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Choose your own adventure (at work)
Oct 18, 2005
As a child of the 1980s, I grew up reading the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books - an early attempt at interactivity in the decade before the Web. Each chapter of the book would conclude with a list of choices for the reader to decide how to proceed in the story.
It would be fun to write such a book for all the designers, IAs, customer experience analysts, and other practitioners I meet in the industry - most of whom love their jobs but wish they had more impact on their organization.
For example:
Today is your annual employee performance review with your manager [with the gender-neutral name] Pat, who heads up product management in the business.
After covering your accomplishments and areas for improvement, Pat asks you if you have any suggestions for how to improve the business. In your next year, you want to have more impact on the business and want to show Pat that you know how to lead it.
Which of these do you suggest?
a - Pat should read all the latest design guidelines from the "gurus" in your industry. You'll show Pat the website addresses.
b - Pat should send you to a training course so you can get certified in all the latest methods of testing and analysis.
c - Pat should directly observe customers talking about how the company can improve for them; you'll facilitate the customer sessions.
If you chose (a), then turn to page 99, wherein you return to your desk, send a couple of e-mails to Pat, and return to your workaday routine for the next year.
If you chose (b), turn to page 355 of your course book that you'll be reading to learn how to run ever-more-specific methods in tests that Pat wouldn't be caught dead participating in.
If you chose (c), congratulations! Turn the page on your story to see how this impacts you; more importantly, Pat; and most importantly, the company and its customers.
Of course, signing on for (c) means that you'll have to then convince Pat to spend a day - a whole day - with customers, observing their real, unscripted experiences with the company and its services.
It might go something like this:
"Pat," you say, "it's time for us to schedule a day for you and other stakeholders to observe customers using our service."
Pat says, "Oh, that? Actually, I can't make it - I'm really busy right now... could you send me a Powerpoint with findings like you've done in the past?"
How do you respond?
a - "Sure thing. It's such a hassle to schedule everyone for a whole day. I'll e-mail you the Powerpoint when I'm done with the tests."
b - "If you're not going to come, at least send me to a training course where I can learn the latest testing methods, so my time here is at least more academically interesting."
c - "We really do need a full day from you and anyone else with decision-making power. It only works if you're physically present to watch first-hand, and then discuss afterwards with the others. Plus, I'll bring donuts."
If you chose (a), once again, turn to page 99 and return to your desk.
If you chose (b), head back to that course book, page 355!
If you chose (c), congratulations - and get ready to move on to the next challenge in the customer experience process: glazed or powdered sugar?
This is probably one of the better articles I have seen recently. You do a good job of explaining how to be bold about getting them to participate.
I'm taking this to my next performance review...
I agree with what you say – but do you think it may be useful to add an intermediate step to help Pat understand why you are doing this, how you will do this, who you will be doing this on (if the observations will be on specific persona’s) and what one might accomplish with this (then do the when as in scheduling – I am guessing that he will not break the meeting if he knows the context.
In the session show Pat how to make the most of the observations
Perhaps you can show a quick video that highlights the techniques you will employ during the observations to elicit responses (think aloud’s, five-why’s, etc) – if you don’t have video, do drama, recreate the story behind a soundbite from one of the powerpoints Pat liked – in your informancing or Ethno-drama, whatever you want to call it, build in the nuances and thoughtless moments that fill in the richness that the powerpoints don’t reveal – and tell him that that will be part of the richness you want him to see - the richness that you know will lead to your having a greater impact on the business!
In the session show Pat what you might do with the information – perhaps, it will simply be a de-briefing – perhaps it will be the first step towards him taking a greater interest in contextual design research –
If you infuence Pat he will influence others and you have succeeded - I know this is very optimistic but at the heart of your column lies the challenge of the decade - getting PRODUCT people to think from the outside in - process process - v
Seriously, there are so many of these we could write. And I loved those books too.
for example:
You notice that the client has mentioned AJAX at least three times in each of the last 3 meetings as a design idea, and doesn't seem to really know what he is talking about. Do you:
1) Play dumb, and ask about what this AJAX is? Possibly tell him your Amway selling uncle might have some opporutnities for him (wink)
2) Kiss up, in the honest hope to diversify: Refer to javascripting, dhmtl and google maps.
3) Risk your career discuss other navigational and interactive methods that might be used like Flash or military virtual reality goggles
4) Risk your career and tell him to shut the eff up
Simply brilliant!
on another note, I must object to being labelled gender neutral! :)
sounds like we are on the same wavelength, mark.. just brought in some donuts for the team!
choco frosted for me, please! brilliant post!