Bullet Proof Communication Techniques: A UX Strategist's GuideSarah B. Nelson, Principal of User Experience
user experiencehuman
50% of our job0% of our training
“The frightening and most difficult thing about being what someone calls a ‘creative person’ is that you have absolutely no idea where any of your thoughts come from, and you have no idea where they’re going to come from tomorrow.”— from “Art and Copy”
image of meeting roomimage of meeting room
work smarternot harder
essentialsbasic communication skills
ideascreative ways to communicate
essentialslisteningknow yourselfunderstand others
essentialslisteningknow yourselfunderstand others
1. Meet the person next to you2. Choose a Listener and Speaker3. Speaker: Speak for 1.5 minutes4. Listener: Just listen. Don’t comment or speak.
Talk about an object that you have or want to have that you love.* thanks to Kevin Brooks for this great exercise
Let’s do this*
essentialslisteningknow yourselfunderstand others
“Emotional Literacy is made up of ‘the ability to understand your emotions, the ability to listen to others and empathise with their emotions, and the ability to express emotions productively. To be emotionally literate is to be able to handle emotions in a way that improves your personal power and improves the quality of life around you. Emotional literacy improves relationships, creates loving possibilities between people, makes co-operative work possible, and facilitates the feeling of community.”— Charles Steiner
Fear
essentialslisteningknow yourselfunderstand others
essentialsbasic communication skills
ideascreative ways to communicate
participatory design
Designing with users, not for users.
Users aren’t designers.stakehold
erseither
VP Marketing designer engineers
CEO
VP Call Center
CFOdesigner
designer
ideasgo visualditch the deckcreate experiences
apps-on.com
uistencils.com
other visual toolsworksheetsposterspaper dolls
persona idea number
considerations for other personas
clear space for ideas
compelling title
designer
operationsCFOdesigner
other visual toolsworksheetsposterspaper dolls
These posters were used to add detail to a concept
then evaluate its desirability to users, feasibility for
implementation, and viability in the marketplace.
other visual toolsworksheetsposterspaper dolls
ideasgo visualditch the deckcreate experiences
Discovery2 weeks
Foundation Engagement
Customer Research2 weeks
Analysis & Vision1 week
Concept Development4 weeks
Your CustomersWho are they?What do you know about them?
What do they want from Rackspace?
What do you want them to experience?
Your BusinessHow will you measure success?
What KPIs are you using and are they the right ones?
What outcomes are you striving for?
What is the competitive landscape?
Your OrganizationWhat attributes are unique to Rackspace’s culture?
How will that culture a!ect the success of this project?
Who needs to be involved? And how?
Talking with Your CustomersWhat is our hypothesis about our identified customers?
What specifically do we need to know from them?
How are they experiencing Rackspace now? Fanatical
Support?
Understanding the MetricsHow do people actually behave on the site?
Where are the bumps? What’s working?
Where are the opportunities?
Understanding the CompetitionHow do customers think about your competitors?
Where does Rackspace sit in their mental model?
Where space could Rackspace occupy if it doesn’t already?
Analyzing the resultsDid our hypothesis hold up?
What opportunities exist?
Imagining the FutureWhat do these findings mean from a design and
business view point?What could a re-imagined Rackspace.com look like?
What implications are there for product o!erings and
other Rackspace experiences?
What should the core aspects of the experience be?
Concept Development and Testing
What is the best model for expressing the Rackspace
brand while delivering on the needs of customers?
Do our ideas work?Will customers accept this?
Will it meet our success criteria?
Customer Interviews
Metrics Analysis
Customer Identification & Prioritization
Interviews and Workshops
Value Proposition Articulation
Brand, Visual, and Message Articulation
Competitive Analysis
Sketch and Concept Workshop
Concept Development
Customer TestingPersona Workshop
Hot Studio | Proposal for Rackspace Strategy and Research Engagement | April 27, 2011 | prepared byt Dan Harrelson, Julie Kim, and Sarah B. Nelson
Experience PrinciplesWalk in the customers’ shoes
Focus, focus, focus
Collaborate and include
Hypothesize, make and test
Volvelle image
ideasgo visualditch the deckcreate experiences
design the process1) visualize the outcome2) know the attendees3) design it, then forget it
design the process1) visualize the outcome2) know the attendees3) design it, then forget it
design the process1) visualize the outcome2) know the attendees3) design it, then forget it
design the process1) visualize the outcome2) know the attendees3) design it, then forget it