Summary
A design process is only as good as the people who run it, no matter how "efficient" the process claims to be. This talk will cover the circumstances of a case study and the strategies that took place to establish and maintain momentum on a product that didn't have a direction. With the collaboration of a team in "flow," the work seemed (sometimes unbelievably) natural, enabling and empowering everybody not only to trust each other, but also to trust themselves in their own decision making and their own exploration of their craft and strengths with mutual trust and respect.
Key Insights
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Frameworks foster inclusivity and demystify design processes for non-designers.
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Team and individual flow require different but complementary components like purpose, challenge, and feedback.
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Open communication is vital for achieving team flow and collaboration.
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Shared goals and mutual respect enhance the effectiveness of teamwork.
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Team dynamics can adapt and thrive even with changes in personnel and project direction.
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Understanding individual flow can help create a more harmonious team flow.
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Success in teamwork often depends on respecting diverse perspectives from all team members.
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Effective feedback loops among teammates can enhance the creative process.
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Finding the right balance between challenge and skills is crucial for entering a state of flow.
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The experiences and skills developed in strong teams carry over to future collaborative efforts.
Notable Quotes
"I really want to point out that I'm an average person in a product designer role doing my best to create meaningful products in my work."
"I have seen frameworks really completely fail. It’s the people that make that framework work or fail."
"Frameworks are a team sport. Each player comes in with their own strengths and unique perspectives."
"The team experiences flow collectively when they feed off of each other's energy."
"I need to understand why we’re working towards something to get into the state of flow."
"We were able to shape our product together and the concept was so good that I loved it."
"Creating open communication from the get-go helped us advocate for each other’s work when our new PM came in."
"The more people involved earlier, the better for me."
"Our PM came in and said 'I’m going to make it all better for everyone.' And she did."
"We knew things were getting done and if not, that was always a discussion; no one felt like they couldn't say anything."
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