Process
Infusing design with a systems based approach allows us to better address the growing complexity we all face.
It’s not enough to solve “low hanging fruit” issues anymore. Those solutions may only provide marginal improvements. Deeper investigation provides a broader view of the factors at play along with their relationships and interactions. Together, these insights reveal the larger system’s emergent behaviors and purpose, both good and bad. We can then make better informed changes resulting in outcomes better attuned to our goals.
Do you face thorny, entrenched problems? Let’s talk!
What I Believe
A handful of principles define my approach to design. While they seem straightforward, they aren’t always easy. Nonetheless, I strive to put them to work for me, the teams I work with, and the organizations who hire me.
Understand People
Humans are the key to great experiences. Through interaction we can stitch together people’s stories—who they are, their goals, the challenges they face and the situations within which their stories unfold. Their journeys provide us clarity and understanding which we can use to create better products and services on their behalf. If we're not building for the benefit of people, why bother?
Connect the Dots
Revealing the system that problems are embedded within allows us to better plan interventions that will drive lasting impact. This requires talking to the people in the system--understanding their differing viewpoints and surfacing parts of the systems previously not well understood, misunderstood, or even previously unknown at all. This opens the space of possibilities. We can then propose various approaches and test them to pinpoint the greatest payoff versus cost.
Spend Time with the Problem
A central concern for product designers is to understand people and their situations. Superficial knowledge only leads to superficial outcomes that fall short of human expectations. Instead, we explore the problem space and how it affects people in order to build a robust understanding of the challenges faced, the resources needed to overcome them, and the necessary data needed tor informed decision making.
Make Informed Decisions
If you’ve gathered stories and insight from people, taken the time to understand the broader problem space and considered actors and elements that bear on the situation, you’re ready to make strategic, well supported decisions. You’ve minimized the risk of large scale failure and are ready to set a new trajectory based on the most effective leverage points available.