"Prototype" vs "Prototype"--Breaking Down and Rebuilding Our Understanding of What We Do
Summary
Re-orgs are inevitable, where the first pain point people encounter is terminology clash. It may feel trite to discuss labels when there are bigger issues to tackle, except that words matter. Words represent processes, methodologies, philosophies, and our values. In this talk I’ll share our story of two multi-disciplinary design teams merging into one. Our pain points, and the exercises we used to break down barriers and create a new team framework for talking with each other about what we really do. Learn how to lead your team from affinity diagram to building a bespoke skills wheel self-assessment.
Key Insights
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Differences in professional language between UX and industrial design can create significant communication barriers.
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Words like prototype and designer are often overloaded with multiple meanings, causing misunderstandings.
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Forcing people to avoid contentious words encourages clearer articulation of actual work and value.
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Affinity diagramming from the bottom up helps teams build a shared language and trust.
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Physical artifacts like sticky notes serve as 'objects of discourse' to anchor difficult conversations.
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Digitizing team mapping outputs preserves momentum and enables deeper analysis and framework creation.
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Involving the entire team in both collective and individual reflection fosters vulnerability and connection.
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Skills self-assessment tools must be tailored with team input to avoid resistance and promote engagement.
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Encouraging teammates to see and support each other's growth potential can be surprisingly powerful.
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The process and dialogue behind artifacts are more important than the artifacts themselves.
Notable Quotes
"That's not a prototype."
"We were spending time defending the meaning of words rather than discussing the content of the work."
"Words are how we express our values, our philosophies, why we do what we do as designers and researchers."
"Instructing people to forget about the labels is asking them to ignore the pain."
"We had to make everybody feel safe to participate in this exercise."
"Before we started this process, we banned words like designer and prototype."
"This was the first time the director saw the team doing something together."
"It’s not about the diagram, it’s about the dialogue."
"People were encouraging each other to score themselves higher and see their own potential."
"If we had pulled something off the internet, half the time would be spent on critique."
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