Lockdown has added some new dynamics to meetups, not least converting local groups into potentially global events. I saw this first-hand, hosting UX Belfast this week, as attendees signed in from across Europe, North America, and UAE. This shouldn’t have been a surprise given our guest author was Susan Weinschenk, speaking to us from Wisconsin. Susan pioneered the incorporation of...
Your product’s biggest competitor may not be what you think
Several years ago, I was given a yoghurt maker as a Christmas gift. A (nameless) relative had been quite astute, having heard me remark on at least a couple of occasions “yeah, we take yoghurt on our breakfast now…” Maybe they had heard it too much. Having identified what appeared to be a need, they presented us with a shiny, new yoghurt maker. Sadly the gift went unused. The...
Embrace failure: inform research using a Pre-Mortem
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” — Thomas A. Edison One of the most effective ways to kick off a new initiative is to identify how it might go wrong. Similarly, when planning research goals and methodologies, awareness of potential weaknesses can help to establish immediate learning goals. The Pre-Mortem is a well-established facilitation tool for...
Unlock innovation with an outcomes-first approach
Some recent reading showcased two simple and powerful ways to boost organisational innovation. Both are proven in their own right; combined, they can offer a robust, end-to-end method for exploring the opportunity space. I first encountered Amazon’s ‘Working Backwards’ process in this Inc.com piece last year, which I stumbled across again last week. The Working Backwards framework articulates...
Alignment above all
Technology may change rapidly, but the fundamentals of effective communication not so much. The role played by clarity in achieving successful results should not be a surprise. What is surprising is how often it can be overlooked. Regardless of its nature, the success or failure of any initiative will rely to a large extent on the degree of alignment amongst those involved. The question...