Designing in the Open
9 April 2013
Font used Adelle Sans ThinTime to develop this presentation: 198 minutes
Conversation started at Mozilla offices — LondonCC license 1.0 for this presentation
kwamecorp is a social
enterprise
All our dividends go into the creation/investment of more
projects for more positive social impact
R&D Lab working for very large
corporations=
0.0 to 1.0 open index
Private equity fund that
invests in ideas (start-ups)
=1.0 to 3.0 open index
we work as two entities
&
We’ll explain these numbers in the end
Strategy Concept Prototype Development
What we do @kwamecorp
It’s never truly linear but the goal is to release products/
services that have a positive impact in people’s
lives.
Value proposition
What we do, simplified
it’s all about validation and the best way to validate is
to prototype quickly in native environments
Value reality
Our only purpose is to add value to the
user
Positive impact
This means everyone in a project keeps their focus on one
thing:Adding value to end users
PMs, Designers, Coders... all busy
applying their skills, but all share a vision:
Adding value to end users
Strategy Concept Prototype Development
Action point:
Define value proposition that can be broken down into
small parts and validated
and yes, value propositions change, but usually a"er they are validated
1. The value proposition needs to
be simple.
2. Value proposition does not change until it is validated.
3.Value proposition is the glue
that keeps everyone in check.
Does open design create a be#er
product?
The big question is
Idea Product/Service
Idea Product/Service
Closed design
Open design
If we take these two approaches
Which one will add more value to the
end user?
Open ≠ InnovativeWe work on some secret stuff that is
not less innovative
1
There is no such things as fully open or
fully closed designAction point: assess the Open index
of a project before you start
2
We do know that Open design == more conversation
& conversation leads to more learning
& more chances to cross pollinate.
3
So how to make Open design add
more value to users
than closed design?
First you need to understand our universe and its
players
Our universe looks like this from the
outside
Code
UX
UI
1. Core has been open for a long time, loads of conversation
around it. A meritocracy of
coders. 2. Design layers appear open
because they are visible. Reality:
UX / UI has always been very closed because
it’s not as objective as
code. Subjectivity
prefers closed environments.
In fact, our universe is more like this
Code
UXUI
We marry design and coding in triangles
which are validated as quickly as possible
Validate
Strategy Concept Prototype Development
Code
Triangle serves to:
1. Show, don’t tell. Play.
2. Make sure everyone is aligned in the value proposition.
3. Validate.
UXUIValidate
This means designers need to become more objective
and more focused on validation
coders have been for a while
Many different players involved. All have egos, desires...
1. Make triangles cycles shorter.
2. The shorter the more focused and objective.
3. The more focused the quicker the validation.
Code
UXUIValidate
Code
UXUI
Validate
Open design questions
Must the 3 atoms be open so that we can add more value to
the end user?Which one is easier to open first?
Design and code conversations should
be around value proposition
open a conversation to everyone it
becomes very noisy
The issue becomes how to manage noise
because when you
Coders have meritocracies and a
much more value oriented approach
they have been doing it in the open for years
Designers don’t. They tend to be less
objective.
not focused on value to user
How can designers open their process
up?
when? How?
Design is NOT the beginning NOR the end of the process
Well first they need to come to grips that
The beginning is value proposition
The end is value reality
Code
UXUIValidate
Design is one of the tools to get there
what should designers open?
So,
Value proposition is
translated into feature sets.
Open feature sets up for discussion. Invite
solutions.
Your goal is to validate it through feature sets. Agree on those and
open them up to collaborative approach.
Don’t open up initial value proposition.
Fearnoise
but don’t panichave a strategy
Be certain that
Openness does not kill differentiators
&
You are not going to get less competition because suddenly
everyone is collaborating
Ok, now for a conclusion
Beginning End
If you mix the Anatomy of projects
launch
public stuff happens
private stuff happens
learnings from CCcreative commons
WithLawrence Lessig’s
we came up with a Taxonomy of design openness in projects
0.0
1.0
Closed
Open in beginning and end
Open in beginning and end, and
punctually between
Open
2.0
3.0
Applied thesis
----
to kwamecorp projects
Fairphone OS2.0
Impossible.com2.0
BOND2.0
Khan Academy1.0
S Educate
Frameblast0.0 2.0
SAMSUNG Galaxy0.0
Wonderful work but no conversation (well it’s internal)
Would be great to share value propositions though.
Touchwiz
In all that has been said, the most practical tool (beyond our validation process) in opening up our design process has
been Dropbox.
Curious fact:
Join us for a conversation @ our London Soho
showroom94 Berwick st.
It’s open.@kwamecorp