Thoughtful and purposeful

Design should be purposeful. What I mean by that is it that needs to be thought about from the audience perspective and in light of the projects goals. Cool is not necessarily better. What works for project 17, probably won’t work for project 27, even though the two may me similar in scope.

Take a look at this blog (the one you are reading) for instance. I have received council and critique that this blog is kind of plain and clearly not designed. It is in fact very precisely designed. It is plain for a reason. I have no aspiration of conversion. I have no goal of expanding my reach. If you read this blog regularly you likely seek substance over style. You likely appreciate the utility – the efficiency of delivery. If you’re mostly attracted to shiny objects then you likely won’t be back here anytime soon. I’m pretty ok with that. There are plenty of places that provide visual sizzle and this is not one of them.

Think about lifestyles and demographics. Would not everyone want to look cool, wear black and live in Manhattan? Of course we all know the answer. High design and cutting edge design is really fun and I for one love it. But it does not serve anyone to apply it when the audience will be unreceptive.

All three dimensions of design; form, function and fit, must be considered. That one seems lacking from your perspective, does not mean it wasn’t considered.

Search engine optimization…

I have this theory that as soon as the search engines (yes, mostly google) have indexed the web enough, they will no longer need the convenience of portals. They will then reduce the transparency how crawlers work and make it much more difficult to optimize a site for them. It only makes sense… the search engine becomes you own personal and customizable portal… but I digress.

Every day I get little reminders of the importance of search engine optimization (SEO). Bu today I got a startling example of what happens when you do absolutely nothing about it. I was searching for a small cabinetmaker in Maryland. It’s a very small shop – and that is partially why I was looking for them. They were actually listed third in the results. Not bad, until you looked at number two. In the number two spot was a listing that took me to a discussion forum. Within that forum, a very nice person had compiled a list of 20 or so cabinetmakers with a similar specialty. Suddenly, I have a full list of this guy’s competition. Surely this is not good for him in any way right?

So, some 10 years since my small design firm in Kansas (maybe our location caused us to try harder) began working to help clients optimize their sites so that they could be better found on the web… there are still people with web sites that have no clue. So much opportunity lost.

What is “smart”?

The word is everywhere. In interviews, in meetings, and in process I hear the reference. What does it mean when someone says “she is really smart”?

Smart can be a lot of things. Smart can mean that a person knows a lot. Lot’s of knowledge frankly, is not always helpful. Applying the appropriate part of that knowledge to the problem at hand is quite useful. This part of smart is also a split category. Some smart people have read a lot. Some have done a lot. Knowledge without application is less than optimal. Experience without a core understanding of theory or reasoning can be problematic as well.

Smart can also mean that the person learns or figures stuff out… is a problem solver. That is also very useful in many, many situations. The third type of smart is really more an issue of judgment. These people are often notable because they seem to know what to do in certain situations. They may utilize “smarts” from either of the first two categories… or not.

Of note… is something that is perceived as smart, but may not be. A quick confident answer is often seen as smart. Be very careful with this one… it is primarily behavioral, and as such a learned skill. This one can get you into big trouble.

Better…

If your motives are pure and simple, visa a vi, do my job better, make better products, make customers happy… then why is there so much conflict in the workplace. Why are there so many roadblocks to getting my job done and doing it better?

The origin of the term ‘bureaucracy’ was to identify systems and technologies placed into large organizations to increase efficiency. By the way, it was the Romans that figured out well-managed groups really need to be capped at about 100-125 individuals.

One of the basic premise’ behind working efficient and effectively is to break small problems or projects into smaller ones. Evolving this to ongoing work streams, we assign specialists. Specialist often feel that to operate at their best, they must have a singular focus and look at their part of the problem with a microscope or telescope. The problem with each of these visual tools is that they decrease depth perception and are limited by perspective.

Each of us within the organization need to get out of the weeds, away from out tactical poise and look at the big picture. If the trains run on time, but they don’t take folks to their intended destination, we have failed collectively. Increased efficiency always impacts effectiveness, and vice versa.

So get out of your chair… stand on your desks and have a look over those cubical walls. Get out of your office and wander to a different floor. Talk to people who do jobs other than what you do. Gain some perspective. There is a bigger picture.

Where are you going?

The great thing about having a path... is than when you wander, you have a place to come back to.

Resistance is not futile… it is optimal.

Ever ridden down a steep hill at such a fast rate that you could not pedal? Your feet just can’t keep up. It’s an uncomfortable feeling… almost out of control. Riding the flats or uphill… with some resistance gives us the choice to go faster or to slow down.

An experienced salesperson lives for an objection. It is only at that point that they get to do their job. If you ever want to frustrate a salesperson, just smile and nod as they run out of things to say.

When I was a young designer I used to bristle at constraints. Constraints were definitely the things that held me back from doing great design. What I later discovered was that those very constraints that I loved to complain about, were the foundation of my work. They were the problems I solved, the edge that gave me grip, the launching point of discovery. I began to seek those challenges that afforded both opportunity and accomplishment. Learning to embrace constraints was possibly the single greatest lesson I ever learned in design. 

a city of design

I could not be more excited about my relocation. The city that became home to the bauhaus... a city that so embraces industrial design and architecture. Just walking around the city... whether it be the burbs, the midtown areas or downtown... you know that people thought about this stuff... and made it work. 

So much design... so much design education. It already feels like home. 

product perfect... perfect products

As a teenager working in the sign shop down the street, I was surrounded by bikes and bikers. Not the pedaling sort, but the motored kind. Outsiders might recon that this meant some ruff influence with unruliness not fully endorsed by the parents. But the influences that stuck were from the music and art. Rock and roll is obvious… but the other was pin striping. In their spare time these guys were decorating bike fenders, gas tanks and were often paid for striping trucker’s rigs.

When body ink began gaining traction a dozen or so years ago, it was not a huge surprise to see many of those visual elements from striping find their way to shoulders, arms, lower backs and other more discrete locations. The immergence of graffiti as a legitimate art form was a bit of a surprise but its influence on body art was not.

So none of this is really news, and you might be asking what is the point?

More and more these forms and imagery have been showing up in mainstream items, from t-shirts, dress shirts, jeans and even household fabrics. It is a far less committed way of wearing body art. What is striking about the third or fourth iteration of these visual elements is the embrace of what a product manager might deem a defect. None of these canvas, the human body, a brick wall, or a truck body panel constitute anything close to a perfect canvas. The uncontrollable elements of shape, dimension, texture and material effect, in a substantial way, the outcome of the final product. These ‘defects’ or artifacts have come to be embraced. The imperfections are a huge part of what makes this cool to those willing to fork over a few bucks… and display it. It’s worth noting even when generating technology products, that the consumer has influence here… and that perfection is not always perfect. Those imperfections may in fact become desired attributes.

Social media and transitions

I have argued that social media, in and of its own, is a bit of a novelty. Its real benefits are realized when it is purposed… as it ties to specific areas of interest and activities. This may be where MySpace lost its way. As a conduit for bands and fans of bands, it had a specific purpose and place in the world. Beyond that it has drifted in comparison to the drive and growth seen on other social sites.

Working through a change in location and new employment has put me in the situation of living in two places at ones while not really being at home in either. Social media, specifically Facebook, online discussion groups and even LinkedIn have provided some unexpected continuity beyond emails, phone calls, texts and face-to-face during this time. I am a bit surprised at the stability, comfort, and utility these sites have provided. Frankly, I am also surprised at my needs – or appreciation of these outcomes. These sites have allowed me to efficiently and effectively communicate status, updates and questions to friends and colleagues – and for them to respond. While it seems rather obvious in hindsight, it’s not the sort of thing I would have effectively predicted through my own projections.

the quiet mind

Nothing original from me today… but I did run across a remarkable paragraph in a book I am reading called, ‘Effortless Mastery’. The author, Kenny Werner writes the following:

“The folly of human history is the search for this state (of mind) in things outside us. This explains wars, all the conquests of money, power, sex and other sensory experiences. The ultimate security one seeks can only be found within.”

We all need more Van Morrison moments…

These are tough times… I really don’t need to tell anyone that. Every day I talk to a friend, coworker or associate that is worried for their job, their company or just the state of the economy in general. We all do what we can to brace for the shocking turn of events or the inevitable, but in the end, the time stressing may not be time well spent.

I was heading home from work the yesterday day and it was unseasonably warm… I had the windows down and the radio up. The sun was shining. Three things hit me simultaneously and they turned my day around. I passed a construction site and the smell of fresh earth being overturned was unavoidable. A great song from my high school days came on the radio. And lastly, as I sat at the light waiting to make my left turn home, the sun peaked out and the warmth on my shoulder felt great after what seems like an eternal winter. These three relatively simple things converged to take me back to a time of optimism, carefree fun, and an excitement and anticipation for what the future holds. I could visualize in my head several similar convergences from my youth. Man, was that great.

Your particular flavors may vary… your music, your sensations, your memories… but we all need more opportunities to appreciate the moment, restore our optimism… and if for only a few seconds, shed the weight of our responsibilities. Here’s hoping you have your own version of a Van Morrison moment soon.

Why design?

On occasion I have looked around and had the strange sense that people are asking themselves, “why is he so passionate about design?” Or, I am sure in some cases, “why is he so indignant?”

Design is a special place to me. Design is that space in innovation and product development where things find their purpose and their success. Great technology does not matter if it doesn’t have purpose, if it does not add value, and if it is not used. Design, is the difference between the 10 – 15% of products that succeed, and all the rest.

Form, function and fit are the key to design. How does it work and how does it look are obvious to most. We all understand the frustration of products that just don’t work well. We also understand the ugly product out there in the world. Some products are so great, so impactful as to overcome bad design and find success in spite of themselves.

But fit… fit is the unsung hero of product design. Fit is when a product does what it needs to do in the context of use. It is how ordinary products get set aside in preference to great products. Pardon the tired example, but it is why nearly everyone has an ipod and not one of the dozen or so mp3 players that preceded them.

But still… why so passionate, is it really that big a deal? In a word yes. I was raised with a notion of contribution. It might sound simplistic or even idealistic, but I would rather give than take. I want to go beyond ‘leave no trace’, I want to ‘leave things better off’. A flat economy is not a good thing. Creating value is an important component to a growing economy. Creating value is not the same as just making money. Making money is easy. Creating value is where a person or people make an intangible difference to success. I am talking about the kind of success that puts purpose, and therefore value, in the hands of those who need it [insert life saving healthcare product success story here]. Yes there are dramatic instances, but when someone adds just a little bit of value to an otherwise ordinary product, they are doing something very special.

This is the hallowed ground of economics and commerce. This is why I am passionate about design. And yes, this is why I am indignant when you treat design with disregard and reduce it to rote process as a cost management tactic.

self importance, self promotion and self preservation

When I was a young man building my design firm I was the focus. I started small… very small, it was just me. As the company grew I added people around me that could help. As we grew in both size and sophistication it was with great pride that I found myself able to add employees that were better at specific skill sets than I.

Most of our clients were entrepreneurs at first, but we quickly joined the ranks of those sought after design firms and executed lots of high profile ‘A list’ work in the corporate sector. One common trait I found among both types of clients was the need to work with ‘the boss’ of a small or medium size firm. It’s a nice ego boost when you are young, and managing that component of the client relationship is really important.

As the company grew, I grew. I grew as both an entrepreneur and businessman. When I started the company I never really thought much about an exit strategy. I never realized how important challenges and career tracks are to retaining talent.

It became very clear that one of the most important goals I needed to attend to was making myself dispensable. I know it sounds a little crazy, but it is critical. When you found the company, when you make the big decisions and you sign the checks… it is very difficult to step away and not be the center. What is hard is shedding some of that spotlight and empowering employees to make the decisions you have helped train them to make. I don’t mean the letting go part. What is difficult is effectively communicating that competency to clients and to the folks taking over the responsibilities.

The benefits are obvious to me. I hired pros that were really, really good at what they did. I hired quality people with solid judgment. I hired individuals that were driven to do great work. They grew, I grew, and our clients grew. And, as a bonus, I got to take a vacation once in a while.

Those of you who have spent time in the corporate world know that this is not a solid or smart strategy for management, the career track, or you professionally.

An important influence of mine, Kenneth McKenzie (he pretty much invented the field of Organizational Behavior), once told me that if I wanted to get things done, then keep my head down and don’t make a big deal about claiming credit for your work. That fits my nature, but I could not even have comprehended the wisdom of those words at the time. Conversely, one of the most effective ways to get ahead in the corporate world is to be standing near when the cameras are flashing during the victory lap. Some folks just have a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

There is probably a sweet spot between communicating your importance, getting things done, and preserving self in a large organization. There is probably a lot less pressure if you just want a job. When trying to manage a career and do great work, it is more complicated. These are things we should probably all be thinking more about, but they don’t really teach you in business school.

Choosing discovery over comfort.

In a recent conversation with someone I admire greatly, I heard them say, “I don’t like surprises.” I was a bit taken aback and this statement has lingered in my head ever since. Reliability, replication and process are comfortable, and at the core of so much of commerce. Much of what we have is due to humans perfecting rote process. Six Sigma is considered the ultimate study and practice in refining such things.

I sometimes feel the Doctor Jekyl and Mr. Hyde pull when this topic comes up. Because of my business background I recognize the benefits of replication, and yet I also see where it fails miserably. Having spent the majority of my career managing the design process as an entrepreneur, I know about the revenue implications and the importance of risk mitigation and reliable outcomes. Clients rarely hire designers with break through, cutting edge outcomes in mind. They are looking for sure footed measures to accomplish good results. The business side of me pulls towards reliable process, while the designer inside me pushes towards discovery hoping for greatness.

For a long time I have been on record as promoting toolsets over process for designers. Yes, there is a certain amount of process that is always necessary. And, yes, it makes sense to routinize reporting and tracking. But assembly line process for problem solving will return ordinary solutions. So I would posit that when you see a process heavy design group, the expectations for greatness are likely fairly low.

All systems are geared towards economizing and optimizing (if you hear MBA types saying maximize, you might help them understand this is rarely possible, almost never desirable, and likely a misunderstanding of the word… please point them towards a dictionary). These systems focus on managing variants and invarients. Unfortunately, what is often overlooked are the benefits of variation. Whether you call them ‘happy accidents’ or ‘unexpected outcomes’, you will find that most scientific and philosophical breakthroughs lacked ordinary methods or factory like process. Those same variants that many work so hard to control… are from where greatness comes. It may be just the smallest glimmer of hope, but I think you have to give people a chance to break through, to make a difference, and the opportunity to achieve greatness. Just the opportunity for discovery is ultimately more gratifying than comfort.

Managing dynamics

There are basically two kinds of car races that make any sense, drag racing and track racing. Drag racing is obviously going full out for a very short period of time. Track racing is about endurance. Certainly overall speed is important, but managing the variance – knowing when to go fast and when to conserve is crucial. This is basically the construct behind the ‘tortoise and the hair’ story we have all heard as a child.

If you have ever played in a music group with others, you understand the importance of dynamics. If the trumpet players play full out for the entire song, it is likely that we will never enjoy the soft sweet tones of the flutes and piccolo’s.

These same principals are important with managing people, works loads and even users and customers. Pushing your staff full out or for constant long hours does not work. The ramifications of applying short-term tactics over the long haul are well documented, and frankly obvious. Burn out and attrition are certainly the most common of inevitable outcomes.

For customers it is slightly different… well actually not so much. They just leave or ignore you. If everything you take to them is an, ‘unbelievable incredible deal of a lifetime’, your message will fade (ok, this time think ‘the boy who cried wolf’). If every offer is accompanied by flashing neon and police emergency lights… then the intensity of those are soon rendered ineffective.

The basic principle of managing dynamics seems so obvious. It causes me pause when I see it ignored.

Comfort in numbers

The quest amongst those who can afford them is about gathering metrics. In a risk adverse culture, metrics are like a warm blanket. They are comforting when you are working alone, and if things get rough you can pull them over your head and hide from the truth… or the scary monsters.

In scrutinizing the use of metrics I often wonder, is the goal to make the decision process simpler and less risky, or to make a better decision. In that spirit I would offer a couple of suggestions.

The terms research and metrics would seem to be hand and glove. Research is an annoyingly costly and time intense process to find out what you already know, right? But I digress and that would not really be my main point. Outcomes from research can only be useful as guidance. To expect research, whether it is the building of personae (qualitative), or the use of A/B testing (quantitative), to solve the problem is a bit naiveté. In the end a person must do the analysis and a person must make a judgment (more on this in a second). The research is just one component of due diligence and along with other work sets the stage for resolve - it must not and cannot make the decisions for you.

In a hierarchal culture we are often saddled with solving problems that as assigned to us. As those problems are given to us to solve or resolve, it’s worth bearing in mind that the consequences of our decisions may not fit the situation. A critical component of problem solving is asking the right question. Is it appropriate to question the validity of the problem you have been asked to solve… well, yes - if only to set appropriate expectations for your own impact. Will your answer improve the situation? It might, but only, if the right questions are being asked.

Lastly, judgment is much more that choosing between what’s behind curtain number one or the box that Carol is showing us. Judgment requires due diligence, it requires answering the right question, but also requires looking into the future, selling the decision, and most important – follow through. The relief you feel when you finally make that all-important decision is often accompanied by anxiety and second-guessing. The best cure for those troubling side effects is to carefully guide your decision into reality by managing a solid plan.

The power of peripheral attention

In an old episode of the television show “Friends”, Jon Lovitz guest stars as a food critic. On the way over he gets stoned. Cannabis (I am told) has a tendency to increase focus to a near exclusive state. John’s character hears the word tartlet. He repeats, “tartlets, tartlets, tartlets… the word has lost all meaning.”

A couple of months after my daughter was born I was reading a book at a friends house. I wish I could remember and quote it precisely, but it basically said, “children are born the most aware beings on our planet, and we systematically take that away with them by teaching focus”.

The point of this writing is not to take issue with the power of focus, but to point out that it is not the only answer.

I was reading about Eric Johnson’s (virtuoso guitar player) lifelong quest for tone perfection. He mentioned that sometimes in order to get great tone, you have to stop thinking about tone. He has spent years practicing this. He is still learning.

For many years, I have managed the design process. I can’t tell you the number of times I have been eyeball deep in a project… wading in the muck of options and castaways only to find the perfect solution. As a design crew we would then assemble the client into a meeting room, make our dramatic and passionate presentation, and proclaim that “this, my dear client… is THE answer to your problem”. And, in that 18 minute build up… a 12 second unveiling… and the ensuing 17 minute discussion expect them to come to the same affirming conclusion that took our team 7 weeks.

So the client stares at the work… and then stares at it some more… looks us up and down and then stares back at the work. The pressure builds until they mutter, “umm, I’m not sure’. And we designers are astonished. How could they not see the brilliance?

At this moment, focus is not your friend. After repeating this scenario a couple dozen times I finally figured out why it does not work. The client must often, just like us, live with the solution for a bit.

And so here is the simple recipe. Next time you are struggling to make a decision, stop staring. Hang those three logo options, or variations of your web site, or anything else for that matter, in an area you work or live and go about your business. Give it 48 hours. I can almost guarantee you will come to an easy resolve.

So stop staring at the problem you are trying to solve. Live it. Be around it. Be part of it. Let your peripheral attention work for you.

Define the damn thing… redux

Discussions boards and group lists are wonderful tools for a profession. These virtual mechanisms for community lash together individuals without the barriers of geography, time zones and vertical markets. They also chronicle to some extent the cycles of conversation.

As I write this the ebb of discussion regarding defining Information Architecture seems to be subsiding (or maybe taking a breather). In the Information Architecture Institute’s list serve. But, not without the expected backlash from those uber productive goal oriented folks in the community.

These discussions, and their continual reoccurrence, are an indication of a healthy, growing and changing profession. This is exactly what many profession are lacking for, and frankly, would give their eyeteeth to have (my grandfather’s expression).

Introspection, redefinition, evaluation, forecasting and trajectory setting are all part of being a vital organization in a changing world. The problem to many within the IA community is the heads down end product orientation. Our vocation is obsessed with physical deliverables. Those deliverables tell the skeptical that we actually did work, they indicate some value, and they also milepost the billing cycle. But there is so much more value here.

You see, I believe that the process has outcomes beyond a final agreed upon official rubber stamped definition that we can parade around to the business world we serve. It is about growth, understanding and community building. It is about bringing young practitioners into the fold and having them be part of the conversation. It is about subtle iterative adjustments to our collective self image and value. Much like that design project you worked on where everyone collaborated, learned, and performed well… only to have it scrapped at the last minute… its not all about the deliverable. See… the conversation… that’s the thing.

Lesson on value from television

Admittedly I have never been much of a fan of television. Me sitting in front of the TV for more than an hour on any given day is a rarity (unless we are talking about Kansas basketball). So this whole argument may be biased… but her she goes…

As I tune in to evening prime time (is that redundant?) television I am struck by the prevalence of amateur hour. Televisions shows that highlight talent, drama and the shortcomings of those non-professional… maybe paid individuals of dubious talent. You might think that I am being harsh, but I grew up in the golden age of television. And, as a result I have expectations. I want quality and I want professionals.

At the same time, I love local stuff. Just not on television. Local theatre, local live music, local crafts festivals, local galleries… I love it. The same goes with bars, restaurants and lodging. I will take a gamble on an east side southwest grill everyday of the safety and consistency of a Bob Evans or even a Bonefish.

But what does this have to do with television programming. Well, it seems to me that the networks are following blindly, the popularity of cable shows born of economic. They were cheap to produce… they caught on… and the networks grabbed the idea. By this time some have probably even been badly managed or gone over-the-budget-top… but that’s really beside the point.

There is a huge difference between delivering a thrifty product with real value, and a cheap product. But I don’t know that most in commerce discern the difference. And I am fairly sure the majority of the buying public does not think too much about that (b-school) comparison.

In this age of dualistic black and white thinking… there is a surplus of quality at uber premium pricing… and a whole lot that is cheap. Does that mean the new disruptive market opportunity is in value? I certainly hope so.

Design – it must involve exploration

James Lowgren is one of my favorite thinkers when the topic turns to design and design thinking. He has a new column that frames design in this way:

(/from james)

~ Design work is about exploring possible futures, starting from a situation at hand.

~ It intends to change the situation for the better by developing and deploying some sort of product or service, i.e., the concrete outcome of the design process.

~ It considers instrumental and technical as well as aesthetic and ethical qualities throughout the design process.

~ Design work involves developing an understanding of the task – the "problem", or the goal of the design work – in parallel with an understanding of the space of possible solutions.

~ Finally, it entails thinking by sketching, building models, and expressing potential ideas in other tangible forms.

(/end from james)

By no means is this a comprehensive definition, but I doubt it is intended as such. One of the important take aways from this is that design requires… let me say that again, requires exploration. A be line to the obvious solution is almost never the best approach. All of us, typically when we are young and intimidated by the pressures of get it done soon, rather than get it done well, have committed this cardinal sin of design. Many non-designers don’t get this, and it is important that we help them to understand the importance of exploration.

http://www.interaction-design.org/encyclopedia/interaction_design.html