Summary
Over the past few years, the digital team at AusPost has matured into one of the most well-functioning agile trains in Australia. The challenge in this journey to success was to ensure how design and discovery retain their customer centricity in an environment of rapid production. The need was to continue to be proactive instead of reactive in the approach to problem-solving. Some of the challenges were: To ensure there was enough room for the right amount of research for the right problem while ensuring rapid delivery. To ensure that all members of the team from Product to Development could collaborate like a true cross-functional team to come up with solutions to problems. To ensure the team established the right metrics that spoke to the experience. The talk will be a case study of how the Design team experimented with various methodologies to create more breathing room for design-led problem-solving in the agile train.
Key Insights
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Design needs breathing room to innovate, akin to Gina's mask evolution.
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Effective design requires early collaboration between design and technology teams.
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Avoid creating unrealistic visions disconnected from technical feasibility.
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Quick iterations can lead to surface-level solutions; deeper thinking is essential.
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Cross-channel initiatives necessitate a proactive approach to design.
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The dual track model of discovery and delivery fosters collaboration and clarity.
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Partnerships within teams are essential for successful problem-solving.
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Identify and validate metrics early in the design process.
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Continuous improvement is vital for long-term success in design strategy.
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Understanding the specific context of an enterprise is crucial for effective design solutions.
Notable Quotes
"Breathing room for design within enterprises is not a luxury; it's a necessity."
"The early collaboration with tech teams ensures they're partners in vision setting."
"Don't create beautiful visions that take years to build; create beacons that teams can navigate by."
"Quick experiments without thorough consideration can lead to expensive reworks."
"Design sprints work well for small problems but not for complex multi-channel issues."
"Finding the right method for problem-solving ensures effective solutions."
"Continuous slicing of learnings allows for meaningful and viable outcomes."
"Establish partnerships within teams for shared problem-solving. "
"Agree early on regarding metrics to deliver on as part of your research."
"It's never over; continuous improvement is the goal."
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