The Battlefield Art of Design Triage

Tuesday, March 13 – 5:00PM – 6:00PM
Angel Anderson Experience Dir Crispin Porter+Bogusky

We are constantly being asked to go faster and faster.

What is Triage?

• "To sort" produce sorting
• battlefield medics
• Necessity is the mother of invention.
• War provides many necessities.

Design Triage

• Prioritization
  • Assess before treating – what are the products on your table?
  • Minor: walking wounded – low-impact projects that won’t be significantly affected whether you help them or not. (creating banner ads)
  • Delayed: Projects should be addressed, but don’t require immediate attention (proof of concept first).
  • Immediate: Projects that have significant impact and really matter.
  • Expectant: projects that are critically flawed and no amount of time and effort can save.
• Selflessness
  • The product is the star – don’t think you are a genius designer. Don’t thin-slice. Don’t just jump right into wireframes.
  • Marketing is a team sport. Leads digital strategy and planning, collaborates in all phases, responsible for the vision, quality and performance of the work.
• Mercy Killings
  • Some products just nee to be put out of their misery (this is hard to do).
  • Learn how to say no (like Steve Jobs).
  • How to say no:
    • Tell the truth.
    • Ask questions.
    • Tell stories.
    • Reflect Conflict.
    • Poison Pill (plant seeds for something to die).
    • Quit.
• Scrappiness
  • Figure out how to turn no resources into something killer.
  • Determine Vision
    • What is it?
    • Who is it for and what’s their payoff?
    • Why are we creating it?
    • How does it work?
    • What re the risks?
  • Lean UX? Kaban?
• Staying Human
  • Make sure you schedule rest.
  • Find flow in the chaos.
  • Use your lulls – when things quiet down, give attention to the delayed and minor projects.