When you begin work on a new project, there are so many unknowns, so many moving parts to get your head around, so many questions you haven’t even thought to ask yet, that it can be hard to know where to start. This workshop gives participants: – A toolbox full of discovery techniques and tips, as well as recommendations for further learning. – Clarity about which tools to use when and for what purpose, and a basic discovery process that they can use as a starting point when planning out a new project or initiative, or writing a proposal for a new client. – An opportunity to try their hand at several of these techniques. I've given this workshop a few times in the USA, and I've had great feedback from participants. I'd love to give it again at your conference or organisation. Let's talk!

1. Tools and Techniques for Discovery Work
From Analysis to Synthesis
Kerry-Anne Gilowey
Collective · Atlanta GA · 8 June 2016
@kerry_anne

2. Workshop overview

3. Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/vegard
So many unknowns.
Where do we even begin?

4. A toolbox,
not a methodology.

5. Basic principles

6. 1. DISCOVERY IS NOT A PHASE.

7. Uncomfortable with uncertainty?
• Listen to Schrödinger’s IA: Learning toLove Ambiguity – tinyurl.com/ambiguity2013
• Slides: tinyurl.com/ambiguity-slides
RESOURCES

8. 2. KNOW YOUR CONSTRAINTS.

9. 3. BE CAREFUL WITH
ASSUMPTIONS.

10. 4. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AND
YOUR ORGANISATION.

11. 5. ALWAYS BE TAKING NOTES.

12. Recording apps
• Easy Voice Recorder (Android – free)• Recorder Pro (iOS – $1.99)
RESOURCES

13. 6. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING
YOU’RE TOLD.
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/audiolucistore

14. 7. LOOK FOR PATTERNS.

15. 8. BORROW TOOLS AND
TECHNIQUES.

18. What can you learn from…
… systems analysts?
… authors?
… archaeologists?
… talk show hosts?

19. Getting started

22. Our new project
Traditional publisher
Creating a digital product
Need our help with
content planning
interaction design
project steps
a little bit of strategy

24. Discovery techniques

25. CHOOSE
your tools
carefully

26. PRIORITISE
your discovery
efforts

28. 3 main activity types

29. 3 main activity types
Workshops

30. 3 main activity types
Workshops
Audit and analysis

31. 3 main activity types
Workshops
Fieldwork
Audit and analysis

32. 1. WORKSHOPS

33. Workshops are great for…

34. Workshops are great for…
Gathering a
lot of info in a
short period
of time

35. Workshops are great for…
Gathering a
lot of info in a
short period
of time
Picking up on
political issues

36. Workshops are great for…
Gathering a
lot of info in a
short period
of time
Picking up on
political issues
Checking that
objectives and
intentions are
shared

37. Workshops are great for…
Gathering a
lot of info in a
short period
of time
Picking up on
political issues
Checking that
objectives and
intentions are
shared Making sure
you’re getting
the correct
info

38. Business/
product
discovery

39. Core
strategy
Business/
product
discovery

40. Core
strategy
Business/
product
discovery
Governance

41. Core
strategy
Business/
product
discovery
Governance
Terminology

42. Core
strategy
Business/
product
discovery
Governance
Terminology
Challenges
and
opportunities

43. Customer
insights

44. Audience
identification
Customer
insights

45. Audience
identification
Customer
insights
Persona
creation

46. Audience
identification
Customer
insights
Persona
creation
Task identification
and
prioritisation

47. Voice and
messaging

48. Mad Libs
Voice and
messaging

49. Content Mad Libs
RESOURCES
Get more info at
content-workshops.com/toolbox/2015/3/content-mad-libs
Image credit: Sara Wachter-Boettcher

50. Mad Libs
Voice and
messaging

51. Mad Libs
Voice and
messaging
Messaging
cardsort

53. Messaging card-sort

54. Messaging card-sort
1. Sort all the cards into two groups

55. Messaging card-sort
1. Sort all the cards into two groups
2. Note and discard cards in the
“WE’RE NOT” pile

56. Messaging card-sort
1. Sort all the cards into two groups
2. Note and discard cards in the
“WE’RE NOT” pile
3. Loosely group the remaining
attributes

57. Messaging card-sort
1. Sort all the cards into two groups
2. Note and discard cards in the
“WE’RE NOT” pile
3. Loosely group the remaining
attributes
4. Prioritise: choose your top 10

58. Mad Libs
Voice and
messaging
Messaging
cardsort

59. Mad Libs
Voice and
messaging
Messaging
cardsort
Live content
audit

60. 2. AUDIT AND ANALYSIS

61. Content inventory and audit

62. Some help from Content Insight
• Audit tips: http://tinyurl.com/audit-tips• Content Audits and Inventories: AHandbook by Paula Ladenburg Land• Sign up at content-insight.com usingthe workshop promo code given to you,and get a free 5000-page block
RESOURCES

63. Analytics and site search logs

64. About analytics and site search
• Google’s free Analytics Academy –analyticsacademy.withgoogle.com/• Search Analytics For Your Site by LouisRosenfeld – tinyurl.com/search-analytics
RESOURCES

65. Competitor analysis

66. MESSAGING
ANALYSIS
IN
DUSTRY
RESEARCH
SITE AND APP
COMPARISONS

67. 3. FIELDWORK

68. Audience surveys

69. Audience surveys
• Survey software – surveymonkey.com• Coursera course on questionnairedesign for surveys, by the University ofMichigan – tinyurl.com/questionnaire-course
RESOURCES

70. Contextual discovery

71. CALLCENTRE
STUDY
CUSTO
M
ER
O
BSERVATIO
N
SHADOWING

72. One-on-one interviews

73. STAKEHOLDERS
Interview
both your

74. STAKEHOLDERS
and your
CUSTOMERS
Interview
both your

75. Interview customers to…

76. Interview customers to…
Find out what
information
they need

77. Interview customers to…
Find out what
information
they need
Gain insight
into their
worldview

78. Interview customers to…
Find out what
information
they need
Gain insight
into their
worldview
Understand
their context

79. Interview customers to…
Find out what
information
they need
Gain insight
into their
worldview
Understand
their context
Map their
journey with
your product

80. Interview stakeholders to…

81. Interview stakeholders to…
Understand
workflow and
processes

82. Interview stakeholders to…
Understand
workflow and
processes
Identify
challenges

83. Interview stakeholders to…
Understand
workflow and
processes
Identify
challenges
Understand
political and
cultural issues

84. Interview stakeholders to…
Understand
workflow and
processes
Identify
challenges
Understand
political and
cultural issues
Build
relationships
and trust

86. On to synthesis

87. Discovery artifacts

88. TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
Discovery artifacts

89. OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
Discovery artifacts

90. WORKFLOW
DIAGRAMS
OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
Discovery artifacts

91. ORG CHARTS
WORKFLOW
DIAGRAMS
OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
Discovery artifacts

92. ORG CHARTS
WORKFLOW
DIAGRAMS
OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
MATRIX OF
CONTENT
TYPES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
Discovery artifacts

93. ORG CHARTS
WORKFLOW
DIAGRAMS
SIMPLE
PERSONAS
OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
MATRIX OF
CONTENT
TYPES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
Discovery artifacts

94. ORG CHARTS
WORKFLOW
DIAGRAMS
SIMPLE
PERSONAS
OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
MATRIX OF
CONTENT
TYPES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
CUSTOMER
JOURNEYS
Discovery artifacts

95. ORG CHARTS
WORKFLOW
DIAGRAMS
SIMPLE
PERSONAS
OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
MATRIX OF
CONTENT
TYPES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
MESSAGING
SPREADSHEET
CUSTOMER
JOURNEYS
Discovery artifacts

96. There is no
“one right
way”.

97. Shared definitions

98. Workflow diagrams
From documentation.magnolia-cms.com/display/DOCS45/Workflow

99. Content type matrix

100. Simple personas

101. Customer journeys
Image credit: http://engagingplaces.net/2013/10/15/hbr-the-truth-about-the-customer-experience/

102. Messaging spreadsheet
Image credit: http://engagingplaces.net/2013/10/15/hbr-the-truth-about-the-customer-experience/

104. Analysing your notes

105. Analysing your notes
1. Highlight key issues and patterns

106. Analysing your notes
1. Highlight key issues and patterns
2. Group related issues

107. Analysing your notes
1. Highlight key issues and patterns
2. Group related issues
3. Make connections explicit

108. Analysing your notes
1. Highlight key issues and patterns
2. Group related issues
3. Make connections explicit
4. Consider priorities, choose artifacts

109. ORG CHARTS
WORKFLOW
DIAGRAMS
SIMPLE
PERSONAS
OWNERSHIP
AND
AUTHORSHIP
TABLES
MATRIX OF
CONTENT
TYPES
TERM LISTS,
GLOSSARIES,
SHARED
DEFINITIONS
MESSAGING
SPREADSHEET
CUSTOMER
JOURNEYS
Discovery artifacts

110. Analysing your notes
1. Highlight key issues and patterns
2. Group related issues
3. Make connections explicit
4. Consider priorities, choose artifacts
5. Write up a roadmap

111. Roadmap headings
• Stakeholders
• Objectives
• Current situation
• Key challenges
• Short-term strategy
• Long-term strategy
• Open questions

112. Analysing your notes
1. Highlight key issues and patterns
2. Group related issues
3. Make connections explicit
4. Consider priorities, choose artifacts
5. Write up a roadmap
6. Give your partner feedback

113. Thanks for taking part!
Kerry-Anne Gilowey
kerryanne@augustsun.co.za
http://augustsun.co.za
@kerry_anne