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WHY IS THIS SO HARD?
Understanding the challenges that inhibit design
Adam Connor
aconnor@madpow.com
@adamconnor
Magga Dora Ragnarsdottir
maggadora@madpow.com
@maggadora
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE CHALLENGE
Design is gaining momentum
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Organizational Shifts
• Designers centralized or decentralized
• i.e. each team hires their own designers vs one central group of
designers that does work for the whole organization
• Chief Design/Experience Officers
• Innovation Centers
• Centers of excellence
THE CHALLENGE
What they’ve tried
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Building volume and skills
• Lots of hiring
• Training / Bootcamps
Building shared resources
• Design Systems / Pattern libraries
Process changes
• Design thinking
• Agile / Lean /…
THE CHALLENGE
What they’ve tried
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
All of these efforts make sense, and they’re all
effective to some extent.
Yet we still find and hear frustrations around getting
design to "stick.”
THE CHALLENGE
What we also see with our clients
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
• Have not (accurately) identified the aspects of their organization
that support or contradict design
• Are trying to make changes and don’t consider the implications for
the rest of the organization
• Are trying to make changes at too large a scale
• Are trying to change people/units faster than they’re able to
THE CHALLENGE
Why doesn’t this work?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
• Belief gap
• Behavior gap
• Influence gap
THE CHALLENGE
Three gaps
THE	BELIEF	GAP
Design is more than just roles, tools and activities.
Behind those roles, activities and tools are beliefs
about what we’re trying to do and why.
THE BELIEF GAP
Design is more than just roles, tools and activities.
Behind those roles, activities and tools are beliefs
about what we’re trying to do and why.
THE BELIEF GAP
Beliefs
THE BELIEF GAP
The Culture Model
Beliefs
Values
THE BELIEF GAP
The Culture Model
Beliefs
Values
Behaviors
THE BELIEF GAP
The Culture Model
Beliefs
Values
Behaviors
Rituals
THE BELIEF GAP
The Culture Model
Beliefs
Values
Behaviors
Rituals
Artifacts
THE BELIEF GAP
The Culture Model
Beliefs
Values
Behaviors
Rituals
Artifacts
THE BELIEF GAP
The Culture Model
• Inflexibility: People’s understanding of design lacks a
connection to the “why” behind it.
• Conflict: There are beliefs work counter to those
inherent in design.
THE BELIEF GAP
How It Presents
• Assess the culture, or more specifically the underlying
beliefs currently influencing your org.
• Make sure you’re clear on the beliefs that you’re trying to
infuse. Can you clearly articulate them?
THE BELIEF GAP
Addressing The Gap
If the gap lies in inflexibility and people not understanding
the beliefs behind the techniques and tools they’re using…
• As you introduce process, techniques, tools etc. include discussion about the
thinking and reasoning behind them.
• Expose people to a variety of tools. Find opportunities for them to try them
all and give them chances to think through and choose on their own.
• Provide additional support, not oversight, as teams work to use new tools
and techniques on their own.
THE BELIEF GAP
Addressing The Gap
If the gap lies in conflicting beliefs…
• Take stock of how far apart they are. Are they counter to each other? Or are
they competing?
• Work to understand the conflicting view and the value in it.
• Determine if you’re alone in recognizing and wanting to address the conflict.
• You can rarely change beliefs directly. Beliefs are built over time based on
experiences.
THE BELIEF GAP
Addressing The Gap
THE	BEHAVIOR	GAP
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
We’re trying to establish new patterns of behaviors
– new ways that teams will explore opportunities
and make decisions.
The same over-focus on process, activities, tools, etc.
that can lead to gaps in the beliefs behind these
behaviors can lead to a gap in the behaviors themselves.
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
People understand the process (the activities, techniques,
tools, etc.) they could/should use – but revert to how they’ve
always done things.
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
How It Presents
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Key Behaviors
Design (Thinking)
How does the company leverage design and design
techniques?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Key Behaviors
Collaboration
How well do teams collaborate on efforts (across
departments, products, etc.)?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Key Behaviors
Leadership & Vision
Has a shared, clear vision for the product, service, or
organization been established and communicated?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Key Behaviors
Product* Management
How well do teams/managers make decisions in alignment
with the vision/strategy?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Key Behaviors
Production
How capable is the organization of creating the
products/services that they’ve envisioned?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Key Behaviors
Learning
How able is the organization to continuously learn more
about their users and use new insights to make decisions?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Key Behaviors
Experience
How is the team managing and coordinating experiences for
their products and services?
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Just as before we need to take stock of the behaviors we’re
trying to establish and those that our teams are exhibiting
and determine:
• Have you provided the right support needed for the
behaviors we’re after?
• Are there additional behaviors we haven’t accounted for?
• Are their behaviors that conflict those we’re after?
How do we change behavior?
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Addressing The Gap
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Capability
Motivation
Opportunity
Behavior
COM-B	Model	For	Understanding	Behavior	– Michie et	al
Addressing The Gap
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Just like when we design for experiences, we can’t force a
behavior to happen. So what can we change?
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Addressing The Gap
Beliefs
Values
Behaviors
Rituals
Artifacts
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Just like when we design for experiences, we can’t force a
behavior to happen. So what can we change?
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Addressing The Gap
Beliefs
Values
Behaviors
Rituals
Artifacts
Skills & Knowledge
Tools & Materials
Structure & Roles
Communication & Language
Environment
Policies & Processes
Incentives & Metrics
These are our levers. We can “pull” on these things in combinations to drive the
behaviors we seek and – over time – grow and reinforce the beliefs behind them.
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
THE BEHAVIOR GAP
Addressing The Gap
Capability
Motivation
Opportunity
Behavior
COM-B	Model	For	Understanding	Behavior	– Michie et	al
Skills & Knowledge
Tools & Materials
Communication & Language
Structure & Roles
Policies & Processes
Environment
Incentives & Metrics
Structure & Roles
THE	INFLUENCE	GAP
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Identify	the	people	you	can	get	on	board
Understand	your	ability	to	influence	these	people
Communicate	based	on	what	they	are	ready	to	hear
INFLUENCE GAP
Influence
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Not	aligning	change	efforts	and	information	with	a	level	
that	others	can	understand	and	act	on.
Not	identifying	partners	and	audiences	for	our	change	
efforts	in	ways	that	build	momentum.
INFLUENCE GAP
How it presents
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
Con-
templation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Relapse
Pre-
contemplation
INFLUENCE GAP
Model of change
Create awareness
and change in
values and beliefs
Persuade and
motivate
Educate
Facilitate
Reinforce change,
reminder
communications
Identify
what causes old
behavior to remerge
Why is this so hard? Understanding the challenges that inhibit design in your organization
• Everybody	can	influence	culture
DIRECT INFLUENCE
PARTIAL INFLUENCE
VIRAL INFLUENCE
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
By	building	this	map	and	listening	for	where	people	are	
in	the	change	model,	we	can	understand
• Who	we	can	influence
• How	we	formalize	the	message	to	them
• When	to	include	them
Armed	with	that	information	you	can	have	a	strategy	
forward.		
INFLUENCE GAP
Addressing the gap
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
No	matter	what	your	position	is,	you	have	the	ability	
to	influence	the	behaviors	(and	by	extension,	beliefs)	
of	those	around	you.
The	simplest	way	to	begin	is	to	look	for	opportunities	
to	build	trust	and	ask	questions.
INFLUENCE GAP
Everybody can influence culture
aconnor@madpow.net
@adamconnor
maggadora@madpow.net
@maggadora
#madpow
• Design	DOES	have	more	attention	on	it	than	ever	before.
• We	have	a	wide	variety	of	tactics	for	strengthening	design	
capacity	within	our	organizations.
• By	understanding	culture	and	how	change	is	adopted	we	can	
better	understand:
• How	to	to	combine	tactics
• When	to	use	them
• And	who	to	use	them	with
• We	can	approach	our	efforts	as	we	would	a	design	challenge.
CLOSING
In Summary
ANY QUESTIONS?
Adam Connor
aconnor@madpow.com
@aconnor
Magga Dora Ragnarsdottir
maggadora@madpow.com
@maggadora

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Why is this so hard? Understanding the challenges that inhibit design in your organization