[Slides and the accompanying audio posted at http://www.portigal.com/blog/designing-the-problem-my-keynote-from-isa14] Too often we assume that doing research with users means checking in with them to get feedback on the solution we've already outlined. But the biggest value from research is in uncovering the crucial details of the problem that people have; the problem that we should be solving. As the design practices mature within companies, they need to play an active role in driving the creation of new and innovative solutions to the real unmet needs that people have. In part, driving towards this maturity means looking at one's own culture and realizing the value of being open-minded and curious, not simply confident. This is a challenge to each of us personally and as leaders within our teams and communities. I will speak about the importance of this evolution and offer some tips to help guide the changes.

1. Designing The Problem
Steve Portigal
@steveportigal
1

2. Click to edit Master title style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

3. Click to edit Master title style
The User Research Dichotomy
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

4. CGleicnke troa teivdeit aMnads Etevra tliutlaet isvteyle
Study people to generate
new ideas
Show solutions to people
to evaluate if they are
desirable, usable, useful
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

5. CGleicnke troa teivdeit aMnads Etevra tliutlaet isvteyle
Study people to generate
new ideas
Ethnography!
Show solutions to people
to evaluate if they are
desirable, usable, useful
Usability Testing!
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

6. CMleictkh otod se dMita Myhaesmter title style
(L) Steve Mulder, (R) Liz Sanders
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

7. IC tlhicinkk t oa beoduitt Mit alisktee rt htiitsle style
Study people to generate
new ideas
Show solutions to people
to evaluate if they are
desirable, usable, useful
Learning about people’s
behaviors, beliefs, goals, etc.
will help you find opportunities
to innovate and reveal if you
are on the right track so far.
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

8. TChlicek d tioff eerdeint cMea bsetetwr teitelen stetyslteing and exploring
Avoid asking “Do you like this?”
Don’t show your best guess at
a solution; instead identify
provocative examples to
surface hidden desires and
expectations
Image from Roberto and Worth1000.com
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

9. IC wlicoku ltdo leodviet …Master title style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

10. Click to edit Master title style
What Design Can Do
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

11. CMlaickke t oIt eLdoiot kM Gaosotedr title style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

12. CMlaickke t oIt eUdsiat bMleaster title style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

13. CMlaickke t oIn efodrimt Mataiosnte Dr etitlilgeh sttfyulle
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

14. CMlaickke t oA ne dEixt pMearsietnerc eti tDlee slitgyhletful
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

15. ECxlicpklo troe eHdoitw M Ita Cstoeur ltdit lBe estyle
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

16. ECxlicpklo troe eWdhit aMt aIts Cteoru tlidtl eB setyle
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

17. CRleicfrka tmoe e dWith Mo aWstee rA trietle style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

18. ICnlnicokv taot ee*dit Master title style
Use design
to connect with
Products
Services
Experiences
Brand
who we are
Values
Passions
Talent
what people are about
Needs
Values
Beliefs
Desires
* Without worrying too much about defining that word
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

19. CMlaictku rtioty e Mdoit dMeal ster title style
Jess McMullin
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

20. Click to edit Master title style
Do User Research
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

21. SCplicekn dto t iemdeit wMiaths tpeer otiptllee style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

22. CDloicnk’t tloo oekd itto M thaesmte rf otirt ldee sstyiglen solutions
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

23. CDlriicvke tdoe ecdisiti oMnas swteitrh t iitnles isgthytle
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

24. TChlicek r etos oeudrict eMsa csotenrv teitrlsea stitoynle
2–3 weeks 2–3 weeks 2–3 weeks
Who do you
want to talk
to?
What do you
want to do
with them?
Fieldwork
Do
something
with the data!
Screening criteria,
recruiting
Methodology, field
guide, stimuli
Analysis,
synthesis, design
Interviews, self-reporting,
debriefs
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

25. PCllaicnk ftoor etrdaitd Meoafsfster title style
Who do you
want to talk
to?
1 day 1 day 2 days
What do you
want to do
with them?
Fieldwork
Do
something
with the data!
Who can you get?
Co-workers,
intercepts on the
street
Wide-eyed
observation,
winging it
Small sample, Debrief
massively parallel
data gathering
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

26. TChlicisk i ston ’et daibt oMuat sgteetrt itnitgle p setyrmleission
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

27. YColicuk a troe endoitt Myoausrt eurs etitrlse style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

28. Yes you can
Click to edit Master title style
Discount code ISA14BA
Resources, presentations and to purchase
http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/interviewing-users/
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

29. Click to edit Master title style
It’s About Us
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

30. ICnldicivki dtou aeldlyit (Mskailslste) ra tnitdle c sotlylelectively (culture)
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

31. CWliec kc aton eddeivt eMloaps toeur rt iotlwe ns t“ypleresence”
Being aware of
and connected
to the present
moment - and
only the present
moment.
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

32. CWliec kc aton eddeivt eMloaps toeur rt iotlwe ns t“ypleresence”
Being aware of
your own
thoughts and
feelings…so you
can make
choices about
how to act
Being aware of
and connected
to the present
moment - and
only the present
moment.
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

33. SCeliclfk-a two aerdeint eMsass itse ra tmitleu ssctylele that grows with time
Why Self-Awareness Is the Secret Weapon for
Habit Change – 99U, Aug 13, 2014
It’s human nature to first experience and
then explain. Catching ourselves before we
engage in our typical default reactions is one
of the greatest challenges of our lives, but
when done relentlessly and with discipline
and moments of reflection, mindfulness
ensues. The pursuit of self-awareness is
difficult and requires dedication.
http://99u.com/30437
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

34. TChlicisk i sto i medpiot rMtaanstt etor utitsle style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

35. SCelicvke nto A ettditiut dMeass otef rM tiitnled fsutlynleess
Non-judging We bring our own ideas to a situation. We can notice our own
thoughts but not act on them.
Patience Things happen in their own way and in their own time.
Beginner’s Mind Approach a situation having let go of what we already think we
“know.”
Trust Look to yourself – even if you make mistakes – rather than outside
yourself.
Non-striving Not trying to make things different but just allowing them to be as
they are.
Acceptance Seeing things as they are, now.
Letting Go/Non-attachment Not holding on to how you want things to be.
Adapted from Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

36. ICnl iicnkte torv eiedwits M, tahset e“er xtiptlleo dsitnygle questions”
• Wait until these issues come up
organically, without having to ask
• Make notes on your field guide
about what you want to loop back
to so you don’t forget
• Triage based on what’s most
pressing for your topic
• Triage based on what makes the
best follow-up, to demonstrate
listening – e.g., emotional cues
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

37. ECmlicpka ttoh yedit Master title style
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

38. CMliincdk ftuoln eedsist Manads teemr tpitalet hsytyle
An Appeal to Our Inner Judge – NYT, Aug 2, 2014
Recognize and accept that you have biases.
Develop the capacity to observe yourself in
action and to notice when certain people or
circumstances serve as triggers.
Learning to slow down decision-making,
especially when it affects other people, can
help reduce the impact of bias. This can be
particularly important when we are in
circumstances that make us feel awkward or
uncomfortable.
http://nyti.ms/1xZb4vw
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

39. CMliincdk ftuoln eedsist Manads teemr tpitalet hsytyle
No Time to Think – NYT, July 25, 2014
Studies suggest that [a lack of presence]
impairs your ability to empathize with
others. “The more in touch with my own
feelings and experiences, the richer and
more accurate are my guesses of what
passes through another person’s mind.
Feeling what you feel is an ability that
atrophies if you don’t use it.”
http://nyti.ms/1pzBHFt
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

40. CWliec ka rteo beoduit nMda bsyte oru trit laes sptiyraletions/inspirations
We think we know what
the solution is.
We think we know what
other people are about.
We can’t hear them.
We design for our
“vision” not for their
needs.
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

41. CWlihcakt tAob eoduitt MChaasntegri ntigtl eC sutlytulere?
To start a culture change we need to do two things:
1. Do dramatic story-worthy things that represent the
culture we want to create. Then let other people tell stories
about it.
2. Find other people who do story-worthy things that
represent the culture we want to create. Then tell stories
about them.
We can change our stories and be changed by them.
From A Good Way to Change a Corporate Culture by Peter Bregman
http://bit.ly/1EbDo0S
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

42. CWlihcakt tAob eoduitt MChaasntegri ntigtl eC sutlytulere?
Flickr user dougbelshaw
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

43. CHleicrek’ sto w ehdaitt MI’da slitkeer ttoit leyo suty tlaeke away
Use design
to connect with
Products
Services
Experiences
Brand
who we are
Values
Passions
Talent
what people are about
Needs
Values
Beliefs
Desires
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

44. Click to edit Master title style
Thank you!
Portigal Consulting
www.portigal.com
@steveportigal
steve@portigal.com
+1-415-894-2001
Designing the Problem ‹#› Portigal

45. No deje de completar su evaluación online
isa.ixda.org/encuesta
¡Muchas gracias!
Designing the Problem
Steve Portigal