This document discusses how improvisational acting techniques can be applied to product development processes. It covers some basic principles of improv like listening, reacting in the moment, and accepting offers from others. It then gives examples of how improv can be used in idea generation, requirements gathering, presentations, and product validation. Some specific improv games and exercises are also presented like bodystorming and walking in the park that could help teams collaborate and think creatively.

1. 1
Improvised IA
How Improv Allows Everyone to Craft Products
PhillyCHI
David Farkas @dafark8
Brad Nunnally @bnunnally
#ImprovIA
May 2017

2. 2
INTRODUCTIONS
Brad’s Masked
Employer

3. 3
INTRODUCTIONS
NAME & NOISE

4. 4
INTRO TO IMPROV
WHAT IS THIS ANYWAYS?

5. 5
What is Improv? (A Brief History)

6. 6
Improv is Storytelling

7. 7
Improv is Not Comedy

8. 8
Improv is Listening

9. 9
Improv is Not Wit

10. 10
Improv is Reacting

11. 11
Improv is Not Planned

12. 12
Improv and UX

13. 13
Rules of Improv

14. 14
Rule 1 – Everything is True

15. 15
Rule 2 – Stop Trying to Make Funny
Happen

16. 16
Rule 3 – Failure is OK

17. 17
Rule 4 – Listen to the Scene

18. 18
Rule 5 – Support Your Players

19. 19
Rule 6 – Location, Location, Location

20. 20
Rule 7 – Raise the Stakes

21. 21
Rule 8 – Yield to the Strongest Offer

22. 22
Rule 9 – You are NOT the Star

23. 23
Rule 10 – Remember Everything

24. 24
Audience Participation

25. 25
3-LINE SCENE
HANDS ON

26. 26
3-LINE SCENE

27. 27
3-LINE SCENE
DISCUSSION

28. 28
TAKE 5

29. 29
PASS THE FACE
HANDS ON

30. 30
PASS THE FACE

31. 31
IMPROV AND IA
WHY DOES THIS EVEN MATTER?

32. 32
IMPROV IN SALES

33. 33
Improv as Icebreaker

34. 34
RFP – Requirement Gathering

35. 35
Sales Presentations

36. 36
IMPROV IN
PRESENTATIONS

37. 37
We Already Perform

38. 38
Communicate Findings

39. 39
Presenting Concepts

40. 40
IMPROV IN
IDEA GENERATION

41. 41
Affinity Diagramming

42. 42
Taxonomy & Structure

43. 43
Participatory Design

44. 44
Whiteboarding/Brainstorming

45. 45
IMPROV IN
PRODUCT VALIDATION

46. 46
Technical Issues

47. 47
Participant Variables

48. 48
REMEMBER:
BODY LANGUAGE

49. 49
Open Body Language

50. 50
Closed Body Language

51. 51
Mirroring

52. 52
Body Language Builds Trust

53. 53
Body Language Builds Consensus

54. 54
BODYSTORMING
HANDS ON

55. 55
BODYSTORMING

56. 56
BODYSTORMING
DISCUSSION

57. 57
LUNCH

58. 58
WALK IN THE PARK
HANDS ON

59. 59
WALK IN THE PARK

60. 60
SECRETS OF IMPROV
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS
AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE

61. 61
Secret – Don’t Call it Improv!

62. 62
Act As If

63. 63
Small Doses

64. 64
IMPROVISED IMPROV
HANDS ON

65. 65
IMPROVISED IMPROV

66. 66
IMPROVISED IMPROV
DISCUSSION

67. 67
Resources
No Parking Players
www.noparkingplayers.ofpgh.org/?page=1
Rules of Improv Encyclopedia (Rules & Games)
improvencyclopedia.org/references/Rules_of_Improv.html
improvencyclopedia.org/games
Gamestorming (Improv For Us)
gamestorming.com
PHIT Comedy
phitcomedy.com

68. 68
Personal Favorites
• Bodystorming (performed today)
• Yes Lets
• Speed “DaMng” (Sketching)
• Thunderdome CollaboraMon
• Murder Mystery
• Metaphors
• Foreign Movie

69. 69
QUESTIONS
THE Q&A TYPE
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