This document outlines an agenda for a 45 minute session on using design thinking techniques to explore failure patterns. The agenda includes briefly sharing the timeline, tools for 10 minutes, sharing the presenter's failures for 15 minutes, interviewing in groups for empathy and probing "why" for 33 minutes, and sharing results for the final 25 minutes. Interviewing techniques discussed include asking "why", encouraging storytelling, looking for inconsistencies, and being prepared to capture insights. Examples of failures shared by the presenter include building the wrong product, not getting work done, "do-what-I-say" behavior from management, an change manager who wanted a big change but did not want to work with teams, and teams being bored.

1. Design Thinking Techniques to
explore and uncover
Failure
patterns
@catherinelouis, @PoDojo
cll@cll-group.com
Scrum Gathering Phoenix 2015

2. Schedule for the next
45 minutes:
- Sharing this timeline - 2 min
- Sharing tools - 10 min
- Sharing my failures - 15 min
- Interviewing for empathy,
probing why - 33 min
- Sharing results - final 25 min

3. Design Thinking
business
(viability)
technology
(feasibility)
people
(desirability)

4. Empathize
rich
stories
Define
User
+needs
+insights
for POV
Ideate
Yes! and..
Yes! and..
Yes! and..
Yes! and..
Yes! and..
Prototype
Build to
learn
Test
Show
& learn & repeat
Source: dschool.stanford.edu
Design Thinking

5. Interviewing for
empathy
1. When we understand a
person’s thoughts,
emotions & motivations we
can better determine how
to innovate for him/her.
2. If we understand the
choices a person makes,
the behaviors they engage
in, then we can identify
their needs and design
solutions to meet those
needs.
prep for interview: https://dschool.stanford.edu/wp-content/themes/dschool/method-cards/interview-
preparation.pdf

6. How to interview
1. Ask why. Even when you think you know the answer.
2. Never say “usually” when asking a question.
3. Encourage storytelling.
4. Look for inconsistencies. These inconsistencies
hide interesting insights.
5. Pay attention to nonverbal cues. Be aware of body
language and emotions.
6. Don’t be afraid of silence.
7. Don’t suggest answers to your questions.
8. Ask questions neutrally.
9. Don’t ask binary questions.
10. Make sure you’re prepared to capture!
11. If you can, interview in pairs.*
12. Use food: it offers just enough distraction.*
Source: http://dschool.stanford.edu/wp-content/themes/dschool/method-cards/interview-for-empathy.pdf
* I’ve found food + pairing works great!

7. 5-Whys
Why is the statue eroding?
harsh
chemicals
splat
gulp!
gulp!!
source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IETtnK7gzlE

8. I believe
•People want to do great work.
•People want to be able to decide how
to do their work.
•People need to understand the
purpose of their work, to be part of
something greater than themselves.
If you believe this too it’ll
influence your interviews.

9. sharing failures

10. Built the wrong product
1. Missed a word in the spec. Why?
2. We weren’t listening. Why?
3. Engineers are intrinsically
motivated to build cool stuff. Why?
4. We’re hard-wired that way. Why?
5. We know we are, that’s why we demo’d
every 2 weeks, but these demos were
not to the real customers. Demos
were to other folks just like us.
“How is the product going to be used?”

11. Not getting Done
1. The test for HW was not provided by
the SW prime. Why?
2. HW/SW folks don’t work together in-
sprint. Why?
3. Teams were told that their Sprints
were separated. Why?
4. Edict from above. Why?
5. Dir. of SW & Dir. of HW compete for
the same pile of money.
“Do you need help?”

12. Do-what-I-say behavior
1. Because I want to know how long it
will take for the product to be built.
Why?
2. Because it’s the time of year for the
finance review and planning. Why?
3. Because we do financial planning
yearly. Why?
4. We’ve always done it this way. Why?
5. Not sure!
“Is iterative development supported?”

13. Change manager wanted a
big change
1. She wasn’t working with the teams,
but seemed to work well managing
upwards. Why?
2. She …really did not want to work
with teams in this job. Why?
3. She wanted to put “Agile Coach” on
her resume to get a new gig. Why?
4. Company not helping her, she did
not want to help the company.
“Do you really want to be here? Why?”

14. we are…bored
1. Only 2 out of 8 teams have the skills
needed to deliver each Sprint. Why?
2. Teams were formed as “work streams”
versus fully functioning teams. Why?
3. Teams were kicked off to reflect the
original waterfall (silo’d) structure
Why?
4. Did not want to begin with “just what we
need.” Why?
5. Needed a Big Plan Up Front to get
funding.
“How did you start the development?”

15. Schedule for the next
45 minutes:
- Sharing this timeline - 2 min
- Sharing tools - 10 min
- Sharing my failures - 15 min
- Interviewing for empathy,
probing why - 33 min
3 Min: get in groups, 15/switch
- Sharing results - final 25 min

16. cll-group.com
podojo.com
facebook/podojo
plus.google.com/+PoDojo
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