My plenary speech at the inaugural UX Live London conference on October 26, 2017.
Eric Reiss
CEO and Author
4.30pm-5.15pm
Innovation vs. Best Practice – Conflict or Opportunity?
“Best practice” implies doing things in the best possible manner, based on past experience. But we like to think of ourselves as innovators in a dynamic industry – we want to go where no one has gone before. Thus, “best practice” and “innovation” are like oil and water – they don’t easily mix.
How can we, as UX professionals, balance the need for consistency that “best practice” provides, with our on-going mission to improve the quality of our products? How can we create genuine improvements – and when have we been seduced by the evil twins, Fad and Fashion?
“Innovation vs. Best Practice” explores the elements that make up these two ends of the UX spectrum. We’ll take a closer look at the popular definitions of both innovation and best practice – and discover why these are frequently inadequate, misleading, or both. Why is a “standard” not always a “best practice”? And if “invention” can be spontaneous, why is “innovation” always planned?
We’ll also examine some of the worst reasons to innovate, which are also some of the most common, plus the Japanese concept of “chindogu” – “useless innovation.” Perhaps most important of all, we’ll see how User Driven Design helps us avoid harmful innovation in comparison to the more common User Centered Design methodology.
11. a better, actionable definition of innovation
a process that leads to business success
some practical do’s and don’ts
My goal today is to give you:
12. To differentiate your product/service
To be “original”
To satisfy designer ego
Three bad reasons to innovate
85. Your solution is only being used in your
local market
Your solution is only being used by a single
branch or industry
Your solution looks like something you also
did last week
Watch out if...
86. Do we have a digital revolution?
Do we have disruptive innovation?
Do we need to start from scratch?
95. a better, actionable definition of innovation
“Innovation is a planned activity that addresses a latent
or acknowledged problem, often combining two or
more well-established technologies.”
a process that leads to business success
Do your research
Identify real problems
Think about how your solution will affect
technological, social, and political issues
some practical do’s and don’ts
Don’t invent problems
Don’t succumb to designer ego
My goal this afternoon was to give you:
96. “It’s amazing how much we can
accomplish when you don’t care
who gets the credit.”
Harry S. Truman