Breaking Patterns An intro to design thinking to solve problems by Mona Patel, CEO of Motivate Design and UX Hires Patterns are like rules… Made to be followed or broken? Design thinking = empathy + creativity + rationality

1. @monapatel
Breaking Patterns!
An intro to design thinking to solve problems

2. @monapatel
What is good design?

3. @monapatel
What is user
experience design?
• User experience is how a person feels when he or she
interacts with a system.
• User experience design is the establishment of a
philosophy about how to treat that person.
• Effective User Experience (UX) is experiential, affective,
useful, productive, and engaging.

4. @monapatel
Some principles
1. Stay out of people’s way
2. Create a hierarchy that matches people’s needs
3. Limit distractions
4. Provide a strong information scent
5. Provide signposts and cues
6. Provide context
7. Use constraints appropriately
8. Make actions reversible
9. Provide feedback
10. Make a good first impression

5. @monapatel

6. @monapatel

7. @monapatel
Patterns are like rules…!
Made to be followed or broken?

8. @monapatel
As a UX and Innovation company, we’ve
learned when and how to do both.
How do you break patterns?

9. @monapatel
An introduction
to design thinking
Design thinking = empathy + creativity + rationality

10. @monapatel
Define the problem
• What are we solving for?
• What are we trying to change, disrupt or modify? Why?
• Who is the audience?
• What is success?
1

11. @monapatel
List the status quo
• What’s everything you know about this space?
• What is expected? Known? Truth?
2

12. @monapatel
Empathize
• Talk and learn from customers or purchasers.
- What is their life like?
- Why does your product or service matter?
- Why do you matter?
• Create personas, scenarios and journey maps if needed.
3

13. @monapatel
What if?
• What if what you know to be right is wrong?
4

14. @monapatel
… there were no numbers?
… there was no text?
… that was the only view?
… they were like your friends?
… it was more human/emotional?
… it was less automated?
… I could view other people’s preferences?
… it wasn’t just focused on the individual?
… you didn’t have to log in?
What if?

15. @monapatel
Prototype
• Life is a prototype.
• Go low, aim high.
Start with a sketch.
• Goal is to…
5

16. @monapatel
Validate
• With the actual users.
• Listen.
• Seriously, listen.
6

17. @monapatel
Iterate
• Detach.
• Fix.
• Add.
• Change directions if needed.
7

18. @monapatel
Pitch, and
do it again
• Continuous evolution.
• Never done innovating.
8

19. @monapatel
Photo credits
Doug88888, BY-NC-SA
Cuellar, BY-NC
References
http://dschool.stanford.edu/dgift/

20. Thank you!
Follow me on Twitter: @monapatel
motivatedesign.com