The enterprise needs to learn from Hollywood. Goal-oriented design combined with the proper tools will revolutionize our users’ experience.

1. Copyright © Ben Adams 2013 All rights reserved.
Lessons from Hollywood
How enterprise software design is like making a movie

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2013-07-28Page 2
Imagine you have a family day
scheduled.
Saturday morning, you all gather
around to plan the day.

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You all decide to watch a movie Saturday evening.
And you all agree upon sci-fi.

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Your son has an iPhone.
It has a video camera, so you ask him
to make the movie.
You tell him it should be a struggle of
good vs evil set in the context of earth's
first encounter with aliens.
There should also be a small romance
subplot.

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Later in the day, you also clarify that the film needs to be PG.

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It is 10pm.
Your son is ready to show his film.

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Barbie’s Space Adventure

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How do you think it will look?
Will it be enjoyable?
Will it satisfy the family's expectations?
Will your daughter be annoyed?
Will your son be stressed?
Will he be proud of his contribution and
eager to make another film?
Will you want to do this again?

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How is this different from the way Hollywood makes movies?

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How Hollywood makes a movie
Clearly defined outcome (goal)
Numerous specialized roles
Schedule
Professional tools designed for the task
Preproduction screenplay and story boards
Collaborative review of dailies
Post production editing
Test screening
How Hollywood makes a movie

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How Hollywood makes a movie
Clearly defined outcome (goal)
Numerous specialized roles
Schedule
Professional tools designed for the task
Preproduction screenplay and story boards
Collaborative review of dailies
Post production editing
Test screening
How the enterprise makes software
Desired outcome (goal) is poorly defined and subject to change
Frequently done by nonprofessionals with little to no experience
Often no schedule – just assumptions
Use the tools at hand (e.g. Excel, SharePoint, Access, etc.)
No up-front UX design – UX is left to engineer’s whim
Programmer works autonomously
Software is “done” when engineer finishes programming
No comparison of outcome vs original goal
How Hollywood makes a movie How the enterprise makes software

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The result is disappointed users, some
of whom are genuinely frustrated.
Many feel that enterprise software is a
complete waste of their time.

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The enterprise needs to learn from Hollywood.
Goal-oriented design combined with the proper tools will revolutionize our users’ experience.