Summary
To be alive in the twenty-first century is to rely on countless complex systems that profoundly affect our lives, where small mistakes can turn into massive inefficiencies and failures. These failures seem to stem from very different problems, but their underlying causes turn out to be surprisingly similar. This talk will cover about the common threads of these failures, how they can be detected and ultimately prevented using various research disciplines – from market research to anthropology to data science. We need to get good at designing and building for systems to tackle multi-dimensional problems at the intersection of people and technology.
Key Insights
-
•
Judy Ellis’s fourth element—appreciation of play—is critical in designing tools that unlock limitless possibilities beyond the product itself.
-
•
Balancing engineering processes and design invisibility creates successful operations by making processes seamless yet well-documented.
-
•
At Shopify, service lines function as bridges between product lines to facilitate knowledge flow and alignment across domains.
-
•
The brain processes data through two main streams: the 'what' stream (quantitative/object data) and the 'where' stream (qualitative/context data), both essential for good decision-making.
-
•
Contextual, qualitative data (the 'where' stream) reaches decision-making centers in the brain before quantitative data, highlighting its primacy in evaluations.
-
•
Knowledge creation, distribution, application, and evaluation form a circular cycle essential for transforming companies into learning organizations.
-
•
Cross-disciplinary teams combining anthropologists, UX researchers, data scientists, and market researchers improve the richness and relevance of knowledge creation.
-
•
Centralized research hubs combined with decentralized embedded experts provide balanced, accessible, and context-rich knowledge distribution.
-
•
Visible, accessible knowledge assets like Shopify’s merchant frustrations tool enhance organizational learning and responsiveness.
-
•
Strong leadership that understands and promotes knowledge cycles is key to embedding fact-based decision-making throughout an organization.
Notable Quotes
"The toy shouldn’t be the goal of play, but a tool or a process that unlocks the unlimited possibilities set forth before a child."
"Successful operations must have a well-laid-out and transparent process and documentation, but that process must become invisible in its application."
"Service lines bridge the gaps between product lines through information flows to provide the right knowledge at the right time."
"Our brains are terrible at operating only on one type of information, whether object-oriented or context-oriented."
"Context-related data gathered through qualitative research is the first to reach our decision-making centers in the brain."
"Knowledge needs to be thought of as a reusable circular process, not a linear one ending at project completion."
"We want to build teams with diverse skill sets so we can create a full picture during the knowledge creation phase."
"We manage the environment in which knowledge distribution takes place, not the process itself."
"Leadership buy-in is really important—having an executive who understands the value of knowledge creation, distribution, application, and evaluation."
"With proper maintenance, knowledge becomes a vehicle that probes the most hidden spaces of possibility and brings the best decisions to the surface."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"While there aren’t enough lean UX experts for each team, having a lean UX Center of Excellence for each value stream helps embed UX advisory properly."
Jack MoffettSAFe or Sorry? (Videoconference)
May 29, 2019
"Being comfortable with discomfort is a great way to stick with it, especially as someone who might be called out or told they’re wrong."
Tricia WangSCALE: Discussion
June 15, 2018
"Once automation is running, support staff get cut and users have to manage more complex systems themselves."
Fredrik MathesonFirst-time users, longtime strategies: Why Parkinson’s Law is making you less effective at work – and how to design a fix.
June 8, 2016
"We replaced soft skills with active listening to be more specific about what we were asking for."
Laine Riley ProkayHow DesignOps can Drive Inclusive Career Ladders for All
September 30, 2021
"Ownership of VOC is a hot potato—we decided on a coalition with a facilitator to avoid competition."
Shipra KayanHow we Built a VoC (Voice of the Customer) Practice at Upwork from the Ground Up
September 30, 2021
"Grinding momentum is a shared mental model that drives forward decision-making due to pressure and timelines."
Kristen Guth, Ph.D.Out of the FOG: A Non-traditional Research Approach to Alignment
March 28, 2023
"Before Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty with 40 shades, you could only find 16 to 20 in any major cosmetic line."
Joi FreemanA New Vantage Point: Building a Pipeline for Multifaceted Research(ers)
March 30, 2020
"Prioritization is a constant negotiation between what’s urgent and what’s important."
Victor UdoewaTheme One Intro
March 27, 2023
"Strong design leadership manages down, across, and up, enabling teams to do their best work."
Peter MerholzCustomer-Centered Design Organizations
June 8, 2017