.�


Reframe experiences.�


Personalize it.�

h"p://notes.fundersandfounders.com/post/55187809751/types-‐of-‐learners


Approach complexity mindfully.�


Match complexity to goals.�

Share of Mobile App Time Spent �

Lella, Adam. "The U.S. Mobile App Report.”, from comScore, Inc.,2014.


Consult the experts.�


Get good help.�


How do I know if I’m doing it right?�


Think, make(do), check.�

Halley, Lane. "Somewhere over the waterfall.” Lean Startup Circle, Chicago, 2012.


Plan to take risks.�


The best place to start is where you are.�


Don’t eat it all at once.�


Parenting can teach us about design.�

•  You can be informed, but you can’t learn how from a book

•  You can’t do it alone •  You can’t control everything •  Make human decisions


Make your own fun.�


Gail Swanson

Associate Director – UX

Manifest Digital

[email protected]

Thank you!�