No matter what problem you are working on, you need a foundation that envisions others using the product you create. In this session, you will build triangles with your hands, look through the triangles and ask: Who is my audience? What is their purpose, and what is their context? With this framing, you will be able to see patterns and make decisions. You will also use hula hoops to explore strategic relationships and maneuver chopsticks to envision the structure of an argument. The session will conclude by drafting agile personas and seeing how this unique approach can serve as the basis for any UX project.

1. Triangles, Hula Hoops, and Chopsticks Exploring Rhetorical Focus Thom Haller [email_address] Presentation to UPA-DC. September 16, 2011 thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

2. Tonight thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Time Chunk 2: Triangles Time Chunk 3: Hula Hoops Time Chunk 4: Chopsticks Time Chunk 5: Try this at Home Time Chunk 1: Overview … Exigence

3. Time Chunk #1: Overview (and Exigence) thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

6. From which passion arose…

8. My pursuit began in the 1980s thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

9. As a student of rhetoric thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

10. Rhetoric does not mean “meaningless bombast” thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com chopsticks

11. Rhetoric = Information directed toward action thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

12. I liked that… thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

13. But what does this mean to you? thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

14. Useful rhetorical word: EXIGENCE thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

16. In other words: Why are we doing this? thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

17. Thom story: In the early days, I often built “communication products” nobody wanted to use 1990s now 1976 1980s Working for 3-letter acronym firms

18. Hmmmm… This makes me grumpy Thom in a mauve cubicle. Young(er). Moustached. And Grumpy . This made me grumpy.

19. So I asked…. “Why are we doing this?” Deliverable Use of product/site Why do we focus on the deliverable?

20. I wondered…. How can we help people use information? Deliverable Use of product/site How can we keep our focus on what people want to DO?

21. And YOU asked… What does this have to do with triangles, hula hoops, chopsticks, and agile thinking?

22. Time Chunk #2: Triangles

23. Envision a triangle. thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

24. You can use a triangle to frame your thinking. thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Celebrity endorsement: Jay-z

25. thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Your turn: Make a triangle with your hands.

26. thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Your turn: Make a triangle with your hands. Envision your exigency.. Why are you building the products you are building?

27. thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Your turn: Make a triangle with your hands. Look at the corners of the triangle and ask three questions

28. Ask three focusing questions thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com How do they/we measure success? What do they want to DO with the information? Who’s the audience?

29. thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Now look through your triangle… Inside the triangle Outside the triangle

30. Rhetorical exigency thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com You now have a framework for deciding what to leave in and what to take out. Content: what we leave in

31. Time Chunk #3: Hula Hoops

32. Audience. Purpose. Context. thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Example: www.plainlanguage.gov

33. Tip: Try this on paper thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

34. Time Chunk #4: Chopsticks

35. Look at your chopsticks thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Note: For special guests – like you

36. Envision an hourglass thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com

37. How much background info do you need to support a claim? thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Less background content More background content

38. Time Chunk #5: Applying ideas

39. Develop Quick Personas to Help You Focus thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Step One. Find a Human Images via Google Images (Burt)

40. Develop Quick Personas to Help You Focus thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Step 3. What is this person saying as he reads your document/ content? Step 2 Draw Triangle Add Content for AUDIENCE PURPOSE CONTEXT

41. Develop Quick Personas to Help You Focus thom@thomhaller.com © 2011 www.thomhaller.com Step 5 Optional: Develop these into consistent products for the entire team. Step 4 Use these rough personas to support your thinking (agile approach)

43. Thanks. Thanks. Together we can make the complex clear. Thom Haller [email_address] © 2011 www.thomhaller.com email: thom@thomhaller.com News : IA/UX class begins next Wednesday. Year #14 at the Graduate School in DC And I need test volunteers for www.plainlanguage.gov Hit me up for details.