mind melds and battlebots: creating the right kind of designer/developer dynamic
TRANSCRIPT
&mind melds
BATTLE BOTS
Designer/Developer
Who are we?
Carolyn Chandler Mira Fitness Co-Author, UX Design books @chanan
Don Bora Eight Bit Studios Mobile Makers @dbora
Who Are You?
? ?
We all want to create great stuff
What problems are we attacking?
BattleBot mode wastes a lot of energy for fight strategy
Mind melds aren’t always good
goatee of evil
We have communication issues
Designers often hear:
“Then you can make it pretty”
“It’s just common sense, right?”
“Isn’t that a training issue?”
We have communication issues
Developers often hear…
“It’s easy…”
“Can’t we just…?”
“I’ve seen this done a million times.”
Why is this urgent?
Tech changes so fast…
Unicorns are the new pidgeons
Teams are mixed & distributed
Start with empathy…
Designer Empathy
happy trees
What’s Possible?
Over/Under Communication
Developer Empathy
Last Developer Standing
Things can go wrong and when they do, it’s usually in the 11th hour
Too much info
Dire messages
Blame the userA good way to handle unknown errors:
Windows 10…
We are all craftspeople working on shifting sands
What tactics can help?
On Projects…
The main waste is the time you DON’T spend in mind setting
MEETINGS
What’s our level of detail?
FORESTS
TREES
WEEDS
What is the intention?
Designers can ask: What data do we have that we’re not taking good advantage of?
EXPLORING
Developers can ask: What patterns (like navigational frameworks) do we want to start following early on?
EXPLORING PROPOSING
Both ask: Does this reflect our business goals and identity? If not this exact thing… what can we do? Is there something that gets us close? What if…?
What is the intention?
EXPLORING PROPOSING DECIDING
Both ask: What principles should drive our decisionmaking? Do we all understand the pros and cons of the choice? (for example, build or buy)
What is the intention?
Brainstorming“Yes, and…”
Rubber Ducking“I just need to talk this through for a bit…”
Gap Finding“What if…”
–Johnny Appleseed
“Type a quote here.”
“We don’t know…”with…
“Here’s what we can do…”Replace…
developers…
–Johnny Appleseed
“Type a quote here.”
developers…
Be the right kind of cocky
Extracurricular…
Developers, invite designers to a hack-a-thon
–Johnny Appleseed
“Type a quote here.”
Designers, host a spark-a-thon
http://bit.ly/1FjSJmR
Thank You!
Carolyn Chandler [email protected] @chanan
Don Bora [email protected] @dbora
Join us for our panel next door!