Steve Portigal: Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha: Improv, Creativity and Design

Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-ChaImprov, Creativity and Collaboration Steve Portigal1 @steveportigal

Click to edit Master title styleIntroductionYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Today (and Master title styleClick to edit what‟s this about iguanas?) Define and experience improv Look at user research, creativity, design You will start to see overlaps, similarities and parallels Some implicit; some explicit Your thoughts welcome No iguanas will be harmed. http://iroisaac.deviantart.com/art/Iguana-65814718Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Click to edit Master title style Portigal We help companies discover and act on new insights about their customers and themselvesYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Founded edit Master title style Click toby Steve in2001 Small footprint Global influenceYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal Portigal

Click to edit Master title styleImprov: The funny will comeYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Improv edit Master title styleClick to is not stand-up comedy In contrast to improv, stand-up is Highly scriptedYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha Rehearsed, with nano-second timing ‹#› Portigal

Improv editClick to is... Master title styleA highly-constrained performance with severalopen parameters Elements of problem solving Unscripted Specifics assigned right before performance starts “Your first idea is often your best idea” Emphasis on playfulness over being funny “I could never do that, because I‟m not funny” It can be (at times) funny to watch, but not about trying to be funny “The funny will come” “Don‟t let logic impede your fancy” Cheaper than therapyYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Improv edit it way title styleClick to findsMaster into many areas Corporate training on collaboration and creativity Compare with popularity of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Meeting facilitation/ideation warm-up At Pixar, when someone suggests an idea, others should respond with “Yes, and ...” They‟ve used improv to create the most trusting environment possible where people can Informance (from Interval screw up. Pixar tells story behind Toy Story„, SF Chronicle, 8/23/05 Research) User research methodsYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Improv edit Master title styleClick to and collaboration Throwing an idea Accepting offers/saying yes Trust Listening Chris Miller emphasizes that your task in improv is to make your partner look good. Setting up the spikeYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Improv edit MasterClick to can bring title style Insights about humor Confidence in public speaking Timing Did I mention therapy? Building skills in listeningYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Game: Storytelling styleClick to edit Master title CircleYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Click to edit Master title styleDesigning for users: needs and cultureYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

User to edit Master title of user-centered design)Click Research (as part style Ethnographic interviews Video ethnography Depth-interviews Contextual research Home visits Experience modeling Design research User-centered design Observational research Camera studies User safarisYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Instead, let‟s try this non-definitionClick to edit Master title style Examine users (consumers or other) in their own context What are they doing? What does it mean? Infer (interpret/synthesize/etc.) Find the connections The researcher is the “apparatus” Apply to business or design problems Use products, services, packaging, design to tell the right storyYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Interviewing users title styleClick to edit Masterrequires expert listeningAt this level, most people can’t do this withoutextensive training and practiceListening is more than not talking when the otherperson talksHow is what you do or say next, after they finish talking, influencedby what they just said, or have said previously?Interviewing looks and feels like ordinary conversation – but it isn‟t!Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Listening is Master title styleClick to edit in the body as well as the ears/eyes Yes! Not so much.Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Click to edit Master title style Game: Telephone 2.0Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Change and Conformity in BalanceClick to edit Master title style“Folks pick up on thesurrounding cultures in atleast somewhat idiosyncraticways…Even with a world ofconformers, each conformerthus acts differently. Witheach striving to emulate theother, there will be a never-ending chain of adoptionsand adaptations that, as theymove throughout thenetwork, change thesubstance.”Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Consider Cultural RulesClick to edit Master title styleNew technologies (especially those that enablenew, visible behaviors) are often met with distrustSociety sanctions people who violate these normsPeople assert their own normalcy by verballydistancing themselves from the end-points of thenormal curveWe hear these stories over and over Me Thinking someone is weird or a jerk is a manifestation of the norms of one‟s society. Weird in one age may eventually become People who are People who are normal over time. too… too…Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Consider Cultural RulesClick to edit Master title styleNormal isn‟t “right or wrong” – it‟s theset of background rules that definemuch of what people choose or ignoreTo innovate, we must understand aworld view (including norms) from ourcustomer‟s perspective (which is oftendifferent than ours).Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

User to edit Master title styleClick research exposes us to cultureLearning about yourself andyour own culture by having anopportunity to reflect it againstthings you didnt knowUnderstand “social norms” – i.e., howmessy your house isYour own reaction is dataHuman beings are judgingbeingsYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Brainstorming/ideation styleClick to edit Master titleas collaborative generationWorks best as a collective,out-loud activity! Talk, listen,build on each other‟s ideasDon‟t worry about a “bad” idea… it maylead to a “good” ideaDon‟t correct; generatealternatives“Yes, and…” works very well hereIndividual ideas matter lessthan what the collective How can a sour lemon help keep things working smoothly?produces overallYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Bad to edit Master title styleClickideas get you unstuckImmoralDangerousBad for businessYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Click to edit Master title styleSo where does this leave us?Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Emerging principle: giving space to othersClick to edit Master title styleMultiple interviewersBuild on the ideas of othersLet there be silencetechnique The Kids In The Hall are each hilariously talented, but know how to keep quiet to make the scene work.Make your best contributionby not talkingYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Balance: Structure title styleClick to edit Masterfor FreedomHave a “plan” but be in the momentIn user research interviewing, a guide is used to anticipatethe flow of the discussion, but it can go in new directions –that‟s the a-ha moment you are looking forIn improv, the basics of the game give structure, we have abeginning, and then we “look for the ending”In ideation, we have a process to focus our work, but weuse that process to think divergentlyFuel creativity: extinguish I can’t do that by breakingproblems into smaller solvable ones and reframing successYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Takeaway: Master title styleClick to editTry a little more “yes”When someone teases you(just listen to how comics goback and forth), tryresponding with yes.Even if you don‟t add the“and…” the act of yes canchange the dynamic. If I ever become a New Age guru offering a spiritual path to a happier life, this will be the way I‟ll present myself.Gain control by giving upcontrol.Try it in a situation youwouldn‟t expect to.Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Hungry edit MasterClick to for more? title styleThis deck will be on slideshareAttend an improv classAttend an improv showStart your own improv classWatch improv or improv-based stuff?Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Coming in September 2012Click to edit Master title style A book by Steve Portigal The Art and Craft of User Research Interviewing http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/user-interviews/Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Click to edit Master title style games? Time for moreYes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Click to edit Master title style I find it works for me like Yeah, I’ve this… got a question for ya… One new thing I learned today is…Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› Portigal

Click to edit Master title styleThank you!Portigal Consulting @steveportigalwww.portigal.com steve@portigal.com Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha ‹#› 415-894-2001 Portigal

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Steve Portigal: Yes, My Iguana Loves to Cha-Cha: Improv, Creativity and Design

by Steve Portigal on Jun 21, 2012

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