Designing for disruptive innovation

Robert Barlow-Busch VP User Experience, Boltmade

@becubed

Designing for Disruptive Innovation

Photo by MonkeyC.net

Photo by MonkeyC.net

vs

What would it mean to “ship” a document

online?

Photo by Michael Verhoef on FlickrPhoto by Michael Verhoef

Security really mattersThe big assumption

Photo by Michael Verhoef on Flickr

Document exchange websiteThe preconceived solution

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Meet Joanne

The hero of our story

Product Manager

Photo by Ricky Tang

We’re going to build the best damn document exchange website we can.

—

How did Joanne know customers wanted

this product?

Photo by Michael Verhoef on FlickrPhotos by Chris Smith, David Yu, and Thomas Hawk

Focus groups!

What we heard

“Security is a huge concern.”

“We never send documents by email. Are you crazy?”

“It’s the biggest problem we face today.”

Hell, yeah! Give me a secure document

exchange website

Meet Steve

The villain of our story

Consulting technologist

Photo by Esther Mari

We know what to do. My guys are already building it.

—

Hold on, buddy.

We’re going to do this right.

Okay, fine.

Grumble, grumble.

——

Field studies20 users in US and Canada

Goals Tasks

Inputs/Outputs Tools

Environment Relationships

Burning needs

1. Compiled key observations

2. Arranged them into categories

3. Identified patterns within categories

4. Assembled patterns into groups

Wants to get things done. Is highly motivated by finishing the day’s work. Wants to be in control and confident of what’s happening at all times. Would be happy with more security, but values convenience more. Uses email as a detailed archive of project activity. Uses FTP to exchange files too big for email.

Strives to be seen as indispensible to customers. Is more concerned about quality than deadlines. Sends documents by courier when they’re too big for email. Really doesn’t care about security. Has limited computer skills outside AutoCAD.

Strives to save money for the organization. Held accountable for downtime due to technical issues. Cannot plan ahead. “Fights fires” all day. Loves the challenge of juggling priorities. Has a dedicated email account for IT emergencies.

This produced distinctive skeletons…

That we fleshed out into personas

Convenience trumps security

Photo by Nick Carter

Email as filing system

Photo by Theen Moy

Large files suck

Photo by slimmer_jimmer

Opportunity!

The design concept

Reaction to prototypes

Hooray!

Photo by Keith Ellwood

Wait for it…

Hooray!

So Joanne took the project for executive approval

Solid customer insight

Differentiated product

Evidence of market demand

How will this increase shipments in our trucks

and airplanes?

– Um, it won’t. – That’s kind of the point.

Won’t this encourage people to ship online

instead of in airplanes?

– Um, maybe. – That’s kind of the point, too.

No! Project cancelled.

WTF?WTFWTW

We got blindsided by…

Disruptive innovation

New-market disruptionLow-end disruption

The very processes that create a market leader can cause it to fail in the face

of disruption

Photo by Michael Verhoef on Flickr

”What business are we in?”

Photo by Michael Verhoef on Flickr

What’s the job to be done?

Lessons learned

Have a champion in a position of influence

Include the skeptics in your process

Don’t trust self-reported behaviors

Define the business and the job to be done

Robert Barlow-Busch @becubed

www.boltmade.com