Communication-driven Design

Communication-Driven Design@ahmed_badran

What’s Make Good Design Good ?

simplicity

Good use of spaces

When you can’t remove anything else…

We mean Web/ Mobile products NOT Wall Art

Solve Problem

Easy for users

Supported by Everyone

A Shift Toward Products

Attitudes have changed To understand how designers fit into corporate culture, we have to understand the changing shift and attitudes toward design as something more than just an art. When our job was to make the company look good, it didn’t matter as much who got their way on the final design. Now that we’re solving problems that affect the bottom line, everyone has an opinion on the best way to solve it.

Digital Experiences are Real Life Great UX will create a great product. A great product will sell, be easier to support and maintain.

So Everyone in the organization will try to help in solving the problem and creating the best product.

The problem is that only one of these players is a

designer.

Why UX has gone mainstream

Social media has changed how people view digital products

Personal devices have changed how people view digital products

Start-up culture has changed how people view digital products

This is why so many people have an opinion about our work

Great Designers are Great Communicators

Your ability to be thoughtful about a problem and articulate any solution is more important than your ability to design the perfect solution every

time.

Why ?

The new reality that designers are at the forefront of the digital product business can be a real

challenge.

● Too Many Chiefs in the Kitchen.● Everyone is a Designer!● The CEO Button ● Homepage Syndrome (Features Bloat)

What Problem does this solve?

How does this affect the user?

Why is it better than the alternative?

The Best Ideas [Don’t Always] Win Your design might be revolutionary, but an aggressive and well-spoken salesperson is more likely to get his way if he can convince your boss that he’s right and you’re not.

Our inability to speak up and articulate your side will often land us in the position of making changes that won’t yield the best results.

Successful Meeting

Understand

Listen Respond Follow-up

Understanding

● See their perspective ● Remove distractions ● Anticipate reactions

See their perspective

Executives or Managers

Because they value… • Concise information • Growing the business • Solving problems

You should focus on… • Getting to the point • Accomplishing goals • Describing the solution

Developers or Engineers

Because they value… • Building it once and minimizing re-work • Efficiency and maintainable code• Understanding the effort involved

You should focus on… • Understanding all of the use cases up-front• Maximizing existing scope and re-using UI patterns• Communicating the value for the users or business

Product Owners

Because they value… • Innovation and creativity • The big picture, long-term roadmap• Meeting business goals

You should focus on…• Finding new approaches to solving problems• How your design moves them forward • Connecting your designs to the business objectives

Remove Distractions

When you’re in a meeting to get approval for your designs, staying focused is critical.

It very easy for design discussions to go off on a tangent or be taken in an unexpected direction because of one small thing.

Anticipate Reactions

Listening

● Let them talk. ● Uncover the (real) problem ● Convert ‘Likes’ to ‘Works’● Ask for examples

Let Them TalkPeople like to hear themselves talk and they need enough space and time to be sure

they’ve expressed themselves without feeling rushed.

Uncover The Real Problem Be sure to uncover the real problem they’re trying to solve.

Often, They see a need that isn’t being met with our designs and they may express it with a suggestion that isn’t the right solution.

So don’t focus on what they think needs to be changed or the specific words they use, but instead on the underlying problem they’re trying to solve by suggesting that change.

Convert ‘Likes’ to ‘Works’The most important way we can do this is to help our clients move from talking about

what they like and don’t like (which are their preferences) to what works and what doesn’t (which is the effectiveness of the design).

Ask for examples

Respond Tactics● Propose an alternative● Show a comparison● Represent the user● Research and showing Data● Give them a choice● Postpone the decision

“ The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause. “

Mark Twain

Don’t Say

● “You’re wrong”

● “From a design perspective…”

● What you like or don’t like

Designers Aren’t Always Right

Knowing When We’re Wrong

● The problem still exists● Users don’t get it● Everyone is against us

Thanks

ReferencesThe main topic written by Tom Greever at his book Articulate Design Decisions

More references Communication: The Cure for Common UX Design Challenges (Article)Uxmag : http://bit.ly/28WfkIU

You’re Not the Best Unless Your Customers Say So (Article)http://bit.ly/1SwsCcg

4 Bottom-Line Questions for Avoiding Feature Bloat (Article)http://bit.ly/28Zwqsp