How do you extend a product vision statement such that it remains aspirational but is specific enough to clarify intention and make difficult decisions easy? Enter "Design Tenets"

1. Principles to Build By
Stephen P. Anderson | @stephenanderson

2. A man came upon a construction site where
three people were working. He asked the first,
"What are you doing?" and the man
answered, "I am laying bricks." He asked the
second, "What are you doing?" and the man
answered, "I am building a wall." He walked
up to the third man, who was humming a
tune as he worked and asked, "What are you
doing?" and the man stood up and smiled and
said, "I am building a cathedral."

3. At your company...
Are people laying bricks
or building a cathedral?

4. story
mantra
vision
strategic intent
purpose
What is your cathedral?
clarifying question
flag in the sand
rallying cry
reason for being

6. craigslist

7. A vision is critical.
But how do you ensure
consistent design choices?

9. “...serves to support or reinforce the wall.”

10. CORE DESIGN PRINCIPLES...
Tenets
Are a simple set of unique characteristics that make
explicit the product specific qualities we value.
Describe the experience we are trying to create.
Insure that new features and additions,
(especially from new and extended contributors)
stay true to a core vision.
Are strategic requirements.
Support the larger Vision.

11. CORE DESIGN PRINCIPLES...
Tenets
Are a simple set of unique characteristics that make
explicit the product specific qualities we value.
Describe the experience we are trying to create.
Kind of like a creative brief,
Insure t for product design...?
buthat new features and additions,
(especially from new and extended contributors)
stay true to a core vision.
Are strategic requirements.
Support the larger Vision.

12. Not to be confused with...
Design Patterns / Universal Design Principles
Design Guidelines
Corporate (or Company) Values

13. EXAMPLES
IN THE WILD...

14. Google

15. Serendipity
The accidental discovery of something fortunate, especially while looking for something
else entirely, is desired and encouraged.
Elegance & Craftsmanship
Solutions are unusually effective and simple, and reflect care for details and nuance.
Sensual Display of Information
Whether by images or simply through text, content is obvious in a glance.
Fun!
While we do support efficient searches, we also believe that how you get there should be an
enjoyable part of the experience. Life is better when you have fun along the way!
Custom-Tailored Experiences
Results are customized per the content, and for individual users.
Integrity
Choose data sources we believe in. Conduct ourselves with integrity. etc.

16. Microsoft
Surface

17. http://www.adaptivepath.com/blog/category/smartfm/

18. Google Calendar

19. HTC Hero

20. “After the Meeting”
Playful & Gamelike
Get rewarded and recognized for good work; make a game out of honoring commitments
Equalizing
Level the playing field between different (especially hierarchical) roles
Reflective
After the Meeting holds a mirror up to my behaviors, from which I can learn and improve;
tight feedback loops help me get better
A Safe Zone
Create sense of security & comfort through a structured environment where expectations are clear;
create a “safe zone” where there is clarity & mutual accountability for assignments
“System Does Work For Me”
Automation wherever possible— anticipates needs, follows up with people, etc.
System requires very little input from me— only what is essential to be effective
“Pomp & Circumstance”
Treat activity as something worth celebrating through highly visual pages

21. Charmr
http://adaptivepath.com/charmr/

22. “ Once we all agree on the design philosophy of the
overall house (the design tenets), we can independently
go off and design our own room without worrying that
the house won’t make sense once all the rooms are done.
The alternative — doing the designs without tenets and
in isolation — often leads to a situation in which you
either have to do a costly and painful set of clean-ups
late in the process or, more usually, you just ship an
incongruous design and leave the users to sort it out.
— JENSEN HARRIS | GROUP PROGRAM MANAGER OF MICROSOFT’S OFFICE USER EXPERIENCE TEAM

23. TIPS:

24. Skip the obvious TIP #1
useful • usable • desirable
human • clear • smart
easy to use • engaging
“Duh...”

25. TIP #2
Use concrete, specific, evocative language
“provide a good experience”
“joyous to use”
“serendipitous”

26. Ask “What’s the opposite of...” TIP #3
“Social & Together”
“No Numbers”
“Easy to Use”
“Be the Best”

27. Describe & inspire (don’t specify) TIP #4
“We value the color blue”
vs
“Open like the sky”

28. Schema TIP #5
(Keep your design tenets discrete from and parallel to each other)
Fun
Huh? What’s the difference?
Thrilling
Visual
Social

29. Get buy in TIP #6
Target 4-7 tenets TIP #7
Short 1 or 2 word statements are memorable TIP #8
Tenets should extend and support a core vision
(NEVER compete with!!) TIP #9

30. “Developing Design Principles”
http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?854
“Making Design Principles Stick”
http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/essays/archives/001123.php

31. Thanks!
This presentation was prepared by
Stephen P. Anderson
@stephenanderson
For similar thoughts, please visit my site:
www.poetpainter.com