Deciding what to build without killing each other

DECIDING WHAT TO BUILD WITH-
OUT KILLING EACH OTHER
PROTOTYPE CAMP CHICAGO 2013
@PHILIPLIKENS #PROTOTYPECAMP
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Bison_fight_in_Grand_Teton_NP.jpg

AKA: A FRAMEWORK FOR DISSENT

THIS IS MY VIEW
TAKE IT, BREAK IT, MAKE IT YOUR OWN

BACKGROUND
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19598613@N00/662937442

ME
15 years in industry
5 years of teaching
Interactive Design MFA @SCAD
Currently Principal UX Designer at @SabreLabs
iHeartColor iPhone App
BACKGROUND/

SABRE LABS
Travel-focused emerging technology incubator within Sabre Holdings
Proof-of-concept & prototype heavy
4 developers + 1 designer + 1 director + 1 mascot
1 conference room
Building double-digit “things” in 2013
Utilize a (roughly) lean methodology
BACKGROUND/

THE PROBLEM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawmurray/3032097518

BOLD STATEMENT #1
MAKING DECISIONS AS A TEAM IS HARD

TEAM DECISION MAKING SCENARIOS
A. One personality takes over and ruins everyone else’s life.
B. Peers don’t want to step on toes, so no one makes a decision.
C. Manager makes all decisions / team resents the manager.
D. Well-meaning manager gives initial autonomy but takes it back.
THE PROBLEM/

BOLD STATEMENT #2
INNOVATION IS HARD

INNOVATION
Innovation is usually a group activity.
Dissent and innovation share a bed.
Conflict is inherent in the process.
Everyone has an opinion.
THE PROBLEM/

BOLD STATEMENT #3
PROCESS CAN BE GOOD
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sneakerdog/5048353439

WHAT’S THE PROCESS NEED TO DO?
Needs a way of deciding what to put into the build.
Needs to avoid bitterness and resentment that drives teams apart.
Needs to allow and foster the traits of innovation.
• Brainstorming
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Dissent
THE PROBLEM/

A SOLUTION
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidanmorgan/2066553400/

FOLLOW THE SIMPLE 9 STEP PROCESS
9 steps? Gasp!
I’m joking but not really.
Appoint a team member to own the process.
A SOLUTION/

STEPS 1-5
1. Brainstorm ideas
2. Create a value prop & assumptions
3. Independently rank assumptions
4. Facilitate discussion
5. Narrow the scope
A SOLUTION/
A Framework
For Dissent

STEPS 6-9
6. Determine the build level
7. Build the thing
8. Reflect & give credit
9. Iterate
A SOLUTION/

1. BRAINSTORM IDEAS
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/4378266575

GUIDELINES
Defined
Time-constrained
Low fidelity
Divergent
Everyone should contribute
A SOLUTION/ BRAINSTORM IDEAS/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/4378266575

2. CREATE A VALUE PROP & ASSUMPTIONS
A SOLUTION/
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/White_shark_%28Carcharodon_carcharias%29_scavenging_on_whale_carcass_-_journal.pone.0060797.g004-A.png

AS A GROUP
Value proposition.
Set of assumptions.
One person writes.
Converge on a beta value prop.
Merge like assumptions (10-15 max).
A SOLUTION/ CREATE A VALUE PROP & ASSUMPTIONS/

GUIDELINES
The value prop should be a short 1-2 sentence overview of why your
project is valuable to your target audience.
The assumptions should be guesses that you’re making about your
project that could significantly change the outcome. They are risks.

EXAMPLE VALUE PROP & ASSUMPTIONS
Sharing work-related micro content will create new connections
within globally dispersed and cross-domain teams.
People want to consume micro content from people in the company
People need to feel like it’s private to the company
People want like buttons for photos
People don’t want to share text without photos

3. INDEPENDENTLY RANK ASSUMPTIONS
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frted/5823411014

INDEPENDENTLY
Rank every assumption privately.
Focus on risk / importance to the project.
No ties.
A SOLUTION/ INDEPENDENTLY RANK ASSUMPTIONS/

COMPILE THE RANKINGS
Overall
Rank
Overall
Totals
Assumption
Our target audience is tech savvy
...
...
...
Person 1
1
2
4
3
Person 2
4
2
3
1

TOTAL
Overall
Rank
Overall
Totals
5
4
7
4
Assumption
...
...
...
Person 1
1
2
4
3
Person 2
4
2
3
1

SORT
Overall
Rank
3
1
4
1
Overall
Totals
5
4
7
4
Assumption
...
...
...
Person 1
1
2
4
3
Person 2
4
2
3
1

4. FACILITATE DISCUSSION
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwspacific/5696206910

AS A GROUP
Short discussions.
Prove or disprove dissenting views
Resolve conflicts.
Note extended disagreement and move on (go with the group).
Allow for ranking adjustments.
Retotal / reorder rankings.
A SOLUTION/ FACILITATE DISCUSSION/

FOCUS ON DISPARATE RANKINGS
Overall
Rank
3
1
4
1
Overall
Totals
5
4
7
4
Assumption
...
...
...
Person 1
1
2
4
3
Person 2
4
2
3
1
A SOLUTION/ FACILITATE DISCUSSION/

5. NARROW THE SCOPE
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/2446299426

AS A GROUP
Focus on the most important assumptions.
Select 3-5 to focus on.
Prove without building if possible.
A SOLUTION/ NARROW THE SCOPE/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/2446299426

6. DETERMINE THE BUILD LEVEL
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregw66/3685503278

BUILD LEVELS
MVP stands for “Minimum Viable Product”. In our case, that’s the
minimum proof of concept / prototype / product that will allow us to
see whether the assumptions we’re making are correct.
A SOLUTION/ DETERMINE THE BUILD LEVEL/
Proof of
Concept
Prototype MVP
Growth
Product
Mature
Product
Low Investment High Investment

MV PROOF OF CONCEPT
Least investment.
Focused on technical feasibility.
Usually technology centric.
Useful for proving technical assumptions.

MV PROTOTYPE
Some investment.
Focused on technical feasibility and flow.
Exploring project scope.
Useful for proving experience / flow assumptions.

MV PRODUCT
Medium investment.
Focused on customers.
Exploring market.
Useful for proving adoption / social assumptions.

7. BUILD THE THING
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/2602321551

GUIDELINES
Prove without building if possible.
Only build what’s necessary.
Don’t build to an individual’s ego.
Build in measurements for the assumptions.
Prove or disprove the assumptions of the team.
A SOLUTION/ BUILD THE THING/

A SOLUTION/ BUILD THE THING/
OBJECTIVES
Focus on features and flow not placement and style.
Work cross-functionally & collaboratively (don’t over document).
Balance technical debt with speed.

8. REFLECT AND GIVE CREDIT
A SOLUTION/

AS A GROUP
Reflect on the assumptions.
Reevaluate the project.
Give credit where credit is due.
A SOLUTION/ REFLECT AND GIVE CREDIT/

9. ITERATE
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pazzani/7419277238

GUIDELINES
Consider re-ranking assumptions or brainstorming new assumptions
in light of your findings.
Determine the next round of MVP.
Build it.
Repeat.
A SOLUTION/ ITERATE/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pazzani/7419277238

TO REVIEW
A SOLUTION/
1. Brainstorm ideas
2. Create a value prop & assumptions
3. Independently rank assumptions
4. Facilitate discussion
5. Narrow the scope
A Framework
For Dissent

TO REVIEW
6. Determine the build level
7. Build the thing
8. Reflect & give credit
9. Iterate
A SOLUTION/

INSIGHTS
A SOLUTION/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48509939@N07/5927758528/

WHAT HASN’T WORKED
If team members didn’t participate.
If authority figures didn’t participate.
Too many assumptions.
Trying to do too much in one day.
A SOLUTION/ INSIGHTS/

WHAT HAS WORKED
Uncovering unbiased initial opinions
Open discussions
Calling out points of contention
Logging the process
Revisiting the decision logs / assumptions / value propositions
Giving credit where credit is due
A SOLUTION/ INSIGHTS/

BOLD STATEMENT #4
THIS “FRAMEWORK FOR DISSENT” MIGHT HELP YOU TOO
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbiddulph/6947057418

THANK YOU

DECIDING WHAT TO BUILD WITH-
OUT KILLING EACH OTHER
PROTOTYPE CAMP CHICAGO 2013
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Deciding what to build without killing each other

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