How To Speak Unicorn: Translating Design for the Digital Age

How To Speak Unicorn Translating Design for the Digital Age

@marktimemedia What is DESIGN? What is a DESIGNER?

@marktimemedia Design is bigger than “DESIGN”

@marktimemedia Student of process and principles Connector of patterns and
people Translator of ideas and emotions Researcher of systems and solutions Educator of theory and application Advocate of value and practice

@marktimemedia The Design UNICORN A mythical, all-powerful design creature with
a deep knowledge of every part of the project life cycle

@marktimemedia Becoming fluent in the language and concepts of multiple
disciplines, in order to reach across silos, solve problems creatively, and add value SPEAKING UNICORN

@marktimemedia Adorable badass. Carefully curated spontaneity. Master suitcase packer &
dedicated maker of fancy tacos. Lover of lists & purveyor of process. Chronic imposter syndrome. Definitely a Ravenclaw. Designer & Developer Conference speaker & organizer AIGA MN Director of Technology HI, I’M MICHELLE. actually not coffee

@marktimemedia Anxious alicorn. Master of magic & dedicated scholar. Lover
of lists & purveyor of process. Chronic imposter syndrome. Definitely a Ravenclaw. Princess of Friendship Leader of the Mane Six Head of the School of Friendship THIS IS TWILIGHT SPARKLE

@marktimemedia The UNICORN’S JOURNEY Cyclical Purposeful Transformative

@marktimemedia THE HERO’S JOURNEY https://blog.reedsy.com/heros-journey/ Literary storytelling technique following the
main character's initiation, trials, and triumph over adversary

@marktimemedia THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD A problem is identified, relevant data
is gathered, a hypothesis is formulated from this data, and the hypothesis is empirically tested

@marktimemedia THE DESIGN THINKING PROCESS https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular

@marktimemedia https://designfuckingthinking.tumblr.com/

@marktimemedia THE DESIGN ABILITIES NON- PROCESS https://medium.com/stanford-d-school/lets-stop-talking-about-the-design-process-7446e52c13e8 Navigate ambiguity Learn
from others Synthesize information Rapidly experiment Move between concrete & abstract Build & craft intentionally Communicate deliberately Design your design work

@marktimemedia Student Connector Translator Researcher Educator Advocate

@marktimemedia PHASE 1: Designer as Student “Always Learning”

@marktimemedia The Student of Friendship

@marktimemedia DESIGN SKILLS Curiosity Synthesizing Information https://medium.com/stanford-d-school/lets-stop-talking-about-the-design-process-7446e52c13e8

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: A Design Library Favorite design resources •
Don’t Make Me Think – Steve Krug • The Strategic Designer – David Holston • designbetter.co/design-thinking • deardesignstudent.com • The A List Apart library

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: A Design Library Favorite non-design resources •
You Are A Badass – Jen Sincero • The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz • How To Make Sense of Any Mess – Abby Covert • Atomic Habits – James Clear • Anything by Brené Brown

@marktimemedia PHASE 2: Designer as Connector “People over Process over
Tools”

@marktimemedia Friendship challenges in Ponyville

@marktimemedia DESIGN SKILLS Understanding Synthesizing Information Build & Craft Intentionally

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: The Five Whys “The 5 whys get
from the initial problem question to a true underlying cause through deduction, ending with a concrete action item/counter-measure.”

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: The Five Whys • Can be a
single flow, or multiple flows • Best if you have a team highly familiar with the subject • Not to assign blame, but to find incremental solutions

@marktimemedia USING 5 WHYS • Troubleshooting existing problems • Investigate
something unexpected • Partner with “5 Hows” (counter measures for each revealed problem)

@marktimemedia

@marktimemedia PHASE 3: Designer as Translator “Stop, Collaborate, and Listen”

@marktimemedia The Princess of Friendship

@marktimemedia https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/design-thinking-getting-started-with-empathy DESIGN SKILLS Empathy Learning from Others Communicating Deliberately

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Non-Violent Communication Expressing and Hearing feedback without
blame or criticism, using ‘I’ statements

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Non-Violent Communication Observation, Feelings, Needs, Request “When
I see/hear… I feel… because I need/value… Would you be willing to…?”

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Active Listening Active listening comprises both a
desire to comprehend as well as to offer support and empathy to the speaker. It differs from critical listening, in that you are not evaluating the message of the other person with the goal of offering your own opinion.

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Active Listening • Yes: Neutral, patient, asking
open ended questions & getting clarification, summarizing/reflecting, eye contact • No: Interrupting, ignoring, one-upping, waiting until you can say "your part"

@marktimemedia PHASE 4: Designer as Researcher “How To Know What
You Don’t Know”

@marktimemedia Quests of the Friendship Map

@marktimemedia https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/stage-2-in-the-design-thinking-process-define-the-problem- and-interpret-the-results DESIGN SKILLS Defining Navigating Ambiguity Moving from
Abstract to Concrete

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Atomic Design All designs can be broken
down into foundational elements that can be assembled into any number of larger and more complex components

@marktimemedia ATOMIC DESIGN BRAD FROST

@marktimemedia ATOMS THE SMALLEST BUILDING BLOCKS

@marktimemedia http://zqsmm.qiniucdn.com/data/20110511083224/index.html

@marktimemedia MOLECULES UNIQUE COMBINATIONS OF ATOMS

@marktimemedia

@marktimemedia ORGANISMS MOLECULES COMING TOGETHER ALLOW ACTION

@marktimemedia

@marktimemedia TEMPLATES ORGANISMS TOGETHER BECOME LAYOUTS

@marktimemedia

@marktimemedia PAGES TEMPLATES WITH SPECIFIC CONTENT

@marktimemedia

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Atomic Design Use Case: Designing a system
• Designing rules rather than screens • Designing puzzle pieces • Designing from small to large, general to specific

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Atomic Design Use Case: Designing for the
unknown • Designing for content that doesn’t exist • Leveraging pattern finding to build future content types http://atomicdesign.bradfrost.com/ https://www.designbetter.co/design-systems-handbook

@marktimemedia PHASE 5: Designer as Educator “Learning by Teaching”

@marktimemedia Opening a school

@marktimemedia https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/stage-3-in-the-design-thinking-process-ideate DESIGN SKILLS Ideating & Prototyping Rapidly Experimenting Learning
from Others

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Pair Programming Two people working together on
the same problem at the same station, usually with different roles, but offering equal collaboration

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Pair Programming Use Case: Working Together •
Mentorship and onboarding • Brainstorming and collaboration https://uxdesign.cc/three-models-of-pair-design-f75e3b29a51a https://medium.com/product-labs/how-designers-and-developers- can-pair-together-to-create-better-products-e4b09e3ca096

@marktimemedia PHASE 5: Designer as Advocate “Building Bridges”

@marktimemedia Ambassador to other kingdoms

@marktimemedia DESIGN SKILLS Build & Craft Intentionally Designing your Design
Work

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: DesignOps/DevOps The combination of cultural philosophies, practices,
and tools that increases an organization’s ability to deliver well- designed, high-quality applications and services that meet people’s needs, while working at high velocity

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: DesignOps/DevOps The design of best-practice processes, developing
unified values and workflow across teams, disciplines, and roles https://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2018/09/designops.php https://www.designbetter.co/designops-handbook https://uxdesign.cc/designops-the-questions-youre-probably- asking-yourself-now-fdac491bfe4f

@marktimemedia PHASE 7: Designer as Student (again) “Get Comfortable Being
Uncomfortable”

@marktimemedia New challenges await

@marktimemedia DESIGN SKILLS The Design Cycle Learning from Others Designing
your Design Work

@marktimemedia UNICORN TOOL: Agile Principles Individuals and interactions over processes
and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html

@marktimemedia

@marktimemedia Student Connector Translator Researcher Educator Advocate

@marktimemedia QUESTIONS? Here’s how to get in touch: Michelle Schulp
[email protected] @marktimemedia michelleschulp.pink bit.ly/digital-unicorn WHERE TO FIND ME NEXT: ONLINE: Various podcasts (do you have one? Want a guest?) Fitness & Freelance blog EVENTS: Cocktails with Creatives Solopreneurs meetup The Draw In SPEAKING: WordCamp US

How To Speak Unicorn: Translating Design for th...

How To Speak Unicorn: Translating Design for the Digital Age

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