By now, you’ve probably heard about the design thinking methodology. More industries than ever are taking a human-centric approach to evolve their existing products and generating new ideas to serve their customers better by getting curious about actual user needs, ideating potential solutions, and testing them with real users. Let’s take a closer look at what design thinking and user-centered design is and how to apply it to your organization.

According to statistics, 79% of companies agree that design thinking improves the ideation process, and 71% have enjoyed a significant shift in their work culture after adopting design thinking. While it does contain the word design, design thinking and it’s iterative approach to creative ideas is not only for design teams, in fact, any team can benefit from this human-centered design process. We’ve seen product development teams, multidisciplianry teams exploring new business models, customer success teams designing new customer experiences, and countless other examples.

What is the Design Thinking Process?

Design thinking is a process for creative problem-solving that helps teams move past the first “good ideas” and discover creative solutions. Rather than a one-shoe-fits-all mindset, the design thinking approach encourages a holistic view where uncertainty and ambiguity are welcomed and embraced to consider all sides of a problem. A design mindset can be applied to any life situation, and it aids in developing innovative ideas by considering the bigger picture and allowing that to shape our decisions as we move forward.

The method is steeped in a deep belief that the end-user should be at the heart of all decision-making. The benefit of design thinking is that, through empathy for your customer, consumer, or client, you are able to create products and experiences that truly help people and even change lives.

In this article, we’ll explore the five-step process that enables teams to come up with impactful solutions to real problems that are vetted by the people they intend to serve before they’ve even been built. These key steps will launch you into an innovative and experimental design approach.

Pro-tip: use our Liberating Structures templates to get the most out of the design-thinking process with your team. At Voltage Control we also love to use the Workshop Design Canvas.

The 5-Step Design Thinking Process

1. Empathize 

The first stage of the design process is to develop  a deep understanding of the target audience/customer/consumer and their unique perspective to identify and address the problem at hand. To do this, design thinkers are encouraged to cast aside all assumptions (because assumptions can stifle innovation!) about the problem, the consumers, and the world at large. This allows them to objectively consider any and all possibilities about the customers and their needs.

Typical activities:

• Observations: You’ll go where your users go and see what they care about. 
• Qualitative Interviews: You’ll hold one-on-one interviews with a handful of your users to understand their attitudes on the topic you are exploring. Asking someone to tell a story about the last time they experienced the problem you’re investigating provides a rich description that highlights details you might not have otherwise considered. Check out our Interview Observation template to interview someone that is close to the problem you are having and observe the behavior, success, and pain points.

Immersions: Step into your user’s shoes so you can feel and experience their day-to-day.

Tools like empathy maps can be a great way to consolidate all of the valuable information gleaned from interviews. Empathy maps capture what people do, say, think, and feel in the context of the problem. They help colleagues understand the context of the problem and how people experience it, too.

2. Define

Putting together all of the information gathered from emphasizing in the previous step. The next step is to define the problem statement clearly. The ideal problem statement should be captured from the perspective of human-centered needs rather than focused on business goals. For example, instead of setting a goal to increase signups by 5%, a human-centered target would be to help busy moms provide healthy food for their families.

Based on the frustrations you observed or heard about, come up with questions for how you might solve them. 

Typical Activities

• Clustering and Themes: There are a lot of different ways to go about the Define phase, but it’s safe to say you’ll need a wall of sticky notes; these will be filled with the quotes, observations, and ideas you heard throughout your research. Group and cluster ideas together until you find the prevailing or most prominent themes.
• Problem Statement: Take time to properly articulate the problem statement. Answer the following questions: 1) What is the problem? 2) Who has the problem? 3) Where is the problem? 4) Why does it matter

As you explore the empathy data, focus on identifying patterns and problems across a diverse group of people. Gathering information on how people are currently attempting to solve the problem and how they explore alternative solutions can provide clues into their underlying root problems. 

You can’t solve all of your users’ problems. Identify the most significant or most painful issues they face as you consider what you want to focus on as you move forward.

3. Ideate

Now that the problem you intend to solve is clear, it’s time to brainstorm ways to address those unmet needs. You collect as many ideas as possible at the start, so your team can investigate and test them by the end.

Typical Activities

• Brainstorming: Brainstorming is a critical part of the ideation phase, it is the best way to generate of a wide variety of ideas, all aimed at addressing the problem or challenge at hand. Brainstoming allows the entire team to bring their perspectives, experiences, and insights to the table, fostering diversity and richness in idea generation. Ideas shared can serve as stepping stones lead to innovative, out-of-the-box solutions that might not have been uncovered with a more conventional, linear thinking process. 

• Worst Possible Idea: The “Worst Possible Idea” activity may seem counterproductive,  but it can encourage creativity and eliminate psychological holdups that stall innovative thinking. It allows team members to brainstorm and share their ‘worst ideas’ without fear of judgment or criticism. This fosters an environment where coming up with the “perfect” ideas is eliminated, allowing freedom and creativity to shine. The process of identifying why an idea is ‘the worst’ can help in understanding the parameters and constraints of a problem, offering insights into what an ideal solution should avoid. This exercise also brings a sense of humor and fun into the brainstorming process!

The ideation stage marks the transition from identifying problems to exploring solutions. It flows between idea generation and evaluation, but it’s important that each process remains separate from the other.

When it’s time to generate ideas, do so quickly without focusing on the quality or feasibility of the idea. Ideation techniques are rooted in the idea that we’ll prioritize quantity over quality so that we can move past the first good idea(s) and find the truly novel ones. Only when you’ve fully exhausted your abilities to generate new ideas do you move on to evaluate them. This is your opportunity you can go around the room and discuss the ideas presented to get clarification if needed.

The ideation phase is usually a very creative and freeing phase for a team because they have permission to think of out-of-the-box ideas before deciding what they are going to prototype.

4. Prototype

It’s time to experiment! Through trial and error, your team identifies which of the possible solutions can best solve the identified problem(s). This typically will include scaled-down versions of a finished product or systems in question so you can present and get feedback from the people they are intended to serve.

Typical Activities

• Create a Vision Board: This visual representation of ideas, inspirations, and intended outcomes allows team members to envision the desired final product. By gathering images, drawings, materials, or words that symbolize the goals, functions, and user experience of the prototype, the vision board is a shared reference point for the whole team. It facilitates communication, aligns understanding, and encourages creative problem-solving. The actual process of creating the vision board itself promotes a deeper engagement with the project’s objectives and encourages innovative thinking. 

• Rapid Prototyping: The aim of rapid prototyping is to create low-cost, scaled-down versions of the product or specific features quickly for initial testing. Using paper, sticky notes, cardboard, or digital mockup tools, have the team put their ideas into tangible or visible models. This can be done by drawing, making 3D models, or even creating a storyboard to showcase user interactions. It helps teams understand the look and feel of their solutions, identify potential issues, and validate whether the prototype aligns with users’ needs and expectations. Check out our Take 5 template when you want to collect diverse ideas from the entire room. Within 5 minutes, everyone will be sharing from an intentional perspective using visuals!

The goal is to start with a low-fidelity version of the intended solution and improve it over time based on feedback. Beginning with a paper prototype can help you learn quickly with minimal effort. The prototype should be a realistic representation of the solution that allows you to gain an understanding of what works and doesn’t work. It is changed and updated based on feedback from the Test phase in an iterative process. The rapid, low-cost, lightweight nature of prototyping also allows you to develop multiple solutions to test in tandem to identify the best possible solution for meeting those unmet user needs.

5. Test

The prototype is at the center of the final phase as we put all our ideas to the test.  It’s important to note that the testing phase is part of an interactive cycle. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from your users again —just as you did in the early phase, Empathize. User testing is critical to understand how your audience will react to the ideas in your prototype and how desirable that experience will be. Unlike usability testing, where we are seeking to learn how difficult it is to perform certain tasks,  you are allowing them to interact with your prototype to observe their responses and gain insights on whether or not it solves their problem.

• Observational Testing: In this exercise, real users interact with the final prototype in a controlled setting, while the design team observes their behavior and responses. The goal is not just to confirm if the solution works as intended but to gain deeper insights into how the user interacts with the product, how they approach the problem the product is meant to solve, and where difficulties or confusion arrise. Observational testing can offer valuable, sometimes unexpected, insights into user behavior and experience that might be missed with traditional feedback. It’s an empathetic approach that focuses on observing and understanding the users needs and wants.

• Iterative Testing: This process is all about using the results of the initial testing to make improvements, and then testing again! Check out our 5 act Interview Cheat Sheet to build the best team for the project. The objective is to constantly refine and enhance the solution based on user feedback. Each iteration of the prototype is tested with users, and the insights gathered are used to further refine the solution. This could involve making minor tweaks or massive changes depending on the feedback received. Iterative testing helps in ensuring that the final product is as effective, user-friendly, and problem-solving as possible. The process keeps going until the team is confident that they have the most innovative and best possible version of the solution ready for launch.

Testing with real users is essential because everything is ultimately about the people who will use your products, and that is the true nature of the design thinking model. After you collect insights from users, it’s time to revisit the problem statement and reflect on how well the prototype is meeting needs and resolving frustrations.

You want to see what real people think about your idea. This stage allows for all details to be flushed out and refined to create the best solution possible.

Putting the 5 steps to work.

As you reflect on the 5 steps: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, keep in mind that each step builds on its predecessor, guiding teams through an exploration of user needs, challenges, and solutions. Yet, as any seasoned design thinker will affirm, this journey isn’t strictly a linear process.

The beauty of the design thinking process is it invites and supports creativity and flexibility. While we’ve outlined the steps sequentially, it’s most effective for teams to revisit earlier stages based on newfound insights or challenges. For instance, feedback during the Testing phase might propel a team back to the Ideation or even Empathy stage. This iterative nature is not a sign of backtracking but rather a testament to the process’s commitment to staying true to user needs.

In essence, design thinking is a creative dance. It’s a dynamic interplay of understanding, ideating, experimenting, and refining. With each iteration, solutions become more attuned, innovative, and user-centric.

So, as you delve into the design thinking steps, remember: The route isn’t always straightforward, and that’s perfectly okay. Embrace the meandering path, the revisits, the detours. Because in this iterative journey, every step, whether forward or backward, is a step towards genuine innovation that resonates deeply with users.

Need an expert facilitator for your next meeting, gathering, or workshop? Let’s talk.

Our extensive network of Facilitation Certificaiton alumni are skilled at facilitating events of all kinds, including design thinking workshops, innovation sessions, and Design Sprints. Please reach out to us at hello@voltagecontrol.com. We’d be happy to connect you with one of our expert alumni.

The post 5 Steps of the Design Thinking Process: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Voltage Control.

Leading a design thinking workshop can completely transform your company for the better. According to the 71% of brands that champion design thinking, making a shift to a design-centered mindset will dramatically improve productivity and work ethic amongst your staff.

Are you ready to take your team to the next level?

If you’re ready to take your team to the next level by leading a design thinking workshop, it’s essential to know the basics of design thinking first. Having a deeper understanding of this human-centered approach will make it easier to get your team on board with this process.

In this article we’ll cover the basics of design thinking and the best way to approach leading a workshop for your team with the following topics:

• What is Design Thinking?
• A History of Design Methodology
• The Six Phases of Design Thinking
• Leading a Design Thinking Workshop

Understanding Design Thinking

Design thinking is a creative problem-solving method that centers on the needs of the end-user, by considering them first when creating products or services. When you authentically understand the wants and needs of the consumer, you can develop successful products and services they value and use to improve their lives.

Ultimately, a design thinking approach helps you understand the experience of the end-user by adopting the end user’s mindset and creating your product or service from this perspective.

A History of Design Thinking

The human-centered design process is an extension of the design thinking methodology. Though scientists, creatives, scholars, analysts, and engineers have studied this methodology for the past several years, the idea to apply a design mindset to problem-solving as a business strategy didn’t exist until the cognitive scientist and Nobel Prize laureate Herbert A. Simon coined the term in 1969. Simon explained the modern idea of design as an applicable way of thinking about business in his book, The Sciences of the Artificial.

Since Simon began the conversation about the design thinking methodology, many academic elites and experts have adopted this concept and expanded upon it. Yet one thing remains the same: the user should be at the core of any design process. The human-centered process is an exploration of how to accurately and innovatively create a product or service that satisfies consumers’ wants and needs.

“We must design for the way people behave, not for how we would wish them to behave.” –Donald A. Norman, Living with Complexity

The Six Phases of Design Thinking

Let’s take a look at the six phases of the human-centered design process to learn how to create with purpose as you prepare for leading a design thinking workshop.

1. Observe & Understand Users’ Behavior

The first phase of the design thinking process is to observe and understand the end user’s behavior to learn as much as possible about their needs. This allows you to better understand the people you are designing for as you approach problem-solving from their perspective. Doing so will allow you to deeply empathize with them and identify opportunities to better cater to and address these issues. 

By identifying the end user’s behavioral patterns you’ll have a clearer understanding of what your customers enjoy and what they are dissatisfied with. This phase allows for greater innovation as you build trust and connect to your consumers.

2. Ideation

The ideation phase focuses on brainstorming new solutions based on what you learned by observing the end-user. Remember to stay focused on a human-centered design process while generating ideas. The use of divergent thinking is critical in this stage to foster creativity and generate as many ideas as possible. 

In the ideation phase, everything is fair game. For example, instead of worrying about the details of how your potential ideas will work, focus on “why not?” 

There are no right or wrong answers, only potential creative solutions to the problems you’ve identified. When you prioritize the needs and desires of the people you are creating for, you’ll arrive at the most successful solutions that you’ll continue to refine through the rest of the design thinking process.

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3. Prototype

Now that you have potential solutions, it’s time to bring your best ideas to life with rapid prototypes. In this phase, you’ll test your ideas in real-time with real people to get their feedback. Rapid prototypes are quick and easy versions of the ideas you want to create. Their role is to ensure that your vision is on target and it allows you space to make amendments based on feedback before you make the final product. 

This experimental phase isn’t about perfection. The goal is to create a quick, tangible prototype so that you can test it.

4. Feedback

In the feedback phase of the design process, you’ll test your prototype. This is perhaps the most vital part of the human-centered design process as it will determine whether or not your idea works for the people you are designing for. 

Get your prototype in the hands of your target consumer and ask them: how and why does this product/service achieve or fail to reach your needs and desires? During this stage, you’ll want to collect as many details as possible from testers as you’ll use this feedback to finalize your solution.

5. Integration

The integration phase of the design thinking process helps you to identify the usefulness of the proposed solution. Consider the feedback you receive and how you can implement it into your design to make it better. This is a fluid process: integrate, test, and repeat until you reach the best version of your idea. Once your solution is fully-fledged and replicable, it’s time to share it.

6. Application

It’s time to send your idea out into the world! During this last stage of the design thinking process, make the final prototype and share it. It’s important to keep an eye on changes in your target audience and their needs and desires as time progresses so that you can make adaptations to your design as necessary. 

With each new update, return to phase one and repeat the process for best results. Remember that the user’s needs change over time, so it is important to anticipate future alterations to best serve consumers’ changing needs.

Leading a Design Thinking Workshop

When we approach innovation with a human-centered design process, we are able to empathize with and therefore better understand the end-user and what they truly desire. Everything we create is an extension from t

When we approach innovation with a human-centered design process, we can empathize with and therefore better understand the end-user and what they truly desire. By leading a design thinking workshop, you’ll encourage your team to innovate in this human-centered way. As you create everything from this level of self-awareness, you’ll ultimately develop better products and services as you improve your company and team as well.

Once you have a clear understanding of the design thinking process, you’ll be able to lead your design thinking workshop with your team. Whether your design sprint is a few days or a few hours, a well-executed design thinking workshop will help you keep your customers’ needs top of mind.

Hiring a professional facilitator is one of the best ways to lead a design thinking workshop at your company. At Voltage Control, our team of facilitators is happy to assist you in your design thinking needs. With a clear understanding of this methodology and an effort to lead your team with the same mentality, you’re sure to see the benefits of adopting a design thinking approach.

Do you want to learn more about human-centered design?

Voltage Control facilitates design thinking workshops, innovation sessions, and Design Sprints. Please reach out at hello@voltagecontrol.com for a consultation.

The post What You Need to Know Before Leading a Design Thinking Workshop appeared first on Voltage Control.

If there’s a secret sauce to successful product development, it’s human-centered design. To truly create anything with purpose, you must create with the end-user in mind. 

Human-centered design is an exploration of how to accurately and innovatively create a product or service that satisfies consumers’ wants and needs. You must first understand your customer in order to best serve them. The human-centered design process is dedicated to getting to know your target audience then creating products, processes, or experiences that are crafted from their perspective. 

In short, starting and ending with people helps you design products and services that your customers genuinely love. Now that’s good business. 

The following are three key reasons why human-centered design is a smart strategy to implement in your business today. 

3 Benefits of Human-Centered Design

1. Empathy-based

Now more than ever we have been made aware of the vital importance of seeing the world through others’ eyes. Considering other people’s perspectives is what empathy is all about. 

“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own.” -Henry Ford

Empathy is the cornerstone of human-centered design. The best way to serve people is to get to know them. 

One of the most informative ways to gain customer perspective is via user interviews. Essentially, they are structured conversations with your audience about your product, service, or experience that you offer. It’s just like getting to know a new friend or partner better–through conversation, you learn their likes, dislikes, hopes, and needs. This information will help you design more desirable and meaningful experiences for your customers, creating a long-term relationship with them. 

Start our Design Thinking Foundations course today!

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2. Encourages a learner’s mindset 

Seeing the world through the eyes of your customer also encourages you to approach challenges and innovation with a learner’s mindset. This expanded awareness opens you up to discover new possibilities, challenge biases, and think differently. For example, instead of being stunted by a setback, a learner’s perspective sees the challenge as an opportunity to grow and learn. You roll up your sleeves, sit and listen to the concerns of your target audience, and then tackle the obstacle with a creative solution.

Conversely, a fixed mindset keeps you stuck in one-directional thinking. You see failure as a limitation and throw in the towel, or you develop a product or service that doesn’t meet your customers’ needs at all. A fixed mindset can be judgemental and quick to categorize or place blame which blocks you from creative possibilities and maximum potential. Remember, being in authentic service of others is where we find the greatest success. 

Often our most profound ideas come from thinking outside the box, so allow yourself to. Approaching business with an open mindset allows you to guide your actions through optimism and curiosity; to choose a learner’s mindset is to choose a human-centric design approach to business. 

3. Drives ROI

Operating from human-centric design is indeed a better way to work, but it also directly translates to better business outcomes. A study from Forrester Research found that well established human-centered design has the potential to increase customer conversion rates up to 400%. Human-centered design is not just a competitive advantage, it is an essential asset to business success. 

Human-centered design also saves you time and money; it takes out the guesswork. Engage with your target audience throughout the entire product development process–the beginning, middle, and end–to get feedback on ideas and designs. You will know exactly what your customers like and dislike and make quick, appropriate changes to best serve the end-user. Without being in conversation with your customers, you are creating blindly. This can be a big money suck. 

Use a human-centric approach to pinpoint issues and respond to them before sinking design and development costs into your solution. 

“Human-centered design. Meeting people where they are and really taking their needs and feedback into account. When you let people participate in the design process, you find that they often have ingenious ideas about what would really help them. And it’s not a onetime thing; it’s an iterative process.” –Melinda Gates

Treat your target audience like the important people they are–ideate and create with them in mind to provide them with the best experience possible. Ask your customers what they want and use a human-centric design approach to deliver it.

Do you want to learn more about human-centered design?

Voltage Control facilitates design thinking workshops, innovation sessions, and Design Sprints. Please reach out at info@voltagecontrol.com for a consultation.

The post Human-Centered Design–The Secret Sauce to Business Success appeared first on Voltage Control.

“Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.” -Albert Einstein

We are in a time of great uncertainty but also of profound opportunity. The world is changing as we know it. But this opens up a stage for entrepreneurs to shine. There is a chance to deliver real value to the world in the face of chaos. How can we serve? How can we adapt current companies to fit the new business landscape? What new ideas can we create to address peoples’ wants and needs? Entrepreneurs have the chance to lead the way in this grand shift of physical, economic, and sociological dynamics. The key to successfully do so is design thinking.

Design thinking is a creative problem-solving process. The core of the methodology is human-centric and asks the question, “What’s the human need behind a product/method/process/service?” It’s central to entrepreneurs who want to generate bold and innovative ideas. After all, authentically understanding people and how to best serve them is at the heart of every successful business. The design thinking process allows you to see your business through the eyes of the customer. It helps you to identify the customer’s desires and needs and how to productively create ideas to address them. What better time than now to think about people and how to serve them in ways others have yet to discover or overlooked?

Historically, peculiar times tend to breed excellent ideas. “America’s financial panics have often been the periods of its most interesting commercial and logistical innovations,” history professor and author Scott Reynolds Nelson wrote in a New York Times article. “Some of our most storied brands today were born in depressions a century or more ago.” 

Many major companies and brands that are now household names were born out of recessions and hard times, led by entrepreneurs that leaned into obstacles and found and pursued opportunities. For example, Disney, CNN, Microsoft, Burger King and FedEx were all created during recessions. A similar opportunity to make a creative splash exists right now. What businesses will be born? Take your innovative idea and turn it into a success using the design thinking process.

“Entrepreneur, design thinking is the ability to create, portray and deliver tomorrow’s distinction, today.” – Onyi Anyado

The design thinking process

There are five essential steps to the design thinking process. It combines creative thinking, logical reasoning and testing as a strategy for innovation. The main goal of the process is to create a final product or service that fulfills end-users’ needs. Integrate the following steps to better connect with customers, refine the focus of your offerings and grow your business. 

1. Observe & empathize

At the center of the design thinking process is curiosity. Creating successful ideas starts with observing people and their wants and needs. Why do people behave as they do? Why are things the way that they are? What is working well, what is not working well and why? Asking these questions with an open and inquisitive perspective will help you to better understand the world around you and how you can successfully contribute to it. You will then have the ability to see the finite details and opportunities that exist within them to creatively solve problems.

Seek to understand what you don’t know about your customers and the problems they face by viewing the world through their eyes.

This creates empathy, a key ingredient in the design thinking process. Empathy will help you identify the best ideas for products and services to address your customers’ needs. Observe as much as possible during this phase. Everything you gather is useful information that will inform the future work you create.

2. Define the problem

Reflect on the information gathered from your observations. Doing so will help you gain clarity about the tangible problem you’re trying to solve. Group and cluster ideas together until you find the prominent themes. Then synthesize the information to help you pinpoint the most significant problem that needs to be addressed. You can’t solve all customer problems. Concentrate on the most significant or impactful issue as your central focus to move forward with. This step is crucial because it centers your energy and instructs your future designs. The end goal is to convert the defined problem into a tangible, human-centered statement, rather than focusing on technology, monetary returns, or specifics of a product. 

3. Ideate solutions 

“There’s a way to do it better—find it.” –Thomas Edison

Now that you better understand the target audience and the ins and outs of the problem, it’s time to generate ideas to solve it. Think broadly to create different solutions. Brainstorm! Get creative. There are no wrong ideas; the more possible answers to the identified problem, the better. This is usually a very creative and freeing phase because you have permission to think of out-of-the-box ideas before deciding which ones to prototype later. This is the phase that everyone typically loves because it has bottomless potential. 

4. Prototype

Phase four of the design thinking process is creating a prototype. Take your top idea(s) and create a simulation of the design so you can show it to people and get feedback. It is usually a scaled-down version of the product or system in question. This is a huge step in the evolution of your idea because it moves you beyond talking and ideation into the material realm of reality. Create a physical or digital prototype of some aspect of your product, service, or experience that you can show to users in your target market. Through trial-and-error, you will identify which of the possible solutions is best suited to solve the problem. 

“What good is an idea if it remains an idea? Try. Experiment. Iterate. Fail. Try again. Change the world.” – Simon Sinek

5. Test

All of your work combines together to test the product in the final stage. This is the time to share your prototype with consumers to get their feedback. Therefore, this is still an interactive stage. Testing a product often leads to tweaking and redefining problems and solutions as you gain a better understanding of the consumer. It is an essential opportunity to make sure that everything about your idea is centered around the people who will be using it. You want to know what they think, both positive and negative thoughts. Use the information to flush out all details of your design and refine it. That is how you build the best product possible and prepare it to launch. 

“It is about them and for them. The closer the end-users’ needs are analyzed and answered, the more successful the adoption or purchase of a solution. You iterate until you get it right from a customer perspective. This the power of HCD (human-centered design).” – Olivier Delarue

The world needs the next great ideas and design thinking can help create effective and opportune solutions. Put people first and incorporate the design thinking process in your entrepreneurial endeavors.

Looking for training in the Design Thinking methodology?

Voltage Control offers a range of options for innovation training, design sprints, and design thinking facilitation. Please reach out to us at info@voltagecontrol.com if you want to talk.

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In this time of social distancing, how might we embrace the power of facilitation to unlock true human connection in virtual environments? We’ve been hosting weekly Virtual Workshops to explore this and similar questions. Over the past few weeks, participants raised many concerns, ranging from the ability to connect and drive meaningful outcomes online, understand how to adapt to these new environments, support those who have less means to connect online, and concerns over the loss of true intimacy we derive from in-person connections. This fear of permanently losing in-person connections struck me deeply. As I pondered this notion, I wondered if we will want or desire in-person experiences if we become extremely skilled at connecting digitally? The more I thought about it, the thing I kept asking myself was, “Will the virtual natives care?” 

I am hoping to use less text in my work because it fails to set the context. Audio/Video is better and I will continue to learn new tools to do a better job at communicating. Loom is a great example of that.  

After spending WAY too much time pondering all of this, I decided to connect with some of my favorite facilitators and ask them how they are feeling about all these changes and the importance of connection in their work. Here’s what they had to say.

Facilitator Feedback

We are collectively in a moment of change that is making it possible to experiment and learn together in a spirit of generosity that is quite profound. More than anything, I hope we can move into the future together with that sensibility in the facilitative work we do, whether we find ourselves doing that in virtual or in-person spaces.

Anna Jackson, Founder @ Alpinista Consultin

With a sudden ban on traditional offices, people are honoring their own unique way of working instead of being forced into subscribing to a uniform way in traditional offices. So I think a huge wave of people are going to question the need for traditional offices because they find that the environment kept them away from doing their best work. 

John Fitch, Chief Product Officer & Master Facilitator @ Voltage Control

In this virtual environment, it’s important to understand that your content is competing with your participants’ family, dog, and grocery deliveries. Practice brevity and focus. Provide multiple ways your participants can contribute to the discussion (chats, virtual whiteboards, and open discussions).

Vaishali Jadhav, Senior Facilitator @ Procore Technologies

We’ve had 40,000 years as modern humans, speaking and collaborating together in the “real world”…and we still often mess it up. I think we need to be patient with ourselves. It will take time for us to feel that this digital space we can meet in is “natural”.

Daniel Stillman, Founder @ The Conversation Factory

Facilitating online meetings has evolved the way I bring people together and design meetings. It’s my role to make a comfortable space to gather so people have a space to build connections from anywhere.

Hailey Temple, Services Lead @ MURAL

Connections are not dependent on face-to-face or Zoom or audio or tactile. Connections are based on the awareness of the other person. Therefore, there is no reason to resent or resist on-line facilitation or training, as long as we keep our consciousness focused outwardly on servant leadership, on being of service to others.

Terrence Metz, Managing Director @ MG RUSH Facilitation Training and Coaching. 

It’s going to be awkward for a while, but I think since we’re all in the same boat — we all feel this sense of newness to try to adapt our practices to this new ‘normal.’  On the bright side, there’s also a sense that we’re all in this together — we’re all experimenting and learning stuff that will change how we hold meetings and workshops when we come out the other side.

Deb Aoki, Sr. Experience Designer @ Adobe

Now is the time to lean-in and offer more services to current clients. That means not waiting for them to ask, but letting them know what I can do to help. 

Craig Carr, Founder @ The Ascendant Business Programs

I’m prototyping several improv games and warm-ups that I use in my in-person sprints and workshops. Explicit and implicit turn-taking is more challenging in a virtual space so I’m developing new methods and instructions.

Dana Mitroff Silvers, Principal + Founder @ Designing Insights LLC

The tools and techniques of online facilitation are pretty new to me, so I’m actively absorbing what I can. My current focus is working on the balance of synchronous and asynchronous work for online groups.

Tim Nations, Executive Director @ Leadership Network

I’m now particularly mindful of paying attention to everyone’s participation. Sometimes this requires slowing the group down to allow one participant to tend to a kiddo or connecting with them privately via chat to see if they are able to engage in the activity of the moment.

Pixie Renna, Master Facilitator @ Voltage Control

I am considering the physical spaces around our clients (i.e. their houses) and how to use them—scavenger hunts for common objects or asking participants to describe the scene outside their window. I am hopeful that the increased empathy as well as the varied settings, diverse attendees, and new locations will become a lasting impact.

Troy Thompson, Design Director @ EMPATIA.studio

My day-to-day business activities have stayed mostly the same. The real change for me has been family dynamics and creating new routines and structures to handle things like homeschooling, naps, meetings, fixing food and getting ready for the evening. 

Robert Skrobe, Founder @ Dallas Design Sprints

Previously we hosted educational, informational events and now we’re moving towards sessions that are designed for our members to speak freely and for others to listen. I’m also scheduling events like movie watch parties that are easy for people to drop in are not going to take a lot of effort or brain energy right now. 

Sarah Ortiz Shield, Executive Director @ Austin Tech Alliance

I’m hoping that as we collectively reemerge from this moment, it’s with a new clarity about the affordances and constraints of each space. Both virtual and F2F can support deep conversation and connection. And each space has tremendous potential if we’re deliberate about designing them. 

Erik Skogsberg, Associate Director @ MSU Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology

I have had to adapt every single meeting, both internally and client-facing. I’ve created virtual meeting spreadsheets and whimsical digital boards. I’ve even scheduled virtual hang time with my teams. This experience will make me a better project manager. I have had to dial up my empathy and get extremely clear on communication. 

Samantha Schak, Sr. Project Manager @ Handsome

Physical separation has increased our need for emotional connection. We are creating a new culture where the fear of sharing our vulnerabilities is being replaced with the emotional rewards of genuine relationships.

Bruce A. Hayes, Change Catalyst

I am setting up my work as usual designing for online engagement. The softened point is letting go of expectations mostly around time and people getting back to me, but still believing in high possibility. I recently allowed myself extra time to embellish a client video and enjoyed the connection it created for me and my client. 

Nora Scully, Engagement Designer @ Scully Spark

Many studies show that up to 80% of the workforce is not engaged. Any company who can engage their people at a higher rate will have a strategic advantage. This is an opportunity for us to learn how to help companies do just that.

Will Simpson, Executive Consultant @ Ten Eleven Twelve

Shelter in place has reminded me that the world is a small place and I can reach many more people and communities with digital facilitation. Instead of thinking Silicon Valley > California > USA, now I think across time zones and how many I can accommodate.

Rachel Ben Hamou, Culture Focused Facilitator @ PeopleStorming

All of these quotes spoke to me, yet I chose to end with Rachel’s because I found it so touching that these times of isolation have created an opportunity to see beyond boundaries that previously existed. 

A big thank you to my friends for sharing their thoughts and wisdom. In all of this uncertainty and devastation, it is lovely to see them all working together and sharing insights as we carve out the identities we will all persist going forward. This conversation interests me greatly and touches me deeply. If you would like to talk further about this, send me an email or join me at one of our free weekly virtual workshops where we are bringing together the facilitation community to explore and answer these types of questions. 

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Often, when words and ideas become ubiquitous — “disrupt,” “unicorn,” and “curate” are some potentially over-used words in the start-up and design space — we begin not to listen. We start to tune out. We identify these hot words as meaningless buzzwords.

But, that’s not always the case. It’s not all hot air. So, if you’ve heard the phrase human-centered design (pretty much synonymous with user-centered design) lately in the news or from colleagues or friends, try not to tune out. It’s worth it to stop, listen, and find out more.

The ideas, concepts, and processes behind human-centered design have been at work for decades. If you are curious about what human-centered design is and why it still matters today, read on.

Here are the four reasons we believe human-centered design is hyper-relevant today.

1. Human-Centered Design is Empathy-Based

There’s been a lot of discussions recently about how people don’t seem empathetic enough, especially in a world of nasty Twitter wars and divided political agendas. Most of us can agree that we need empathy more than ever.

We need to see the world from other people’s perspectives, which is what empathy is all about. (To be clear, empathy is not the same as sympathy, which is feeling sorry for someone. Psychiatrist and researcher Helen Riess describes empathy in the book The Empathy Effect like this: “We must understand the situation from the other person’s physical, psychological, social, and spiritual perspectives.”)

Human-centered design begins and ends with people.

What does empathy have to do with human-centered design? It’s right there in words themselves. Human-centered design begins and ends with people. It’s a process that is dedicated to creating products, processes, or experiences that are crafted from the perspective of the end-user.

Usually, this takes the form of starting any project or initiative with a deep dive into your users’ lives; typically, human-centered designers conduct user interviews to understand the perspective and needs of the people they’re designing for.

“While people are generally pretty well-attuned to their own feelings and emotions, getting into someone else’s head can be a bit more difficult. The ability to feel empathy allows people to “walk a mile in another’s shoes,” so to speak. It permits people to understand the emotions that others are feeling.” — from the article “What is Empathy?”

2. Human-Centered Design Embraces a Learner Mindset

Another essential thing about human-centered design, which is also related to empathy, is that it encourages people to embrace a “learner mindset” versus a fixed mindset. In the article“The Importance of Human-centered Design in Product Design,” Miklos Philips says: “Central to the human-centered design approach is the adoption of a learner mindset; a learner is optimistic and seeks understanding as a way to guide their actions.”

“Central to the human-centered design approach is the adoption of a learner mindset.” — Miklos Philip

When you come to a business or design challenge with a learner mindset, you are open to discovering new things, challenging biases, and thinking differently. This is in opposition to a judgmental mindset that immediately tries to categorize or place blame.

The article “7 Ways to Develop a Learner Mindset at Work” puts it this way: “Psychologists suggest that there are two ways of responding to any situation — judging and learning. If you have a judgmental mindset, you tend to want control over situations and focus your energy towards placing responsibility on someone else. The learner, on the other hand, tends to observe situations in order to fully understand them, reserving judgment for later.”

When you come to a business or design challenge with a learner mindset, you are open to discovering new things, challenging biases, and thinking differently.

Human-centered design, based on building empathy through talking and listening to users, is focused on identifying solutions through an open, non-judgemental approach. It’s rooted in a belief that this learner mindset will propel you to better, more innovative solutions.

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3. Human-Centered Design Helps You Get It Right More Often

As mentioned above, an essential component of human-centered design is user testing. This means not only talking to customers at the beginning of a project but also engaging with your users to test ideas throughout the whole process.

The reason for user testing is this: we shouldn’t assume anything about how people will perceive our designs, or what they will like or dislike. A team engaged in a human-centered design process would talk to users early and often, to get their feedback on any designs or ideas. With this invaluable information in hand, teams can quickly iterate and get new ideas or products out in the world in a way that works for the end-user.

The article “A Comprehensive Guide To User Testing” explains why user testing so critical. Namely, it helps you pinpoint issues and respond before sinking design and development costs into your solution:“[User testing] helps you to identify any design issues before you get to the expensive part of the process when you reach the final build. It’s too late — and too expensive — to leave user testing until after you’ve built your product. At that point in the process, changes are incredibly costly.”

4. Human-Centered Design Drives True ROI

When companies and teams apply human-centered design, it’s not just because it’s a better way to work. Human-centered ways of working lead to better business outcomes, as well. Usability.gov cites these fascinating stats: “Dr. Susan Weinschenk notes that of those IT investments, up to 15% of IT projects are abandoned, and at least 50% of a programmers’ time during the project is spent doing rework that is avoidable. Following UCD best practices, helps to identify challenges upfront so that a solution can be found early.”

Additionally, the article “How To Calculate The ROI Of Your UX Activities” gives some real-life examples of companies who found incredible business returns from human-centered design activities: “For instance, Walmart’s redesign of its e-commerce site resulted in a 214% increase in visitors. Bank of America increased its online banking registration by 45% after a UX redesign of the process. IBM’s report on User-Centered Design notes that “every dollar invested in ease of use returns $10 to $100.”

Do you want to learn more about human-centered design?

These are the four reasons we think human-centered design is as relevant and compelling today as it’s ever been. If you’re curious to learn more or apply human-centered design to your work, get in touch.

Voltage Control facilitates design thinking workshops, innovation sessions, and Design Sprints. Please reach out at hello@voltagecontrol.com for a consultation.

The post Why Human-Centered Design is As Important as Ever appeared first on Voltage Control.

The phrases User-Centered Design, Human-Centered Design, and Design Thinking are bandied around a lot these days. Are they distinct processes? Are they the same thing?

Some might argue the slight differences or nuances between these terms and their origin. There is more in common between these methods than there are differences and can likely be used interchangeably at this point.

In a nutshell: Human-centered design, user-centered design, and design thinking start from the same belief: the user — and empathy and understanding for that user — should be at the heart of all design decisions.

What is Design Thinking?

Design thinking is an approach to creative problem-solving with the basic idea being that teams can work together to create innovations that lead to better solutions, more streamlined processes, and improved quality. It is used to create products and services that need to meet the needs of a particular group of people. Design thinking is a specific set of tools used to discover problems worth solving and generating new solutions to those challenges with the user top of mind.

The process usually involves a team working together to observe, identify, and understand particular problems or challenges that a target group face. Often, that team brings a diverse set of skills and knowledge because more perspectives can lead to unexpected thinking and better potential solutions. 
Design thinking also generally involves a lot of experimentation and prototyping of potential solutions, which can be tested with users.

In design thinking, practitioners take into consideration many factors; in particular, they look for the intersection of ideas that are feasible (technically possible), desirable (attractive to the end user), and viable (profitable to the business.)

IDEO, the famed design consultancy, breaks the core activities of design thinking into three parts: Inspiration, Ideation, Implementation.

1. Inspiration: Get inspired by your problem space and, especially, by the wants, desires, and unmet needs of your users or customers.
2. Ideation: Generate lots of potential solutions to the challenge at hand. Test these ideas with users to get closer and closer to your final solution or recommendation.
3. Implementation: Make your ideas real. But the process doesn’t stop there. Good designers should always be continually looking for inspiration, new ideas, and refining their work to make it better for the end-user.

What is Human-Centered or User-Centered Design?

Human-Centered or User-Centered Design is also a process that focuses on the users and their needs in every phase of the design process. The goal is to create a highly usable and desirable product or service for the user. Like design thinking, it stems from the belief that you should lead with empathy and design from that perspective.

Like design thinking, user-centered design stems from the belief that you should lead with empathy and design from that perspective.

Again, the steps and mindset are mostly the same as design thinking. The process can be described in many slightly different ways by different people or organizations, but usually boils down to some combination of these five steps:

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1. Empathize: Understanding the end-user of the product, experience, or service.

2. Define: Articulate the core problems or challenges to solve.

3. Ideate: Brainstorm a diverse, and abundant, set of possible ways to solve the problem for the user.

4. Prototype: Build a simulation of your potential solution so you can begin to get reactions to your ideas.

5. Test: Put your prototype in front of your users and talk to them about what they like about it, what they don’t, and find out how they react to it. Use this feedback to make your ideas better.

More on user testing

Putting your ideas in front of “real” people is a fundamental aspect of user-centered design. In the final step, you test your ideas. User testing can be as simple as asking five users to come to your office (or do this remotely) and show them your prototype. It’s crucial to approach it with an open mind and not be overly-attached to your ideas. You want genuine reactions from the people who will ultimately use your product or service so you can make it better.

We have tons of great resources for supporting user interviews. Check out our tips for successful user interviews and our handy-dandy moderator guide.

All about empathy

In the end, it’s a bit like splitting hairs to find the significant differences between design thinking, user-centered design, and human-centered design. They all begin with a deep belief that our design and business decisions should first start from an understanding of and empathy for our end user.

The post What’s the Difference Between User-Centered Design, Human-Centered Design, and Design Thinking? appeared first on Voltage Control.

Design thinking is a way of working that companies are adopting as a way to drive thoughtful decisions, greater collaboration, and better results. But what exactly is design thinking and why is it important to train your team in these methods?

What is design thinking?

To put it simply, design thinking is a way of approaching problems and tackling complex business challenges that places the end user at the center of all decision making.

Organizations of all kinds — from Google to Procter & Gamble — work with the tenants of design thinking. The power of design thinking and its ability to drive real impact has led to companies of all kinds to seek out design thinking training for their teams. Knowing the essentials of design thinking is more important than ever in many fields, even if you aren’t a designer.

According to IDEO U (one of the experts in the field), the three essential aspects of Design Thinking are: empathy, ideation, and experimentation.

What does it mean to be human-centered?

When you read the phrase design thinking, another one—human-centered design — will likely follow closely. Human-centeredness and design thinking go hand-in-hand.

User needs should be the “north star” or driving force behind your solution.

Being human-centered means that when you design your experience, product, or service, you create it from the perspective of your end user. (The term user-centered is another one you’ll hear a lot. It is basically interchangeable with human-centered.) In other words, with design thinking you don’t design things based on hunches, gut reactions, or rigid business needs. You start by finding out what your users, customers, or “humans” want and need. These user needs should be the “north star” or driving force behind your solution.

As mentioned above, many organizations today are engaging experts to train their teams in the methods of design thinking to help evolve and transform their work. Read on to find out why the human-centered approach works.

Why companies are engaging with design thinking training:

1. Design thinking training unleashes creativity

Through design thinking training, employees are encouraged to think differently and reject “business as usual” attitudes. Design thinking teaches people how to come up with new solutions based on user insights. This process is called ideation (think: lots of sticky notes and whiteboards).

In our day-to-day work, we can get caught up with the way things have been rather than how they could be. When we teach team members new ways of working and solving problems, we unleash the creativity and fresh thinking that may have been lying dormant.

2. The best innovation comes from inside

Companies can hire outside consultants to come in and tell them how to innovate or change their business. “Outsiders” can definitely bring a new perspective. At the same time, there is also tons (maybe more) of potential for innovation within your existing team.

Your employees know your business and politics better than anyone. They know how to make things happen and who to partner with. When you train your internal team in design thinking, you give your people the power to innovate around the things they better than anyone.

3. It encourages more collaboration

One of the fundamental aspects of a human-centered or design thinking approach is empathy and collaboration. People rarely innovate or have breakthroughs in a vacuum or completely by themselves.

A design thinking approach priorities cross-disciplinary teams coming together and bringing their skills together to create something better than they could have done by themselves.

4. Design thinking methods will change the way you think about anything

It’s tempting to think that design thinking training is only applicable to designers, design problems, or those who want to be designers. But, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Design thinking methods can be applied in almost many settings and companies and to any issue, both large and small.

When your team has design thinking skills, it impacts how they tackle key projects, but also how they do just about anything. You’ll find that the design thinking mindset encourages teams to think differently about big challenges, but even how you run meetings or design your workspace.

5. Design thinking is an essential 21st-century skill

The skills that are important for working in today’s workplaces are changing. Now, it’s not just about having “hard skills” — knowing certain computer programs or having a specific degree. 21st-century skills are softer.

As Forbes points out, it’s things like problem-solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation that are important right now. And these skills are baked into design thinking. When you teach design thinking to your team, you’ll give them these tools that they’ll need to thrive in any job right now.

How do I get Design Thinking Training?

Thinking you want to give your team the gift of design thinking training? Voltage Control has a set of services to engage teams and teach them about innovation, facilitation, and design thinking methods. Get in touch with Douglas at info@voltagecontrol.com if you want to talk.

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The digital product design space is constantly evolving, so our team of designers is continuously testing new tools and approaches. Voltage Control is a proponent of dynamic collaboration because it enables our sprint teams to arrive at a prototype faster with less miscommunication along the way. During a Design Sprint, a collaborative five day design process, we work closely with our Sprintmates.

Most designers and developers can readily share frustrating stories about the painful side effects of relying on arbitrary file naming schemes or other brittle processes for organizing files when working with others. While there is no “one size fits all” approach to working on a prototype as a group, we’ve developed an approach that works well and have decided to share it with you.

I will begin with an overview of four tools we are currently using to build prototypes and finish with step-by-step instructions on how we make prototypes at Voltage Control.

Abstract

Abstract is a powerful tool for versioning and sharing Sketch files with your entire project team. In recent Design Sprints, Abstract has become our hub for file management when working with multiple designers, copywriters, and other contributors. With Abstract, we no longer lose versions of files or accidentally overwrite previous work. Abstract is a breeze to pick up even if you are unfamiliar with version control. If version control is a new concept to you, we highly recommend you first check out this overview of Git and Gitflow by Atlassian. When working alone, making changes linearly is fine, but when collaborating with multiple team members, a version control process like Gitflow drastically improves the pace of your work and reduces duplicated efforts and rework.

Everyone dislikes redoing something that was overwritten or realizing that you’ve duplicated something someone else has already worked on. With Abstract, you can directly synchronize your Sketch files with other team members, make comments on files, and communicate design specifications all in the same workspace. During a recent Voltage Control Design Sprint, our team had two designers and a copywriter working on the same prototype. All three of us were working on files that were directly connected using Abstract. The copywriter was able to add comments and update copy dynamically, while each designer was syncing work as they completed each screen. I really liked the direction that our teammate Ben was taking on a list structure, and I was able to use that as inspiration for other elements of the app. Simultaneously, I could respond to the copywriter’s direction. This would not have happened without the real-time capabilities of Abstract.

Sketch + Craft Plugin

Sketch is the leading digital product design tool available on the market today. Most designers are already familiar with Sketch, and it is the tool of choice for most software interface designs. If you have never used Sketch, download the free trial and check it out. While I won’t spend much time explaining how Sketch works, I can say it is very easy to learn and you can find additional resources here. In this tutorial, we will cover how to connect the Craft Manager to create interactive hotspots and sync your project to an InVision prototype.

The Craft plugin is one of the best tools available to improve your prototyping with Sketch. While Sketch offers Sketch Cloud and other prototyping tools, these tools do not provide the same level of collaboration and ease of use as the Craft plugin. Using Craft in our workflow, we no longer need to separate the stitching of the prototype and the generation of screens into two separate tasks to be completed in separate programs.

Invision

Invision is a tool that allows you to upload a set of still images and connect them together via clickable hotspots. By assembling this interconnected set of images, you can create the illusion of a functioning product. Invision also has a set features that help designers create more realistic prototypes such as additional transitions, mobile phone frames, etc. Teams working on a portfolio of prototypes can easily manage shared links.

Using a shareable link and a password, every member of the sprint can stay up to date on the progress of the prototype while it is being created. Members of the team can add comments and feedback to document to-dos, tweaks, and other desired changes.

Voltage Control uses Abstract, Sketch, Craft, and Invision as its prototyping toolkit to provide the best collaboration experience available. We are constantly tweaking and evolving our process and toolchain. We’ll let you know as we find new and exciting tools.

Step-by-Step

This step-by-step tutorial covers a process for creating a prototype using these tools. This workflow is structured to keep the prototype flexible, organized, and easy for the team to maintain. First, let’s do a little bit of preparation to set up our prototyping environment.

0.0 Set up the prototyping environment.

0.1 Sign up for an Abstract account and Download Abstract.

0.2 Download Sketch here.

0.3 Download and Install Craft Manager.

0.4 Create an InVision account here.

After you’ve completed these four steps, we are going to make a simple three-page app with buttons that will transition us between the pages. It will look like this at the end.

1.0 Let’s get started with Abstract

Abstract is the hub of projects where we can access all of our prototypes as well as previous versions of our prototypes.

1.1 Once downloaded and installed, launch Abstract.

1.2 You will be prompted to sign in or create an account.

If you have not already signed up, select “Create an account” to be taken to the Abstract website. Otherwise, sign in, and continue.

After you verify your email and complete signup. Close your web browser to return to the Abstract desktop app.

1.3 Click on the “New Project” button in the top right of the window to create a project.

1.4 Name the project “Hello Rapid Prototyping”.

1.5 Add a description: “A sandbox to explore collaborative prototyping tools.”

1.6 Set the custom hex value to #000000

1.7 Leave “Make private project” unchecked.

1.8 Select “Create Project”.

2.0 Use Abstract to create a Sketch File

Abstract will track changes to our Sketch files so that we never lose work and can collaborate by syncing the files across our team.

2.1 Select the grey “Create Sketch File” button in the middle of your screen.

2.2 Name your Sketch file “My First Prototype”.

2.3 Leave “Use as Library” disabled.

If enabled, symbols within this file can be used in other Abstract projects.

2.4 Next, select “Edit in Sketch” in the top right of your Abstract project window to open your file.

2.5 You will be prompted to open untracked or create a new branch. We want Abstract to track our changes, so select “Create a Branch”.

2.6 Name the branch, “Getting Started”.

2.7 Select “Create Branch”.

The modal will close. Abstract will generate the branch and automatically launch Sketch.

3.0 Draw artboards for our screens.

Artboards represent screens in Sketch. We can easily create the screens of our prototype with Sketch’s default features.

3.1 Click Insert from the toolbar at the top left of the window.

3.2 Select Artboard from the dropdown that appears.

3.3 Choose iPhoneX from the Inspector panel on the right of the window.

3.4 Select the iPhoneX artboard by clicking the name above the artboard. Press ⌘+C to copy the artboard and then ⌘+V to paste a new artboard.

3.5 Double click the first artboard from the Layers List on the left of the window to name it, “Page 1” and then name the second, “Page 2”.

3.6 Select both the artboards by holding shift, and click their names which appear at the top left inside of the Canvas.

3.7 Change the active Background Color to white by clicking on the white square in the Inspector to the right of your screen.

4.0 Add a button to “Page 1” with a call-to-action.

We are going to add buttons that users can tap on to interact with our prototype.

4.1 Press “R” on the keyboard to activate the Rectangle Tool.

4.2 Draw a rectangle 330px wide and 70px tall.

4.3 Click on the color swatch in the Inspector and change the fill to black.

4.4 Click the plus sign next to the Shadows item to add a shadow.

4.5 Change the Y position to 8.

4.6 Change Blur to 14.

4.7 Change Spread to -8.

4.8 Next, press T to activate the text tool.

4.9 Drag a rectangle over your button and add the text “View Page 2”. Change the properties of the rectangle using the Inspector on the right.

4.10 Typeface: Arial Black

4.11 Weight: Regular

4.12 Size: 24

4.13 Color: White

4.14 Press shift and select both the text and the button.

4.15 Use the center align icon in the top right of the inspector to center align the two elements.

4.16 Press ⌘+G to group them, and then double click the Group 1 layer name from the Layer List and change this to “Button 1”.

5.0 Preview and Commit changes

Commit changes to Abstract early and often to track your work. It is helpful to remind yourself to commit each time you change screens that you are working on.

5.1 Save the Sketch file by pressing ⌘+S

5.2 Click on the “Preview & Commit” in the Abstract toolbar at the bottom of the Canvas.

5.3 Write the “Summary of the changes” that describes the work you are committing. Examples: “Add prototype links for onboarding” or “Update user tutorial artboards.”

5.4 Summarize the commit by typing “Add button to Page 1”.

5.5 Click the blue “Commit changes” button in the bottom right of the modal.

5.6 Abstract will save the commit and sync to other collaborators who may be working on the project at the same time.

5.7 Wait for the grey spinner in the top left of the abstract window to change from “Syncing” to “Up-to-date”.

5.8 Click “Edit in sketch” in the top right of your abstract project window to switch back to the Sketch file.

6.0 Add headers to the artboards

We’ll differentiate the pages of our prototype so that we can easily see the path a user should take.

6.1 Press T to activate the text tool.

6.2 Drag a 335px by 100px at X:20, Y:86 on the Page 1 artboard.

6.3 Text “Page 1”

6.4 Typeface: Arial Black

6.5 Weight: Regular

6.6 Size: 72

6.7 Color: Black

6.8 Click the text and copy it to the clipboard by pressing ⌘+C

6.9 Select the Page 2 artboard and press ⌘+V

6.10 Change the text to say “Page 2”

6.11 Deselect the text, Press T to activate the text tool again.

6.12 Drag a 335px by 240px at X:23, Y:286 on the Page 2 artboard.

6.13 Type “+” on the keyboard.

6.14 Under Alignment in the Inspector select the middle align button to center the text vertically within the text box.

6.15 Typeface: Arial Black

6.16 Weight: Regular

6.17 Size: 172

6.18 Color: Black

7.0 Preview and Commit changes

Commit changes to Abstract early and often to track your work. It is helpful to remind yourself to commit each time you change screens that you are working on.

7.1 Save the Sketch file by pressing ⌘+S

7.2 Click on the “Preview and Commit” in the Abstract toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

7.3 Summarize the commit by typing “Add header text”

7.4 Select the blue “Commit changes” button in the bottom right of the modal.

7.5 Abstract will save the commit and sync to other collaborators who may be working on the project at the same time.

7.6 Wait for the grey spinner in the top left to change from “Syncing” to “Up-to-date”.

8.0 Create new branches

Branches allow designers to work on the same file without overwriting each others work. We no longer have to send files via Google Drive.

8.1 Click new branch in the top right of the Abstract project window and name it “Designer 1”.

8.2 Select Edit in Sketch to launch the Sketch file on the new branch. Abstract will close your other Sketch file.

8.3 Notice the Abstract toolbar at the bottom of your Canvas reflects that you are on the new “Designer 1” branch.

8.4 Double click the + text on Page 2 and change it to a “-” sign.

8.5 Select Preview & Commit.

8.6 Name the commit “Add – sign”.

8.7 Commit the changes.

9.0 Conflicting changes

Abstract handles conflicting design changes at an artboard level. We’re going to simulate another designer making conflicting changes.

9.1 Select the Getting Started branch on the left.

9.2 Click new branch in the top right and name it Designer 2.

9.3 Sketch will close your previous Sketch window and open the Designer 2 branch.

9.4 Notice the changes from the Designer 1 branch are not present.

9.5 Notice the Abstract toolbar at the bottom of your Canvas reflects that you are on the new Designer 2 branch.

9.6 Copy the + sign and paste it, then change the y position value to 586.

9.7 Change the copy to be a “-” so now we have both a + and – sign on Page 2.

10.0 Preview and Commit to commit the change

Commit changes to Abstract early and often to track your work. It is helpful to remind yourself to commit each time you change screens that you are working on.

10.1 Name the commit “Add – sign” and commit the changes.

10.2 Now select the Designer 2 branch under Getting started in your abstract window.

10.3 Select Merge Branch in the top right.

10.4 Abstract will sync Designer 2’s changes with the Master file and then alert other team members to sync.

10.5 Now, select the Designer 1 branch.

10.6 The Merge Branch button now displays “Update from parent” because there are new commits that you have not synced.

10.7 Click the “Update from parent button”.

10.8 Because there are changes to the same artboard, Abstract prompts you to resolve conflicts.

10.9 Select “Pick artboard” beneath the preview for the version on the parent branch Getting Started.

10.10 Add this description: “I like the addition”.

10.11 Select the “Commit update” button.

10.12 Select “Edit in Sketch” to continue creating the prototype.

Now that our Designer 1 branch has all of the updates, let’s begin adding hotspots to link our prototype.

11.0 Add hotspots for Interactions

When using Craft, you can select an element such as a button, and then choose what screen it will link to and what transition it will use.

11.1 With the Designer 1 branch selected, click Edit in Sketch from the top right of your Abstract window.

11.2 Sketch will automatically open the file.

11.3 Press X on the keyboard to enable prototyping mode via the Craft Plugin.

11.4 Select the Button1 group on Page 1.

11.5 Press C, and then drag your mouse to the Page 2 artboard.

11.6 Click the artboard.

11.7 Change the gesture to “Tap” and the Transition to “Slide Left”.

11.8 Select the Page2 artboard copy and paste and rename the copy to Page 3.

11.9 Change the header to Page 3.

11.10 Press R to activate the rectangle tool.

11.11 Drag a 335px by 550px at X:23, Y:262 on the Page 3 artboard.

11.12 Select the + sign on Page 2.

11.13 Press C, and then drag your mouse to the Page 3 artboard.

11.14 Click the artboard.

11.15 Change the gesture to “Tap” and the Transition to “Slide Up”.

12.0 Preview and Commit changes

Commit changes to Abstract early and often to track your work. It is helpful to remind yourself to commit each time you change screens that you are working on.

12.1 Save the Sketch file by pressing ⌘+S.

12.2 Click on the “Preview and Commit” in the Abstract toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

12.3 Summarize the commit by typing “Add Page 3 and prototype links”

12.4 Select the blue “Commit changes” button in the bottom right of the modal.

12.5 Abstract will save the commit and sync to other collaborators who may be working on the project at the same time.

12.6 Wait for the grey spinner in the top left to change from “Syncing” to “Up-to-date”.

12.7 Click “Edit in sketch” to switch back to the Sketch file.

13.0 Sync to Invision using the Craft Plugin

Using Craft, we can sync the project with InVision the prototype will automatically be updated and can refresh your browser to see the changes.

13.1 Click on the icon beneath the Craft logo.

13.2 This is the export icon to sync with InVision.

13.3 You will be prompted to sign in to your InVision Account.

13.4 Create a new prototype and name it “Hello Rapid Prototyping”.

13.5 Select the iPhoneX device type from the list of options.

13.6 Select Publish.

13.7 Your prototype will begin syncing to InVision. Once finished hover over the “Hello Rapid Prototyping” project and click “Copy Link”.

13.8 You will receive a notification that the link has been copied to your clipboard.

13.9 Paste that link into a browser to view your project on InVision.

ProTip: When syncing minor changes on a larger project, you can reduce sync time by only selecting a single artboard to sync.

14.0 Test the prototype in your browser using InVision

The web based InVision app allows you to access screens of your project to test as well as adding additional interactions not supported by the Craft plugin.

14.1 Click “View Screen” on the Page1 artboard.

14.2 You will be in Preview mode by default where you can click through the prototype.

14.3 Click the button to see the “Slide left” transition play.

14.4 Click the + sign to see the “Slide Up” transition play.

14.5 You should now be on Page 3 of your prototype.

14.6 We want to add a swipe interaction to our mockup so we will Switch to Build mode by tapping “B” on the keyboard.

14.7 Draw a hotspot over the black rectangle on Page 3.

14.8 Select “Page 2″ as the destination to link to.

14.9 Set the Gesture: to “Swipe Down”, and the Transition to “Slide Down”.

14.10 Click Save to confirm your changes.

Notice that the hotspot is blue. This symbolizes that the hotspot is managed by InVision.

14.10 Press shift+click the hotspot to navigate to Page 2.

Notice that the hotspot on the + sign is orange. This symbolizes that the hotspot is managed by Craft.

15.0 Share your Prototype

Now that our prototype is available and linked, you will want to share with colleagues to get feedback. You can invite by individual emails, but our preferred methodology is to create links to send out to team members.

15.1 Select the share button in the bottom right of your prototype.

15.2 A modal will appear prompting you to share by email or sms.

15.3 We’re going to send out links, so select “Link Settings” in the bottom right of the modal.

15.4 Select “More Options”.

Notice each combination of toggle produces a different link, remember we can make two versions of our prototype link.

16.0 Sharing with team members to get feedback:

16.1 First Enable comments.

16.2 Enable Access to all screens.

16.3 Start the share link at “Page 1”.

16.4 Hotspots Enabled.

16.5 Copy the link and save it for future reference to send to team members.

17.0 Sharing with customers to test:

17.1 Disable comments.

17.2 Disable access to all screens.

17.3 Start the share link at “Page 1”.

17.4 Hotspots Enabled.

17.5 Enable Prevent Hotspots hinting.

17.6 Copy the link and save it for future reference for customer testing.

17.7 Paste the link in your browser to view the end result.

We’ve covered digital product design tools that Voltage Control uses during design sprints. This is the process that works for us in fast-paced prototyping days. Abstract allows for dynamic collaboration. Sketch combined with the Craft plugin makes hotspot linking much simpler. The process concludes with a one button sync to InVision to make the prototype live where we still have flexibility to make changes as needed.

I once had a design colleague tell me, “Don’t talk about it, be about it.” This could not be more true when it comes to app ideas. Using this workflow, you will be able to communicate your concepts using interactive prototypes that you can share by simply sending a link to you colleagues. Best of luck, and happy sprinting!

Please contact elijah@voltagecontrol.co if you have any questions about this tutorial or are seeking help training your design organization in these softwares.

The post How to Prototype at Light Speed appeared first on Voltage Control.

This is the first in a new series of articles on thought leaders in the innovation space.

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“We can choose to embrace life as a curious learner-innovator. A learner-innovator outlook, one in which we are willing to ‘leap into the unknowable’, encourages us to at least consider how we might live and lead others differently…”
 — Kellee M. Franklin, PhD. From “Leap into the Unknowable”

Kellee M. Franklin is a strategic innovation leader, human-centered design expert and executive advisor who focuses on business and digital transformation. She’s a leadership coach, advisor and fellow for several medical organizations, and runs the consulting firm Mindful Innovation Labs, which helps clients “align innovation, mindfulness, and technology with purpose-driven business practices in the digital age.”

Kellee comes with an impressive list of innovation projects that she’s been part of, including rolling out a first-of-its-kind learning platform with the US Army National Guard and helping to launch the nation’s first web-based cyber security identification system. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I had the chance to interview her. We talked about what’s working (and not) in the innovation space today; here’s three big ideas I took away from our discussion.

1. Innovation Shouldn’t Be Exclusive

One of the first questions I posed to Kellee was: what approaches to innovation do you find to be wrong-headed? So often, we only pay attention to the successes — the “unicorns”, the Ubers, the Apples. Without naming-names, Kellee quickly pointed to in-house innovation labs that are exclusive and accessible only to the innovation group. She’s seen companies that stand-up an innovation lab, but who don’t invite the wider organization in to reap the benefits. “Limiting the accessibility to ‘innovation’ is really not at the spirit of innovation,” she said. In contrast, she’s seen the most success in companies that work across disciplines and break down silos. “Multidisciplinary and collaborative efforts is where I see the best products getting produced.”

“Limiting the accessibility to ‘innovation’ is really not at the spirit of innovation.” — Kellee M. Franklin

2. Education & Mindset

Closing off innovation is one good way to stifle innovation, but Kellee also spoke about some of the ingredients for successful innovation — namely education and the right mindset. She spoke about the importance of educating everyone within organizations about why innovation and human-centered design matters. “They know enough to know that they should be doing it but they still don’t understand the process of why it’s important and how to get there.” She stressed the need for companies to educate their people on more than “we should do this,” and talk about how it can lead to better business outcomes.

Kellee also described how an open mind is essential to good innovation. In fact, you might describe that as her innovation superpower. When I asked her to tell me her innovation “silver bullet”, she replied that it’s: “an inner belief that all-things are possible — and, helping others discover this within themselves.”

“How do we help people change their mindset so that they’re more open, reflective and contemplative and can allow ideas to come to them, see things differently and not be blocked by a fixed mindset?”
– Kellee M. Franklin

3. There’s No Failure in Innovation

One of the ideas that Kellee spoke about that I found particularly fascinating was her comment that: “innovation falls on a continuum.” In today’s start-up culture, we often think of innovation as something completely new, radical or disruptive. Not so, according to Kellee: “It is not always bright-shiny objects. It can be simply bringing new ideas and concepts into antiquated domains — shifting viewpoints and mindsets to allow fresh thinking to flourish.”

In fact, for Kellee, mistakes and so-called “failures” have an important place in innovation: “I really think around innovation that you have to look at anything that you try and it doesn’t succeed as an opportunity to learn….I do not embrace failure, especially when it comes to innovation.”

“I do not embrace failure, especially when it comes to innovation.” — Kellee M. Franklin

I enjoyed chatting with Kellee immensely and hope you enjoyed reading some highlights from our interview. Stay tuned for more articles about innovation experts and let me know if you have a recommendation of who I should talk to!

The post No Failure in Innovation — appeared first on Voltage Control.