book

Discussing Design

by Adam Connor, Aaron Irizarry

June 2015

Beginner

206 pages

5h 2m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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The Lost Skill of CritiqueWhat This Book Is AboutWhy We Wrote This BookWho Should Read This BookTerms We UseHow This Book Is OrganizedChapter 1: Understanding CritiqueChapter 2: What Critique Looks LikeChapter 3: Culture and CritiqueChapter 4: Making Critique a Part of Your ProcessChapter 5: Facilitating CritiqueChapter 6: Critiquing with Difficult People and in Challenging SituationsChapter 7: Summary: Critique Is At The Core Of Great CollaborationAcknowledgments
Conversations MatterThe Problem with Asking for “Feedback”What Is Feedback?Three Kinds of FeedbackThe first two types of feedbackWhy it can be an issueDirectionWhy it can be an issueWhat We Really Need Is Critical ThinkingCritique: The third form of feedbackCritiquing SoloWhy Critique Is So ImportantCritique Builds Shared VocabulariesCritique as Consensus FinderCritique as Iteration DriverCritique as a Life SkillGiving Critique the Attention It DeservesMyth 1: Critique is a meaningless term used to make feedback sound more importantMyth 2: We don’t need to talk about or practice how we give feedbackMyth 3: Critique is something only designers or other creative people doIncorporating Critique and Moving ForwardWrapping Up
The Two Sides of Critique and the Importance of IntentGiving CritiqueThe Characteristics of Bad CritiqueSelfishUntimelyIncompletePreferentialBest Practices for Giving CritiqueLead with questionsUse a filterDon’t assumeDon’t invite yourselfTalk about strengthsThink about perspectiveA Simple Framework for CritiqueOther questions to think aboutAbout objectivesReceiving CritiqueCritique Anti-PatternsAsking for feedback without listeningAsking for feedback for praise or validationNot asking for feedback at allBest Practices for Receiving CritiqueRemember the purposeListen and think before respondingReturn to the foundationParticipateCritique, Conversation, and QuestionsWrapping Up
Creating a Conducive Organizational CultureCollaboration: More Than Just “Working Together”CoordinationConsensusMeeting in the MiddleIncremental Versus Iterative Processes: What They Mean and Why They MatterIncremental Design and DevelopmentIterative Design and DevelopmentProcesses in RealityWhy It mattersOrganizational Politics, Territorialism, and InfluenceSetting the Foundation for CritiqueLack of FoundationCreating an Effective, Common FoundationThe background: personas and scenariosThe end game: goals and principlesMaking It Last: The Mini Creative BriefPutting These Tools to UsePersonal Barriers to CritiqueAdditional Cultural InfluencesNegative Critique ExperiencesFostering the Ability to CommunicatePracticing CritiqueCritiquing with Distributed Teams and Remote Team MembersWrapping Up
Creating Opportunities for CritiqueThings to Keep in MindStart SmallThink Before You SpeakThink About Who to IncludeStandalone CritiquesFormal and Informal CritiquesWhen Should You Critique?Early critiqueLater critiqueFinding the sweet spotHow Often Should You Critique?What Should You Critique?Collaborative ActivitiesEnter the BrainstormBrainstorms lack focusBrainstorms lack structure and facilitationBrainstorms devolve quickly into design-by-committeeBuilding Better BrainstormsGenerate as many ideas as possibleDetermine which idea to pursueEnsure that the idea(s) you’re left with are the strongest onesEnter critiqueAn Example: Design StudioPreparationThe activityThe aftermathWhen Not to Use Design StudioThe problem hasn’t been framed adequatelyThe problem has been framed, but there is no agreement on the framingA concept already exists from which the team can’t or won’t strayThe team is not open to using Design StudioOverly complicated remote situationsConducting Design ReviewsThe Challenges Design Reviews Pose to CritiqueTheir intended outcome is approvalSpecific changes are given as feedbackToo many people and people with the wrong intentions are involvedDesign review timing is determined by the project’s timelineAddressing the Challenges of Design ReviewsTake control of the reviewRecap the objectivesUse the techniques we suggest for dealing with difficult peopleDo not rely on design reviews for critiqueWrapping Up
Understanding the Rules of CritiqueEveryone Is EqualEveryone Is a CriticAvoid Problem SolvingDon’t Rush to Make Decisions on the Changes to Be MadeThe “I Like...” or “I Don’t Like...” RulePreparing for and Kicking Off a CritiqueWho Should We Include?Ensure That the Team Knows the Critique Session Format and the Plans for Facilitating ItAvoid “Ta-Da” MomentsDescribe the Product’s ObjectivesPresent Your Work Quickly and EfficientlyBe Careful When Talking About ConstraintsTools and Techniques for Effective FacilitationDefining the Critique Scope and GoalsImplementing Active ListeningAdding Simple Structures: Round Robin and QuotasUsing Direct InquiryPutting on the Thinking Hats (Lens-Based Analysis)Taking NotesUsing Third-Party FacilitatorsHaving the Designer PresentCollecting Critique and Doing Something with ItShare the notes and the design that was analyzed (if you hadn’t already)Document any open questions and plans to get them answeredReview the findingsFollow up with the teamWrapping Up
Dealing with Difficult PeopleSetting the Right ExpectationsAvoiding Personal Preferences and MotivationsPreventing Surprises from Quiet ParticipantsUsing Laddering to expand on feedbackAttempting Different Dynamics: One-on-One ConversationCoping with Challenging SituationsCritiquing the Work of Someone Averse to CriticismGet them talkingTalk about the work, not the personEmphasize that the critique is about iterationThe sandwich methodReceiving Unsolicited FeedbackStep 1: Be readyStep 2: Hold on to your reactionStep 3: Consider the source and intentStep 4: Listen, understand, and use itDealing with Reactive FeedbackStep 1: Get more specificStep 2: Talk about the “whys” and “hows”Remember, this applies to positive feedback as wellDealing with Directive FeedbackStep 1: Calm down and let your reaction passStep 2: Take noteStep 3: Critique the directive feedbackStep 4: Critique togetherStep 5: Move forward togetherWrapping Up
Moving Beyond FeedbackAdopting CritiqueUnderstanding the organizational CultureIntegrating Critique with Your ProcessFacilitating CritiqueCoping with Difficult SituationsDive In
IntroductionReactingBeing SelfishGetting defensiveStarting from Disparate FoundationsLacking FocusFocusing on What Isn’t WorkingLack of DiscussionAvoiding ParticipationProblem SolvingConfusing Critique with Review

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Appendix B. About the Authors

Aaron Irizarry, known in luchadore circles as El Cubano Magnifico, is Director of User Experience for Nasdaq Product Design and has been building online products for startups and large corporations for over 10 years. Aaron is also a public speaker and consults with companies providing design studio and collaborative critique workshops to help their product teams and stakeholders/managers improve the discussion around product design.

Adam Connor, most recognizable by his magnificent beard, is an Experience Designer and VP of Organizational Design at Mad*Pow, a design agency based in Portsmouth, NH. Since 2009, he has been helping teams and organizations all over the world understand how to better collaborate to create innovative new products and services. His work at Mad*Pow and extensive background in experience design, computer science, illustration, and film has taught him the value of delivering and receiving constructive feedback in the design process and the role it plays in enabling teams to work together creatively and productively.