What happens when we apply design principles, tools, and processes to our lives? In this talk from WebVisions Chicago 2014, I share the details - and spin a few stories - on how we can each design ourselves and become change agents in our lives.

1. Better Living Through Design
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2. Paul McAleer
@paulmcaleer
@designingyou
@centralis_ux

3. Apply design thinking to your life
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@paulmcaleer

4. A case study for a very large project
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@paulmcaleer

5. Kickoff & observations
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@paulmcaleer

6. Stakeholder interviews
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@paulmcaleer

7. It was emotional.
@paulmcaleer

8. Here are the findings.
@paulmcaleer

9. Fear! Powerlessness! No goals!
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@paulmcaleer

10. It’s real talk o’clock.
The project is me.
Credit to @redsesame and @wilto for that awesome phrase
@paulmcaleer

11. My stakeholders
@paulmcaleer

12. The fear and powerlessness was real.
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@paulmcaleer

13. A proven, repeatable process!
Research Strategy Execution Feedback
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@paulmcaleer

14. We're remixes of everything we
encounter in our lives.
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@paulmcaleer

15. Research Strategy Execution Feedback

16. Some rights reserved by Smaku
DRIVERS
MIND BODY
Research
@paulmcaleer

17. I was afraid. A lot.
@paulmcaleer

18. Research
Not choosing to do something is
actually a design choice.
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@paulmcaleer

19. Runners are assholes, and
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I'm one too.
Research
@paulmcaleer

20. Research
2007 2008
2013
2014
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21. Strong beliefs, weakly held.
Research
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@paulmcaleer

22. Let's try something together for a
moment.
Research
@paulmcaleer

23. Your body language
shapes
who you are
!
@amyjccuddy
Research
@paulmcaleer

24. Noticing what I was doing
Research
@paulmcaleer

25. Copyright 2014 Paul McAleer
Breathing
Research
@paulmcaleer

26. Research Strategy Execution Feedback

27. Strategy
Copyright 2014 Paul McAleer
Make small plans.
Be open in every moment.
@paulmcaleer

28. Your brain isn’t perfect,
and neither is technology.
Strategy
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@paulmcaleer

29. Strategy
Let it all out and define your vision
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@paulmcaleer

30. Strategy
Set your intentions
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@paulmcaleer

31. Strategy
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“I have found that
a true intention is
enduring, flexible, and
communicates personal
values.”
@paulmcaleer
@jessclively

34. Research Strategy Execution Feedback

35. Align your goals with your intentions
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@paulmcaleer
Execution

36. Align your actions with your goals
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@paulmcaleer
Execution

37. Execution
Make things small
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@paulmcaleer

38. Some rights reserved by Mike
Make things visible
@paulmcaleer
Execution

39. @paulmcaleer
Execution
Find a tool that works for you
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40. Research Strategy Execution Feedback

41. Feedback
“You can't connect the dots looking
forward; you can only connect them
looking backwards.”

42. Look for patterns
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@paulmcaleer
Feedback

43. Copyright 2014 Paul McAleer

44. Be selective and
don’t let feedback run you
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@paulmcaleer
Feedback

45. @paulmcaleer
Feedback

46. The results

47. My interface has improved

48. My architecture is more flexible

49. Experiments will fail and
that will hurt

50. This is not finished and
will never be finished

51. Design your life

52. Research Strategy Execution Feedback

53. Be a change agent in your life

54. Thank you for your time!
@paulmcaleer
@designingyou
!
paulmcaleer.com
designingyourself.net