This is the core presentation for the Workshop I ran at Vibewire on 13th August 2013. Additional resources and some artifacts generated on the night have been included in the uploaded version here. If you're interested in Thinking tools, Open Source, Design thinking, and or Running your own 'Design Studio' then you should definitely take a look.

1. @MetaMikeBiggs
OPEN
SOURCE
THINKING
TOOLS
IN DIGITAL
PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
What about iterative design studio?

2. A bit about Mike...
Executive Producer @ Autumn:01 Digital Agency
Thinking Instructor @ School of Thinking
10 years in digital
Agency, Client, Government
@MetaMikeBiggs

3. WORKSHOP
& RANT
1. A few things about projects
2. The Thinking Tools
3. Applying it to Digital
4. Iterative Design Studio
5. Leveraging other services

4. TWO
MISTAKES
WATERFALL is ONE WAY
& REQUIREMENTS can be GATHERED

5. A FUNNEL
OR A LOOP?
Idea / Design Phase……………………..delivery

6. A FUNNEL
OR A LOOP?
Idea / Design Phase……………………..delivery
All project structures are designed for
CONSOLIDATION

7. A FUNNEL
OR A LOOP?
?
Examples:
Hypotheses
Parallel Design
Research
A/B Testing
Catalyst for
Variations/
Options
Catalyst for
Variations/
Options

8. Creativity isn’t magic
“Synthesis doesn’t just happen”

9. Credit:
• Tools belong to the schoolofthinking.org (http://www.schoolofthinking.org/) and are free to use by anyone.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMSDj9GA4qw
• Software for the brain. Book Download: http://www.schoolofthinking.org/software.pdf
CVS2BVS
Defend or escape
The simplest thinking tool in the world.
‘Current view of the situation’ 2 ‘Better view of the situation’
• A simple switch
• A mechanism to explicitly motivate you to generate more alternatives
• Can be applied at any point, at any time
• Multiple application generates varied, and sequential options

10. X10
• Multiply your options by 10
• Work best when applied to some specific element
• Works extremely well with scale, relative proportions,
• Versions include: Divide by 10, adjacent 10, 10 parts etc..
• Resource: The X10 Memeplex. Book
Download:https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B44Jw1ES0js6cDJGekwwWmJhd28/edit?pli=1
X10

11. GBB [Good, Bad, Better]
• Identify the good
• Identify the bad
• Move toward a concept which is the result of explicitly defining the
bad, and the good.
• Uses tiny steps to develop and move a much larger idea ahead.
GBB

12. How do we apply it to digital?

13. Key stages to exercise the tools:
• Requirements development >>Actually hypothesis synthesis
• The validation process
• The Idea generation process
• The visual design process
• The development process
• Testing and feedback analysis
In summary: Constantly

14. DESIGN
STUDIO
LET’S DO SOME
DESIGN

15. The Iterative Design Studio Process:
• Familiarise with the problem context
• INDIVIDUALLY: Generate a number of concepts for engaging with the audience
early to understand their issues in context- pose questions that when validated
will Illuminate the design process
• GROUP CRITIQUE
• INDIVIDUALLY: Drawing on everyone’s work in the first stage, sketch/ draw/
document a many different concepts as you can to begin to attempt to solve the
core problem
• GROUP CRITIQUE
• IN SMALL GROUPS: Iterate by taking the best of the individuals, and synthesising
into a new, better solution.
Credit: @semanticwill

16. The Context:
• Interflora have had a significant drop in phone orders.
• It is assumed that no one uses the phone anymore to call even a florist.
• A digital product seems like an obvious solution, however must be validated
Key Audience Insights [assumptions]
• ‘Everyone? ’ buying for special occasions
• People (most likely men) looking to send a quick floral gesture at short notice
• The lazy, forgetful, considerate, corporate.. the list goes on

17. • INDIVIDUALLY: Generate a number of concepts for engaging with the audience
early to understand their issues in context- pose questions that when validated
will illuminate the design process.
• Try to use one of the tools: CVS 2 BVS or X10 or GBB
• Time: 15 mins
• GROUP CRITIQUE 10 mins

18. • INDIVIDUALLY: Drawing on everyone’s work in the first stage as inspiration,
sketch/ draw/ document a many different concepts as you can to begin to
attempt to solve the core problem
• Try to use one of the tools: CVS 2 BVS or X10 or GBB
• Time: 20 mins
• GROUP CRITIQUE 10 mins

19. • IN SMALL GROUPS: Iterate by taking the best of the individuals, and synthesising
into a new, better solution.
• Time: 30 mins
• Be ready to present

20. REVIEW
DEATH AND DONUTS

21. HACKS YOU CAN LEVERAGE TO PRACTICE ITERATIVE DESIGN
CONSTANTLY
Remember we’re constantly validating hypotheses.
• Email –email first as a concept
• Social first
• Air Tasker
• Parallel design
• AB Testing

22. What we Created together:

23. What we Created together:

24. What we Created together:

25. NO..
THANK YOU
@MetaMikeBiggs
www.mikebiggs.com.au
AUTUMN:01 IDEAS
AUTUMN:01
Design Technology Strategy
Level 5, 88 Pitt Street Sydney 2000 Australia
Phone (AU): +61 2 9045 8135 | main: 8100 | Phone (US): +1 310 975 7009 | main: 7000
Web: www.autumn01.com