Avoid Design Re-Shoots: Leveraging Thumbnail Sketches

The role of a product designer comes with a lot of responsibilities, such as ensuring you’re making the most considered decisions since there is a downstream impact in the product development process. Designers can combat this by learning as quickly as possible. A designer has a unique skillset in which they can take requirements/problems and make it tangible in a visual way to create understanding. A very small percentage of this is screen design and in the conceptual process.I am a huge fan of film production and am often inspired by the process. One of the most costly elements in the process is extensive and costly reshoots. The definition of a reshoot is when a movie has to incorporate additional shots to capture content, whether it’s missing some key shots or there are changes in the process. Two prime examples of films that suffered from this are Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Justice League; where extensive reshoots arguably affected the quality and success of the films.

Xin Xin, a UX Researcher on my team at One Medical often says, “You want to make sure you’re not polishing a turd.” There is no purpose in refining something that is not the right solution.We want to learn as quickly as possible, and this is where thumbnail sketches come in handy Thumbnail sketches are quick, abbreviated drawings, usually done very rapidly and with no corrections. You can use any medium, though pen or pencil is the most common. Thumbnail sketches, usually are very small, often only an inch or two high.The legendary Ridley Scott once stated that “the storyboard is the first look at the film.” I equate storyboards in films to sketching, wireframes, and flows as it pertains to design.

Similar to filmmaking, we as product designers can avoid extensive debt in the development process by ensuring we have the whole picture thought out at a low fidelity level.

Low fidelity iterations in thumbnail sketches can really drive the direction to something excellent. So before your team starts designing screens, consider storyboarding the project out together in thumbnail sketches.

Three years at One Medical

Today marks my third anniversary at One Medical. Aside from my own ventures, this is the longest I’ve been at one company. It can feel like an eternity in Silicon Valley. Despite that, I feel there is still so much left to do. I’d like to share a few thoughts from the last 1,095 days.

Embrace Change

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that rather than anticipating change, prepping you and your team to embrace change is the key to a solid foundation. What I set out to do when joining on my first day is drastically different than what I’m doing now, and that’s okay. A lot of unexpected change has led to new opportunities I never would have imagined.

Transforming the self

I’ve changed a lot as a person during my time here both professionally and personally. Working in health made me really cognisant about wellness in my own life. In fact, I lost 25 pounds since I’ve started until now (that probably fluctuated a bit over the holiday). On a professional level, I discovered the love for the team I lead and their continued success. As someone who thought they wanted to be the best individual contributor for the rest of their career, this was a big realization and change. My managers have embraced this continued evolution.

Designing with purpose

There is no doubt that One Medical is the place where I’ve felt the most impact during my design career. As I grow older, my desire is to use Design for good and maximize the impact that it can have on people and industries who need it most. We have the opportunity to shadow our clinicians on a daily basis and really be in touch with who we’re designing for. It is really easy to get up in the morning to go to work.

Witnessing people grow

In addition to people on my design team, I’ve seen people all over the company grow. Whether it is first-time managers or one of our interns returning to join full time and now is a feature lead, it’s amazing to see people develop on a day-to-day basis.

Building teams require long-term commitment

A mentor once told me that if you truly want to make a difference at a company, it sometimes takes years to see it come to fruition. This really resonated with me as the design team has grown from two people to now 10 with continued growth. What you decide and set in motion continues to grow over the years.

Recruit your friends

For me, the most important thing about a place of employment is the people. I’m a person who always will recruit friends to join. In 2018 my friends Tyten and Sofia joined—making it such an added bonus to see friends at work and see them love work.

I am thankful for everyone who has made it such an amazing journey and continues to do so.

Undiscovered Power Gestures

A few weeks ago, Twitter blew up about an interaction on iOS that people discovered. This behavior allows users to navigate through a text field by pressing down on the device.

How come you guys never told me this iPhone trick? I feel duped. pic.twitter.com/2RfRhI4Y1X

— Krissy Brierre-Davis (@krissys_kitchen) November 18, 2018

This feature has been available for 3D Touch-enabled devices since the iPhone 6. However, the release of the iPhone XR probably re-surfaced this discovery.

This sparked a lot of criticism by people on social media. Some were upset that Apple was not explicit about this to users and just rolled it out as a feature. I’m writing to challenge the criticism and say that it is not bad UX for Apple to roll out a feature like this without clear instructions. No, it’s not because of company allegiance or fanaticism, but on principle.

Let’s start by being clear that I’m not in the business of blaming the user. Is it wrong that users don’t know this? No. Should users have to watch an Apple Keynote to know how interactions work? No.

This interaction is an accelerator gesture, which is a supplementary way to achieve something. The beauty of multitouch interactions is that there are multiple pathways to achieve something. I believe the primary interaction has to be intuitive and clear. However, for secondary interactions, it does not have to stand out like the primary one. In this case, the primary interaction is tapping on the area you want to edit.

When Android rolled out this feature (prior to Apple) there was a similar sense of discovery with about the same level of onboarding and education.

Primary interactions need to be clear and obvious. However, secondary interactions and accelerators can often be something more broadly accessible, and can be a moment of delightful discovery.

The “No NUX” (New User Experience) rule does not seem to apply to Apple as much these days. There is a dedicated app for Tips and now onboarding has been introduced to iOS devices. That being said, here are a few reasons in defense that this design decision is not bad UX.

Interaction Accelerator

Multi-touch often also means multiple ways to use it. A few more examples of interactions like this on iOS:

  • Tab and hold to bring tabs you recently closed in Safari
  • Tap and drag to select photos
  • Tap and hold to archive emails instead of deleting
  • Swipe to delete digits in Calculator
  • Hold the compose button in Mail to see drafts
  • Interaction accelerators do not necessarily need to be discoverable as long as the primary interaction is clear.

Shortcuts that can be discovered and mastered

A mentor of mine once taught me the idea of interactions that can be mastered. He used the example of a light switch. It’s so simple that after interacting with it, it can be mastered. His point was that if you installed a light switch backwards, it’d be moments for someone to learn how it works. Multitouch gestures behave in a similar way. The more you use it, the more one understands how the ecosystem works.

The user should always feel empowered, and Apple has an opportunity to raise awareness of features without expecting people to sit through a Keynote event.

However, to call this “Bad UX” is a bit of a stretch.

P.S. Thank you Rosa McGee for edits and feedback.

Designers constantly learning

A great excerpt from the book “Designing for Emerging Technologies” and the need for designers to tinker and learn.

Designers will need to understand the implications of science and technology for people. To do this effectively, we must be able to immerse ourselves in new technical domains and learn them quickly. Just as our understanding of and empathy for people allows us to successfully design with a user’s viewpoint in mind, understanding our materials, whether they be pixels or proteins, sensors or servos, enables us to bring a design into the world. To achieve this, designers need to be early adopters of technology, learning constantly. —Designing for Emerging Technologies

The vastness of curiosity

I have been thinking deeply about this quote from the author of one of my favorite books, The Little Prince.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”— Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Though this also applies to my personal life, I often reflect on this in the work setting and with design teams. This quote always finds me looking back at Kimber Lockhart’s post about fostering a sense of purpose. Everyone has a different drive and motivation, and when you can find people who are purpose-driven, there is an infinite amount of energy because it is their human need to explore and be curious.If you can find people who are in love with the process and are curious, they will lead you all over the ends of the earth.

The importance of peer mentors

One of the most effective way to grow and progress in your career is by finding mentors that will provide guidance along the way. Seeking advice from people who find it worthwhile in taking their time to invest in you will help you become better at your practice exponentially. There are two types of mentors. The first are senior mentors’ those who have practiced the craft for a very long time and share wisdom that you often don’t even see along the horizon of your career path. I wrote a bit about this in my post about having my personal board of trustees.

The second group of mentors are peer mentors; people who may not be senior to you (though they can be) but can provide guidance and insights in the current path of your journey. Often we think of mentors as someone with a lot more experience than us…a teacher/student relationship. Though those relationships are extremely important, remember that you can learn a lot from your fellow students as well.

My friend Natalie is a great example of a peer mentor. We are around the same age ad started our design careers at the same time. We have never worked together before but often converse about challenges we are going through. She is now the UX Director at Projekt 202.

We try to meet up every so often to catch up and get mutual advice from one another. This is not one of those sessions where someone is “picking your brain” and you get no value from it, but it is a two-way street where knowledge is shared as an exchange. Natalie would tell me some challenges she is going through, and I could chuckle then tell her “I am going through this exact same situation.” Though sometimes you need to rant a bit during peer mentor sessions, the intent is to really learn from each other. The difference between these conversations and the ones with your senior mentors is that your peers are in the midst of that process with you.

A list of some of my peer mentors (though not all):

There is no precise science to finding peer mentors, but you simply have to start conversations with people and see if it sticks. It does not have to match the job title you have, but the same state of experience/growth you are in. Natalie is a fellow introvert and very like-minded to me. Conversations with her really help me get a second opinion on my thinking and approach. We met by randomly following each other on Twitter. Lesli is a high-energy, super friendly (of course, she’s Canadian) and outgoing extrovert. We met because we happened to be sitting next to each other at a co-working space in New York City. Her opinion provides diversity to my approach. Find people who are situationally in the same place. An example is if you’re a designer looking to move up to a senior designer role, look for those who are looking for that same transition or people who have newly been promoted in that role.

Set an Agenda

This doesn’t have to be formally structured but I have found these conversations extremely helpful when there is time to think about things. Before meeting with a peer mentor, I like to send a few things I have been thinking to give them some context. In return, they do the same. I try to find mutual topics that we want to talk about.

I often like to cover:

  • catch up as friendly humans—see how they are doing in life
  • mention a few topics we both want to discuss
  • what has been working well and what has not
  • philosophies and guiding principles (I LOVE guiding principles
  • managing humans
  • situational advice and feedback

Set a Meeting Cadence and Stick to it

It’s important ot take the time to schedule these frequently. You decide in what cadence you need. I try to aim once per quarter, but with some people I may talk monthly and others (unfortunately) annually. Though these as group settings can provide value, my recommendation is 1–1 interactions. Go for a walk, get coffee, or some activity that lets you have a deep conversation. You will find these extremely educational, inspirational, and rejuvenating.

Go seek like-minded humans who bring a diverse perspective to refine you. Often your peer mentor might not work at the same company as you. In the quest for seeking mentorship, you may find that guidance needs to be found externally, which is fine. Think of this as rival professional athletes who train together in the off -season. It boils down to the needs you have as a practitioner of your craft and where you’re willing to seek it. It is totally okay to have a mentor who works at a different company.

See you who resognate with and reach out to them. The worse thing that will happen is you might not get a response. If you are looking for a peer mentor I am happy to make some connections or can make some time.

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Don’t build The Homer

Much of my time these days is focusing on working with product designers of various skills either at my current work or externally. Coaching and mentoring other designers has become something I deeply love. It was the way I started in design and there is nothing more gratifying then seeing people grow and exceed even you. Aside from fundamental skills and the creative process, one area I like to focus on is how you present your work and talk to stakeholders.

Everyone has stakeholders, but in design it can be more difficult because not only do you have your immediate stakeholders such as your manager and leaders in the company you work at, but also the end user. The vision of what is best for the business and best for the user is not always harmoniously aligned. Young designers want to do good work and be seen as successful in the eyes of their managers and stakeholders, but there is the danger of simply doing what you think what they want.

“Don’t build The Homer! Don’t build The Homer!” I often exclaim to them.

This saying was inspired by my favorite television series, The Simpsons. In an episode called “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” Homer discovers from his father Abraham that he secretly has a half-brother, Herbert Powell, a successful car salesman who has a little bit more hair and less of a belly than Homer.

Herb (voiced by Danny DeVito) is so thrilled about the discovery of his family member and invites the entire Simpson family to stay at his mansion. Herbert then gets the idea that Homer, the average American, is the perfect person to design a new care for his company.

Homer then has full authority to approve the car’s design despite the engineer’s hesitance on the ideas, which includes a bubble dome, tail fins and a horn that plays “La Cucaracha”.

When the car is unveiled it was so poorly received and because of the $82,000 sticker price, it cripples the company leaving Powell Motors bankrupt.

We as designers have a strong responsibility as decision makers, and simply saying “yes” to whatever people tell you to do can have sever unintended consequences. You owe it to your end users to not do everything your stakeholders want. In the end, stakeholders will want you to make the best decision regardless of what they say to you.

At WWDC I met up with my former coworker and manager Phil, a huge Simpsons fan as well. He got me the Hot Wheels version of The Homer, which I leave at my desk for inspiration and serves as a reminder…

Don’t simply be a Yes Person because you’re afraid to say “no” when you need to. Don’t lead those you work with down a path of unintended consequences.

Don’t build The Homer.

Assembling your personal board of directors

It is quite common for a company to have a board of directors who act as representatives to stock holders.I have written a lot about the importance of mentorship and these type of relationships to help you grow as a practitioner in your career, and there is no reason you should limit yourself to just one. As in other forms of relationships, you will find that you gravitate around certain people for specific things.Assembling your own Board of Directors (BoD) for you as a person can be beneficial in getting the hard questions answered. Though family members and friends have good intentions when giving you advice, they can often be too affirming and support you in what you want to hear, and not necessarily what you need to hear. With your personal Board of Directors, these are (or should be) constructed with people who will give you a dose of reality in each of their respective practices.An example of some people who sit in my personal BoD:

  • Adam: One of my best friends since I was 10 years old and former co-founder. He knows my habits personally and professionally and has a channel of communication with me that’s the realest.
  • Alan: The ex-Apple engineer and inventor who teaches me about shipping, ideas, discipline and getting things done.
  • Dylan: The UX Designer who used to teach web design/development. He encourages my writing and generously edits it.
  • Jaimee: A seasoned UX Director who expands beyond that. The person who really encourages me to speak at conferences and publicly share ideas.
  • Joris: My Dutch friend, a software engineer who chats with me about every month or so about our side projects.
  • Kimber: My new manager with industry knowledge of building and running product teams in the bay area. Not only do we have 1:1s professionally in my role but she gives amazing insights personally in my growth as well.
  • Marie: The first mentor who taught me the skills of design and has seen my progression from the very beginning. I go to Marie for everything but she has the most knowledge of my career historically.
  • Natalie: The proven executive and company builder who has really mentored The Rock Tumbler Collective and advices particularly on my innovation projects.
  • Laura: A former VP of Strategy who helps me focus on…surprise…the strategy of my career; where I am now, where I want to be, and how I position myself to get there.
  • Lesli: The Canadian Creative Director who I met sitting next to each other one day. A peer mentor who is going through similar growth challenges as I am now in a leadership role.
  • Rich: A former colleague and VP of Engineering. He loves to tinker, code, and has encouraged/helped me throughout my quest to write better Swift code.

(This is not everyone but a sampling of the range of conversations)After reading that you may think, “Wow, that’s a litany of mentors.” It definitely is, and each person voluntarily shares so much value with me.

How to Assemble Your BoD

This is simpler than you may think. Design the structure around your BoD and it will take form. You can formally ask each person for their time, but I’ve often found these relationships form naturally. If they cannot commit to it, they will tell you or it will be very apparent. The cadence in which I meet each person varies on who they are, what they do, and what their schedule can be like.Put it on the calendar: Treat your Personal BoD like a real board and make time for it other on the calendar. Otherwise it is at risk of getting pushed back or becomes secondary. The BoD provides value for you and your future so you must carve time to do it.A conventional BoD typically meet synchronously, but it is not necessary in this instance. In fact, I do not think anyone in my Personal BoD has ever met one-another. Just know what information you want to tell them.How you should meet with your BoD:

  • Set time to meet with them on a cadence. It can be quarterly, weekly, or even annually
  • Give a clear update of what you have been doing. This isn’t a time to impress anyone. Let them know what is going well and what is going bad
  • Ask for specific advice and insights about what you’re going through, and what your goals are
  • Take notes and write down your follow up plan. I like to write on physical paper and then add it in OmniFocus as an actionable item.
  • Most importantly, don’t waste their time. These people clearly are invested in you and care about you. Make sure you follow up and update them with what happens after you meet.

If you have a BoD, make sure they get a return on their investment. In this case, it is not financial (though it possibly could be), but the return is on you as a person. There is no gratification a seasoned vet in the industry gets more than seeing someone they coach and mentor grow exponentially.Set the expectation for yourself, not that you’re afraid of letting them down, but strive to make them proud.Who is on your Board of Directors? Is it time for you to reach out to people who you trust that will push you to get the best ROI on yourself?