can't we all get along? human-centered design meets agile
DESCRIPTION
This presentation will describe and explore the differences between the two approaches, when it's appropriate to use agile development, how to integrate this popular method into the human-centered design and research process — and why client needs and today's marketplace increasingly are demanding these collaborative techniques.TRANSCRIPT
Can’t we just all get along?HUMAN- CENTERED DESIGN MEE TS AGILE
Maria Giudice, CEO and Founder, Hot Studio, Inc.
What does agile and waterfall mean and how does it relate to human-centered design principles?
What are the pros and cons for each method?
Can’t we just all get along?
What’s this all about?
Alon Salant and David Hendee, Carbon FiveAjay Ramachandran, SourceNHenry Poole, Civic ActionsMike Migurski and Eric Rodenbeck, Stamen DesignKelly Goto, GotomediaJosh Damon Williams and Tanya Herrgott, Hot StudioArena Reed from Pivotal LabsJanice Fraser and David Verba, Emmett LabsChad Coerver, SFMOMACaroline Allison and Dan Engfer, Viscape.comKathy Simpson, Dave Shih and others, Hot StudioMany slide lectures, podcasts, videos. blogs & several documents by Jeff Patton from Thoughtworks
Why is this issue so emotional?
Where I sit in the great debate
Agile Waterfall
Human-centered design
What does “Waterfall” mean?
Winston Royce, 1970
Software development model that reduces risk and manages complexity
User Experience Visual Design Engineering
Project Management
Discovery Strategy Design Build Transfer
Waterfall approach
Predictable and structured approach
Human-centered: solutions are based on upfront research and strategy
Team roles are clearly defined (designers design, engineers build)
Rigid, heavy, and slow
Documentation and specifications
What does “Waterfall” mean?
“Waterfall method is best when you can’t afford to learn from your mistakes. You don’t design software for the Space Shuttle in an Agile manner.” Alon Salant, engineer
Types of projects:Creating experiential, immersive, branded experiences that are not module-drivenHigh-risk or complex projects that require breadth and deep thinkingFindings through design research and insight are key to project success
Team dynamics:Engineering platform and team is not defined early onTeam is remote, making collaboration and quick decision-making difficult
Client situations:Clients that don’t understand user’s needs, wants and desires and lack domain knowledgeCannot be involved face-to-face, day-to-day or make decisions quicklyMany stakeholders that require documentation to provide context around decision-making
When Waterfall method works better
Team issues: Waterfall
“The team didn’t just learn about our work, they lived and breathed
it and became a part of our team. The design process helped us
focus our mission and the work they did truly reflects the difference
collaborative design can make in people’s lives.”
Kate Stohr, client
“Taking an intensely user-centered approach based on well-researched
user analysis, not conjecture or marketing hype, is as much a guarantee
for success as is possible in an arena where the consumer is king.“
Leigh Hood, client
“Waterfall methods can make it easier to carve out time to step
back and think big.”
Tanya Herrgott, user experience architect
Team issues: Waterfall
“Time to think is one thing, but freedom to change your mind is
another. Agile can take the pressure off designers from getting it
right the first time.”
Alon Salant, engineer
What does “Agile” mean?
Agile Manifesto, 2001 We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.
Deliver useful, working software early and continuously through iteration.
de
sign
build
test
evaluate
plan iteration
Cycle 1 Cycle 2
2–3 week iterations or sprints Cycle X until product releases
User experienceClient
Visual design
userstory
iterations
userstory
iterations
user validation
Engineering
Project lead
Trust
Iterative and evolutionary design, continual learning and refinement
Flexibility and ability to handle changing requirements
Client-driven or engineer-driven design, designer as consultant
Solutions largely based on intuition or hunches
Priorities are focused on addressing business needs and value
Lightweight
Fast but not necessarily cheaper
XP—Extreme Programming
FDD—Feature Driven Development
Crystal
Scrum
DSDM—Dynamic System Development Method
Adaptive Software Development
Lean Software Development
Agile methods
“All the engineers need is a picture and a conversation.”
Josh Damon Williams, user experience architect
Types of projects:Applications with an existing conceptual framework already in place; adding featuresStart-ups with a very clear vision of their product, its features and goalsEarly working prototypes are that required for funding, speed to market is critical
Team dynamics:Trust is paramountExperienced, embedded team that can collaborate and actively participateDesigners (user experience and visual) who are comfortable with constant iterationEngineers who are human-centric
Client situations:Clients who can make quick decisions and are available every day (but can change their mind)Business goals and vision are clear and will not changeClient understands users needs, subject matter, and domain knowledge
When Agile works better
“At first, we were really scared. We were always concerned that we
would run out of time. Then it became really fun! Agile allowed us
to build in 50% more features. We were amazed by that.”
Dan Engfer, client
“I imagined this system fully formed when I started the project and
I was wrong. If I had them execute to that original vision I would
have gotten something I wasn’t happy with.”
Janice Fraser, client
Team issues: Agile
“A lot of times I felt like the tail was wagging the dog in terms of
the details and the schedule creating and defining the vision.”
Tanya Herrgott, user experience architect
“The current project I’m working on is like the war in Iraq. They
quickly attack, you declare victory, and then you have to spend
a lot of time to achieve something meaningful.”
Josh Damon Williams, user experience architect
Team issues: User Experience
Team issues: Visual Design and Engineering
“I’m always nervous about Agile. You have to think on your feet
and be flexible all of the time.”
David Shih, visual designer
“We give our customers the highest value for time spent in the
shortest time.”
Alon Salant, engineer
Clash of the titans
Disconnects and philosophical differences
“It’s intuitive from a design point of view to design upfront,
and it’s intuitive for the engineers to see it all upfront, but you
can’t have your cake and eat it too.”
Arena Reed, user experience architect
Holistic vs. modular thinking
Research-based assumptions/decisions vs. hunches/intuition
Enumeration and alternatives vs. iterations
User research vs. user validation
Scheduled change vs. continual change
Artifacts vs. working software
Quality vs. quantity
Big disconnects
Similarities
“Ultimately, the end goals are the same, to build products
that don’t suck and to deliver value to the end user.”
David Verba, engineer
Similarities
Full team involvement and participation is important on day one
User feedback is valued at all points in the process
Collaboration and respecting individual contribution is key to good design
Prioritization methods help set expectations
Design for flexibility; expect change and evolution
Communication is critical and needs to be transparent
Hybrid approach
Engineering
Discovery Strategy Design
Waterfall-Agile Combo
Build Transfer
de
sign
build
test
evaluate
plan iteration
Research assessment(interviews, contextual inquiry, usability tests)
Cycle 0
2 weeks Goal modeling User modeling Scenario & task modeling
2–4 weeks Concept modeling High level sitemaps or task !ows Key schematics Feature prioritization
Cycle 1 Cycle 2
2–3 week iterations or sprints Cycle X until product releases
User experienceClient
Visual design
userstory
iterations
userstory
iterations
user validation
Engineering
Project lead
Human-centered-Agile
de
sign
buildte
st
evaluate
plan iteration
Research assessment(interviews, contextual inquiry, usability tests)
Cycle 0
2 weeks Goal modeling User modeling Scenario & task modeling
2–4 weeks Concept modeling High level sitemaps or task !ows Key schematics Feature prioritization
Cycle 1 Cycle 2
2–3 week iterations or sprints Cycle X until product releases
User experienceClient
Visual design
userstory
iterations
userstory
iterations
user validation
Engineering
Project lead
Redefine the definition of “designer”— include everyone in
the design process, but still be clear on ownership of decisions,
including clients
Communicate and collaborate early and often
Be flexible, trust your team, and don’t let your ego get the best of you
Lessons learned
We can all get along.
Thank you!Questions and answers
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