Deep understanding 💆 #89

By Ross Chapman • Issue #89 • View online

I’m reminded this week that great design can only be achieved once deeply understanding the problem. Asking why (sometimes 5 times) can reveal surprising insights.

Sometimes though, the environment makes this incredibly difficult and something to be aware of.

Hubert Palan said something that I’ve seen many times in my career. In his article “why designing b2b software is hard” he’s witnessed that:

Engineering mindset rules, left brain wins over the right brain

He goes on to say:

This creates a vicious cycle. Creative talent is less attracted to working in a hard-core engineering culture, thus B2B companies can’t hire great designers

I certainly found this when working at the engineering-based business Ericsson. A company full of engineers and I was one of two UX designers. It was hard!

No matter what the business situation though, I hope I’m able to take on more problems to solve, no matter what the business context. To do that though, I need to go deeper on understanding the context.

What’s your experience and what do you want to see next week in this weekly digest? Reply to this email and let me know!

- Ross

Digital product design 👨‍💻

Let's do this.

Winchester Creatives Tickets, Tue, 3 Oct 2017 at 18:30

I’m going to be speaking at Winchester Creatives next week. Not sure what about yet, as I’ve crowdsourced the topic! Add-on challenge - I won’t be using slides 😂

www.eventbrite.co.uk • Share

Sense & Respond: The Farm Awakens by Jeff Gothelf & Josh Seiden

I’m a student of product design. Videos like these teach me the things I need to know to do the job I want to do. Thanks Jeff and Josh!

www.mindtheproduct.com • Share

How to design the same product for two different personas

Sometimes we create personas and then find we have 2, 3 or 4 personas to design against. What the? How can we get around this?

whatusersdo.com • Share

Cycling 🚴

Will Germany's Canyon Bicycles disrupt the American bike industry?

Short answer? Yes. The consumer-direct model Canyon have aggressively taken seems to be massively reaping rewards. German efficiency in the cycling world. Retailers = your move.

amp-businessinsider-com.cdn.ampproject.org • Share

Keeping Mike Hall's legacy alive: Why the Transcontinental needed to continue

You could take three rider deaths on epic adventures this year as a sign not to continue. No. What it does is remind us that today could be our last. It’s a “reminder to live our lives with passion, to strive for that which challenges us – whatever age we may be – and to embrace that which forces us to grow, cherishing those moments with family, with friends, and with the solitude and self-realisation that long-distance riding brings.”

cyclingtips.com • Share

Chris Boardman: 'Energy gel? I'd rather have a sandwich'

The former cycling world champion and Manchester’s first walking and cycling commissioner on riding safely, favourite rides and why he won’t use Strava or take energy gels.

www.theguardian.com • Share

Coolness 😎

Don't mentor, Sponsor.

What does sponsorship look like?

Studies have shown that women are over-mentored, but under-sponsored. What does that mean? Ask Lara Hogan, VP of engineering at Kickstarter.

larahogan.me • Share

Why using jargon can alienate your wider team

Agile is the norm, but what do you take to mean “agile?” Using words like this that can be interpreted many different ways hurts team communication. Joanne Schofield, content designer at the Co-op shares what agile teams can do to help.

digitalblog.coop.co.uk • Share