Biology can teach us 5 things about designing for an ambiguous future. (1) Innovation occurs when environmental pressures are significant, so prototypes should be tested with real people in real contexts. (2) Mobile is our default state, so design for how people naturally engage rather than new technologies. (3) The best products extend our biological abilities. (4) Experiences and products become specialized over time. (5) Designing products that make people feel good, safe, and human drives engagement.

1. 5 Things Biology Can
Teach Us About
Breakthrough Design

4. How do we design for
an ambiguous future?

5. “…the things I’m going to be
working on haven’t been
invented yet.”
Rhys Banfield, age 10

6. Is there anything we
do know about the
future?

7. Source: Alpha Designer

8. Source: Alpha Designer

13. Biology is an
exquisite designer

14. Constraints

15. Constraints
Beauty

16. Constraints
Beauty
Adaptability

17. Constraints
Beauty
Adaptability
Empathy

18. Constraints
Beauty
Adaptability
Empathy
Loves a good user test

19. Cycles of near wins that
lead to more attempts

23. In biology, big changes
happen when big stress
occurs.

24. Rule #1:
Innovation happens when
environmental pressures
are significant

25. Why do we need
brains?

27. “Movement is the only
thing you have to affect
the world around you”
Daniel Wolpert

31. Mobile is a state,
not a technology

32. Beware the tech that
forces you out of your
natural state

33. #convCon @freshtilledsoil

35. Rule #2:
Mobile is our default state

39. Source: The Telegraph

40. Source: The Telegraph

41. Product design trends
towards fitting our
senses…

42. …but also making
those senses a little
better

43. Rule #3:
The best products extend
our biological powers

44. What about content?

45. If tech conforms to us,
then content should
follow us too

47. Always on, but not
always on the same
device

49. brains

50. “We are not seeing a substitutional
effect. People reading across
multiple devices increase their
consumption…”
Tom Betts, FT head of data

52. Rule #4:
Experiences, and thus
products, become
specialized over time

53. Let’s talk about drugs

54. We need dope

55. We need dopamine

56. We are emotional first
and logical second

57. Emotions are required
for decisions

58. Brain chemistry drives
engagement

59. People use your
product because it
makes them feel good

60. “What’s in it for me?”

61. Make someone feel
good and you win

62. Make someone feel
good in front of others
and you win big time

63. Car safety and soccer
moms

64. Source: Kelly Blue Book

65. What does safety look
like to your customer?

68. Rule #5:
The best products make
humans feel more human

69. What has biology taught us
about creating breakthrough
products?

70. #1 Environmental pressure
leads to innovations
Prototype, then test with real
people, in the real world.

71. #2 Mobile state is our default
It’s not ‘mobile first’, its mobile
always. Build for the human
state not the tech state.

72. #3 Extend biological power
Tech should enhance who we
already are. It’s not a new you -
it’s you with superpowers.

74. #4 Specializations are good
Context is everything. Get out
of the building and build the
most relevant UX possible.

75. #5 Make us feel good
Build products that make
humans feel smart, safe,
recognized, and loved, and
they’ll return the favor.

76. Thank you!

77. Q&A