harvard ilab: ideation framework v2
TRANSCRIPT
The Idea Stack
FIND YOUR PRODUCT VISION
Josh WexlerCo-Founder, CEO
We help companies build software better.
Why prototype? OG Idea Stack Exercise
How do you communicate an idea to others?
Communication is difficult. Text is ambiguous.
Car Car
How do you decide which ideas will be worthwhile?
USABLE
VALUABLE FEASIBLE
Collecting meaningful feedback is challenging.
Tell me something. And I will forget.
Show me something. And I can remember.
Involve me. And I will understand.
- Chinese Proverb
“
Vision Definition
UNCERTAINTY CLARITY
IDEA STACKGet to the essence of the
idea and focus the team by getting everyone speaking
the same language via inspiration and design
exercises.
PROTOTYPEQuickly build initial solution as an on-device, interactive
prototype.
EVALUATEGet feedback on prototype from potential customers to
validate assumptions.
2 - 4 weeks
IDEA STACK WORKSHOP
PROTOTYPEWORKSHOP
PROTOTYPEDEVELOPMENT ITERATION PRESENTATION
START FINISH
Vision Definition Process In-Depth
Exercise
But first…why do we do this?
SHARED UNDERSTADING
Wouldn’t it be cool…
If students could use a site that helps them structure and plan an essay?
Problem Statement
1-2 sentences that describe an issue (need) that a person or group has.
Students don’t know that there is a process based way to write well and even if they do know about it, it is hard to practice without explicit
instruction.
How might you make your trip to this event better?
• Get into groups of 4• Take 2 minutes to write down your own problem statement• Go around the group and allow each person read their
problem statement for 3 minutes
Step 1 - Define the Problem
8m
Inspiration
Other systems that attempt to solve your problem or inspire you with their design or functionality.
Mylo’s Inspiration Board
What are some examples of applications that attempt to solve this problem?
• Take 2 minutes to come up with a few examples that include:– Name– What do you like & what do you not like?– What can you “borrow”?
• Go around the group so that each person can read and discuss their inspiration for 2 minutes
Step 2 – Collect Inspiration
4m
Idea expression
An idea expression is a short and succinct statement of your idea that everyone agrees to.
A tool that guides a student through an end-to-end (plan to delivery)
writing process and allows them to create a document as they go.
How would you describe a solution to your problem?
• Take 2 minutes to come up with an idea statement• Go around the group and each person read their problem
statement for 2 minutes
Step 3 – Write an Idea Statement
4m
Customer definition
Who groups of people will be using your system? These are the primary customers (i.e., early adopters) and are the people who feel the pain of our problem the most.
Students in 8th to 11th grade in private schools in NYC
Generally, what demographic of people would you expect to use your application?
• Take 2 minutes to come up with at least 2 meaningful customer groups
• Go around the group and each person read their problem statement for 2 minutes
Step 4 – Define Your Customer
4m
Personas
Characters created to represent the different user types within your targeted demographic, attitude and/or behavior set that might use your solution.
Background• Motivated to do well in class• Struggles with putting ideas into text, organization, hard to get started, easily
overwhelmed (starting a sentence)• Loves technology and wants to apply it to everything• Uses a laptop to write (uses Microsoft word, Google drive, and inspiration)• Has a learning specialist that helps with writing• Struggles to take in information• Overly depends on parents and parental figures to get things done• “writing is hard, I am not good at it"Goals• Independence – not needing his parents or others to help him get through the
writing piece• Wants to do well in school• Feel a sense of accomplishment• Might like the technology for technologies sakeFrustrations• Reduce the struggle in writing• Reduce his anxiety• Avoid negative feedback from the teachers
Name: MyloAge: 13Demographic: 8th grader in private school in NYC
Meet Mylo
Who would you expect use your new product?
• Take 2 minutes to write 1 persona. Give them the following:– Name– Age– Background (2-3 points)– Goals & Frustrations (why would they use this system)
• Go around the group and each person read their problem statement for 2 minutes
Step 5 – Define your User
4m
User narrative
A user narrative is a story about how one of the personas would use the idea in the world. Narratives are different than features, but they can contain features.
BackgroundMyles has to read Load of the Flies for English class. He listened to the book and followed along on text. He participates in class discussions and answers response questions. After the book wraps up, Myles teacher gives them a final essay assignment. He chooses a topic.
StorySet up – new doc
1. Myles logs into our system online2. He sees a dashboard (my projects, what is in progress, what you can learn etc.)3. He creates a new assignment and specifies what kind of essay he needs to write, literary
response4. He sees a set up wizard that first asks which book(s) is the paper going to be on? He inputs
load of the flies and that book is then pulled into the system
Idea/topic phase5. The next thing he is asked is "what the main question/prompt", he inputs "Which boy is the best
suited to lead the society on the island and why?6. He is then prompted to come up with an idea statement but he can't think of anything7. So Myles access the Shmoop page through the site and can read about all the characters in lord of
the flies to …8. …
Mylo’s Narrative
How would someone walkthrough your new application?
• Take 5 minutes to come up with a narrative for your persona (make sure to include the background)
• Go around the group and each person read their problem statement for 2 minutes
Step 6 – Write a Narrative
7m
Paper prototype
A hand drawn version of a user narrative that gives a visual to the story.
Mylo’s Paper Prototype
How should your new application function? Is it a mobile app? Web app?
• Take 5 minutes to draw a paper prototype using the storyboard part of the paper.
• Go around the group and each person demo their paper prototype for 5 minutes.
Step 7 – Draw a prototype
10m
Low Fidelity
Medium Fidelity
Introduce• Layout• Data• Make something
you can share
High Fidelity
Includes• Design• Interaction• Data
Tools we use
• Ideation– Evernote– Google Docs/Sites– Mural.ly
• Prototyping – Index cards– PowerPoint/Keynote– Axure, iRise, Balsamiq
• Development– Bootstrap/Foundation– Ruby on Rails
Validation and documentation
• Get the right level of fidelity in your prototype for the project
• Put it in front of users– Make sure they match your personas– Validate problems– Watch them use it and ask lots of questions
• Ask someone technical (a developer/engineer) to do an iteration with you
• Document as much as you need to
Wrap up
• Shared vision and understanding is critical• It is hard to test things in the real world• People need to learn with you to build that
shared understanding• Narratives are invaluable in communication
