Presented at Webvisions 2013 (Portland, Barcelona and Chicago). We live in a world of increasing complexity, time challenges and utter distractions. As designers, we're routinely called upon to create digital experiences that help reduce perceived complexity, remove unnecessary "noise" and potential frustration for our users. It's an attempt to create a bit less stress, ease decision making and perhaps even instill a bit of surprise and delight. So what happens when you experience the same sort of chaos in your own personal life as a designer? A perspective, or a framework, is born to tackle it. And, of course, it's then applied to how you approach the things you create. This presentation will share in the personal discovery that derived a framework for identifying the strategy, purpose and evaluation technique for simplifying the experiences we create.

1. DOORS + WALLS + OLD TREES
Prioritizing to Get Simple
Jason Ulaszek @webbit Webvisions - Chicago
September 27th, 2013
#WVCHI

2. How I got here
THE BACKSTORY
2

3. @webbit
THIS PAST YEAR...
• Loft with 3/4 walls and no doors
• Wife’s opposite work schedule
• New baby & 1st time dad
• Energetic chocolate labrador
• Eat, sleep, work & relax in 1 room
• New and growing clients & team
• Teaching and speaking
• Planning an international event (UX for Good)
oh, boy.

5. @webbit
KINDA LIKE WHAT
YOU SEE HERE...

6. Take a deep
breath.
Focus.

7. @webbit
I NEEDED TO
CHECK MY ‘VISION’

8. @webbit
SO, I STARTED MODELING IT
Importance
Control
Change wife’s work schedule
Save the world
Really budget
Delegate at work
Rent out our current place
Find a new place and move
Win the lottery
Master new video game
See new movie

9. @webbit
A FEW INSIGHTS EMERGED
1. We needed to revisit our game plan
2. Everything we were doing needed to
be evaluated to ensure we were
focused in the right way
3. We were going to need some
support from friends and family

10. @webbit
WE REALIZED IT
WAS TIME TO MOVE

11. @webbit
AND THAT’S WHERE THIS
FRAMEWORK WAS BORN

12. @webbit
WE CALLED IT...
DOORS, WALLS & OLD TREES

13. @webbit
MY DISCOVERY - THREE PARTS
1. Set strategy
2. Assess & evaluate
3. Enlist support

14. Set and articulate the vision for where you want to be
1. SET STRATEGY
14

15. @webbitSet Strategy1 2 3

16. @webbit
10 LAWS OF
SIMPLICITY
Set Strategy1 2 3

17. @webbit
Simplicity is about subtracting
the obvious and adding the
meaningful. It’s about living
life with more enjoyment and
less pain.
“
”
John Maeda
The Laws of Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life
Set Strategy1 2 3

18. @webbit
ONE DESIGNER’S VIEWPOINT
Giles Colborne
Simple and Usable - web, mobile and interaction design
Set Strategy1 2 3

19. Dan Saffer
“The Complexity of Simple”
Webvisions ‘12 (Chicago)
http://slidesha.re/ts2xF5

20. @webbit
WHAT IS “STRATEGY”?
A planned, doable sequence
of actions designed to achieve
a distinct, measurable goal.
“
”
Howell Malham
I Have a Strategy (No You Don’t)
Set Strategy1 2 3

21. @webbit
FOUR INGREDIENTS
1. purpose
2. plan
3. sequence of actions or tactics
4. distinct, measurable goal
... wrapped in a story that tells it.
Set Strategy1 2 3

22. EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
REQUIRE A STRATEGY

23. @webbit
THE BROCCOLI GAME (STRATEGY)
Purpose:
Help kid grow up strong and healthy.
Plan:
Prepare well-balanced dinners with
vegetables that have minerals and iron.
Sequence of actions:
Plan menu. Boil broccoli. Set table. Play game.
Distinct, measurable goal:
Kid must ingest at least 6.2 pieces of broccoli.
Set Strategy1 2 Assess & Evaluate 3 Enlist Support

24. @webbit
KIDS OR CLIENTS = SAME QUESTIONS
• How do we disrupt the status quo?
• How can we make the experience
delightful?
• What motivates people to do what
they do (how and why)?
• What are our strengths? Weaknesses?
Set Strategy1 2 3

25. @webbit
OUR ACTIONS INFORM STRATEGY
• Get to know your stakeholders
Interview them to uncover the underlying problem and their
perspective (e.g. your spouse, partner, client, end user).
• Examine competing forces
Know where you need to make a difference. Look at people,
organizations and other forces that have influence.
• Get to know your ‘user’
Gather data to inform an understanding of people’s needs.
Set Strategy1 2 3

26. @webbit
STAKEHOLDERS INFORM STRATEGY
Set Strategy1 2 3

27. @webbit
SELF-AWARENESS IS KEY
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
Set Strategy1 2 3

28. @webbit
RECOGNIZE WHERE YOU STAND
Company 4
Company 1
Company 2
Company 3
Company 5
Company 6
Competing factors set expectations.
Set Strategy1 2 3

29. @webbit
WHAT WAS MY STRATEGY?
Purpose:
Strike a better balance between our personal and professional lives.
Plan:
Rebalance my family’s personal and professional schedules and
environment.
Sequence of actions:
Look at all responsibilities and activities. Assess with family what’s
important. Remove or push out/away the distractors.
Distinct, measurable goal:
Move our family and rebalance our schedules before summer starts.
Set Strategy1 2 Assess & Evaluate 3 Enlist Support

30. Determine the fate of ‘stuff’ and align with your strategy
2. ASSESS & EVALUATE
30

31. @webbit
SO NOW WHAT?
•Find patterns and themes
Identify behavioral patterns, gaps in the experience
and understand how you (or would) support it
•Model what you’re finding
Organize it into related “chunks”, determine
evaluation criteria and prioritize and define
potential measures of success
Assess & Evaluate21 3

33. @webbit
NEXTSTEPBUTTONPURCHASEFUNNELBUTTONS
ABSTRACT TO FIND THEMES
Assess & Evaluate21 3

34. @webbit
ABSTRACT TO FIND THEMES
Template 01
4 Column Asymmetrical Grid
Template 02
3 Column Symmetrical Grid
Template 03
3 Column Asymmetrical Grid
Template 04
2 Column Asymmetrical Grid
Template 05
2 Column Asymmetrical Grid
with inset Grid
Template 02
3 Column Symmetrical Grid
Template 04
4 Column Asymmetrical Grid
Template 02
3 Column Symmetrical Grid
TO TO
TO BACK TO
BACK TO
Assess & Evaluate21 3

35. @webbit
Asking ‘why’ is tricky. It
gets to the core of how
people think.
“
”
Bill DeRouchey
“The Power of Why”
UX Week 2012
http://uxweek.com/2012/speakers/bill-derouchey/
Assess & Evaluate21 3

36. @webbit
‘WHY?’ IS NOT ALWAYS
EXPRESSED VERBALLY

37. @webbit
‘WHY’ UNLOCKS CRITERIA
Technical Feasibility
› Difficulty of implementation
› Does solution need front or back-end
coding, or both?
› Does the solution require integration with
other systems or third-party solutions?
Resource Feasibility
› Do we have the data and tools to do this?
› Do we have the people to do this?
› Is the solution cost-effective?
FEASIBILITY
Importance to the Business
› Increases investment/conversion
› Promotes product and brand awareness
› Increases credibility and trust
› Provides additional advisor value/education
Importance to the Consumer
› Facilitates access to product information
› Provides research and insights
› Offers client-ready sales/education materials
› Helps me with my business
IMPORTANCE
And everything is evaluated against it.
Assess & Evaluate21 3

38. @webbit
THE SOCK LAW Socks perform a simple
function. Whether
conservative or wacky,
matched or not, socks
do what they need to.
So with function
inherently accounted
for, its easier, more fun
and often more
memorable to leave
form to chance.
Patrick DiMichele
“
”
@theParanoids
Assess & Evaluate21 3

39. @webbit
SIMPLE TOOLS - THE MATRIX
So 2002, but still effective.
Assess & Evaluate21 3

40. @webbit
APPLYING THAT TOOL
Assess & Evaluate21 3
Importance
Control
Change wife’s work schedule
Save the world
Really budget
Delegate at work
Rent out our current place
Find a new place and move
Win the lottery
Master new video game
See new movie

41. @webbit
ORGANIZE KEY THEMES
Look for affinities across features.
Foundational Updates
› Site structure, navigation and labeling, branding
and multi-device capability
› Content refresh and optimization
› Analytics program
Features/Functions
› Document accessibility
› Advisor site (registration required)
› Comments/discussion and event calendar
› Context-specific feedback
› Targeted content and content syndication
Content
› Thought leadership, practice management, and
client-facing content
› Multimedia/interactive content
› Social/community and third-party content
› Content processes: editorial calendar, controlled
vocabulary
Tools
› Fund finder and comparison tool, portfolio map
› Benchmark performance and exposure analysis
› Price performance and premium/discount charts
› Correlation tracker and stock screener
› Portfolio constructor/analyzer
Assess & Evaluate21 3

42. @webbit
ILLUSTRATE THE PLAN
Blend short and long term focus.
CAPABILITIES:!
› Advisor comments and
discussion
› Advisor site (registration
required)
› Content syndication
› Additional third-party
content
› Targeted content delivery
CAPABILITIES:!
› Tools for advisor analysis
› Multimedia content
› Client-facing content
› Social media and
community content
development
› Feedback and surveys
› Event calendar
CAPABILITIES:!
› Thought leadership,
research and insights
content
› Credibility-enhancing
content (case studies, etc.)
› Tools and processes for
content maintenance
› Additional Contact Us/
About Us content
› Document accessibility
› Controlled vocabulary
CAPABILITIES:!
› Updated site structure,
navigation and labeling
› Refreshed design/branding
› Mobile-friendly platform
› Content refresh/
optimization
› Web analytics
Assess & Evaluate21 3

43. @webbit
TIPS TO REMEMBER
• Don’t do this on your own
Involve key decision makers in the prioritization exercise to ensure
buy-in and alignment with your goals (e.g., family, wife, kids, clients).
• Set communication expectations EARLY
Ensure an open dialogue exists to tackle the tough decisions that you’ll
have to negotiate or compromise (e.g., work schedules, planning
dinner, business budgets, tech framework, etc.).
• Framing matters
Problems can be opportunities in disguise. It all depends on how you
frame it.
Assess & Evaluate21 3

44. Build support and advocacy within your team/company
3. ENLIST SUPPORT
44

45. @webbit
SO NOW WHAT?
• Seek out advocates and enlist others
Who are your supporters? Those on the fence? Move them.
• Align incentives with desired outcome
What does success look like (e.g., for you, your family, team
members, clients)?
• Communicate & share the direction
How do we socialize it with others?
Enlist Support31 2

46. YOU’LL NEED HELP

47. @webbit
STRATEGY
+
RIGHT
INCENTIVES
Aligned to desired...
Cultural Values
Customer Goals
Business Goals
WIN
Enlist Support31 2

48. @webbit
I ask the employees to do
it [set their goals] once a
year, to publish it and
make it transparent for all
the other employees. To
take those five questions
and constantly think
about where we are
positionally.
Marc
Benioff
CEO, Salesforce.com
http://www.endeavor.org/blog/marc-benioff-keynote/
“
”
Enlist Support31 2

49. @webbit
CREATE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING
Enlist Support31 2

50. FWIW
PARTING THOUGHTS
50

51. @webbit
NOT GONNA LIE, THE REALLY HARD PART
•Know what you value (and why)
•Be prepared and willing to move
aside less valuable things
•Understand the risk of not doing
what you’ve pushed aside
•Tell a great story to get buy-in

52. @webbit
Out of clutter, FIND SIMPLICITY.
From discord, FIND HARMONY.
In the middle of difficulty LIES OPPORTUNITY.
“
”
Albert
Einstein

53. @webbit
CONTINUING MY JOURNEY...
✓ Adjusted my wife’s work schedule
✓ Taught a new class
✓ Gave 3 new talks
✓ Built walls and doors in the loft
✓ Planned an international UX for Good event
✓ Found renters for the loft
✓ Moved into a new house
... and enjoying a renewed focus and balance!

54. @webbit
AND HERE WE GO AGAIN...
Coming December 2013

56. @webbit
AM I BEING FOLLOWED?

57. Thank you
FIN.
57

58. @webbit
PHOTO ATTRIBUTIONS
• Doors: http://thenounproject.com/noun/door/#icon-No11816
• Walls: http://thenounproject.com/noun/brick-wall/#icon-No3674
• Eye doctor: http://duckloeyecare.com/services/comprehensive-eye-health-exam/
• Laws of Simplicity: http://www.buzmay.com/turnlight/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=84:turnlight-recommends-the-laws-of-
simplicity&catid=40:pj
• Broccoli and a kid: http://www.pamfblog.org/category/nutrition/
• Air ForkOne: http://oliveandtweed.storenvy.com/products/140409-airforkone
• Honey-do-list: http://smithocracy.com/2012/07/
• Marc Benioff: http://www.forbes.com/sites/shelisrael/2013/03/18/marc-benioff-
to-write-age-of-context-foreword/