Not All Software Design Is Shiny. Here’s How to Cope with That.

Being a software designer has many perks. I get to work with cool new technology each day. I get to build tools that make people’s lives better. The compensation and benefits certainly are not bad either—it’s nice to not worry about how I’ll pay the bills, and you’ll never hear me complain about dogs being […]

Engaging Users in Research without Opening Pandora’s Box

Engaging a product’s users early in the process enables the team to gather information about user needs and make user-driven decisions out of the gate. But some software developers might worry, “What if users ask for features that we can’t deliver right away, or worse, can’t deliver at all?”

Design Thinking Toolkit, Activity 17 – Alter Egos

Ever wondered how Steve Jobs might tackle a problem? What if Angela Merkel were leading your project? How would Judge Judy get to the bottom of it? What would Trevor Noah say about that approach? This activity, Alter Egos, helps explore different ideas through the lens of others and provides new perspectives.

Get More Value from “Hopes and Fears” with a Quadrant Map

The “Hopes and Fears” Design Thinking exercise is a great way to foster discussion around our client’s worries and hopes about the project, especially early on in the process. For a recent project, I was researching ways to get more actionable output from the exercise. I found a fantastic blog post from Innovator Ltd on […]

Using “Last Thursdays” to Discuss Exceptions with Users

Most people call them “exceptions.” We call them “Last Thursdays.” I’ve mentioned this term in a couple of my previous blog posts, and I think it’s important to touch on it one more time, to better explain what it means, and to discuss how changing the name has helped us communicate more effectively with our […]

Design Thinking Toolkit, Activity 16 – How Might We…?

Hoping to turn problems into opportunities for design? Look no further than How Might We (HMW). This is a classic Design Thinking activity—and simple, to boot. Begin with a problem area that is challenging for a person/organization/system/environment/etc., and add HMW, reformatting the problem to suggest that a solution is possible.

Wireframing for Non-Designers – A Crash Course

Wireframes are not just for designers! As a software maker, you can and should be using them to eliminate risk and validate concepts. These tools benefit the entire team, and they can be created by any member of the team. This crash course will teach you why wireframes are important, when you should utilize them, […]

Design Thinking Toolkit, Activity 15 – How to Make Toast

Asking clients to explain how nuanced and complex systems work can be a daunting task. Add to that the fact that each participant may have a unique approach to explaining a process, and you might just be left with a confusing workflow that’s missing key information. “How to Make Toast” can help prepare your group […]

Writing Context Scenarios? Start at the End

If you’ve watched as many YouTube videos as I have, you’ve inevitably seen some ads for Master Classes. These are online classes taught by some of the most renowned names in their respective industries—Ron Howard on directing, Gordon Ramsey on cooking, Steph Curry on dribbling and shooting, etc. In the ad for Malcom Gladwell’s class […]

Design Thinking Toolkit, Activity 14 – I Like, I Wish, What If

Welcome to our series on Design Thinking Methods and Activities. You’ll find a full list of posts in this series at the end of the page. Today’s activity is I Like, I Wish, What If.

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