Developers should use our products like this.

Developers can not make changes.

We can’t use this product!

We need to be able to make changes if the users

don’t like something.

Users don’t know what they want unless

we give it to them.Long live Steve Jobs!Developers can’t

talk to users!It should bedesigners!

Users aref****** stupid!

Developers are also our customers.

Make something that works for users and developers.

Put me on the team with the developers.We can design the

right product, together.

Done!

Let’s work together.

I have some ideas, but let’s talk about your

ideas first.Okay, let’s do this.

The Product AgentManaging Ideas on a Product Team.

If you can manage the flow of ideas...

Your team can discover the right ideas.

1. Practice the art of “no ego”

2. Articulate strategies and plans

3. Articulate objectives and goals

4. You can’t stop the flow of ideas...but you can steer

1Practice the art of “no ego”

How do I get from here... To here?

Don’t be afraidof someone having good ideas

No.(Sorry)

Silence your ego

Create an alter ego

It’s about making sure that your team understands

what is the right thing to build for the customers

2Articulate strategies and plans

PlanThe steps you take and the tasks you perform in order to

meet an objective or goal

StrategyThe decisions you are willing to make based on the

outcomes of your plan

UNDERSTAND QUESTION ANALYZE

ADJUST

Staying Aware of Strategies and Plans

Increase understanding in:

● Team roles● Team objectives● Team goals● Team Pain Points● User Pain Points● User roles, objectives● User goals, etc.

LEARN

An idea,or a strategy,

or a plan

Gain clarity and make suggestions

if necessary

Discover the unknown and

share your findings

● Invest in improving your understanding

● Share insights with the team and clients.

● Make adjustments to strategy and plans when needed.

Review with the team

Revise and share with the team

Get Visual

3Articulate objectives and goals

GoalWhat you want customers to know, think, and feel

about your product

ObjectiveWhat your product needs to have

in order to meet that goal

CustomersWho are we doing this for? Why are we doing this for them?

GoalsWho do we want our team to become? What do we want our customers to become?

.

ObjectivesWhat do we want to get to meet our goals? What do we want our customers to have to meet their goals?

..

Action StepsWhat exactly do we have to do to meet our objectives?

.

DeliverablesWhich items do we make for the team? Do any of our customers need to see these things?

Understanding what to build...1. OUR GOALS

1. Software that is easy to use so they can get their work done2. Software that has UI that is easy to read and understand3. Software that has a UX that is easy to figure out4. A UI design system that includes components that designers can

customize visually5. A UI design system that includes components that developers can mix

and match based on user feedback6. Software that is in compliance with organizational policies

2. OUR CUSTOMERS

1. The software end users2. The software end users3. The software end users4. UI/UX Designers5. Software Developers6. Executive Management

3. OUR OBJECTIVES

A. Get the user data/feedback we need to understand the situationB. Identify the key user groupsC. Identify the most critical issues or pain pointsD. Find out what is most important to the users in getting work doneE. Identify what works well for them in the current applicationF. Get feedback from the developers to understand their design problemsG. Request from developers examples of what could work for themH. Identify the best UI patterns/features that could address user needsI. Ensure that all UI design decisions are technically feasible for developers

to completeJ. Ensure all design decisions do not impede the users’ business goalsK. Review the policies and constraints set my executive management

4. OUR ACTION STEPS + DELIVERABLES

A. Discuss end user situation, pain points, and requirementsB. Discuss developer situation, etc.C. Discuss designer situation, etc.D. Create Sketches, orE. Create Balsamiq Wireframes, orF. Create Marvel Prototypes, orG. Create HTML/CSS/JS PrototypeH. Review prototypes for technical feasibility (i.e. “Can developers build this?”)I. Designer and developer work to Integrate [#7] into coding environmentJ. Designer and developer work together to resolve UI/UX bugs

Always be ready for requirements to change

Culture“The power of authoritative knowledge is not that it is correct but that it counts.”

― Peter Morville, Intertwingled: Information Changes Everything

4You can’t stop the flow of ideas…but you can steer

“People are inspired to come up with good ideas to ward off bad ones.”

Jon Bell, McDonald's Theory

Bring tools to every meeting

Be always ready to ideate

Steering is about:

Be inspired

Move quickly

Get the rough ideas out there

Revise, revise, revise

UsabilityCan customers learn how to use this, fast enough?

ValidationDo customers really need this? Can you prove customers need it?

ValueWhy would customers want this? Will customers see what’s in it for them?

MarketabilityWhat types of customers do you think would use this? What can we do to get this in front of them?

FeasibilityCan my team build this? Do we have access to everything and everyone we will need to do this?

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The Product Agent

1. Practice the art of “no ego”

2. Articulate strategies and plans

3. Articulate objectives and goals

4. You can’t stop the flow of ideas...but you can steer

It’s better to

learn from failed ideas as a

TEAM, than by yourself.

Thank you and

Good luck!

“The Product Agent: Managing Ideas on a Product Team” presented by Tremis Skeete, Principal Product Manager, nexTier InnovationsPresented at ProductTank NYC, March 2017.

tremisskeete.com/tpa@tremisskeete