The document summarizes a presentation about becoming a usability coach to gain buy-in from clients and champions within organizations. It discusses the challenges of justifying usability work, the need for business acumen, and addressing new challenges like agile development. It then describes transformational coaching as helping others enhance their effectiveness in a way that helps both parties. The key aspects discussed are choosing a champion, integrating coaching into the five planes of user experience, and selecting the right timing within an organization.

1. Becoming a Usability Coach: Proving Success One Champion at a Time UPA 2007 Conference June 14, 2007 Austin, Texas Yvonne Shek | nForm User Experience nform.ca [email_address]

2. For slide details, see this presentation in Notes view For final presentation after the talk, go to: nform.ca/blog or slideshare.net

3. Agenda > Introduction | 5 minutes > Presentation | 35 > Collaboration Exercise | 5 > Case Study | 15 > Heart of Coaching | 10 > Conclusions | 5 > Q&A + Feedback | 15

4. Introduction :: 5 minutes

5. Introduction Yvonne is a Senior Consultant at nForm User Experience. She has nine years of experience in web usability, information architecture, user research, and user experience consulting.

7. The human case for coaching The traditional approach to management has its roots in an autocratic, military-style “command-and-control” model that works well in the environment for which is was designed: WAR. But in most business settings, it has serious unintended consequences. - Crane & Patrick

9. Presentation :: 35 minutes - Chronic problem - Business acumen - The frustrating thing - New challenges - Transformational Coaching: What | Why | Who | When | How - How: Integrating Coaching into UX Practice

10. Chronic problem (of reach and effectiveness)

11. Getting buy-in from client / manager Client: “ Make sure you talk about what it is that you do in your SOW” “ Please tell everyone in the meeting what you are doing here” Manager: “ Tell me again: why you are in my group? I mean, shouldn’t Usability be in Marketing or something?” “ Can you write a summary of your deliverables for our intranet?”

12. Cost-Justifying Usability From macro- to micro- justifications Measurements to make a case for Different organizations and scenarios Case studies View from the other side of the table Bias, R. G. & Mayhew, D. J. (2005). Cost-Justifying Usability (Second Edition) – An Update for the Internet Age. San Francisco: Elsevier Inc.

13. Business acumen (so you got yourself an MBA)

14. MBA

15. The frustrating thing (about having some experience)

16. 1997-1998 This is not a new problem that we are facing. It is more like a problem that would not go away.

17. What we thought would happen and what really happened...

18. What we thought would happen In 1999-2000, what I thought about the future... Highs + Lows M.Sc. HCI Grad, 1992 – worked a few yrs in the HCI field UX within consulting firm and web design shop Vendor team for telco redesign project to be launched in Q4 2000 Juiced to go! Finally – a more challenging project! Project is going well but there are some client pockets that need to be educated Hope to educate this client and others over long term commitments We worked through issues and we launched the darn thing in time for Christmas! The future is looking good! We would really like to continue to work with this telco, because now, after working with them, they “get it” If this were only true for our financial client! Ugh. Let’s keep selling ourselves, our services, and our approach! Most of our current clients are getting it. We need to branch out to the other industries that tend to be “behind” and talk to them about ROI THEN, we will have a great mix of clients and industries I am guessing my Employer would have gone public by this time! By this time, I think we will have infil- trated most industries – well, their online proper- ties anyway! Our UX team would and should be well known in the community Maybe I will write a book then – I will probably be famous by this time! (And rich when I cash out my options!) After my book... Great success. I am probably a UX guru by now Clients all over the place will want to hire my team! Technology-wise, I think we will be all driving electric cars! I might be invited to be the keynote at UPA 2007? Events 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003-2004 2005-2006 2007 Our Profile: Female, 23 – 30 yrs Lives in New York City 60-hour weeks 0 - 2 yrs with consulting company Goals / Motivations: Do good work Help others learn Evangelize clients Get rich, famous, or both

19. What really happened Looking back, from the other side of the table... Highs + Lows MBA grad, 1995 Starting UX group at large telco Starting off with a complete web redesign to be launched in Q4 2000 I have the budget to hire vendors and my own internal team Juiced to go! Hired and worked hard with Vendor for redesign... They are good to work with but they tend to butt heads with “ business” a little bit We worked through issues and we launched the darn thing in time for Christmas! Not much work for the vendor for next year though... This was an UGLY year. ‘Nuf said! The Company was still in the red at the beginning of this year I wanted a change, so I jumped ship, and now I work for the “other” telco in town After the carnage of last year (UX team), I now have a slightly different role as a Senior Manager, Products. I got promoted to Director level – and actually have a new UX team! The team is smaller than the pre-carnage team, but they are experienced with a few new additions. I am also starting to look for vendors. However, if they try to sell me their services as if I don’t get it, I am going to scream!! Just do your jobs, and show me VALUE. I am starting to build some great relation- ships within my team, and with a few select vendors. These are people who don’t preach to me. They try hard to understand my business and talk with me like a peer. Some of these people, I consider as friends. Things are looking good. But there are always rumors of a recession or what not. I am managing carefully... If I EVER lose my team again, I will have to rely solely on my trusted advisors... Events 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003-2004 2005-2006 2007 Client Profile: Female, 35 – 40 yrs Lives in New York City 50-hour weeks 5 to 10 yrs with current company Goals / Motivations: Do good work and learn Instill process Build my team within the org Build my name within the org

20. New challenges (so what are you going to do with Web 2.0?)

21. Add this to the mix... Agile

22. “ Now what?!”

23. Transformational Coaching (why so many arrived here)

24. Transformational Coaching WHAT: What is transformational coaching? WHY: Why would we do this? WHO: Choosing a Champion HOW: The 5 planes of user experience coaching (and how to integrate UX into it) WHEN: Timing strategy

25. Transformational Coaching | WHAT? “ the art of assisting people to enhance their effectiveness, in a way they feel helped.” Crane & Patrick, 2007 Ref 4, Page 31

26. Who wins with UX Coaching? You, because you will have an internal advocate. Someone with influence. Your Coachee because s/he will be able to make valuable contributions to his/her organization (or to your own org) – and look good! Both learn and grow in the process. It is a life-changing process. Transformational Coaching | WHY?

27. Transformational Coaching | WHY? Because the only constant is change, and the time is right Ref 4: page 18 adapted Relentless Incremental Technology Questioning, influencing, role modeling Telling, directing, controlling Leader’s core skills Leader, coach, facilitator, servant, role model, visionary Manager, boss, decision maker, supervisor, traffic cop, delegator Leadership Shared purpose, collaboration, empowerment Turf protection, conflict, command & control Culture Networks with distributed authority Hierarchical, central authority Structure + Systems Surviving meetings and exceeding expectation Growth through satisfying customers Organization Regional and/or Global Local Competitive environment Present (conducive to coaching) Past (not conducive to coaching) Dimension

28. Client: “ I got promoted because of our work together. This promotion really belongs to the team. Thank you for your contribution to my success.” “ I am going to recommend your company to my friends and colleagues.” Manager: “ I think we should sell our usability services more often! Your work with this client is no longer a one-of. It looks like a long-term relationship!” Transformational Coaching | WHY? | From Buy-in to Advocacy

29. Agile Survival 2.0 Transformational Coaching | WHY?

30. Understands the domain and its stakeholders Understands and works well with people Listens , listens some more, then talks Is open and flexible to ideas Takes risks Makes decisions based on evidence * Is an advocate of sorts Values value Asks a lot of questions Has low ego needs Transformational Coaching | WHO? Choosing a Champion Ref 11

31. When foot-in-the-door worked out (when you are hot ) Budget allocation or review When they are ready for it organizationally When they are listening After a massive failure or organization shake up * Organizational or project benchmark When you have time and energy Purely opportunistic When group decides When you are not stuck in Review-Approve Land ** Transformational Coaching | WHEN? Timing Strategy

32. Transformational Coaching | WHEN? Timing Strategy The organizational shake up: Alan Mullaly. Mandated to shake things up at Ford.

33. Coaching Steps Modeling, Training, Simulation Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Teaching Usability through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Gestalt Consulting Strategic Usability Steps Abstract Concrete Transformational Coaching | HOW? 5 Planes of UX Coaching Refs 1, 5, 6,

34. Coaching Steps Strategic Usability Steps Goal maps to Discovery Seek first to understand (Covey) Tools: Competitive Analysis Analytics Examining secondary research 1 st Plane 1 of 3 Refs 5, 6, 12 Modeling, Training, Simulation Teaching UX through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Gestalt Consulting

35. Coaching Steps Strategic Usability Steps Reality + Option maps to Research Seek first to understand (Covey) Tools: Usability Testing (shock from Morae) Heuristic evaluation Card sort Interviews & surveys Ethnography Recommendations 1 st Plane 2 of 3 Refs 5, 6, 12 Modeling, Training, Simulation Teaching UX through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Gestalt Consulting

36. Coaching Steps Strategic Usability Steps Option + Will maps to Alignment Accelerator Workshop: Design the Box Backcasting Alignment modeling Using personas Kano analysis Experience mapping Project mapping 1 st Plane 3 of 3 Refs 5, 6, 12 Modeling, Training, Simulation Teaching UX through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Gestalt Consulting

37. 2 nd Plane Coaching Steps Strategic Usability Steps Modeling, Training, Simulation all map to Teaching Any and all tools can be taught. First through showing, then through practice. One of the most concrete things to teach is usability testing. Refs 5, 6, 12 Modeling, Training, Simulation Teaching Usability through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Gestalt Consulting

38. Letting go (with the right Champion) Risk: Changing your practice and revenue model

39. 3 rd Plane Coaching Steps Strategic Usability Steps Gestalt: A collection of physical, biological, psychological or symbolic entities that creates a unified concept, configuration or pattern which is greater than the sum of its parts. “ Synergize” according to Covey. Tools + Methods: Teach by being Many methods + tools Whole is > the Σ of the parts Cares about the “whole person” (when you know about her wedding plans) Refs 5, 6, 12 Modeling, Training, Simulation Teaching UX through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Gestalt Consulting

40. 4 th Plane Coaching Steps Strategic Usability Steps Trusted professional On many matters, not just directly on project issues or deliverables. This could include other projects, approaches, processes, ways to succeed, etc. Tools + Methods: Gestalt Consulting Deep listening Planning together Giving talks together When you are involved in Hiring, Inspiring, Firing Modeling, Training, Simulation Teaching UX through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Gestalt Consulting

41. 5 th Plane Coaching Steps Strategic Usability Steps Trusted advisor On more and deeper matters, including all aspects of life, such as vocational, personal, and interpersonal. "Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs." (Covey) Tools + Methods: Team building Organizational behavior and change management Counseling When you know where he is interviewing for a job Ref 2 Modeling, Training, Simulation Teaching UX through doing Creating a high-performance UCD environment Trust and Honesty GROW: Goal, Reality, Option, Will Project Foundation + Alignment Gestalt Consulting, Listening, Planning together Relationship building Mind shift from doing to being (authentic) Gestalt Consulting

42. When foot-in-the-door worked out (you are hot) Budget allocation or review When they are ready for it organizationally When they are listening After a massive failure or organizational shake up Organizational or project benchmark When you have time and energy Purely opportunistic When group decides When you are not stuck in Review-Approve Land Transformational Coaching | WHEN? Timing Strategy

43. Transformational Coaching | Coaching + Co-design Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please. ? Imbalance of power The “usual” scenario of the Review-Approve process: Adapted from: Jess McMullin, “Project Touchstones”, IA Summit 2007, Las Vegas, NV www.slideshare.net/jessmcmullin/project-touchstones/

44. Transformational Coaching | Coaching + Co-design What it means to sit on the same side of the boardroom table

45. Collaboration Exercise :: 5 minutes

46. Exercise Design a House 1 minute – Draw a House that you would like to live in. 2 minutes – Pair up. Review + Approve. Person whose birthday is next, is the Approver. Approvers, hide your drawings. Review and Approve the house that the Designer drew. Is it the right house for you? How well does it match the house that you, the Approver, drew? 2 minutes – Draw a house together.

47. Case Study :: 15 minutes

48. LearnAlberta.ca Coaching an organization through a project and beyond

49. We were brought in to take some notes... What the client was looking for: “ We cannot nail things down... Can you help us capture our thoughts and issues?” What we did: Alignment workshops: Experience Mapping Why and What questions Half-day workshops over a couple of months Option + Will maps to Alignment (1 st Plane 3 of 3)

50. What we did | Alignment Workshops Option + Will maps to Alignment (1 st Plane 3 of 3)

56. What we did | Alignment Workshops Option + Will maps to Alignment (1 st Plane 3 of 3)

57. Time passes... Kim starts at Learn Alberta - As Web Coordinator - Our main client contact - Process teaching

58. What we did | Alignment Diagrams | Swimlane Doc Option + Will maps to Alignment (1 st Plane 3 of 3)

59. Time passes...

60. Modeling, Training, Simulation all map to Teaching (2 nd Plane) What we did | Wireframes, Prototype, Utests Co-design / Participation Co-design / Participation Co-design / Participation

61. Project Gateway Started with: Explore (faceted browse) Search All Search Within

62. Project Gateway Ended with: Explore X Search All X Search Within √

63. Time passes...

64. Gestalt: Teaching together, strategize content of talk (3 rd Plane) What we did | Talk on “Validation Approach”

65. What we did | Talk on “Validation Approach” Gestalt: Teaching together, strategize content of talk (3 rd Plane)

66. What we did | Talk on “Validation Approach” Gestalt: Teaching together, strategize content of talk (3 rd Plane)

67. What we did | Relationship + Team Building Trusted Professional/Advisor: Planning together, Hiring, etc. (4 th + 5 th Planes)

68. The Heart of Coaching :: 10 minutes

69. The Heart of Coaching “ I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

70. Transformational Coaching | WHAT? “ the art of assisting people to enhance their effectiveness, in a way they feel helped .” Crane & Patrick, 2007

71. Command and Control Approach Is imprinted

72. The Heart of Transformation Transformational Components: Changing mindsets All that ego stuff Becoming more centered A matter of personal + generational style Leadership by example + Self disclosure

73. The Heart of Transformation 1. Changing Mindsets Ref 4: Page 123 Focused on process that creates the bottom-line results Focused on the bottom line Vulnerability is power Knowledge is power Does the right things Does things right Creates vision and flexibility Creates structure and procedures Models accountability Delegates responsibility Collaborator / Facilitator Problem solver / Decision maker Celebrates learning Points to errors Stimulates creativity using purpose to inspire commitment Triggers insecurity using fear to achieve compliance Seeks the answer Knows the answer Facilitates by empowering Controls through decisions Engages in dialogue with people Talks at people Asks / Requests / Listens Tells / Directs / Lectures Lifts / Supports Pushes / Drives COACH BOSS

74. The Heart of Transformation 2. All that ego stuff Ref 4: Page 141 Not telling lies Open to interpretation Not making mistakes Locked into expectations Follows innate wisdom Accepting / Open to change Follows external authority Denial / Stuck Being “in process” Reflective Being perfect Resistant Grateful Detached Triggered / Angry Takes things personally Nurturing Authentic / Real Controlling Invested in image Purposeful Accepting others Protective Fixing others Giving Paying attention Getting Wanting attention Seeks truth Learning / Beginners mind Seeks approval Righteous (always right) Listens a lot Quiet mind Talks a lot Busy mind Patient Connected Hurried Separate Humble Self-aware Arrogant Self-conscious A Centered State An Ego-Driven State

75. The Heart of Transformation 3. Becoming more centered HIGHER STATES ► ◄ LOWER STATES Ref 4: Page 143 Victim, sinking, others control you, giving up Frozen, negative, reactionary Depressed, out of control, alone, despair “ I’m powerless” I can’t I am stuck / helpless Conflict, struggle, politics, war Attributions, resistance, attack, sabotage Insecure, threatened, suspicious, afraid “ I am my role” Take it personally Win or Lose Tension, distance, withdrawal, compliance Critical, judging, blame, defend, protect stuff “ Better than” (arrogant) “ Less than” (resentful) “ I’m separate” You vs. Me Judgment & comparing ♦ CHOICE ♦ Learning, connecting, trust, rapport Ask questions, attentive listening, disclosing, respectful Open, accepting, fascinated, surprised “ I’m curious” Wonderment Interested & inviting Fulfillment, intimacy, safety, partnership Contribute, give, support, thanks Generous, empowered, abundant, positive “ I’m grateful” Appreciative Unique & precious Joy, peace, bliss, resiliency Graceful, creative, purposeful, responsive Confident, inspired, eager, optimistic “ I’m resourceful” Worthy Enough ROI (Results, Outcomes, Impacts) Behaviors (Actions & Reactions) Feeling State (Emotional Response) Thinking State (Beliefs & Attitudes)

76. The Heart of Transformation EMOTIVENESS ► Ref 4: Page 149 High Low High Low ASSERTIVENESS ► 4. A matter of style (personal context for coaching) Conducting Clarifying Weaknesses Autocratic Insensitive Impatient Poor listener Strengths Independent Initiator Disciplined Organized Weaknesses Data bound Risk averse Tedious Perfectionist Strengths Systematic Objective Thorough Accurate Weaknesses Poor follow-through Impulsive Misses details Poor planner Strengths Enthusiastic Creative Spontaneous Dynamic Weaknesses Non confronting Overly compliant Overly emotional Can’t say no Strengths Team player Sensitive Flexible Patient Creating Collaborating

77. The Heart of Transformation 4. Generational style (cultural context for coaching) Ref 4: Pg.155 Distrust big business Nine to five Independence “ Work gives me a life” Climb the ladder Build career Workaholics “ Work is my life” Work hard Pay dues Keep head down “ I am my job” Work ethic Rap, Punk Heavy Metal Alternative Rock & Roll Jazz New Age Swing Old standards Elevator music Music favored 70’s – 80’s 50’s – 60’s 30’s – 40’s Conditioning years Challenge it Question it Respect it Attitude toward authority Technology Feelings Doctors Who/what to trust Latch key kids Divorced Nuclear Family Structure MTV, AIDS epidemic Cynical Grim economic reality Sexual revolution Economic expansion Abundance, spending Depression, WWII Struggle and sacrifice Delayed gratification World Frame 1965 - 1980 1946 - 1964 1925 - 1945 Birth years Gen X Boomers “ Yuppies” Traditionalists “ The silent generation”

78. The Heart of Transformation 4. Generational style, continued Ref 4: Pg.155 Corporate politics Boomers clogging the system Control Slackers Change Lack of respect What is resented Realistic Risk takers No agreement Disillusioned Downsized Broken agreement Dedicated Committed Social contract How organizational life is dealt with My family My profession My company Loyalty to Learning Quality of life Involvement Stimulation Fun Variety Achievement Actualization Career Flexibility Stability Respect Trust Hard work Loyalty What is valued Need news, straight talk, and feedback Any news is good news No news is good news How communication is perceived Stepping stone Career growth Stability, Security How job is valued Unconventional Connected network Informal Accessible Formal Hierarchical Organizational structure favored Entrepreneurial Collaborative Command and control Management style favored X’ers “ Yiffies” Boomers “ Yuppies” Traditionalists “ The silent generation”

79. The Heart of Transformation 5. Leadership by example + Self-Disclosure “ What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

80. Conclusion :: 5 minutes

81. UX Coaching going forward Leverage UX toolset, current behaviors and opportunities Put your heart into it Be in process, share, and offer UX Coaching on your website and bio

82. What UX Coaching is all about A monk was asked what his life was like before he became enlightened. He replied, “I chopped wood and carried water.” When asked what it was like after enlightenment, he responded, “I chop wood and carry water.” It is not what we do that changes, it is how we do it and the fact that we do it. Ref 4: Pg.218

83. Q&A + Feedback :: 15 minutes

84. Feedback What you liked: Engaging presentation Keep “coach” or “coaching” in the title How I can improve: Include examples from “Good to Great” Title: “Creating a UX Champion, one at a time” Talk about coaching peers

85. References Jesse James Garrett (2002). The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web. New Riders Press. David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, & Robert M. Galford (2000). The Trusted Advisor. New York: Touchstone Rockefeller Center. Deborah J. Mayhew & Randolph G. Bias (2005). Cost-Justifying Usability (Second Edition) – An Update for the Internet Age. San Francisco: Elsevier Inc. Thomas G. Crane & Lerrisa Nancy Patrick (2002). The Heart of Coaching: Using Transformational Coaching to Create a High-Performance Culture (Second Edition). San Diego: FTA Press. John Whitmore (2002). Coaching for Performance: Growing People, Performance and Purpose (Third Edition). London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Lois J. Zachary (2000). The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass Inc., an imprint of Wiley. Stephen R. Covey (1990). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The Free Press. Stephen R. Covey (2004). The 8 th Habit. From Effectiveness to Greatness. The Free Press. Jeffery Pfeffer & Robert I. Sutton (2006). Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management. Harvard Business School Press. David H. Maister (2001). Practice what you Preach: What managers must do to create a high achievement culture. The Free Press. Seth Godin’s blog: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/06/coachable.html UX Methods website: http:// www.uxmethods.com /

86. Thank you! Yvonne Shek | nForm User Experience nform.ca [email_address] Presentation at nform.ca/blog or slideshare.net