Great Design through People Skills or ... nice guys finish first Christina Wodtke Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web

Christina Wodtke

Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web

Why bother? Problems They don’t understand what I do We get called in too late I don’t want to be a colorist

Problems

They don’t understand what I do

We get called in too late

I don’t want to be a colorist

Desires I want to be taken seriously I want my design to see the light of day I want to get promoted

Desires

I want to be taken seriously

I want my design to see the light of day

I want to get promoted

The Foundation of Influence Understand your network Know your value Articulate your value Prove it Advertise your successes Package yourself Use persuasion strategies

Understand your network

Know your value

Articulate your value

Prove it

Advertise your successes

Package yourself

Use persuasion strategies

Understand Your Network People are everything

People are everything

Your Network Keeps You Afloat When you have a problem When you need advice When you need information When you need to build consensus When you don’t even know you need them…

When you have a problem

When you need advice

When you need information

When you need to build consensus

When you don’t even know you need them…

Your Work Network People with direct effect on your job Your boss Product management Marketing Accounting Your employees

People with direct effect on your job

Your boss

Product management

Marketing

Accounting

Your employees

Your Extended Work Network Who do you know who Does what you do – else where Knows things you need to know Knows the people you know How far up can your network go?

Who do you know who

Does what you do – else where

Knows things you need to know

Knows the people you know

How far up can your network go?

Persuasion Strategy #1 Authority “ Just doing what I was told” The Milgram Studies The Holocaust Japanese Internment Camps Titles Clothes Body language Sell down, not up

“ Just doing what I was told”

The Milgram Studies

The Holocaust

Japanese Internment Camps

Titles

Clothes

Body language

Sell down, not up

Your personal network Casual Contacts Security Coffee shop Receptionist Professional AIGA, CHI, AIfIA Alumni associations Fellow travelers Personal Friends, family

Casual Contacts

Security

Coffee shop

Receptionist

Professional

AIGA, CHI, AIfIA

Alumni associations

Fellow travelers

Personal

Friends, family

Nurture the Network Be friendly and polite always Small talk is exercise– good for you Don’t always ask for something Notice people Listen You have time for this.

Be friendly and polite always

Small talk is exercise– good for you

Don’t always ask for something

Notice people

Listen

You have time for this.

Persuasion Strategy #2 Liking We prefer to say ‘yes’ to the requests of people we know and like Friends Physical attractiveness Similarity Compliments

We prefer to say ‘yes’ to the requests of people we know and like

Friends

Physical attractiveness

Similarity

Compliments

Grow your network Use org charts to identify people Target the people who affect your work Use your network to meet them Do research first What is their background? What do they think of design? Understand company and department issues Meet them– then meet again. Nurture. Follow up with an email, article or report.

Use org charts to identify people

Target the people who affect your work

Use your network to meet them

Do research first

What is their background?

What do they think of design?

Understand company and department issues

Meet them– then meet again. Nurture.

Follow up with an email, article or report.

Persuasion Strategy #3 Reciprocity We are obligated to repay what another person has done for us “ Free” gifts and samples Calistoga water Mailing stickers Hari Krishna flowers “ You would do the same for me”

We are obligated to repay what another person has done for us

“ Free” gifts and samples

Calistoga water

Mailing stickers

Hari Krishna flowers

“ You would do the same for me”

Help others grow their network It’s nice It promotes good feelings People will do the same for you Peter Merholz: master of the introduction

It’s nice

It promotes good feelings

People will do the same for you

Peter Merholz: master of the introduction

Know your value Why are you valuable?

Why are you valuable?

Know your value Why are you valuable to the business ?

Why are you valuable to the business ?

What are you reading? Hint: you can read both… and your company’s memos, reports and goals.

Know your value Why are you valuable to the business that is unique to your role ? Why can Design help Why can IA help Why can User Research help Do you know the answer?

Why are you valuable to the business that is unique to your role ?

Why can Design help

Why can IA help

Why can User Research help

Do you know the answer?

Exercise List your strengths.. All of them Cross out those that aren’t relevant to business Cross out those that others can offer Now you have your core value (Note: great to do in a weekly staff meeting!)

List your strengths.. All of them

Cross out those that aren’t relevant to business

Cross out those that others can offer

Now you have your core value

(Note: great to do in a weekly staff meeting!)

User Experience Design is Valuable Because… Understand consumer needs and wants Understand how those can be executed in product choices Can prototype and test the value before expensive building Can innovate and create unique products More examples?

Understand consumer needs and wants

Understand how those can be executed in product choices

Can prototype and test the value before expensive building

Can innovate and create unique products

More examples?

Articulate your value The elevator pitch What do you say when people ask you what you do? What do you say when you can say more? I create the visual manifestation of the business strategy as set by the board of directors and the CEO

The elevator pitch

What do you say when people ask you what you do?

What do you say when you can say more?

I create the visual manifestation of the business strategy as set by the board of directors and the CEO

Spin Doctor “Yes, you have your story of what you've done in your job, but you have to put the best twist on it. On each gig, you must be marketing your worth, marketing Me Inc. “ -- Tom Peters

“Yes, you have your story of what you've done in your job, but you have to put the best twist on it. On each gig, you must be marketing your worth, marketing Me Inc. “

-- Tom Peters

User Experience Design is Valuable Because… Through an understanding of core customer desires, needs, and behavior, we design products that are desirable, useful, innovative and keep the company profitable.

Through an understanding of core customer desires, needs, and behavior, we design products that are desirable, useful, innovative and keep the company profitable.

Prove it Excellence is not enough But it’s still required The proof of the pudding is in the tasting Make good pudding every day

Excellence is not enough

But it’s still required

The proof of the pudding is in the tasting

Make good pudding every day

Become a Master “Competence in many skills is important, but it's not enough. The act is finding the stuff you love and getting so damn good at it that you become an indispensable human being. “ – Tom Peters

“Competence in many skills is important, but it's not enough. The act is finding the stuff you love and getting so damn good at it that you become an indispensable human being. “ – Tom Peters

Advertise your successes Case studies Posters Diagrams PowerPoint "Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does." - Steuart Henderson Britt

Case studies

Posters

Diagrams

PowerPoint

"Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does."

- Steuart Henderson Britt

Package You Design yourself Don’t buy into the designer myth Appear to be what you want to be Strategize your stage presence Would you trust this man with a million dollar project if you were CEO?

Design yourself

Don’t buy into the designer myth

Appear to be what you want to be

Strategize your stage presence

How do you communicate? Three pitcher types The Showrunner Practical intelligence The Artist Bleeds creativity The Neophyte Wants to learn How to Pitch a Brilliant Idea by Kimberly D. Elsbach Harvard Business Review September 2003 Reprint Number R0309J Will you play the artist? Will you go to important meetings? Do you want to?

Three pitcher types

The Showrunner

Practical intelligence

The Artist

Bleeds creativity

The Neophyte

Wants to learn

How to Pitch a Brilliant Idea

by Kimberly D. Elsbach

Harvard Business Review September 2003

Reprint Number R0309J

Everything you do is you What questions do you ask? What issues do you pay attention to? How are you in meetings? What meetings do you attend? What does that say about you?

What questions do you ask?

What issues do you pay attention to?

How are you in meetings?

What meetings do you attend?

What does that say about you?

Part Two You In Action

The Project Lifecycle Four Key Human Moments Requirements gathering Design presentations Sign off Surviving the launch

Four Key Human Moments

Requirements gathering

Design presentations

Sign off

Surviving the launch

Requirements gathering Critical for Meeting people Making them feel heard Hearing them

Critical for

Meeting people

Making them feel heard

Hearing them

Requirements gathering Create a requirements document Living but stable document Provides reference to motivators Offers background Captures decisions Records sign-off

Create a requirements document

Living but stable document

Provides reference to motivators

Offers background

Captures decisions

Records sign-off

Requirements Document Project Overview What are we doing Why are we doing it Why are we doing it now What will be a successful outcome Category Review Who are the competitors? The players?

Project Overview

What are we doing

Why are we doing it

Why are we doing it now

What will be a successful outcome

Category Review

Who are the competitors? The players?

Requirements Document 3. Target Audience Everyone on the web? Strategic advantage of focus 4. Company Portfolio What else do they have? 5. Design Objectives & Execution Guidelines Style guides and exceptions

3. Target Audience

Everyone on the web?

Strategic advantage of focus

4. Company Portfolio

What else do they have?

5. Design Objectives & Execution Guidelines

Style guides and exceptions

Requirements Document 6. Project Scope, Timeline and Budget Talk them through Do phases Justify each one 7. Research Data Collect all previous Add your own as you go 8. Appendix

6. Project Scope, Timeline and Budget

Talk them through

Do phases

Justify each one

7. Research Data

Collect all previous

Add your own as you go

8. Appendix

Persuasion Strategy #5 Consistency Once we make a choice or take a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment Signing petitions & non-binding contracts The foot-in-the-door technique “ Drive Safely” study Long sales pitches Bait-and-switch

Once we make a choice or take a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment

Signing petitions & non-binding contracts

The foot-in-the-door technique

“ Drive Safely” study

Long sales pitches

Bait-and-switch

Understand your Players What kind of person is the key stakeholder? Power Recognition Social What are their design tastes, concerns Mood boards Competitive reviews

What kind of person is the key stakeholder?

Power

Recognition

Social

What are their design tastes, concerns

Mood boards

Competitive reviews

Mood Boards Opportunity to gather values Invite stakeholders to play Understand their tastes, phobias

Opportunity to gather values

Invite stakeholders to play

Understand their tastes, phobias

Presenting your design Before the presentation Get feedback early Collect body of work– how we got here At the presentation Recap the history of the project Reiterate goals (memes good) Discuss process to arrive– research good!

Before the presentation

Get feedback early

Collect body of work– how we got here

At the presentation

Recap the history of the project

Reiterate goals (memes good)

Discuss process to arrive– research good!

Presentation Walk through your design (findings, architecture) Explain reasoning Avoid Jargon Keep it impersonal and opinion-free NEVER use “I like” or “I thought” Only “It works because…” Refer to your consensus activities

Walk through your design (findings, architecture)

Explain reasoning

Avoid Jargon

Keep it impersonal and opinion-free

NEVER use “I like” or “I thought”

Only “It works because…”

Refer to your consensus activities

Persuasion Strategy #7 Social Proof We view a behavior as correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it Canned laughter “ Priming” tip jars Seeding the audience “ Best selling” & “Most popular”

We view a behavior as correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it

Canned laughter

“ Priming” tip jars

Seeding the audience

“ Best selling” & “Most popular”

Presentation You can ask to have all question held until the end If you don’t know, say so. (But promise a time for the answer) Turn pixel criticism into discussions Take notes! If you are angry, defer. Say you will address the issues, but don’t cave. Thank people for their time.

You can ask to have all question held until the end

If you don’t know, say so. (But promise a time for the answer)

Turn pixel criticism into discussions

Take notes!

If you are angry, defer.

Say you will address the issues, but don’t cave.

Thank people for their time.

Sign off Get sign off at each critical point Get it in writing Note the logic behind it… you’ll need it later Open question: who should have sign off?

Get sign off at each critical point

Get it in writing

Note the logic behind it… you’ll need it later

Open question: who should have sign off?

Holding on during launch Earlier Sign off is critical Remind panicker of previous logic Discuss risk of change Discuss time pressures Sleep on it Be stubborn when it counts

Earlier Sign off is critical

Remind panicker of previous logic

Discuss risk of change

Discuss time pressures

Sleep on it

Be stubborn when it counts

Persuasion Strategy #8 Scarcity Opportunities seem more valuable to us when they are less available Supply and demand Scarce resources are more valuable More valuable resources are more scarce Limited time offers “ X minutes left to call” “ 1-Day Only!”

Opportunities seem more valuable to us when they are less available

Supply and demand

Scarce resources are more valuable

More valuable resources are more scarce

Limited time offers

“ X minutes left to call”

“ 1-Day Only!”

So Remember Understand your network Know your value Articulate your value Prove it Advertise your successes Package yourself

Understand your network

Know your value

Articulate your value

Prove it

Advertise your successes

Package yourself

And use Persuasion Strategies Reciprocity Consistency Social proof Liking Authority Scarcity

Reciprocity

Consistency

Social proof

Liking

Authority

Scarcity

Conclusion We aren’t artists We aren’t a service We are partners in business success KNOW YOUR VALUE AND HYPE IT Be great every day

We aren’t artists

We aren’t a service

We are partners in business success

KNOW YOUR VALUE AND HYPE IT

Be great every day

Reading List Books Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin ISBN: 159184021X Learn to speak to marketing… First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham (Author), Curt Coffman (Author) ISBN: 0684852861 It’s what your managers are reading… Make It Bigger by Paula Scher ISBN: 1568983328 Look ma, a design book! Learn to sell down, not up…. Building Strong Brands by David A. Aaker ISBN: 002900151X Brand is the easiest way to express design value The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from Ideo, America's Leading Design Firm by Tom Kelley, et al; ISBN: 0385499841 Ideo knows how to sell design solutions Harvard Business Review Articles How to Pitch a Brilliant Idea Publication Date: Sep 1, 2003 Author(s): Kimberly D Elsbach Product Number: R0309J What Is Strategy? Publication Date: Feb 1, 2000 Author(s): Michael E. Porter Product Number: 4134 Subscribe, there are many more…. Other articles Soft Skills for Information Architecture By Jeff Lash http://www.digital-web.com/columns/ianythinggoes/ianythinggoes_2003-09.shtml

Books

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being

Remarkable by Seth Godin

ISBN: 159184021X

Learn to speak to marketing…

First, Break All the Rules: What the World's

Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus

Buckingham (Author), Curt Coffman (Author)

ISBN: 0684852861

It’s what your managers are reading…

Make It Bigger by Paula Scher

ISBN: 1568983328

Look ma, a design book! Learn to sell down, not up….

Building Strong Brands by David A. Aaker

ISBN: 002900151X

Brand is the easiest way to express design value

The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from

Ideo, America's Leading Design Firm by Tom

Kelley, et al;

ISBN: 0385499841

Ideo knows how to sell design solutions

Harvard Business Review Articles

How to Pitch a Brilliant Idea

Publication Date: Sep 1, 2003

Author(s): Kimberly D Elsbach

Product Number: R0309J

What Is Strategy?

Publication Date: Feb 1, 2000

Author(s): Michael E. Porter

Product Number: 4134

Subscribe, there are many more….

Other articles

Soft Skills for Information Architecture

By Jeff Lash

http://www.digital-web.com/columns/ianythinggoes/ianythinggoes_2003-09.shtml

Q&A Christina Wodtke [email_address] www.yahoo.com LEARN MORE! book : : www.blueprintsfortheweb.com zine : : www.boxesandarrows.com blog : : www.eleganthack.com peeps : : www.aifia.org DRINK MORE! AIfIA F2F Day: Wednesday Oct 15th Time: 8- until we are done Location the Cambridge Brewing Company (two blocks from conference hotel) See website http:// www.cambrew.com /

Christina Wodtke

[email_address]

www.yahoo.com

LEARN MORE!

book : : www.blueprintsfortheweb.com

zine : : www.boxesandarrows.com

blog : : www.eleganthack.com

peeps : : www.aifia.org