In a world of touch screen this and mobile that, why aren’t we as user experience practitioners rocking minority report style software for our research and design activities? This short talk aims to cover off some of the solid reasons why we use old-school techniques but also challenge us as a profession moving forwards in this digital age.

1. Is it time to -!
Ditch our Post-it® Notes,
and Sharpies?!
: (
!
!
!
Jason Crane (@snapperwolf)

2. The Post-it® Note and Sharpie are …
ubiquitous tools for Researchers and Designers
2

3. To design paper napkin ideas?
3
What do we use them for?

4. 4
What do we use them for?
As part of our design thinking…
To delight users.

5. !
As an <insert UX role here>
I use Post-It® Notes and Sharpies*
as a tool to delight my
<insert relationship to> users.
5
So…
* other lo-fi, non-digital tools

6. But why do ‘we’ use them? - Pros
1. Accessible to most people
6

7. But why do ‘we’ use them? - Pros
2. Low barrier to entry
7
+ =

8. But why do ‘we’ use them? - Pros
3. Effect & Affect
8
!
“The effect of writing something down,
affects the way in which we remember that
which we wrote, and where we put it.”

9. But why do ‘we’ use them? - Cons
1. Accessible - but a one hit wonder
9
……

10. But why do ‘we’ use them? - Cons
2. Each note’s power fades over time
10

11. 11
How are we tracking?
have 200 tools on their 100+
awesome UX tools page
!
…most of the tools are a variation on a theme

12. 12
Three types of tools
Emulator
Augmenter
Replacer

13. 13
Multi-type tool example
smaply.com
!
Emulates asset creation
!
Augments socialising
!
Replaces nothing
Augmenter
Replacer Emulator

14. 14
Emulates

15. 15
Multi-type tool example
Defunct Affinity
Diagramming Tool
!
Emulates synthesis
!
Augments the process
!
Replaces nothing
Augmenter
Replacer Emulator

16. 16
Augmented
A sample affinity diagram note that should
be atomic and contextual.
F UX Naysayer 30s

17. Is it time to -!
Ditch our Post-it® Notes,
and Sharpies?!
: )
!
!
!
N o t yet!

18. Can we do what we do, to ourselves?
After all, in this case we are the user.
!
18
!
Let’s have conversations around this.
#uxforux
!
Thanks!
!
@snapperwolf