Agile2015

Abstract:
The challenge for any company is creating products customers actually want, reducing cost, and eliminating waste in the process. The lean thinker does this in part through experimentation. Teams practicing LeanUX inside of organizations embracing Agile have developed a set of principles and methods for experimentation based on collaboration, customer research, problem space exploration, set-based design of solution hypotheses, and tight feedback loops. These approaches increase the optionality in the product development pipeline while mitigating risk. These principles and methods in experimental design based on the scientific method don't come naturally, but they are very useful and valuable if you are interested in increasing organizational learning, reducing risk, and delivering real value to customers.
While PDCA, A3, and LAMDA (Lean techniques that are just now gaining traction in the Agile community), have been used rigorously within operations and manufacturing, the LeanUX learning loop of Think > Make > Check > Learn applies many of these principles to designing new solutions in the context of knowledge work like software design in enterprises.
This session presented by Jabe Bloom & Will Evans, will briefly explain the foundations and context of lean product and process development and LeanUX; the basics of inductive, deductive, abductive logic, as well as hypothesis formulation and testing across multiple, concurrent designed solutions. We'll also introduce a couple of simple methods for team-based, collaborative experiment design using a variation of the A3 called the experiment canvas.
Finally, we'll draw connections between LeanUX methods and traditional lean learning loops including ideas from LPPD (Lean Product and Process Design) set-based concurrent engineering. Participants will leave with light-weight techniques they can use to run design experiments with their team the very next week.
Learning Outcomes:

• Learning Outcomes:
• Learn how human-centered design can be combined with Lean in the design process.
• Exploring the boundaries and constraints of a problem space.
• Complexity informed design thinking and how can it help with product design.
• Collaborative methods to increase, integrate, and iterate options?
• The design of simple, yet robust, experiments
• Formulation of good metrics and measurement schemas for our experiments.
• How to measure the learning from experiments.

Abstract:
Designing and building great, innovative user experiences that end users love is hard. Integrating user experience design process into Agile software development also poses unique challenges. We present a process that we have iteratively developed on the Visual Studio and Application Insights product teams at Microsoft that integrates well into common Agile software development practices, and that produces design outcomes that are highly rated by end users. The key to this process is an adaptation of the 10:3:1 iterative design loop, which deliberately explores multiple design points in the design space, and then iteratively refines and winnows these designs into a final design via several iterations. We present how to scale this process to large development teams of 180 full time software engineers that are using Agile software development practices, working in a continuous delivery mode, collaborating with a design team of 3 or more designers, based on our product development experiences. We present practical considerations that helped make this process work well at Microsoft, as well as key pitfalls to avoid. Finally, we present processes for maintaining the consistency and predictability of user experience designs across multiple agile teams working in parallel, without creating centralized bottlenecks, and while still enabling individual teams to innovate and get customer feedback quickly for iterative improvement.
Learning Outcomes:

• Attendees will learn simple, reusable, and practical processes for designing and building innovative user experiences that rate highly with customers
• Attendees will learn how to make the processes scale to large teams
• Attendees will learn about practical consierations that helped make the process work well at Microsoft, and how to avoid key pitfalls
• Attendees will learn processes that maintain the consistency and predictability of user experience designs across multiple agile teams working in parallel, without creating centralized bottlenecks, and while enabling individual teams to ship continuously

Attachments:

• Agile_UX_Design_and_Innovation_with_the_10-3-1_Process_(4).pdf

Abstract:
Years ago, Developers had problems and devised Agile techniques to address them. Today, Designers face similar problems. Can we adopt similar techniques? In this talk, we'll explore what automated testing might look like for design. What would it look like to have a more defined definition of "done" for design? What if designers could refactor with impunity? We'll explore testing possibilities for Visual design, User Experience design, and front-end engineering, and suggest a testing pyramid for design as a path forward.

Learning Outcomes:

• How TDD ideas can support design and UX practices. How to practice various design testing techniques. How to focus design work and expectations around definitions of "done" that the whole team can agree on.

Abstract:
Why do certain products create passionate users while others struggle to gain traction? Is it Design? Usability? Simplicity? No. It’s branding. Branding isn’t just the purview of the marketing team anymore. In today’s crowded marketplace, making a product that works--or even works well--is no longer good enough. User Experience Branding is a process that helps build loyal customers and brand ambassadors by integrating our brand experience with our user experience.
Tailored for anyone involved or interested in the product development process, at any experience level, from CEOs to designers and developers, this talk will cover the role of emotion within the decision-making process and how influencing a user’s emotions during a product experience translates to brand loyalty. I’ll explain the fundamentals and purpose behind branding and why we need to focus on it more when designing experiences. I'll demonstrate, with examples, how certain product organizations stay ahead of their competition by curating their brand. Finally, I’ll offer some quick tips for building your brand through your product, called Branding Moments, designed for Lean/Agile teams to execute swiftly, that they can start implementing immediately.
Learning Outcomes:

• Why minimum viable products are no longer viable
• Why certain products develop loyal users and others fail to gain traction
• How emotions influence decision-making
• The role of emotion in branding
• Why the way we execute branding has had to change in the face of Lean/Agile
• Why incorporating brand into your experience is critical
• How to turn users into loyal customers
• Tactics for applying User Experience Branding within your experience

Attachments:

• Bill_Beard-User_Experience_Branding-Agile2015.pdf

Abstract:
In 2011, in Geoffrey Moore predicted an evolution in enterprise software: from transactional and rigid “systems of record”, to more loosely coupled, ephemeral, and collaborative “systems of record”. It was an inspiring call to arms for UX practitioners in the enterprise space, yet four years in and significant challenges remain.
Driven by changing user expectations, the old model -- the beloved hierarchal index/detail model -- is quickly yielding ground to a more dynamic, more complex, and more “engaging” front-end. Page views are being replaced by feature navigation and micro-interactions. Throw in the mobile web, a dozen personas, a couple hundred features, and one week iterations, and things get very interesting indeed.
In this talk we’ll present a joint case study. We’ll share candidly how AppFolio, a SaaS product from the unsexy world of property management, used LeanUX, hypothesis driven inquiry, segmentation, and front-end feature usage analysis to test assumptions and make iterative changes. The focus will stay firmly rooted in the real world: real problems, real questions, real data, and real changes. We love data and love UX, and hope to inspire the agile community to build great enterprise user experiences.

Learning Outcomes:

• * From the trenches: LeanUX for enterprise SaaS
• * How to move beyond traditional clickstream, path, and funnel analysis
• * Balancing experiment rigor with the real world
• * Interpreting the data. Context and segmentation

Abstract:
Working in an Agile environment typically means that you work in-person, on-site with your team. As a UX practitioner, it's almost a requirement so you can collaborate and create a better experience. However, there are times when you may need to work remotely (the development team is in one location and you are in a different office; or your entire team works from home; or you have development or design teams off-shore). This multi-location approach can make it difficult to sketch out solutions on the fly with your teammates, discuss functionality, or simply bond with your team. It can also make it challenging to represent the user's needs accurately to your teammates.
Being physically distant from the people you need to work with can make you feel isolated. However, it doesn't need to feel that way in today's virtual world.
There are a number of strategies, tips and tools that can help you feel closer than ever to your teammates - and your users.
I will be discussing 6 of them:

• Meeting in person isn't the only way: use your communication tools wisely
• Makin' friends: build relationships online
• Broadcast: work live and in real-time
• Nobody reads: be sure people pay attention to your work
• Make it real: share your work
• Call a member of the audience: keep people involved

Each strategy will include case studies and stories about small shifts you can make through communication styles and tools, so you can feel like your colleague 2,000 miles away is sitting at the desk right next to you. Believe it or not, it is possible. Let me show you how.
Learning Outcomes:

• Guidance to choose the right tools to work with your virtual team so you feel like your team is in the same room
• Ideas to build relationships using communication tools and strategies so when you finally do meet, you feel like old friends
• Reasons to be comfortable and eager to share your screen
• Strategies to get your team to pay attention to your contributions and understand them
• Approaches to minimize email distractions during your presentations

Attachments:

• 6_ways_to_bridge_the_distance.pdf

Abstract:
Some say the Enterprise is where great design goes to die, but we are now seeing a shift in large enterprise companies as well as those building enterprise software adopting UX. As the Cloud is becoming the preferred choice and users are demanding better experiences, enterprise companies are going to need to change to keep up with their customer demands. This is where LeanUX and Agile UX can help.
Attendees will walk away with a set of tools to help make the cultural shift. I’ll briefly discuss the history of Enterprise software. I’ll explain how to use lean personas and design studios when you don’t know who your customers are or any requirements to go by. We will also discuss the benefits of balanced teams to encourage collaboration between developers and product owners.

Learning Outcomes:

• Attendees will walk away with:
• * Set of tools to help make the cultural shift
• * How to use lean personas and design studios when you don’t know who your customers are or any requirements to go by
• * Benefits of balanced teams to encourage collaboration between developers, business analysts, QA, and product owners

Abstract:
UX research is often relied upon to gather iterative feedback in the design and development process, but not every team has a research specialist. It can be hard to know what kind of research to do when and easy to assume that as designers or developers you’ll be able make the best call for your user. However, leaving user research out of your Agile development process leaves room for you to spend time working on a feature that isn’t a priority for your target customers or implementing a feature ineffectively.
Come to this session to get an overview of the key goals of user research, the key methodologies that any team member can employ, concrete tips for how to select the best method given your goal, and advice to craft your research plans the best way to get the information you’re looking for. This session will be most useful for those interested in UX research but don’t have formal training, such as UX designers, developers, or product managers.
Learning Outcomes:

• Each participant will leave with a general overview of the general UX research goals: to understand end-users goals needs and behaviors, understand clients’ business models and goals, and how well we’re serving those users.
• I'll share a story that serves as a reminder that no matter how smart and diverse our teams are, we do not represent our users effectively and need to do research to understand them.
• I'll provide a description of what general type of research is appropriate in what setting; quantitative research, such as surveys or analytics reviews, is most useful to understand trends and what is happening. Qualitative research, such as usability tests or interviews, is most effective for understanding the context for those trends and understanding why they’re happening.
• I’ll discuss the differences between attitudinal and behavioral feedback and map each user research method to the type of feedback necessary for particular research goals.
• I’ll talk about ways to best craft test plans and questions to get the most accurate and unbiased information that anyone from any discipline can employ.

Attachments:

• Agile2015_Deck.pdf