Everything is priority 1! It just won't work without everything... We've all been there with demanding stakeholders and a complex product. But the good news is that there is always a way to break down complexity - it just requires a new way of looking at things. In this workshops we will: 1. Define complex problems and why breaking them down is hard 2. Cover a framework for breaking down products 3. Take an example problem from idea to iterations 4. Focus on the importance of multiple solutions - don't get locked in early

1. Breaking down
complex problems
Rory Madden
@roryuxdx
UXDX EMEA
6 October, 2021

2. Goals 1. Define complex
2. Map the journey
3. Map the end case
4. Document your assumptions
5. Prioritise assumptions
6. Test & iterate
2

3. SIMPLE
COMPLICATED
CHAOS
COMPLEX
Sense - Categorise - Respond
Sense - Analyse - Respond
Probe - Sense - Respond
Act - Sense - Respond
3

4. 4

5. Move tasks to
Completed Column
when done
Automate the
handover of work
between teams based
on a set of rules
What is everyone
working on?
Create a system that
optimises product
development
5

6. Assum
ption
R
e
a
l
i
t
y
6

7. We
default
to complicated
7

8. 8

9. Assumption Reality
9

10. Failed Features
66% 85% 70%
10

11. Defining Complexity
When is it complex?
1. It involves people
2. It involves change
Exceptions
1. Not a differentiator
2. You’ve done it before *
3. Can force change
11

12. Complex Complicated
Chaos Simple
Example
12
Office 365
Rollout
Airline
Scheduling
System
Online Events
System

13. Exercise 5 mins
FIGJAM
Team A
Team E
13
Team B
Team F
Team C
Team G
Team D
Team H

14. Exercise 5 mins
14
Actions
Place your last 2 or 3 projects / features
Work separately

15. Goals 1. Define complex
2. Map the journey
3. Map the end case
4. Document your assumptions
5. Prioritise assumptions
6. Test & iterate
15

16. Case Study: Airline Middle Seats
“I hate the armrest
wars on a plane”
“I need to work on the
plane - but typing with
elbows tucked in is
really hard”
“I was stuck in the
middle between two
rugby players - I had
to sit forward the
whole time”
“I feel trapped in the
middle seat”
16

17. What we’re skipping
1. Identifying the business objective
2. Customer research to understand
needs & pain-points
3. Mapping opportunities to the
business objective
4. Ideating on solutions for the
opportunities
5. Comparing and contrasting
opportunities to select the top 3
17

18. Empty
Middle
Seat
18

19. Map the journey
Thinking of a
trip
Searching for
flight
Booking a
flight
Getting to the
airport
On the flight
Getting to
destination
19

20. Map the journey
Thinking of a
trip
Searching for
flight
Booking a
flight
Getting to the
airport
On the flight
Getting to
airport
On the flight Getting home
Getting to
destination
20

21. Map the journey
Thinking of a
trip
Searching for
flight
Booking a
flight
Getting to the
airport
On the flight
Getting to
airport
On the flight Getting home
Getting to
destination
21
Manage my
booking?

22. Airline Booking
Thinking of a
trip
Searching for
flight
Booking a
flight
Getting to the
airport
On the flight
Getting to
airport
On the flight Getting home
Getting to
destination
Manage my
booking
22

23. Airline Booking - Middle Seat
Thinking of a
trip
Searching for
flight
Booking a
flight
Getting to the
airport
On the flight
Getting to
airport
On the flight Getting home
Getting to
destination
Manage my
booking
23

24. Map the journey
Key points
1. Actions that a customer takes
2. Put non-sequential steps
where it makes sense to
Anti-patterns
1. Too many states
2. Perfect map - just good
enough to start
24

25. Exercise 10 mins
Steps
5 mins - introductions & selection
5 mins - separate work
5 mins - share and agree
25

26. Goals 1. Define complex
2. Map the journey
3. Map the end case
4. Document your assumptions
5. Prioritise assumptions
6. Test & iterate
26

27. Map the end case
Booking a
flight
On the flight
Passenger
Select middle
seat purchase
option
Enjoy empty
middle seat
27

28. Map the end case
Booking a
flight
On the flight
Passenger
Select middle
seat purchase
option
Enjoy empty
middle seat
Flight
Attendant
Put table
across middle
seat
28

29. Map the end case
Booking a
flight
Manage my
booking
On the flight
Passenger
Select middle
seat purchase
option
Enjoy empty
middle seat
Flight
Attendant
Put table
across middle
seat
Change Seat
Selection
29

30. Map the end case
Key points
1. Customer actions
2. Add in relevant swimlanes
for people
Anti-patterns
1. Too many personas - solve
separately
30

31. Exercise 10 mins
Steps
5 mins - separate work
5 mins - share and agree
31

32. Goals 1. Define complex
2. Map the journey
3. Map the end case
4. Document your assumptions
5. Prioritise assumptions
6. Test & iterate
32

33. Document your assumptions
Desirable
● Will a customer really do this?
Viable
● Will this help us to achieve our goals?
Feasible
● Can we build this?
Usable
● Will it be user-friendly enough?
33

34. Document your assumptions
Desirable
● Will a customer be willing to pay the
price premium?
● Does it solve the middle seat problem?
Viable
● Can we make enough to cover the cost
of lost passengers?
● What if only one person pays?
Feasible
● How do you build a seat map?
● Do we use tables to block the seat?
● Are they easy to install / remove?
Usable
● Is this a fare type or an extra?
● How do we get across the value
proposition?
34

35. It failed! ● Middle seat was purchased
by a partner system
● People didn’t pay
● People were downgrading at
the last minute so the seat
was left empty anyway
Document your assumptions
35

36. Document your assumptions
Key points
1. Think in multiple ways -
feasibility, viability, usability,
desirability
2. Conduct a pre-mortem
Anti-patterns
1. Are they specific enough?
2. Are they across all areas
(use colours)
3. Do you have enough?
36

37. Exercise 10 mins
Legend
● Pink = Desirability
● Blue = Viability
● Yellow = Usability
● Green = Feasibility
37

38. Goals 1. Define complex
2. Map the journey
3. Map the end case
4. Document your assumptions
5. Prioritise assumptions
6. Test & iterate
38

39. More Important Less Important
Strong Evidence Weak Evidence
Prioritise assumptions
39

40. More Important
Least Important
Strong
Evidence
Weak
Evidence
Prioritise assumptions
Will people
pay enough?
Will tables
increase fuel
costs?
Will we be
able to explain
the value?
40

41. Prioritise
Key points
1. Think about your
“leap-of-faith” assumptions
Anti-patterns
1. Endless debate - get a
rough guide and work
from there.
41

42. Exercise
Steps
3 mins - Free flow movement
3 mins - Round robin
42

43. Goals 1. Define complex
2. Map the journey
3. Map the end case
4. Document your assumptions
5. Prioritise assumptions
6. Test & iterate
43

44. Test & Iterate
Booking a
flight
Manage my
booking?
On the flight
First Test
Prototype
most
expensive
price
44
Notes
1. Want it to fail
2. Test in 1-3 days (prototype test)
3. Validate desirability, viability &
usability
Metrics
1. Size: 50 People
2. Metric: Click on Fare Type
3. Success: 20%

45. Test & Iterate
Booking a
flight
Manage my
booking?
On the flight
Second Test
Fake door
most
expensive
price
45
Notes
1. Want it to fail
2. Test in 1-3 weeks
3. Validate real world
Metrics
1. Size: 5000 People
2. Metric: Click on fare type
3. Success: 20%

46. Test & Iterate
Booking a
flight
Manage my
booking?
On the flight
MVP
Ability to book
- seat number
dropdown
Not included
Ability to
change seat
Seat map
Table to
separate
seats
Book 2 seats
Extras
46

47. Test & Iterate
Key points
1. Make tests easy to fail - so if
they pass it is a clear signal
2. Iterate through your
assumptions
Anti-patterns
1. Not specific enough -
audience size or metric
2. Trying to prove 100% - just
enough to reduce risk
47

48. Goals 1. Define complex
2. Map the journey
3. Map the end case
4. Document your assumptions
5. Prioritise assumptions
6. Test & iterate
48

49. Push Back
Stakeholders don’t want this detail
● Don’t share every detail - that is your job to condense
● Share the highlights
Stakeholders just want what they ask for
● Everyone does - that’s why most features fail
● Continue with the process anyway as you build their solution
I’ll never be allowed to talk to customers
● Focus on what is within your control
● Just do it
49

50. Want more help?
Team training to go deeper into
● Business objectives to prioritised opportunities
● Breaking down complex problems
● Aligning on a way of working
rory@uxdx.com