Jeff Gothelf's presentation to the Lean Startup Boston Circle

1. Lean UX
Getting out of the deliverables business
Boston Lean Startup Circle
October 27th, 2011
Boston, MA
http://img.blog.yahoo.co.kr/ybi/1/1c/f6/cliffordmlarsen/folder/717992/img_717992_1359004_3?1103025176.jpg

2. Why am I up here?
Designer. Team Leader. Lover of lanyards and name tags.
Jeff Gothelf
currently:
Director of UX at TheLadders.com
previously:
Publicis Modem, Webtrends, AOL,
Fidelity and an assortment of startups
blog:
www.jeffgothelf.com
twitter:
@jboogie
email: #LeanUX
jgothelf@theladders.com

3. In the beginning…
UX began with Information Architecture which no one had ever heard of
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.ucdesigners.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/stockxpertcom_id21589-world1-1024x794.jpg

4. Deliverables helped define Information Architecture
And this was good
#LeanUX | @jboogie

5. Deliverables helped define these emerging practices
And this was good
#LeanUX | @jboogie

6. Value has ultimately been placed on the deliverable
Not on the experience being created
#LeanUX | @jboogie

7. With interactive experiences evolving rapidly
The deliverable is just not enough
#LeanUX | @jboogie

8. Lean UX
Inspired by Lean Startup and Agile development theories, it’s the
practice of bringing the true nature of design work to light faster,
with less emphasis on deliverables and greater focus on the
actual experience being designed.
#LeanUX | @jboogie

9. It goes a little something like this…
Look familiar?
Just the UX process
Concept Validate Prototype Test Learn Iterate
Internally Externally from user
behavior
#LeanUX | @jboogie

10. Get design work out there. Fast.
In public. (Yes, where everyone can see it.)
#LeanUX | @jboogie

11. Lazy.
Sorry. Designers still have to work hard.
“…the best part … is that the team is doing
a F@&K-TON of UX. They document a ton
of stuff explicitly on the walls and implicitly
in shared understanding among team
members.”
-Austin Govella
commenting on Whitney Hess’s “Why I Detest the Term Lean UX”
http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2011/02/27/why-i-detest-the-term-lean-ux/
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.steadyburn.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/lazy-cat5.jpg

12. The only thing being removed is waste.
You leave that stuff laying around and it starts to stink!
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mims/326748812/sizes/l/

13. This is NOT design-by-committee!
That never leads to anything pretty.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mims/326748812/sizes/l/

14. “But I’m giving up control of my work!”
Not really. It just feels that way at first.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alshepmcr/4561517216/sizes/l/

15. If a designer spends 3 months perfecting a design only to find
out it fails to meet customer and/or business needs, they’ve just
wasted 3 months of their life,
not to mention the team’s.
#LeanUX | @jboogie

16. Designers shouldn’t be expected to get it right the first time
Nobody else has to
From Design Criticism and the Creative Process by Cassie McDaniel on A List Apart, 11 Jan, 2011.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/design-criticism-creative-process/

17. Keep everybody moving forward
Clients, stakeholders, design and team.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37541410@N03/3901861703/sizes/l/

18. What about the quality of the design?
Iterations mean quality continually improves.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://stockthemind.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/project-cartoon.jpg

19. Prototype it!
But not all of it.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
hthttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mQ4dc8irsc0/S_TZkx7B_3I/AAAAAAAAAM0/lwh7NTbtKMo/s1600/PopGlider+assembled+2.jpgtp://www.flickr.com/photos/alshep

20. Once validated, demo to the team.
Presto! Instant documentation.
No additional deliverables are needed!
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/koolwaaij/152426460/sizes/o/

21. Then show it to your customers.
Keep it light and cheap.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/forakerdesign/3657336793/sizes/l/

22. The more you talk about it
The more you realize what’s missing
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adysmiles/4822749055/sizes/l/

23. You are in the problem-solving business and you don’t solve
problems with design documentation. You solve them with
elegant, efficient and sophisticated software.
#LeanUX | @jboogie

24. The interactive agency and services world.
Tougher sell. Worth it in the end.
#LeanUX | @jboogie

25. Agencies are in the deliverables business.
#LeanUX | @jboogie

26. Recapping the “internal” Lean UX process….
Remember?
Just the UX process
Concept Validate Prototype Test Learn Iterate
Internally Externally from user
behavior
#LeanUX | @jboogie

27. For services agencies it looks slightly different
Give your clients the power. They like that.
Validate Validate
Concept w/client Iterate w/client Prototype
Learn
from user
behavior
#LeanUX | @jboogie

28. Consultants are specialized mini-agencies
Success with Lean UX will be determined by attention level
#LeanUX | @jboogie

29. Reducing deliverables efforts reduces revenue
In theory…
Fewer deliverables Fewer billable $$$$
hours
Project delivered Happier, more Repeat
faster empowered client customer
#LeanUX | @jboogie

30. Distributed teams do it remotely!
If they’re a part of you, it’s on! If not, it ain’t bloody likely.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2076450897_be1b8ace7c.jpg

31. Functional, task-flow projects work well.
There’s a clear end goal.
#LeanUX | @jboogie

32. Highly experiential marketing projects will struggle.
Time to ideate and create options is essential.
#LeanUX | @jboogie

33. How do I get started?
Here are 5 quick wins you can implement today
#LeanUX | @jboogie

34. Solve the problem together
As opposed to implementing someone else’s solution
1
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mims/326748812/sizes/l/

35. Example of sketching at work
V1 of the UI
2
#LeanUX | @jboogie

36. Sketching brings experiences to life faster
Launched UI
2
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mims/326748812/sizes/l/

37. Get the experience out there, not the document
Act it out if you have to
3
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.macdavidpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/4355664150_68b8aa58a9_o-600x337.jpg

38. Pairing saves time
It also levels the playing field
4
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://hoveringartdirectors.tumblr.com/page/2

39. Pairing sets designers free, man
…and empowers developers!
4
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.clydekellerphotos.com/images/AP_Kesey_HippiesDancing_GALLERY_CGW.jpg

40. Style guides!
The cause of, and solution, all your UX problems
5
#LeanUX | @jboogie

41. This is an evolution. Not a revolution.
Designers must evolve to stay relevant.
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/freejay3/2387714157/sizes/l/

42. Let’s get back to the experience design business.
It’s where it’s at (as the kids say)
#LeanUX | @jboogie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/expressmonorail/3057998218/sizes/l/

43. Thanks!
Call me. Let’s chat.
Jeff Gothelf
@jboogie
jeff@jeffgothelf.com
www.jeffgothelf.com
bit.ly/LeanUX
slideshare.net/jgothelf
I’m writing a book! Sign up here
#LeanUX | @jboogie