Thread by @RohanIrvine

Last presentation for day 1 is @jkolko - creative clarity: finding focus in the midst of ambiguity

#UXA18

John is enamoured with creativity and so is everyone else based on the articles that have 'X secrets to creativity'

#UXA18

John will share 4 tips that have helped him foster creativity in his team's.

Acknowledging feelings
Taming ambiguity
Let them run amok
.....And a 4th one

#UXA18

Everyone is creative, or so every TED talk ends.

John is also creative (he showed some pottery he made when he was a kid)

#UXA18

John made a thing, and he worked really hard with late nights, and he was really happy with it, then he looked around and saw better things, and he looked back and said actually what I made was bad. He then internalises that he is bad.

#UXA18

John has seen plenty of students go through this and the behaviour he sees is.

I give up.

Or

I will double down and fight for this thing as much as I can so I don't feel bad.

#UXA18

You lose focus of the problem, and the solution and you begin to critique yourself, not the thing you created.

#UXA18

Takeaway 1.

Shortcut self critique with GROUP critique.
#UXA18

We critique the thing together, it creates new constraints which lead to new things. Reaching out to your peers is a way to push your design in iterations.

#UXA18

The team has to trust and believe in you.

#UXA18

Takeaway 2.

Focus on building trust, rather than craftship

#UXA18

Build trust by making the team make a thing about the team.

Aiming internally you will build trust.

#UXA18

Taming ambiguity.

When the problem has no form or shape it's easy for you to get lost in the mud.

An artefact is what you use to kick off the conversation.

#UXA18

Takeaway 3.
As a design leader you have to create the first thing.

Be open to the fact that the first thing you're making is WRONG.

#UXA18

All you're trying to do is kick off the conversation.

#UXA18

Conversations build constraints, which come from a creative process where as requirements are forced down upon you.

#UXA18

Takeaway 5.

Help the team see what the constraints are.

#UXA18

Constraints, iterations and critique dies in the world of rules, requirements and precedent.

#UXA18

Takeaway 6.
Rules destroy creativity

#UXA18

Rules aren't just on the problem statement, it includes the institution rules.

#UXA18

Takeaway 7.
When there are no rules you will break a lot of glass. As a design leader you need to OWN the consequences.

#UXA18

Give your team a reason to go to work.

#UXA18

When John did qualitative research at blackboard they looked for feelings.
#UXA18

Takeaway 9.
Use real data to reinforce why their work matters.

#UXA18

Frame the strategy not the solution.

#UXA18

They created visuals artefacts for internal teams to reflect on the process, the pro lemon and where it might go. They weren't isn't facing.

#UXA18

How do I art direct an idea that has just begun to form without playing marionette with the designer.

#UXA18

Takeaway 10.
Visualise the started just enough to set a trajectory.

#UXA18

Constantly tell the retrospective story.

#UXA18

John's startup collected data from colleague schedules and because of the data they were able to predict with some accuracy what your grades would be for different professors.

#UXA18

They then created a profile platform similar to LinkedIn but it looked better because their customers were saying they felt shitty getting a LinkedIn profile and putting nothing in it.

#UXA18

They created a job search platform to help people understand what it would be like working in a new city and in various roles.

#UXA18

This lead to an income calculator so you could see what a salary would get you and what it would mean for your life.

#UXA18

Then there was a discovery prototype where you could find out what in demand skills are, where the jobs were, and what classes they would need to take.

#UXA18

#UXA18

The story John told help build a coherent narrative about.
#UXA18

Takeaway 11.
Make the story seem perfect
(because it's likely a shitshow)

#UXA18

When you tell a perfect story people will believe in you. Never let them see you sweat.

#UXA18

#UXA18

John's takeaways

#UXA18

@threadreaderapp please unroll