Subject to Change: creating great products and services for an uncertain world

While I still have great appreciation and admiration for the field of graphic design—the simple fact is that I have a tough time relating to many aspects of it.  I haven't looked at an an issue of Communication Arts in years and AIGA becomes less relevant to me as digital media continues to evolve.

But, I will be adding this to my short list of books to read:



Co-written by several folks from design consultancy Adaptive Path, the chapters include:

CHAPTER 1
THE EXPERIENCE IS THE PRODUCT
“How do we deliver great products and services in an uncertain world? The thing to keep in mind, not just in the abstract, but truly and viscerally, are your customers and their abilities, needs, and desires.”

CHAPTER 2
EXPERIENCE AS STRATEGY
“All that matters to customers is their experience.” Therefore firms need a plan for the experiences they will offer, a plan so strong that it will guide decisions on how the experiences are marketed, maintained, and managed.

CHAPTER 3
NEW WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE
“We must understand people as they are rather than as market segments or demographics.” A new model for understanding your customers more completely and more realistically—the basis of an experience strategy.

CHAPTER 4
CAPTURING COMPLEXITY, BUILDING EMPATHY
“The success of experience-focused products is contingent on everyone sharing an understanding of users and a vision for the experience, because so many people play a role in delivering that experience.”

CHAPTER 5
STOP DESIGNING “PRODUCTS”
“The true success of experience design isn’t how well it works when everything is operating as planned, but how well it works when things start going wrong.” Products are simply interfaces to every service a firm provides.

CHAPTER 6
THE DESIGN COMPETENCY
“The act of design gives form to a powerful idea that many can rally around.” One design prototype can embody strategy, showcase an entire system, and immediately reveal the shortfalls of your business plan.

CHAPTER 7
THE AGILE APPROACH
“In an environment where exploration leading to a dead end is viewed as an expense to be reduced, true innovation is difficult.” New developments in the marketplace both allow and require new approaches.

CHAPTER 8
AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
“We should adapt to and embrace the uncertainty around us.” A new set of organizational competencies—-customer research, design, and agile technological implementation-—will shape the firms lead in these uncertain times.

Sounds like a good evening to me.

Comments

[Robin Matuk]

Thanks for the summary. It sounds like an inspiring must read; I'm addicted to inspiration.

[Ashley Burr]

Chapter 3 sounds like the essence of universal truths of all business and life. I'll have to check it out. Thank you.

[Piotr]

Chapters 1 and 2, are so true (and obvious), however marketers still don't get that :( What is even worse - strategists at agencies don't get that too :(