Pen & paper tools for getting
from research to design
IA Summit | April 8, 2010 | #penpapertools
Kate Rutter kate@adaptivepath.com
A little about me…
                              @katerutter
                              I’m a designer and strategist.

                              Designing delightful experiences
                              makes me tick.

                              Making things visible and visual
                              makes my heart sing.


Adaptive Path
 Adaptive Path is a User Experience strategy and design consultancy.
 Our mission is to help companies make products and services that
 deliver great experiences that improve people’s lives.
What’s the whole point?




   To create products & services that delight,
   that inspire and that improve the lives of
   the people who use them.
First, a story...


BIG opportunity space




                                       large shifting team




                        money & time
                         constraints
So here’s what we did:
So here’s what we did:
So here’s what we did:
And it was awesome.
         Vibrant stories captured visually

  Shared understanding
         Compelling insights

  Clear implications for design
What made it work?
        Visual approach
        activated a different
        way of working               Pen & paper tools
                                     were accessible 
                                     and fast



                                Concepts hinged
  The insights carried          directly to design
        from research          implications
           into design
Why work visually?
                       Pictures
  Visual ideas     communicate a     Images help
  get through      more complete     groups move
        faster       idea          faster...together




So that the resulting designs
reflect real people
and their needs.
How could we do this again?
We’ll cover…
                What you need to get started :
                tools  techniques




                       A simple method


                                       activities!




               A way to take this home with you.
Warm-up

          INSTRUCTIONS


          Make a nameplate.
          1.  On a piece of paper write your name in a
              way that communicates something
              about who you are.
          2.  Then make a sketch of some kind that
              says something about you.
          3.  Do it in 2 minutes.
Your toolkit
   Surfaces                      Mark-makers
        1/2 sheets
    squares  quarters
                                    sharpies


         stickies               markers

    sheets
                                  colored pencils
         templates

                         colored chalks
   poster board


     rolls of paper               crayons!
Your toolkit
        Marks

  WORDS                    LINES         PICTURES

    case                                      symbols
    case
                   weight
    Case
    CASE
lettering
                    texture
                                      icons



                                     drawings
  Takes only
 seconds more
 than writing!   shading
Your toolkit
       Layouts                          And also...
centered                                size
                          list




                          cluster              shape
   grid

                 linear

                                      color
tree
                            radiant
the plaguing thought of...

“but I can’t draw”
when you think               instead, think

 I can’t draw                I’ll try a little each day


I don’t know how             I’ll use text, but with more
to start                     texture


My stuff looks               it’s like grammar, not art
crappy
Here is our process
Here is our process
Here is our process
Transcripts
                                       Jotting
Note taking

  Coding

Spreadsheets
           Video   Audio
                           And more!
Jotting
Jotting




          EPIC : October 2008 : p. 23
Jotting


           Jotting breaks down
          observations into their
           most elemental parts 
          and captures the weight
               of each idea.
Let’s do an experiment


  You’ll practice jotting items from a
  short clip of an interview, using pen
   paper tools. Try to capture the
  emotional energy along with key
  messages.
Activity

                                       INSTRUCTIONS
     I love to come home after a
 long day. When I get here, it just
 feels like this is the place I can    Jot what you observe.
 hide from the world, or recover,
                                       1.  Read this quote from a user
 or just be alone. It's all my stuff       interview.
 and everything is where I want
 it. It's like a nest. Well,           2.  As you read, jot any significant
 sometimes it’s a nest. But                ideas or themes that you observe.
 sometimes it's more like a            3.  Jot one observation per
 project. There's always                   piece of paper.
 something that needs to be
                                       4.  Do it in 2 minutes.
 done.
Activity

           INSTRUCTIONS


           Let’s jot an audio transcript.
           1.  Now, listen to this three-minute
               transcript.
           2.  As you listen, jot what you hear.
           3.  Use line weight, color, and imagery
               to distinguish the big themes from
               the smaller ideas.
           4.  Do it in 5 minutes.
Some examples
Some examples
What do we do
with all these
pieces of paper?
Relationship
  Models

Word Sort                  Theme
                           Boards
Bottom-up
 Sorting

Affinity Diagrams


Clustering     And more!
Theme Boards
Theme Boards

                Theme boards display
               the results of synthesis. 
               They show the patterns
                and themes that act 
                  as a bridge to the
                   design process.
Reports

Presentations
                            Concept
Storyboards                 Sketches
  Decks
  Books
Video Reels

Personas
                And more!
Concept Sketching
Some examples
Concept Sketching


                    Concept sketches capture
                      a story, illustrate the
                    relationships of elements,
                    or a communicate a core
                       set of related ideas.
Handy visual layouts

   Mind Maps                               2 x 2s
                       Graphs




      Grids                     Mandalas
Bringing it all together

                     Use the concept
                     sketches, jots 
                  supplemental material
                    to craft stories and
                  implications for design.
Moving into design
Project Management

   Marketing
        Product Management
          Business strategy
              Product engineering!
Hinge from
research…




             …to design
From concept sketch…   … to storyboard
From concept sketch…   … to information architecture
From concept sketch…   … to interface prototype
What we covered
              What you need to get started :
              tools  techniques




                     A simple method


                                     activities!




             A way to take this home with you.
Why are we doing this?
So that the stuff we design connects with
real people...
  their true stories, their honest emotions
     and their most important needs.
Why are we doing this?
So that the stuff we design connects with
real people...
  their true stories, their honest emotions
     and their most important needs.




  P URE
    ESO ME
 AW
Why are we doing this?
So that the stuff we design connects with
real people...
  their true stories, their honest emotions
     and their most important needs.




  P URE
    ESO ME
 AW
THINK ABOUT...



What 1 thing 
can you start using
tomorrow?
MORE UX GOODNESS

                        Portland, OR
                        • Pre-con : May 19
                        • Conference: May 20-21
                        www.webvisionsevent.org | @webvisions



      Amsterdam: Apr 26-29 | San Francisco: Jun 27-30
      www.adaptivepath.com/events
      15% off with code FOKR




      San Francisco: Aug 24-27
      www.uxweek.com
      15% off with code FOKR
GETTING THE GOODS

kate@adaptivepath.com
www.adaptivepath.com

@katerutter
www.intelleto.com

The slides will be on
intelleto.com and slideshare
in the near future...

Credits to Leah Buley and Rachel Hinman for collaborating on
this material and to the Adaptive Path folks who shared their
project work.

See->Sort->Sketch : Pen & Paper Tools to get from Research to Design : IA Summit 2010 version

  • 1.
    Pen & papertools for getting from research to design IA Summit | April 8, 2010 | #penpapertools Kate Rutter [email protected]
  • 2.
    A little aboutme… @katerutter I’m a designer and strategist. Designing delightful experiences makes me tick. Making things visible and visual makes my heart sing. Adaptive Path Adaptive Path is a User Experience strategy and design consultancy. Our mission is to help companies make products and services that deliver great experiences that improve people’s lives.
  • 3.
    What’s the wholepoint? To create products & services that delight, that inspire and that improve the lives of the people who use them.
  • 4.
    First, a story... BIGopportunity space large shifting team money & time constraints
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 7.
  • 8.
    And it wasawesome. Vibrant stories captured visually Shared understanding Compelling insights Clear implications for design
  • 9.
    What made itwork? Visual approach activated a different way of working Pen & paper tools were accessible and fast Concepts hinged The insights carried directly to design from research implications into design
  • 10.
    Why work visually? Pictures Visual ideas communicate a Images help get through more complete groups move faster idea faster...together So that the resulting designs reflect real people and their needs.
  • 11.
    How could wedo this again?
  • 12.
    We’ll cover… What you need to get started : tools techniques A simple method activities! A way to take this home with you.
  • 13.
    Warm-up INSTRUCTIONS Make a nameplate. 1.  On a piece of paper write your name in a way that communicates something about who you are. 2.  Then make a sketch of some kind that says something about you. 3.  Do it in 2 minutes.
  • 14.
    Your toolkit Surfaces Mark-makers 1/2 sheets squares quarters sharpies stickies markers sheets colored pencils templates colored chalks poster board rolls of paper crayons!
  • 15.
    Your toolkit Marks WORDS LINES PICTURES case symbols case weight Case CASE lettering texture icons drawings Takes only seconds more than writing! shading
  • 16.
    Your toolkit Layouts And also... centered size list cluster shape grid linear color tree radiant
  • 17.
    the plaguing thoughtof... “but I can’t draw” when you think instead, think I can’t draw I’ll try a little each day I don’t know how I’ll use text, but with more to start texture My stuff looks it’s like grammar, not art crappy
  • 18.
    Here is ourprocess
  • 19.
    Here is ourprocess
  • 20.
    Here is ourprocess
  • 21.
    Transcripts Jotting Note taking Coding Spreadsheets Video Audio And more!
  • 22.
  • 23.
    Jotting EPIC : October 2008 : p. 23
  • 24.
    Jotting Jotting breaks down observations into their most elemental parts and captures the weight of each idea.
  • 25.
    Let’s do anexperiment You’ll practice jotting items from a short clip of an interview, using pen paper tools. Try to capture the emotional energy along with key messages.
  • 26.
    Activity INSTRUCTIONS I love to come home after a long day. When I get here, it just feels like this is the place I can Jot what you observe. hide from the world, or recover, 1.  Read this quote from a user or just be alone. It's all my stuff interview. and everything is where I want it. It's like a nest. Well, 2.  As you read, jot any significant sometimes it’s a nest. But ideas or themes that you observe. sometimes it's more like a 3.  Jot one observation per project. There's always piece of paper. something that needs to be 4.  Do it in 2 minutes. done.
  • 27.
    Activity INSTRUCTIONS Let’s jot an audio transcript. 1.  Now, listen to this three-minute transcript. 2.  As you listen, jot what you hear. 3.  Use line weight, color, and imagery to distinguish the big themes from the smaller ideas. 4.  Do it in 5 minutes.
  • 28.
  • 29.
  • 30.
    What do wedo with all these pieces of paper?
  • 31.
    Relationship Models WordSort Theme Boards Bottom-up Sorting Affinity Diagrams Clustering And more!
  • 32.
  • 33.
    Theme Boards Theme boards display the results of synthesis. They show the patterns and themes that act as a bridge to the design process.
  • 34.
    Reports Presentations Concept Storyboards Sketches Decks Books Video Reels Personas And more!
  • 35.
  • 36.
  • 37.
    Concept Sketching Concept sketches capture a story, illustrate the relationships of elements, or a communicate a core set of related ideas.
  • 38.
    Handy visual layouts Mind Maps 2 x 2s Graphs Grids Mandalas
  • 39.
    Bringing it alltogether Use the concept sketches, jots supplemental material to craft stories and implications for design.
  • 40.
  • 41.
    Project Management Marketing Product Management Business strategy Product engineering!
  • 42.
  • 43.
    From concept sketch… … to storyboard
  • 44.
    From concept sketch… … to information architecture
  • 45.
    From concept sketch… … to interface prototype
  • 46.
    What we covered What you need to get started : tools techniques A simple method activities! A way to take this home with you.
  • 47.
    Why are wedoing this? So that the stuff we design connects with real people... their true stories, their honest emotions and their most important needs.
  • 48.
    Why are wedoing this? So that the stuff we design connects with real people... their true stories, their honest emotions and their most important needs. P URE ESO ME AW
  • 49.
    Why are wedoing this? So that the stuff we design connects with real people... their true stories, their honest emotions and their most important needs. P URE ESO ME AW
  • 50.
    THINK ABOUT... What 1thing can you start using tomorrow?
  • 51.
    MORE UX GOODNESS Portland, OR • Pre-con : May 19 • Conference: May 20-21 www.webvisionsevent.org | @webvisions Amsterdam: Apr 26-29 | San Francisco: Jun 27-30 www.adaptivepath.com/events 15% off with code FOKR San Francisco: Aug 24-27 www.uxweek.com 15% off with code FOKR
  • 52.
    GETTING THE GOODS [email protected] www.adaptivepath.com @katerutter www.intelleto.com Theslides will be on intelleto.com and slideshare in the near future... Credits to Leah Buley and Rachel Hinman for collaborating on this material and to the Adaptive Path folks who shared their project work.