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Agile designers need to quickly see the essence of a problem, shape reasonable solutions, and communicate effectively. When things don't exactly go according to plan, they must react, readjust their thinking, and try again. Seasoned agile designers strike a balance. They know the difference between core and revealing design tasks and plan accordingly. When unanticipated difficulties crop, they adapt their work rhythms. They know how to give and take criticism and ask clarifying questions of teammates and project stakeholders.
Objectives
At the end of this short course attendees should be able to:
- Identify problem frames (types) and use them to ask probing questions of their customers
- Write and share designer stories to kick off an iteration
- Use a common vocabulary for characterizing various aspects of a design
- Sort through designs tasks and identify their project impact
- Recognize when a “wicked” problem crops up and how it affects project flow
- Effectively discuss issues and come to meaningful agreements
Topics
What makes a designer agile?
- Problem Frames: a tool for seeing typical patterns of software tasks
- A designer's story: a tool for seeing/communicating what's important
- Object Role Stereotypes: a tool for seeing object behaviors
- CRC card modeling basics
- Control centers and collaboration styles: a tool for shaping collaborations where “defensive” behavior is needed
- Design problem types: A tool for balancing priorities
- Handling design criticism: What to do with valid, invalid, aesthetic, personal, judgmental criticism and praise
Materials
This course combines short presentations introducing new concepts and techniques with short, to-the-point exercises. In addition to course slides, attendees receive notes describing each technique, concept, or practice.
