THE FUTURE OF CONTENT AND
DESIGN Next-Level Collaboration CONFAB 2015 - @REBEKAHCANCINO

1st fully computer-animated film No.
1 film of the year in 1995 Nominated for 3 Oscar awards One lifetime achievement award $191+M lifetime earnings And it was all sorts of awesome

Meet Ed CatmullPhotograph by Deborah
Coleman, Pixar

http://www.fastcompany.com/3027135/lessons-learned/inside-the-pixar-braintrust

http://www.fastcompany.com/3027135/lessons-learned/inside-the-pixar-braintrust Tens of thousands of
ideas

Traditional animation workflow

Pixar’s workflow

You don’t see the complexity,
all you see is a beautiful story

“I realized the most exciting
thing I had ever done was to help create the unique environment that allowed that film to be made.” - Ed Catmull, Pixar Co-Founder & CEO

“TO PRESERVE THE OF FORCES
NECESSARY TO CREATE “ confluence magic. Ed’s new mission?

Work used to be simple

“IT WAS IT HAD CLEAR
“ tangible, edges. @KERRY_ANNE

Silos were a-okay

http://cdn2.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/back-to-the-future-part-ii-original.jpg
Flash forward to today

We expect so much of
our lives to be online

“Everything is content. Content is
what the user needs or wants right now.” - Jared Spool

Content is at the heart
of everything we design

2001 called, it wants its
workflow back

http://cdn.softlayer.com/innerlayer/IBM370.png And yet here we
are...

Still disconnected

HTML wireframes! Atomic design! Adaptive
content! Style tiles!

“Until we got stuck.” PROTOTYPING
YOUR WORKFLOW

“Meeting the demands of a
multi-device web is less a problem of technique, and more one of communication.” - Mark Llobrera

Finding our way forward MAKING
NEXT-LEVEL COLLABORATION POSSIBLE

The whole is greater than
the sum of its parts

The value of effective collaboration
Create alignment Remove politics Reduce rework Boost morale Create alignment = deliver better outcomes Remove politics = launch faster Reduce rework = decrease costs Boost morale = increase productivity @REBEKAHCANCINO

Latching on to someone else’s
process or finding the next shiny tool that will save the day. It’s not about... @REBEKAHCANCINO

IT’S ABOUT CREATING THE ENVIRONMENT
FOR OUR OWN PROCESS TO emerge. @REBEKAHCANCINO

How can we set the
stage for our own magic?

An unspoken prerequisite: WITHOUT OPENNESS,
WE CAN’T HAVE EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION.

A CULTURE OF OPENNESS ISN’T
IT TAKES AND automatic, practice intention. @REBEKAHCANCINO

Content strategists are
natural connecters

CONTENT STRATEGY ISN’T A SPORT.solo
@REBEKAHCANCINO

Open by design

What’s inside a culture of
openness?

Personal openness IT ALL STARTS
WITH ME

Exponential openness Outward openness Active
openness Personal openness

An open mindset and personal
belief system grounded in humility, equality, and respect for fellow collaborators. This personal lens of openness defines how you see everything else.

http://rlv.zcache.com/neon_open_sign_framed_in_a_heart_shape_in_a_wind_postcard- r921910cb3db84ba9992f161fd2a5b51c_vgbaq_8byvr_1024.jpg Being open to
the ideas of others lets others know we’re down to collaborate

FAUCET FUNNEL Suspend judgment Go
for quantity YES, and… Embrace the unusual Let go of ego Accentuate the positive Think strategically Align to goals/objectives Check for feasibility Avoid default decisions First faucet, then funnel

Know what you don’t know,
asking questions creates opportunity

Know what you don’t know,
asking questions creates opportunity

“Humility is a critical strength
for leaders and organizations possessing it, and a dangerous weakness for those lacking it.” - Dusya Vera Ph.D., Strategic Virtues: Humility as a Source of Competitive Advantage

Because science

Personal opennessIS A MINDSET THAT
DRIVES EVERYTHING ELSE. IT THAT YOU’RE TO COLLABORATE.willing signals @REBEKAHCANCINO

feelPEOPLE NEED TO THAT YOU
ARE OPEN BEFORE THEY CAN WITH YOU.collaborate @REBEKAHCANCINO

Personal openness looks like... BEING
OPEN TO THE IDEAS OF OTHERS.

Personal openness looks like... KNOWING
WHEN WE DON’T KNOW SOMETHING (AND BEING COOL WITH IT).

Personal openness looks like... ASKING
LOTS OF QUESTIONS.

Personal openness looks like... RESPECTING
THE SKILLS, STRENGTHS, AND HUMANITY OF OUR TEAMMATES.

3 easy ways to practice
1) Include someone you normally wouldn’t in your next project meeting, someone who would add value but that you don’t always agree with or think of first. 2) Suspend judgment when hearing new ideas, build in time to think freely before narrowing down options as a team. 3) Next time something comes up that you don’t understand, ask about it (instead of Googling or pretending that you know).

Active openness PUTTING PERSONAL OPENNESS
TO GOOD USE

Personal openness Exponential openness Outward
openness Active openness

Active openness is putting personal
openness to good use. It’s when we channel our open mindset into courage, curiosity, and concern for the whole outcome.

“Content doesn’t belong to content.
Design doesn’t belong to design. Code doesn’t belong to dev.” - Nicole Fenton

Just jumping in helps you
add value where it counts

This is Chris@CHRIS_CORAK Director of
Search Strategy at Sitewire

“I THINK ONE THING THAT
I TRY TO BE REALLY CONSCIOUS OF IS PROBABLY TONE.” transcribed from an interview

“AND JUST, I DON’T KNOW.
THERE’S COOL WAYS TO SAY THINGS, AND DEFINITELY WAYS TO SAY THINGS THAT FEEL ACCUSATORY OR NEGATIVE.” transcribed from an interview

“I THINK, A LOT OF
IN THE WAY YOU SAY SOMETHING COULD MAKE SOMEBODY EVEN RECEPTIVE TO LISTENING TO YOU (AND ACTUALLY HEARING YOU).” transcribed from an interview

“MAYBE A GOOD WAY TO
GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO YOU IS TO TRY TO BRING FACTS TO THE TABLE.” transcribed from an interview

“IF YOU HAVE DATA TO
BACK UP SOMETHING YOU’RE TRYING TO TALK ABOUT, IT’S DEFINITELY MUCH EASIER TO, I THINK, GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO YOU.” transcribed from an interview

“EVEN IF I HAVE A
HUNCH ABOUT SOMETHING…” transcribed from an interview

“IF I CAN HELP PROVE
IT, THEN I FEEL LIKE MY IDEA IS RECEPTIVE FAR MORE OFTEN (THAN IF IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE A THOUGHT THAT DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TO IT).” transcribed from an interview

IDEA METRICS PEOPLE GOALS BUSINESS
CASE

METRICS PEOPLE GOALS Approach value
and benefits Supporting facts and data Players involved and their role Business goals and user needs met Building your business case IDEA

trust Building a business case
for collaboration builds and uncovers hidden .potential @REBEKAHCANCINO

Meet Nicole@NICOLESLAW Co-Author of Nicely
Said

“BUT I THINK THAT INTERFACE
WRITING IS CODE. IT’S CODE FOR PEOPLE, IT’S CODE FOR READERS.” transcribed from an interview

“IT’S LIKE… ‘I’M DOING THIS
STEP, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NEXT?’ - A USER” transcribed from an interview

“YOU KNOW? AND THAT’S A
VERY LIKE, PROGRAMMATIC WAY OF DEALING WITH SOMETHING.” transcribed from an interview

“LIKE IF YOU’RE GOING THROUGH
A CHECKOUT FLOW, AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, OR SOMETHING HAPPENS…” transcribed from an interview

“AN INTERFACE WRITER HAS TO
THINK OF IT ALMOST LIKE A PROGRAMMER.” transcribed from an interview

Broad knowledge, deep expertise

Context builds
greater understanding

Active opennessIS THE EVIDENCE OF
BEING AN OPEN PERSON—IT’S WHEN YOU PUT YOUR OPEN MINDSET TO @REBEKAHCANCINO good use.

Active openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
CHOOSING OUTCOMES OVER EGO.

Active openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
JUST JUMPING IN WHERE WE CAN HELP AND ADD VALUE (IN A HUMBLE WAY).

Active openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
UNDERSTANDING THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE AND LEARNING ABOUT OTHER DISCIPLINES.

3 easy ways to practice
1) Talk to (or shadow) people in other disciplines who are working on the same thing as you. Ask about their process, challenges, and workflow. 2) Build a business case for collaboration. Find ways to communicate the value of what your idea will add to the process. Saved time? Less rework? 3) Read articles from other disciplines that complement or overlap with your work. Follow a diverse set of people on Twitter. @REBEKAHCANCINO

Outward openness PRACTICING EMPATHY FOR
OTHERS

Personal openness Active openness Exponential
openness Outward openness

Outward openness is an exercise
in empathy. It’s when we work to understand the needs of those we are designing for, and create solutions that are right for their context.

BUSINESS GOALS CUSTOMER NEEDS Find
balance

THINKING DOINGFEELING Start with context
@danieleizans

Map the user’s context

Listen for pain points and
latent needs

Formulate a problem
statement, together

USER + NEED + INSIGHT
An anxious mother sending a grad gift To feel good about her gift choice Once she sends the berries she worries about if her niece will be there to receive it, will they spoil? First, uncover insight

We believe that ___________ has
________________ and that ______________may solve this problem by ____________________ and _____________________. We will know we have succeeded when ___________________and/or ____________________ reaches ___________________. (USER) (PROBLEM) (THIS SOLUTION) (THIS ASPECT) (THAT ASPECT) (QUANTATIVE MEASURE) (QUALITATIVE MEASURE) (THIS LEVEL) @kevinhoffman

Share insights with the team

@AURASELTZER Designer at Happy Cog
This is Aura Seltzer

“SO, IF YOU’RE A DESIGNER,
CHANCES ARE, AND THIS IS AN ASSUMPTION I’LL MAKE BUT IT’S PROBABLY TRUE…” transcribed from an interview

“YOU ARE A SOMEWHAT CONTROLLING
PERSON WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT YOU’RE CREATING.” transcribed from an interview

“AND I THINK WHAT SETS
YOUR CLIENT UP FOR SUCCESS, IS FOR WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO CONTROL SO DEEPLY…” transcribed from an interview

“TO ACTUALLY LIKE, TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THAT EXTRA VARIABLE (CONTENT), RIGHT?” transcribed from an interview

“AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST
TESTAMENTS TO THE SUCCESS OF A SITE IS…” transcribed from an interview

“ONCE THE CLIENT PUTS ALL
THEIR CONTENT IN, DOES THE DESIGN SYSTEM THAT YOU BUILT STILL FUNCTION THE WAY YOU INTENDED?” transcribed from an interview

“THAT’S TWO-FOLD, THAT HAS TO
DO WITH: DID YOU BUILD A SYSTEM THAT HAS ENOUGH FOR THEIR NEEDS?” transcribed from an interview

“AND THEN ALSO THERE’S EDUCATION
PART. DID YOU TEACH THE CLIENT WHAT TO USE WHERE, AND WHAT EACH PIECE IS FOR?” transcribed from an interview

“SO, I THINK THE SOONER
YOU OPEN YOURSELF UP TO NEEDING TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE THINGS…” transcribed from an interview

“(RATHER THAN TRYING TO LIKE,
JAM A SQUARE INTO A CIRCLE COOKIE CUTTER)” transcribed from an interview

“I THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPIER
ONCE YOUR SITE’S LAUNCHED.” transcribed from an interview

BUSINESS GOALS CUSTOMER NEEDS So
take it a step further INTERNAL NEEDS

Outward opennessIS AN EXERCISE IN
. IT’S WHEN WE PUT OUR AGENDA ASIDE AND DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR OUR USERS. @REBEKAHCANCINO empathy

Outward openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
BALANCING BUSINESS GOALS WITH USER NEEDS.

Outward openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
DOING USER RESEARCH AS A TEAM (AND ACTUALLY TALKING TO REAL USERS, TOO).

Outward openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
CONSIDERING THE NEEDS OF INTERNAL TEAMS AND SETTING THEM UP FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.

Outward openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
KILLING YOUR DARLINGS IN SERVICE OF THE GREATER GOOD.

3 easy ways to practice
1) Do research as a team. Try walking through the user’s context with an empathy map before discussing solutions. 2) Talk to the people you’re making things for to discover latent needs (internal users count, too). Consider inviting your users to co-design with you. 3) Take your best idea off the table. Let go of preconceived ideas of what will work best, work out a user-centered solution with your team. @REBEKAHCANCINO

Exponential openness POSSIBILITIES THAT WEREN’T
THERE BEFORE

Personal openness Active openness Outward
openness Exponential openness

Exponential openness happens when cross-
discipline teams come together to co-create something greater than any one person could on their own. This is where the benefits of collaboration increase rapidly.

Hey, Joe! @WORKJOESTEWART Designer at
Work & Co for Virgin America

“FOR THE VIRGIN PROJECT THERE
WERE TWO LEAD DESIGNERS.” transcribed from an interview

“ME, WITH MY BACKGROUND IN
GRAPHIC DESIGN. AND THIS OTHER GUY, FELIPE MEMORIA, WHOSE BACKGROUND WAS IN SORT OF MORE TRADITIONAL UX.” transcribed from an interview

“AND SO, WE STARTED DOING
THE CONCEPT WORK TOGETHER.” transcribed from an interview

“Just sitting in the same
room, next to each other.”

“AND YOU KNOW, USUALLY WE’D
START TALKING ABOUT IT AFTER WE’D DO A LITTLE BIT OF…” transcribed from an interview

“USER RESEARCH ✓ CLIENT INTERVIEWS
✓ AND THEN DISCUSS OUR OWN FINDINGS ✓” transcribed from an interview

“WE DRAW A LOT TOGETHER,
LIKE MOST OF THE TIME WHAT WE’RE DOING IS DRAWING REALLY LOOSE WIREFRAMES TOGETHER.” transcribed from an interview

Wow, much drawing. Very UX.

“AND THAT PART OF CO-DESIGNING
WAS A REALLY BIG THING.” transcribed from an interview

MAKE SURE
INVITED.
everyone’s

ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO
UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF WHAT’S GOING TO MAKE A PROJECT SUCCESSFUL.

DESIGN AND DEVS UX PEEPS
CONTENT STRATEGISTS STAKEHOLDERS (USERS, TOO) PRODUCT MANAGERS CREATIVE DIRECTORS and more!

“Part of why we’re actually
able to undertake such a big process so successfully is that we didn’t have a wall that we tossed things back and forth over. It was really very tight feedback loops. Very collaborative.” - Dean Cookson, VP CIO Virgin America

BUSINESS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Prioritized,
measurable goals, objectives and sub-objectives. USER TASKS Real, researched and prioritized user tasks. Before designing together, you need:

Then you could, for example...
1)Define user information needs and tasks

2) Prioritize user flow and
content hierarchy

3) Align to internal goals,
look for gaps

4) Map to layout and
discuss functionality and interactions

Exponential opennessIS WHEN WE COME
TOGETHER IN A PRODUCTIVE WAY TO CREATE SOMETHING THAN ANY ONE OF US COULD ON OUR OWN. @REBEKAHCANCINO greater

Exponential openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
CO-DESIGNING SOLUTIONS WITH YOUR STAKEHOLDERS AND USERS.

Exponential openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
GETTING ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

Exponential openness looks like... @REBEKAHCANCINO
DOING THE WORK TOGETHER, INSTEAD OF JUST TALKING ABOUT THE WORK.

3 ways to encourage exponential
openness @REBEKAHCANCINO 1) Design a meeting differently. Start with goals in mind, try group work and games to elicit the outcomes you need. 2) Get executives involved. Find out who the final decision makers are and invite them to the design process early. (Clearly communicate the benefit of them being there.) 3) Team up, and don’t make decisions in a vacuum. Join forces with your stakeholders, teammates, and users.

And so... JUST TO WRAP
THINGS UP

COLLABORATION AND CO-DESIGN ARE TO
BUILDING THE INTERCONNECTED EXPERIENCES OF THE future. essential @REBEKAHCANCINO

A CULTURE OF SETS THE
STAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL AND . openness collaboration co-creation @REBEKAHCANCINO

1) PERSONAL OPENNESS: be humble
2) ACTIVE OPENNESS: just jump in 3) OUTWARD OPENNESS: start with heart 4) EXPONENTIAL OPENNESS: join forces Ways to champion openness @REBEKAHCANCINO

Let’s do this

togetherly.co
sitewire.com
@REBEKAHCANCINO
Thanks, y’all!