Presented at San Diego Startup Week 2018. This hands-on workshop will explore techniques for generating and evaluating ideas, including methods that work both for both individuals and small teams. Workshop will include: (1) Identifying and forming consensus on key target audiences; (2) Generating ideas to prioritizing capabilities for new solutions and the related benefits; and, (3) Specifying key objectives to measure and gauge for success.

3. Idea Generation
and Evaluation
Hands-on Workshop
Frank Garofalo
Principal Consultant, Garofalo UX
@fgarofalo
25-June-2018
© 2018 Garofalo UX

4. User Empathy
Therapy Session
Frank Garofalo
Principal Consultant, Garofalo UX
@fgarofalo
25-June-2018
© 2018 Garofalo UX

5. User Empathy Therapy Pledge
© 2018 Garofalo UX
I, {state your name},
...do hereby pledge allegiance to empathy.
I am not my target user.
I will have empathy for my real target user.
...with liberty and empathy for all.

6. © 2018 Garofalo UX

8. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…some inspiration

9. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Treat your customers like they
own you, because they do.
Mark Cuban

10. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…three key objectives

11. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Identifying and
forming consensus
on key target
audiences

12. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Identifying and
forming consensus
on key target
audiences
Generating ideas
to prioritizing
capabilities for
new solutions and
the related benefits

13. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Identifying and
forming consensus
on key target
audiences
Generating ideas
to prioritizing
capabilities for
new solutions and
the related benefits
Specifying key
objectives to
measure and
gauge for success.

14. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…idea generation

15. © 2018 Garofalo UX
From Intersection by Milan Guenther, www.intersectionbook.com
Based on a model by Damien Newman

16. 3
4
5
2
1
6 7
Implement Deliver
DesignConcept / PrototypeResearch
Validate
Ideate
Define
Prepare
Discover
From Intersection by Milan Guenther, www.intersectionbook.com
Based on a model by Damien Newman
© 2018 Garofalo UX

17. 3
4
5
2
1
6 7
Implement Deliver
DesignConcept / PrototypeResearch
Validate
Ideate
Define
Prepare
Discover
From Intersection by Milan Guenther, www.intersectionbook.com
Based on a model by Damien Newman
© 2018 Garofalo UX

18. © 2018 Garofalo UX
...various methods
Prepare Discover Define
Ideate Validate

19. Various Methods
▪ Feasibility & Desirability
▪ 6-Thinking Hats
▪ Card Sorting /
Affinity Diagramming
▪ Empathy Mapping
▪ Journey Mapping
▪ Personas
▪ Value-Proposition Canvas
▪ Business Model Canvas
▪ Setting the Frame
▪ 6-8-5 Ideation
▪ Instant Reply
▪ Problem-Solution-
Benefit
▪ Storyboarding
▪ Paper Prototyping
▪ …and many, many more
© 2018 Garofalo UX

20. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…who am I

21. © 2018 Garofalo UX

22. © 2018 Garofalo UX

23. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Fortune
50
companies
EPA USDA
Utility
companies
Dept. of
Homeland
Security
Bill &
Melinda Gates
Foundation
tech
startups

24. © 2018 Garofalo UX

25. © 2018 Garofalo UX

26. © 2018 Garofalo UX
approx. 3.5 years

27. © 2018 Garofalo UX

28. © 2018 Garofalo UX

29. © 2018 Garofalo UX

30. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…deep dive

31. Deep Dive
© 2018 Garofalo UX

32. Deep Dive
▪ Rules of Engagement
▪ Parking Lot
▪ Yellow-Card Sticky
Notes
▪ Instant Reply
▪ 6-Thinking Hats
▪ Setting the Frame
▪ Experience Journey
Hexagons
▪ Target Audience /
Personas
▪ Empathy Mapping
▪ Journey Mapping
▪ Big Idea Generation
▪ Feasibility & Desirability
▪ Storyboarding
© 2018 Garofalo UX

33. Deep Dive
▪ Rules of Engagement
▪ Parking Lot
▪ Yellow-Card Sticky
Notes
▪ Instant Reply
▪ 6-Thinking Hats
▪ Setting the Frame
▪ Experience Journey
Hexagons
▪ Target Audience /
Personas
▪ Empathy Mapping
▪ Journey Mapping
▪ Big Idea Generation
▪ Feasibility & Desirability
▪ Storyboarding
© 2018 Garofalo UX
…disclaimer

34. Disclaimer
© 2018 Garofalo UX

35. Disclaimer
© 2018 Garofalo UX
There is not a magical combination
of methods and techniques that works
for every project.
This is just a sampling of techniques
and does not necessarily imply a
specific order combination.

36. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…high-level examples

37. Rules of
Engagement
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
5
minutes
ground
ur l se
Example

38. Ideo’s 7 Rules of
Brainstorming
▪ Defer judgment
▪ Go for quantity
▪ One conversation at a time
▪ Be visual
▪ Build on other ideas
▪ Stay on topic
▪ Encourage wild ideas
© 2018 Garofalo UX

39. Parking Lot?
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

40. Technique:
Yellow Card Sticky-note
▪ Rather that trying to interrupt
others
▪ Hold up a sticky-note as a
“yellow-card”
▪ When you have something you’d
like to contribute… especially a
concern or alternative possibility
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

41. Technique:
Instant Replay
▪ Share with those in
your breakout groups
or with the whole
group
▪ Seek feedback &
critiques
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

42. Technique:
6-Thinking Hats
▪ When asking for
feedback and critiques,
one approach is the
“6-Thinking Hats”
▪ Ask all participants to
“wear” the same “hat”
for a few moments to
contribute ideas / critiques
from the perspective of
that “hat”
More info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Thinking_Hats
© 2018 Garofalo UX
“Blue”: Process / Facilitator
What mode of thinking do we need now?
“White”: Facts, Info, Data
What do we know or need to know?
“Green”: Alternate Possibilities, Creativity, Ideas
What else could we do? (Solutions to
“black hat” problems)
“Red”: Feelings, Intuition, Instincts
How do we feel about it?
How do we think the user will feel about it?
“Yellow”: Positives, Benefits
Why is it useful?
“Black”: Difficulties, Weaknesses
Why is it risky?
Example

43. Technique:
Idea Generation
with Sticky Notes
▪ Please capture
1 idea / concept
per sticky note
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

44. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…setting a frame

45. Setting the
Frame
Activity 1 – Your Motto
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Hands-On
Activity

46. Create a Frame
a.k.a. Your Motto
How will your effort be perceived?
Individual or Group Activity:
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
3
minutes

47. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…experience hexagons

48. Experience
Journey
Hexagons
Activity 2 – Continuously improve &
constant evolution
© 2018 Garofalo UX

49. Goals
▪ Describe the high level “current state” circumstances
▪ Identify the complications & implications
▪ What are your key strengths and value propositions?
▪ Who are the key target audience members?
▪ How do you interact with your target audience
members?
▪ What are the key objectives & metrics to gauge
success?
▪ What drives your budget (costs & revenue)?
© 2018 Garofalo UX

50. Experience Journey Hexagons
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

51. Experience Journey Hexagons
© 2018 Garofalo UX
a
Example
Situation: Top 3 “Current State” circumstances
Strengths: Top 3 Business/Project Strengths
Complications: Top 3 Changes / Pressures / Demands,
which are creating Problems, Challenges,
or Opportunities
Implications: Top 3 consequences of failing to act...
to address the challenges, or seek the
opportunities.
Solutions: Top 3 Capabilities

52. Experience Journey Hexagons
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example
Unique Value Proposition: Clear, compelling message that
states why you are different and worth
investment
Benefits: Top 3 Results (what’s in it for the business,
stakeholders, target audience/end-user, etc.); What
would they say about the solutions?
Target Audience: Key Personas/Users/Stakeholders
Channels: Paths to Target Audience

53. Experience Journey Hexagons
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example
Key Objectives / Metrics: Specific, Measureable, Attainable,
Realistic, Time-bound. What does Success
look like? Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
to measure?
Unfair Advantage: Why can’t the Solutions (above) be easily
replicated, copied, or replaced by
competitors / threats?
Business Model (Costs & Revenue): How we make money, and
the costs we incur

54. Experience Journey Hexagons
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

55. Experience Journey Hexagons
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example
Can be done as
an individual
activity or as a
group activity.

56. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…identify your audience

57. Target Audience
Activity 3 – Understanding our users
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Hands-On
Activity

58. Goals
▪ Identify key target audience
▪ Draft their persona(s)
▪ Generalization of your target-audience
▪ Reminder that your target-audience
are humans (not just “users”).
© 2018 Garofalo UX

59. Target Audience / Persona
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

60. Target Audience / Persona
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Goals
• Winning the Soap Box
Derby race
• Be a good friend to Spanky
• Woo back Darla
Alfalfa
Best friend of Spanky.
Chosen as the driver for
the club's prize-winning
undefeated go-kart.
Affectionate for Darla
Example

61. Target Audience / Persona
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Goals
• Find a good Deal
• Pick a car she would love
• Good Fuel economy
• Lots of features and
controls
Karen
Karen just started her new
job and needs a car to
commute roughly 40 miles
each day. She’s excited to
purchase her first new car
and wants to make sure she
has a comfortable commute.
Example

62. Identifying the
Target Audience
▪ Based on your Experience Journey Canvas,
if applicable
▪ First: Identify 1 role or target-audience you would
like to focus on
▪ Second: identify 1-3 key workflows that are typical
for that role
▪ Write these down, please
capture 1 idea / concept per sticky note
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
3
minutes

63. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…some empathy

64. Empathy Mapping
Activity 4 – Engage them in a clear, honest
voice
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Hands-On
Activity

65. Goals
▪ Expanding upon key persona(s)
▪ Seek a better understanding
of our target audience
© 2018 Garofalo UX

66. Empathy
Because our expectations
aren’t our users’ expectations
© 2018 Garofalo UX

67. Individual Activity:
Empathy Mapping
▪ Based upon 1 of
the workflows
▪ Populate the grid
with as many ideas
as possible
▪ Optional: Use sticky
notes to capture
1 idea / concept
per sticky note
Based on:
http://blog.leanmonitor.com/empathy-map-
step-client-shoes/
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

68. Empathy Mapping
© 2018 Garofalo UX
What really matters to them
(and what they do not say)?
What moves them?
How do they problem solve?
What are their daily activities?
What are their key outputs?
What skills do they exercise regularly?
Where does the person work daily? Are they on-the-go?
What really concerns/frustrates them?
What obstacles do they encounter to
reach their goals?
What risks do they have to assume?
What do they really want or need to
achieve? How do they measure
success?
How do they try to achieve it?
What do they say matters to them?
What are the differences between what
they say and what they think?
Do they influence anyone?
Do they feel delight, confusion, and/or
indifference?
What are their dreams and aspirations?
What are their concerns?
TIME:
3
minutes

69. Group Activity:
Empathy Mapping
▪ Cluster & Discuss
▪ Are there any
distinct: steps,
frustrations,
outputs?
▪ Are there any key
workflows that
sum up the
Empathy Map?
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
20
minute
Example
Can be done as
an individual
activity or as a
group activity.

70. Empathy Mapping
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

71. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…mapping the journey
Mid
Point

72. Journey Mapping
Activity 5 – Content matters & increase
familiarity
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Mid
Point

73. Goals
▪ Tells the story of the target-audience’s /
customer’s experience
▪ Include all touch-points: from initial contact,
through the process of engagement and
into long-term relationship
▪ Puts the target-audience front-and-center in
the organization’s thinking
▪ Process of “mapping” with the team, offers
shared insights
© 2018 Garofalo UX

74. Group Activity:
Journey Mapping
▪ Using the Empathy Map
details: What the audience
is doing, thinking, and
feeling at each step
▪ “Feeling” can be plotted as
highs ☺ and lows 
▪ Is anything missing?
▪ Does it flow, or
does it feel disparate?
▪ Please capture 1 idea /
concept per sticky note
© 2018 Garofalo UX
T
2
mi
Example

75. Journey Mapping
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

76. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…generating big ideas

77. B.I.G. – Big Ideas
Generation
Activity 6 – Problem solving focused on
tangible, rapid solutions
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Hands-On
Activity

78. Goals
▪ Generate at least 6-8 ideas,
including wild ideas
▪ Categorized and Sorted Ideas
© 2018 Garofalo UX

79. Things to consider
© 2018 Garofalo UX

80. Things to consider
Refer back to your Journey Canvas
© 2018 Garofalo UX
User Needs
Business
Objectives
Technical
Constraints

81. Things to consider
Refer back to your Journey Canvas
© 2018 Garofalo UX
User Needs
Business
Objectives
Technical
Constraints
Magic

82. Things to consider
Refer back to your Journey Canvas
© 2018 Garofalo UX
User Needs
Business
Objectives
Technical
Constraints
UX

83. Individual Activity:
6-8-5 Ideation Method
Create at least 6-8 ideas each
▪ Quantity over quality – lots of ideas!
▪ What are new ways of doing things?
▪ Workflows, tools, integrations
▪ Addressing concerns & pain-points?
▪ One idea must be a “wild” idea
BONUS - Sketch pictures!
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
5
minute
Example

84. Individual Activity:
6-8-5 Ideation Method
▪ Use template, or take
an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of
paper, and fold in half
3 times
▪ 5 minutes for 6-8
sketches of ideas
▪ Sketch pictures!
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
5
minutes

85. Instant Replay:
Idea Generation
▪ Each group member
quickly goes through
their 6-8 ideas
▪ Highlight the essential
ideas & the problem it
addresses
▪ Categorize & Sort ideas
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
10
minutes
Example

86. Instant Replay:
Idea Generation
▪ Each group member
quickly goes through
their 6-8 ideas
▪ Highlight the essential
ideas & the problem it
addresses
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
10
minutes
Example
“Blue”: Process / Facilitator
“White”: Facts, Info, Data
“Green”: Alternate Possibilities, Creativity, Ideas
“Red”: Feelings, Intuition, Instincts
“Yellow”: Positives, Benefits
“Black”: Difficulties, Weaknesses

87. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…evaluating ideas

88. Feasibility &
Desirability
Activity 7 – Useful, usable, compelling &
sustainable
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Hands-On
Activity

89. Goals
▪ Capture perceived feasibility
▪ how achievable is this with our given timeline
▪ Capture perceived desirability
▪ How much does the target audience want this,
would it bring them delight?
▪ Prioritized Ideas
© 2018 Garofalo UX

90. Matrix Evaluation
Feasibility & Desirability
▪ Feasibility:
Easy to implement,
cost-friendly, technical
complexity
▪ Desirability:
high impact, ease-of-
use, fun, users’ need
© 2018 Garofalo UX
No
Brainers
Big Bets
Utility
Example
Avoid

91. Matrix Evaluation
Feasibility & Desirability
▪ Feasibility:
Easy to implement,
cost-friendly, technical
complexity
▪ Desirability:
high impact, ease-of-
use, fun, users’ need
© 2018 Garofalo UX
No
Brainers Big Bets
Utility
Example
Avoid

92. Individual & Group Activity:
Feasibility and Desirability
▪ Each person gets 6 blue dots and 6 green dots
▪ Blue = Feasibility
▪ Green = Desirability
▪ Place your dots on the ideas you think are most
feasible and desirable
▪ Use all your dots on one idea if you like
▪ Different people have different criteria for feasibility and
desirability
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

93. Feasibility & Desirability
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

94. Individual Activity:
Feasibility & Desirability
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME
15
minut
TIME:
3
minutes

95. Feasibility & Desirability
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Talk with your
actual users /
customer to learn
about the capabilities
they actually desire

96. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…craft a story

97. Storyboarding
Activity 8 – Users first, story-centric
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Hands-On
Activity

98. Goals
▪ Create a series of panels of sketches outlining
the sequence of events a user will experience
▪ Individually created storyboards
▪ 2nd rounds of individual storyboarding
▪ Final storyboard selection/identification
© 2018 Garofalo UX

99. Individual Activity:
Your Storyboards (Round 1)
▪ Create a 6 step storyboard.
▪ Pick a “Big Bet” or “No Brainer”
▪ 1st – 2nd: Problem
Statement / Hypothesis
▪ 3rd, 4th, 5th: Solution
▪ 6th: Outcome / benefit
▪ Each step has a picture
and description
▪ Make each storyboard
‘human centric’
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

100. Storyboards
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

101. Individual Activity:
Your Storyboards (Round 1)
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

102. Individual Activity:
Your Storyboards (Round 1)
© 2018 Garofalo UX
As a user, I am trying to ____{goal}_____
but ____{challenge}_____ .
TIME:
3
minutes

103. Individual Activity:
Your Storyboards (Round 1)
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TI
1
min
What key steps need to occur
in order for the problem / challenge
to be resolved?
TIME:
3
minutes

104. Individual Activity:
Your Storyboards (Round 1)
© 2018 Garofalo UX
T
m
What would a user say is effective
about the solution?
How do the features of the “solution”
meet the users’ goals?
TIME:
3
minutes

105. Instant Replay:
Your Storyboards (Round 1)
▪ Present your storyboard
to your breakout group
▪ 2 minutes per person
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIME:
10
minutes
Example

106. Your Storyboards (Round 2)
▪ Create 6 step storyboard
▪ Left to right, top to bottom:
▪ 1st – 2nd: Problem Statement /
Hypothesis
▪ 3rd, 4th, 5th: Solution
▪ 6th: Outcome / benefit
▪ Each step has a picture and
description
▪ Make each storyboard ‘human
centric’
© 2018 Garofalo UX
TIM
15
minu
Can do as
multiple rounds
build-upon
previous ideas or
explore new ideas
Example

107. Value-
Proposition
Activity 9 – Business needs & User needs
© 2018 Garofalo UX

108. Goals
A quick diagram format to capture
understanding between:
▪ the user needs, tasks, gains / motivations,
and pains / challenges
▪ the business offering, gain creators, and
pain relievers
© 2018 Garofalo UX

109. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Example

110. © 2018 Garofalo UX
…3 key take-aways

111. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Identifying and
forming consensus
on key target
audiences
Generating ideas
to prioritizing
capabilities for
new solutions and
the related benefits
Specifying key
objectives to
measure and
gauge for success.

112. Thank you
© 2018 Garofalo UX

113. Thank you
Resources:
garofaloux.com/sdsw
© 2018 Garofalo UX

114. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Frank
Garofalo
@fgarofalo
@garofaloux
frank@garofalo.co
Questions

115. © 2018 Garofalo UX
Frank
Garofalo
@fgarofalo
@garofaloux
frank@garofalo.co
Questions
garofaloux.com/sdsw

116. …a moment of Zen, with Dilbert
© 2018 Garofalo UX
Author: Scott Adams

117. garofaloux.com
© 2018 Garofalo UX

120. Appendix
© 2018 Garofalo UX

121. © 2018 Garofalo UX

122. © 2018 Garofalo UX

123. © 2018 Garofalo UX

124. © 2018 Garofalo UX

125. © 2018 Garofalo UX

126. © 2018 Garofalo UX