BUILDING
TRUST WITH
STAKEHOLDERS
A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
I AM BETH MCHUGH
HELLO!
I’M A PRODUCT MANAGER AT CUSTOMINK
I AM JEFF LOPEZ
HELLO!
I’M A USER EXPERIENCE LEAD AT CUSTOMINK
You’re kicking off a new project or initiative…
WAHOO!
You’re kicking off a new project or initiative…
TIME SPENT
STAKEHOLDERINVOLVEMENT
“This time it’s going
to be different!”
This time it WILL be different
What we used isn’t new…
What is “ ”?Trust
Trust noun[truhst]
• Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or
strength of someone or something.
TALK STRAIGHT
via http://www.leadershipnow.com/CoveyOnTrust.html
DEMONSTRATE RESPECT
CREATE TRANSPARENCY
RIGHT WRONGS
SHOW LOYALTY
DELIVER RESULTS
GET BETTER
CONFRONT REALITY
CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS
PRACTICE ACCOUNTABILITY
LISTEN FIRST
KEEP COMMITMENTS
EXTEND TRUST
13 BEHAVIORS
CHARACTER
COMPETENCY
TALK STRAIGHTDEMONSTRATE RESPECTCREATE TRANSPARENCYRIGHT WRONGSSHOW LOYALTYDELIVER RESULTSGET BETTERCONFRONT REALITYCLARIFY EXPECTATIONSPRACTICE ACCOUNTABILITYLISTEN FIRSTKEEP COMMITMENTSEXTEND TRUST
Our project
So here’s the recipe…
PREP
COLLECT, DEFINE, + PLAN
KNOW YOUR STUFF
• STAKEHOLDER ONE-ON-ONES
• SALES INTERVIEWS
• DATA + ANALYTICS
• GOALS/KPIs
LISTEN FIRST
CONFRONT REALITY
TALK STRAIGHT
HAVE A PLAN
• COMMUNICATE SCHEDULE
• SCHEDULE TESTING PARTICIPANTS
• DEDICATE A ROOM / WORKSPACE
CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS
PRACTICE ACCOUNTABILITY
KEEP COMMITMENTS
GET BETTER
CREATE TRANSPARENCY
INGREDIENTS
• INPUT (FROM THE PREP)
• STAKEHOLDERS (PRIMARY + SECONDARY)
• PAPER
• LARGE STICKY NOTES
• MARKERS
START COOKIN’!
ADAPT + MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Week 1
Stake-
holder
Kickoff
Concepting
Kickoff
Proto-
Personas
Design
Studio 1
Design
Studio 2
Design
Studio 3
Narrow
Concepts
Finalize
Concepts
Create
Prototypes
DAY 1+2
KICKOFF!
• PRESENT WHAT YOU KNOW TO DATE
• BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR TWO-WEEK PLAN
• ALREADY HAVE THE REGROUP SCHEDULED
• DO AN EXERCISE TOGETHER
PROTO-
PERSONAS
• UNDERSTAND USER NEEDS
• GET TEAM/STAKEHOLDER
ALIGNMENT ON USER
• BUILD EMPATHY
DAY 2
• PERSPECTIVES
• EQUAL VOICES
• BUY-IN
DESIGN
STUDIO
DAY 2-4
How do you start a design studio?
DAY 2-4
HOW? WHAT? WHY? WHO? WHEN?
START WITH
A RECAP
DEFINE THE
PROBLEM
EXPLAIN
WHY
IDENTIFY
THE USER
PROVIDE AN
AGENDA
CONFRONT
REALITY CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS
TALK STRAIGHT
DAY 2-4
How do you run a design studio?
QUICK
WARMUP
INDIVIDUAL
IDEATION
SHARE WITH
GROUP
SHARE WITH
GROUP
INDIVIDUAL
ITERATION
• COMMON THEMES
• TWO OR THREE IDEAS
• FILL IN THE GAPS
NARROW
IT DOWN
DAY 4+5
PROTOTYPE
on paper
• PATHWAYS, NOT PIXELS
• COVER THE BIG STUFF,
DON’T SWEAT THE DETAILS
• FIDELITY = CONFIDENCE
DAY 5
CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS
Week 2
Present
Plan to
Stake-
holders
Map Out
Flow
Pick a
Starting
Point
Iteration
User
Testing
Iteration
User
Testing
User
Testing
test it
GET USER FEEDBACK
DAY 6
FIND A GUINEA PIG
• WHAT DID YOU MISS?
DAY 6
OBSERVATION ROOM
• HAVE AN “OPEN-DOOR” POLICY
CREATE TRANSPARENCYEXTEND TRUST
DAY 6-8
START TESTING!
• TEST IN “BATCHES”
• ITERATE AS YOU GO
GET BETTER
ANALYZE it
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
DAY 9
ANALYZE + MAP IT
• IDENTIFY COMMON PATTERNS + BEHAVIORS
• FIND THE PARTICIPANTS’ IDEAL FLOWS
• TAKE THE BEST OF EACH CONCEPT
• IDENTIFY THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENTS
DAY 9
PLANT YOUR FLAG
• LOOK AT THE FLOW YOU’VE MAPPED
• CHOOSE A STARTING POINT AS A TEAM
SERVE!
WITH YOUR OWN SPECIAL SAUCE
DAY 10
• SHARE YOUR FINDINGS AND YOUR PLAN
• WALK THEM THROUGH THE STORY
• BE CLEAR ABOUT HOW YOU’LL PROVIDE UPDATES
• WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS
• KEY TOUCH POINTS
PRESENT
PRACTICE
ACCOUNTABILITY
KEEP
COMMITMENTS
DELIVER
RESULTS
THANKS!

Building trust with stakeholders - Jeff Lopez + Beth McHugh