Product design and development often involves many people of different roles who enter and leave at different parts of a project. However, this can cause communication problems and responses that sound like "you're the designer", "that'll take too much time", or "that's not my job" when people attempt to collaborate. In this talk, Catt discussed methods used to cross silos in order to speed up the design and development process while also building camaraderie, agency, and transparency. She also discussed ways to encourage teams that may be reluctant to change and ways to get upper management on board with a more collaborative design process.

1. @cattsmall
We’re All Designers

2. @cattsmall
I’m Catt Small!
● Product Designer at SoundCloud
● Previously worked with companies such as
Bedrocket, NASDAQ OMX, & ParksByNature
● Game artist & programmer
● Event Organizer for Tech Under Thirty
● Co-founder, Code Liberation

3. @cattsmall
We’ll talk about:
● The benefits of collaborative design
● Ways to collaborate on design
● Crossing silos created by traditional teams
● Getting the higher-ups on board

4. @cattsmall
The benefits of
collaborative design

5. Do you own 4 or more devices?
@cattsmall

6. “Americans now own four
digital devices on average...”
& spend “...60 hours a week
consuming content across
@cattsmall
devices”
Nielsen, 2014 U.S. Digital Consumer Report

7. @cattsmall
Problem:
Product teams need
increased efficiency

8. @cattsmall
Solution:
Everyone contributes
to the product design

9. @cattsmall
Why?

10. @cattsmall
More ideas being shared
Designer’s
ideas PM’s ideas
Developer’s
ideas

11. @cattsmall
Better communication
Design terminology Programming
terminology
Planning Design
decisions

12. @cattsmall
Quicker production
Kickoff
Research
& Design
Sprint
Design
Review
Modify
Designs
Design
Review
Modify
Designs
Design
Review
Tech
Review
Modify
Designs
Tech
Review
Dev
Sprint
QA &
Launch

13. @cattsmall
Quicker production
Kickoff
Research
& Design
Sprint
Test &
Review
Modify
Designs
Test &
Review
Modify
Designs
Test &
Review
Dev
Sprint
QA &
Launch

14. @cattsmall
How to do efficient
cross-team design

15. @cattsmall
Sketching exercises

16. @cattsmall
Design the experience’s flow

17. Hear from other points of view
@cattsmall
Designer Developer
PM

18. @cattsmall
Define a design direction
Sketch
Screenshot of prototype

19. @cattsmall
Reduced documentation
I was there
when the idea
was created!
Developer

20. @cattsmall
Designing with code

21. @cattsmall
Visual & interaction design

22. @cattsmall
Use what your team uses

23. @cattsmall
Use whatever works for you

24. @cattsmall
Reduced documentation
I can just read
the code!
Developer

25. @cattsmall
Designer-developer pairing

26. @cattsmall
Learn from each other
Design
Designer Developer
Code

27. @cattsmall
See designs come to life

28. @cattsmall
Reduced documentation
It’s already
been built!
Developer

29. @cattsmall
Ways to cross silos

30. @cattsmall
Involvement
Want to
participate in
this design
exercise?
Sure!
Designer Developer

31. @cattsmall
Feedback
Can you try using
this design? Let me
know your thoughts.
Okay!
Designer Developer

32. @cattsmall
Chats & link-sharing
I think you’d like this conference, what do
you think? http://flowcon.org/
Very cool!
Check out the design I just posted. LMK when I can
come over and chat|

33. @cattsmall
End-to-end teams
Stream
PM
Monetization
PM
Creators
PM

34. @cattsmall
Getting management
on board

35. @cattsmall
Propose your ideas
I think this would
be beneficial.
Can we try it?
Hmm!
Designer Manager

36. @cattsmall
Try without approval
People loved
sketching! It also
increased our
efficiency.
Designer
Great!
Manager

37. @cattsmall
In summary:
● Collaborative design makes teams more
efficient & better at communication.
● There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for
collaboration; compromise when needed.
● Ask people for involvement & feedback.
● Take initiative and apologize later – things
don’t always sound good on paper.

38. @cattsmall
Thank you! Questions?
Think of questions later?
Tweet @cattsmall
Email catt@cattsmall.com