UX Lessons from
the USSR: The
Trouble with
Manifestos
UX&
professional
services.
Erik von who?
Erik von Stackelberg,
Creative Director
@stackelberg
The Argument
Creating digital products
is an interdisciplinary
undertaking. Equally, the
process we use should
also embrace diverse
methods where they
make sense.
Goals, in order of usefulness…
•  Discussion for process wonks.
•  Survey of techniques.
•  A sample process for building
digital products (no patents
pending!)
Disclaimer
•  This isn’t sexy.
•  This is anecdotal.
•  I’m not from Russia.
•  I speak really quickly.
On Manifestos
Wikipedia says:
“A manifesto usually accepts a
previously published opinion or
public consensus and/or
promotes a new idea with
prescriptive notions for carrying
out changes the author believes
should be made.”
The
Communist
Manifesto.
On Manifestos
Religious
creed.
On Manifestos
Brand
manuals.
On Manifestos
Process
manifestos.
On Manifestos
Adaptive:
TheAgile
Manifesto.
On Manifestos
The Agile Manifesto (Abbreviated)
•  Individuals and interactions over
processes and tools
•  Working software over
comprehensive documentation
•  Customer collaboration over
contract negotiation
•  Responding to change over
following a plan
A Really Reductive Explanation of Agile
Predictive:
TheWaterfall
Manifesto.
On Manifestos
A Really Reductive Explanation of Waterfall
TheLean
“Manifesto.”
On Manifestos
TheUCD
“Manifesto.”
On Manifestos
On Interpretation
Wordsdon’t
killprocess.
On Manifestos
Peoplekill
process.
On Manifestos
Opinion!
Proposed Spectrum of Interpretation
•  Fundamentalist
•  Dogmatist
•  Moderate
Appropriate
andmashup.
On Manifestos
On Bricolage
Wikipedia says:
“…bricolage is the construction
or creation of a work from a
diverse range of things that
happen to be available, or a
work created by such a process.”
A spectrum of interpretation.
•  Fundamentalist
•  Dogmatist
•  Moderate
•  Bricoleur
Process
bricoleurs.
On Manifestos
Beingagile
aboutAgile.
On Manifestos
TheLean
user-centred
Agilewaterfall
bricolage.
On Manifestos
Disclaimer:
Apples&
oranges.
On Manifestos
Key Roles &
Team Structure
Team Structure
There’s no “I” in team. On
mixing the traditional
creative process with some
Agile flavouring.
Deathofthe
designhero.
Jeff Gothelf
Team Structure
Nunchuk
skills,bow
huntingskills.
Team Structure
Team
pwnership.
Team Structure
Collaborative
clientbuy-in.
Team Structure
Key Roles
Balancing expertise and
empathy. On modifying
traditional Agile roles to
share responsibility but
maintain diversity.
Key Roles
Creative&
TechReps.
Key Roles
POasUX
strategist.
Key Roles
“We’re
special”-ists.
Key Roles
Process
Process
Process: Discovery
On adding an early
dash of UCD research
and Lean validation
into the Agile
framework.
“What”is
dangerous.
Process: Discovery
Askwhy
beforewhat.
Process: Discovery
Process: Product Definition
On mashing some user-
centered design
planning into the Agile
framework.
UIshouldbe
pop,not
highart.
Opinion!
Process: Product Definition
Backlogsare
useful.
Process: Product Definition
Storymaps
arehella
useful.
Jeff Patton
Process: Product Definition
Lookma,it’s
theMVP!
Process: Product Definition
Process: UX Definition
On adding models into
the mix to net waterfall-
like client comfort and
design vision (and Lean
early validation).
Dawnberret,
begindesign
studio.
Process: UX Definition
Stopand
smellthe
flowers.
Process: UX Definition
Createan
archiveof
cheatsheets.
Process: UX Definition
Getearly
effort
estimates.
Process: UX Definition
Anyonecan
play!
Process: UX Definition
Playwith
some
models.
Process: UX Definition
Colours,lens
flares,bevels,
oohlala!
Process: UX Definition
Defy the
mishmash
GUI.
Process: UX Definition
There’smoreto
life than being
ridiculously
good-looking.
Process: UX Definition
Complementary
headmassage?
Process: UX Definition
Process: UX Definition
On MacGyvering
experience criteria into
the backlog.
MOAR!
Process: UX Definition
Definethe
MDP.
Process: UX Definition
Process: Implementation
On integrating UCD
practices into Agile
sprints.
Inlinevs.
staggered
design.
Process: Implementation
Clientinput
windows.
Process: Implementation
Creating digital products
is an interdisciplinary
undertaking. Equally, the
process we use should
also embrace diverse
methods where they
make sense.
Sans
Bricolage
Sans Bricolage
There are arguments
against process bricolage.
Here are some.
Ifyouhaveto
changeit,
you’redoingit
wrong.
Sans Bricolage
Aren’twe
supposedto
stayflexible?
Sans Bricolage
First,
becomea
master.
Sans Bricolage
Becomea
masterofthe
principles.
Sans Bricolage
Thisisall
kosher.
Sans Bricolage
Wrapping Up
Creating digital products
is an interdisciplinary
undertaking. Equally, the
process we use should
also embrace diverse
methods where they
make sense.
Sample Pro-Services UX Bricolage
•  Roles: T-shaped people
•  Lean Research: Asking why before what
•  UCD Backlog: Story maps
•  Collaborative Visioning: Design studios
•  Models: Art boards, key archetypes
•  MDP: Experience criteria
•  Implementation: Lean validation
Resources I wish we had 4 years ago.
Erik von Stackelberg
@stackelberg
Thank you!
Myplanet Digital
myplanetdigital.com
@myplanetdigital
UX Lessons from
the USSR: The
Trouble with
Manifestos
Dwight D. Eisenhower says:
“In preparing for battle I have
always found that plans are
useless, but planning is
indispensable.”
Sun Tzu says:
“Strategy without tactics is the
slowest route to victory. Tactics
without strategy is the noise
before defeat.”
On Manifestos
MacGuyver Moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=L9L0gVzOLds
2:05
Items
•  MAKEITUSEFULFORTHEAUDIENCE.
•  MAKETITENTERTAINING.
•  Moreanecdotes?
•  Todo:mineresponsivedesignforquips./
•  Intro,Framing
•  5min MPD/ErikIntro
•  5min Argument:Manifestos,valuesystemsareproductsofmetanarratives.
Peoplecommitsoheavilytoaparticularideologyorliteralapproach
(fundamentalism)thattheycansometimesforgettheintention(USSR/marxism
historyhere.)Bricolageinhibitsfundamentalismbecauseitexposesustoother
approachesconstantly.Troublewithmanifestosisactuallytroublewith
fundamentalism.Fundamentalism(Stalin)—>Moderates(selectivechurchgoers
—don’tdoeverything)—>Bricoleurs(usingthepiecesthatmakesensebut
actuallyaddingtheirowntoo)(Canadians).Giveartexample?Realists,
Modernists,Postmodernists?
•  5min Argument:Bricolage5min,postmodernvideo.Bricolageasthe
oppositeoffundamentalism.Usewhatworks.
•  Agile,Waterfall,UCD,TheManifestos
Lean
validation.
Process: Implementation
Design
spikes
Process: Implementation

UX Lessons from the USSR: The Trouble with Manifestos with Erik von Stackelberg