Articulating Design Decisions

Articulating Design Decisions

by Tom Greever
Released September 2015
Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ISBN: 9781491921562

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Book description

Talking to people about your designs might seem like a basic skill, but it can be difficult to do efficiently and well. And, in many cases, how you communicate about your work with stakeholders, clients, and other non-designers is more critical than the designs themselves—simply because the most articulate person usually wins.

This practical guide focuses on principles, tactics, and actionable methods for presenting your designs. Whether you design UX, websites, or products, you’ll learn how to win over anyone who has influence over the project—with the goal of creating the best experience for the end user.

  • Walk through the process of preparing for and presenting your designs
  • Understand stakeholder perspectives, and learn how to empathize with them
  • Cultivate both implicit and explicit listening skills
  • Learn tactics and formulas for expressing the most effective response to feedback
  • Discover why the way you follow through is just as crucial as the meeting itself
  • Educate your stakeholders by sharing the chapter from this book on how to work with designers

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Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Preface
  5. Chapter 1: A Maturing Industry
    1. Talking My Way Into Design
    2. UX Is Still Young
    3. Design Is Subjective...Sort of
    4. Businesses Don’t Critique
    5. Ego and Intuition
    6. A Shift Toward Products
    7. Digital Experiences Are Real Life
  6. Chapter 2: Great Designers Are Great Communicators
    1. Too Many Cooks
    2. Everyone Is a Designer!
    3. The Interface Is Your Interface
    4. There Is No U or X in Team
    5. Communication Matters
    6. Being Articulate Means Success
    7. Becoming a Great Designer
  7. Chapter 3: Understanding Relationships
    1. See Their Perspective
    2. Identifying Influencers
    3. Stakeholder Values
    4. Stakeholder Stories
    5. Build Good Relationships
  8. Chapter 4: Reducing Cognitive Load
    1. Remove Distractions
    2. Anticipate Reactions
    3. Create a Support Network
    4. The Dress Rehearsal
  9. Chapter 5: Listening Is Understanding
    1. Implicit Activities
    2. Explicit Activities
  10. Chapter 6: The Right Frame of Mind
    1. Give Up Control
    2. Check Your Ego at the Door
    3. Lead with a YES
    4. Be Charming
    5. Change Your Vocabulary
    6. Make a Transition
    7. Further Reading
  11. Chapter 7: The Response: Strategy and Tactics
    1. A UX Strategy for Responding
    2. Tactics Are Actions
  12. Chapter 8: The Response: Common Messages
    1. Business
    2. Design
    3. Research
    4. Limitations
  13. Chapter 9: The Ideal Response: Getting Agreement
    1. Getting Agreement
    2. Putting It All Together
  14. Chapter 10: Meeting Adjourned: The After-Party
    1. The Meeting After the Meeting
    2. Follow Up Fast
    3. Apply Filters
    4. Seek Out Individuals
    5. Do Something, Even If It’s Wrong
  15. Chapter 11: Recovering from Disaster
    1. How Is This Possible?
    2. Making Changes You Disagree With
    3. Making Lemonade
    4. The Bank Account of Trust
    5. When You’re Wrong
    6. Painting a Duck
    7. Managing Expectations
    8. Over, but Never Done
  16. Chapter 12: For Nondesigners
    1. The King and the Blind Man
    2. Ten Tips for Working with Designers
    3. Design Project Checklist
    4. A Seat at the Table
  17. Chapter 13: Designing for Vision
    1. Recognizing Our Power
    2. Practicing Creativity
    3. Making It Happen
    4. Making Stuff Up
    5. Taking Your Ideas to the Right People
    6. More Than Pixels
  18. Index
  19. About the Author
  20. Footnotes

Product information

  • Title: Articulating Design Decisions
  • Author(s): Tom Greever
  • Release date: September 2015
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9781491921562