Design thinking
It is a really good practise, just try it subtle.
The above heading and subtitle might be interpreted in a few different ways. So let me be clear.
To avoid overwhelming individuals with too many ideas or information, it's best to avoid using technical terms and jargon instead of clear and concise language when communicating. Just talk simple.
Principles of design thinking
I was introduced to the concepts of design thinking and agile in early 2018. But when I completed a series of online papers provided by IBM in early 2022 it made me a better designer I believe. In short, observe, reflect, and make.
However, this is my understanding.
Empathize: Understand the needs of the people.
Define: In a way that is clear and actionable.
Ideate: Brainstorm solutions to the problem.
Prototype: Create, test, and refine them.
Test: Get feedback from the real people.
Iterate: Improve if needed.
When I saw the support messages in the previous start-up, initially I dealt with all that emotionally. But then I tried to explore further, I tried to put myself in their shoes and became aware that I’d also be angry in situations like this.
I talked about this issue with the founder. There were multiple solutions, some were difficult to implement but ideal. A lot of ideas at the table. It’s not possible for ground-level rewriting of a startup when you are bootstrapping the business.
So we concluded and agreed to the immediate solution which is to create a knowledge base1 with all the possible issues/steps currently we have.
Then we created a few email templates with the knowledge base links which solved 70-80% of support messages by default I guess. Which is a huge win.
It is simple
To make a product better, either we (the people who are building) need to use it constantly or we need to put ourselves in the user's shoes. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand what is the priority or even the problem.
So we built a feature and shipped. Now what? It’s true that new features add value to the platform, but if we are not addressing the current issues along with it, I guess that is not a good way. People will not stick around. Listen, learn, and course-correct.
One another important lesson I learned during my start-up journey is the importance of building a multi-disciplinary team to move faster and work smarter. Not everyone is apt for a start-up. They might know a lot, but they will slow you down because the values are different. It is not their problem, it’s just that you can’t drive a cycle on a train track. I mean technically you can, but you know…
Make sure the entire team knows everything about the platform. So that they will not be angry when there is a change happening constantly. People usually don't like changes. They see the iteration (changes) as the incompetence of the product owner. It can be true and not true.
“Make sure the user has a chair at the table” is a figurative talk. Which means creating personas to reflect at the end. For example, “Stacey is a 70-year-old woman who doesn't know how to use the internet but has experience in using Facebook”. So in the end, if Stacey is an ideal user, we need to make sure our platform is suitable for people like this.
Design thinking is a continuous journey, it is human-centered. In my opinion, once a person thinks like this everything changes. When I began my journey as a designer, it totally transformed the way I saw things.
I started to notice every misalignment in the world (but missed a few in my own life, oops…), but you know once we look at things from a different perspective, it is understandable.
While writing this piece I helped my Aunt to use Google Keyboard (Gboard). Well, you need patience in these cases. Every step counts. Never teach them more than three things at a time. Never overload them with information. They need to reflect on that first, then they will be eager to learn more.
She was using a very bad and irritating keyboard on her Android phone. She didn't know that you can change keyboards. I introduced Gboard to her and while she was watching, with her permission I installed the app. Then made some initial setup. Taught her that you can change the language by tapping here and holding. You can voice type and even handwrite. Then I told her to use it for a day and let me know. In my understanding, she doesn't want all the features.
This is my prototype and currently, it is in a testing phase. I used design thinking without even knowing. This is what I’m talking about.
Ideal leader
When you are building a wall, if a big piece of wall block is not available, start by stacking up one piece at a time from one side. If the team also joins you by practicing the method you used or the shared method, you can finish the way you planned that too before the time you forecasted. Teamwork is priceless when used correctly.
It is simple. However, it can be a pain if you feel like you're being forced. Ideas and practices are meant to be adapted, changed, and improved. Not to be followed blindly.
A knowledge base is basically a collection of “how things work, how to, and what is” types of questions with defined answers and screenshots.