Maya Bruck's talk from Future Insights Live 2014 in Las Vegas: "Collaborative workflows can dramatically increase the efficiency and quality of the final product. Learn how to engage clients and the full breadth of your team from the beginning of the process, so that research, sketching, prototyping and beyond become a collaborative effort." Miss her talk? Join us at a future show: www.futureofwebdesign.com. Sign up for our newsletter at futureinsights.com and get 15% off your next conference.

1. Beyond the Waterfall
Rethinking how we work.
@mayabruck // www.pixotech.com

3. Collaborative
Workflows
I

6. SERIOUSLY?

8. The
Epic Waterfall Adventure

9. Research

10. Research

11. Research
UX

12. Research
UX
Design

13. Research
UX
Design
Development

14. Research
UX
Design
Development
QA

17. #WATERFALLFAIL

18. #WATERFALLFAIL

19. ABOUT TO
#WATERFALLFAIL

22. If it was with my dying breath,
I would caution anyone
against attempting the feat...

23. I would sooner walk up to the
mouth of a cannon, knowing it was
going to blow me to pieces than
make another trip over the Fall.

24. #NEVERAGAIN

25. The Post-Waterfall
Workflow

26. Our methodology
needs to respond to the
needs of each project

27. Programming…boils down to reducing
the number of “unknowns” on a project to
a manageable number. One is fine, two is
a stretch, and three is asking for trouble.
Mark Llobrera

28. Sketch Studio

30. Start with Research

31. Feature Report

37. A good sketch studio
needs clear objectives

38. Include the full team

39. UX
Design Dev

40. Keep it focused

41. Identify Priorities

42. Feature Brief

45. A Feature Brief
establishes the sketch
studio’s priorities

46. Sketch. Erase. Sketch.

51. Capture Decisions

53. Adapt It

54. Large Groups

56. Remote Team/Client

57. IPEVO
Document
Camera

58. Sketch Studio
• Build a shared understanding
• Iterate & test ideas in real-time
• Create a sense of ownership

59. Group Critiques

62. We need to get comfortable
exposing unfinished work
to the rest of the team.

64. When you get over the embarrassment,
you get more creative…It’s not obvious
to people, but starting down that path
helped everything we did.
Ed Catmull, Pixar

65. Design Digs

67. Ask the Right Questions

68. Questions I ask when
reviewing a design
by Jason Fried

69. What’s the takeaway after 8 seconds?

70. What’s the takeaway after 8 seconds?
Why is that worth a click?

71. What’s the takeaway after 8 seconds?
Why is that worth a click?
What’s the simpler version of this?

72. What’s the takeaway after 8 seconds?
Why is that worth a click?
What’s the simpler version of this?
Why that order?

73. What’s the takeaway after 8 seconds?
Why is that worth a click?
What’s the simpler version of this?
Why that order?
Would it matter if someone missed that?

74. What’s the takeaway after 8 seconds?
Why is that worth a click?
What’s the simpler version of this?
Why that order?
Would it matter if someone missed that?
Is this better as a sentence or a picture?

75. What’s the takeaway after 8 seconds?
Why is that worth a click?
What’s the simpler version of this?
Why that order?
Would it matter if someone missed that?
Is this better as a sentence or a picture?
What problem is that solving?

76. Group Critiques
• Get feedback from a broad audience
• Push ourselves to innovate

77. AND NOW….
Another Client Story

78. Cohesive Teams

81. Avoid Hot-Potatoing Projects

82. Always Keep the
Team Together

83. Cohesive Teams
• More efficient
• Greater sense of ownership
• Build camaraderie and trust

84. Work in Parallel

86. Research
UX
Design
Development
QA

87. Research

88. Research
UX

89. Research
UX
Development

90. Research
UX
Design
Development

91. Research
UX
Design
Development
QA

95. Work in Parallel
• Saves time
• Gives room to respond to project needs
• Makes for super-happy clients

96. Communicate. A Lot.
Talking designed by Ian Kirkland from the Noun Project

97. Do you have what you
need to keep working?

98. Projects with more team
meetings are ones that tend
NOT to go over-budget

99. Communicate. A Lot.
• Keep projects moving forward
• Increase team accountability
• Help create trusting, cohesive teams

100. Agile Task Boards

101. To Do In Progress Blocked Done
Task
Task
Task
Task Task
Task
Task
Task

112. Ticket for task

113. Backlog of tasks

114. Tasks added to board

115. Agile Task Boards
• Provide transparency
• Address bottlenecks immediately
• Capture and organize project’s tasks/issues
• Prioritize and take action on what’s important

116. Task Boards
I

117. Beyond the Waterfall

118. Thumbs Up designed by Chris Brunskill from the Noun Project

121. Whatever tool or method you use, let
it be one that empowers your team
and allows them to be true partners

122. Thank you!
@mayabruck // www.pixotech.com