Interaction Design + Product ManagementSoftware Product Management Meetup NYCAugust 17, 2009

About Lane HalleyPrincipal Designer at Liquidnet20+ years in SW developmentCooper Fellow (Goal-Directed Design©, Personas)Agile 2009 UX stageIxD + PM28/17/2009

What is Interaction Design?Interaction Design (IxD) defines the structure and behavior of interactive products and services. Interaction Designers create compelling relationships between people and the interactive systems they use, from computers to mobile devices to appliances...http://www.ixda.org/IxD + PM38/17/2009

Why do Product Managers need IxD?Interaction design supports great productsA great product takes into account:Peoples’ motivations and behaviorsTheir environment of useIxD + PM48/17/2009

Why do Product Managers need IxD?Products that are well designed:Organize functions in ways that make sense to peopleHelp people accomplish their goals without excess work or frustrationGenerate brand loyalty IxD + PM58/17/2009

Pure Digital Technologies, Flip Mino Cheap and portable flash-based camcorders1.5 MM sold since May ‘0720% of domestic camcorder market (ahead of Sony)IxD + PM68/17/2009

Considering user needs in context“…consumer electronics companies were focused on creating the smallest, coolest and most technologically advanced products, but they came at it from a hardware side. We come at it from an ecosystem side, meaning that there's great software that resides in the device and on the computer and on the Internet. And the combination of those three things creates an ecosystem that has a lot of value.”Jonathan Kaplan, Pure Digital CEOSF Chronicle, November 30, 2008IxD + PM78/17/2009

Different by designThe Mino’s design is focused on human needs:Simple editingSimple sharing IxD + PM88/17/2009

Flip user interface objectivesWith the Flip, it’s easy to:Immediately see and watch videosSave videos to the computer for safekeepingDelete unwanted ‘junk’ videos and only save the wanted videosProvide easy access to common activities IxD + PM98/17/2009

8/17/2009IxD + PM10Image: http://www.obsessable.com/feature/obsessable-flip-mino-hd-review/

It’s hard to make things easy“Creating something simple and fun is very hard; it's not easy," Kaplan said. "Otherwise, everyone would be doing it.”Jonathan Kaplan, Pure Digital CEOSF Chronicle, November 30, 2008 IxD + PM118/17/2009

But it’s worth it!“…stunningly simple to use.” –Wall Street Journal“The controls are so simple, a five-year old could master them.” –Real Simple“…catching life’s little wonders on video just got eaiser.” –Chicago Tribune IxD + PM128/17/2009

Why aren’t more products successful?A successful product is more than the sum of its’ features IxD + PM138/17/2009

What makes a product successful?IxD + PM148/17/2009DesirabilityCapabilityProductViabilityLarry Keeley, three elements of a successful high-tech product

Successful products are balancedIxD + PM158/17/2009TechnologyInteraction DesignDesirabilityCapabilityProductViabilityProduct Management

How do Interaction Designers work?Interaction designers: Perform user research and usability testsDevelop models of users, their attitudes, needs and behaviorsTranslate this intelligence into useful stories, sketches and prototypes IxD + PM168/17/2009

How can a Product Manager use IxD?Even if you’re not a trained Interaction Designer, you can use some of the same thinking and techniques with your teams to produce better products IxD + PM178/17/2009

Elements of an Interaction Design strategyInteraction design techniques will help you:Understand who your users are and what they valueEnsure the entire team understands and can collaborate on the desired user experience for your productAppropriately balance “big picture” thinking with “just in time” thinkingIxD + PM188/17/2009

TOOLS FOR: Understanding your users Interviews Site visits, direct observations Online observation Innovation GamesIxD + PM198/17/2009

Interview planningWho do you want to talk to and what do you want to learn? Planning interview themesWhere to find peopleIncremental researchCultivate a user groupUse your visits for multiple purposesIxD + PM208/17/2009

Effective interviewingUse open-ended questions to encourage conversation“What parts of this process take the most time, and why?”IxD + PM218/17/2009

Effective interviewingIdentify the need behind a feature request“If you HAD feature x, what would that allow you to do?”IxD + PM228/17/2009

TOOLS FOR: SynthesisAffinity diagramsPersonasWorkflow modelsConceptual models IxD + PM238/17/2009

Use affinity diagrams for group synthesisFlickr: /improveit/1574052029/IxD + PM248/17/2009

Good user research = stronger personasWell-researched personas help your team make better decisions. A good persona description defines:GoalsAttitudesWork or activity flowEnvironmentSkill levelFrustrationsIxD + PM258/17/2009

Specific is more important than accurateIxD + PM268/17/2009Flickr: /dtsato/582640684/

TOOLS FOR: IdeationScenariosSketching IxD + PM278/17/2009

How to have a GREAT ideaSet yourself up for success with the right elements: Lateral thinking – with appropriate contextPersonas – based on a shared understanding of usersScenarios – based on understanding of real user needs and activitiesSketching– on paper/whiteboardCollaborative process – that supports the evolving conceptIxD + PM288/17/2009

Using scenariosScenarios help you imagine how people will use your product. A scenario: Tells the story of a persona using the product to accomplish their goalsAllows us to work from an ideal user experienceProvides context for features and functions within broader tasks and workflowsEvolves to become more detailed and specificIxD + PM298/17/2009

Using scenariosScenarios should be idealistic and high-level. Be sure to focus on: The new, idealized version of the interaction, (“pretend it’s magic”) not the current processWhat they want to accomplish and the result, rather than the controls they useIxD + PM308/17/2009

Collaborative sketchingIxD + PM318/17/2009Flickr: /lanehalley/2744909938/

Design validationFocus groupsUsability testsWeb analyticsIxD + PM328/17/2009

TOOLS FOR: Creating consensus Low-fidelity prototypeHigh-fidelity prototypePersona-based auditUsability highlights reel IxD + PM338/17/2009

Low-fidelity prototype PaperOneNoteWhiteboard and digital cameraStoryboardsPPT IxD + PM348/17/2009

High-fidelity prototypeBenefits:Getting realHelp people see/understand Risks:Can limit innovative thinkingNot robust enough to shipIxD + PM358/17/2009

Persona-based auditA persona-based audit can be used to:Evaluate designEvaluate a current solutionPersuasive tool for change IxD + PM368/17/2009

What’s the ideal solution? It depends…The right process for your team depends on many things: Complexity of your product domainNew product? Later release?Team compositionSizeLocationSkillsIxD + PM378/17/2009

Discussion: What’s your IxD plan?What IxD techniques are best for your product?How will you meet the need for interaction design?IxD thinking/techniques by team membersInteraction Designer as consultant to the teamInteraction Designer as full-time member of team IxD + PM388/17/2009

Thanks! I’d love to hear your stories…Lane Halleylbh.inc@gmail.comtwitter: thinknowhttp://lanehalley.livejournal.com/IxD + PM398/17/2009

Want to learn more?Cooper offers courses in: * Interaction design (4-day) * Communicating design (2-day) * Visual interface design (2-day) * Integrating design (2-day)http://www.cooper.com/services/training/IxD + PM408/17/2009

Recommended readingInspired: How To Create Products Customers Love Marty CaganDesigning for the Digital Age: How to Create Human-Centered Products and Services. Kim GoodwinIxD + PM418/17/2009