Peter Drucker once observed: “There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all”.
Strategy is how you avoid this. A sound strategy tells you where you are going, and sets out a high-level, achievable plan to get there. And strategy combined with service design ensures the destination delivers maximum value to both users and the organisation. A clear strategy, underpinned by service design, is how you make sure anyone can decide what the most valuable things are to work on.
Yet bad strategy documents abound: massive tomes, years in the making (during which the organisation has continued to do what it perhaps should not have been doing at all), full of platitudes, unattainable visions, or uninspiring lists of mundane tactical objectives. Service blueprints gathering dust in drawers, or slowly fading on a forgotten wall. It makes it easy to pooh-pooh strategy, dismissing it with another Drucker aphorism, “culture eats strategy for breakfast” - or the mantras of “strategy is easy, tactics are hard” and “the strategy is delivery”.
In this extended workshop, strategy consultant Sophie Dennis uses real-world examples of successful discovery and strategy projects, to explore a simple framework for understanding what makes a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ strategy, and discuss how we can reclaim strategy, do it well, and get the support we need to translate it into action. Culture may still eat strategy for breakfast, and implementation may still be the really hard part, but with a good strategy behind you you’ll have a lot more chance of succeeding.
2. From Org Design for Design
Orgs by Peter Merholz and
Kristin Skinner (O’Reilly, 2016).
Informed by Jesse James
Garrett’s classic The Elements
of User Experience (New
Riders, 2010) strategy,
structure, and surface layers
3. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
On post-its write
1. one thing that bugs you about “strategy”
2. one thing you hope to get out of this session
3. one question you’d like answered
Write each one on a separate post-it
Share them with your neighbour
14. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Strategy tells us
Where are we going?
What will be different when we get there?
Where are we now?
How are we going to get from here to there?
What might stop us and how will we overcome that?
20. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Our strategy is collaborative growth.
We will lead a customer focused effort of the market through our use of digital
business and internet of things ecosystem to build a cloud based revolution.
By being both innovative and open, we will drive competitive advantage throughout
the organisation. Synergies between our data leaders and agile culture will enable
us to capture the upside by becoming networked in a big data world.
These transformations combined with disruptive insight from data due to our digital
first platform will create a learning organisation through value and efficiency.
21. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Our strategy is collaborative growth.
We will lead a customer focused effort of the market through our use of digital
business and internet of things ecosystem to build a cloud based revolution.
By being both innovative and open, we will drive competitive advantage throughout
the organisation. Synergies between our data leaders and agile culture will enable
us to capture the upside by becoming networked in a big data world.
These transformations combined with disruptive insight from data due to our digital
first platform will create a learning organisation through value and efficiency.
Simon Wardley, A quick route to building a strategy
Make your own at https://strategy-madlibs.herokuapp.com/
28. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
apps, digital transformation
Seriously
Not. A. Strategy
, wearables,
chatbots,, AI,, personalisation,, a new logo,
a rebrand,, content marketing,, agile,, Agile,
user experience,, lean UX,, service design,
innovation… …
37. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
coherent
kə(ʊ)ˈhɪər(ə)nt/
adjective
1. (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent
‘they failed to develop a coherent economic strategy’
2. Forming a unified whole
‘the arts could be systematized into one coherent body of
knowledge’
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/coherent
39. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Exercise
Read through Kennedy’s moonshot speech
In your group discuss:
1. What is the concrete, tangible goal?
2. What is the significant positive change
Kennedy hopes achieving it will bring?
3. What leads Kennedy to believe
the goal is achievable?
4. What are the most significant
barriers to success?
45. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
accelerate the development of the appropriate lunar space craft…
develop alternate liquid and solid fuel boosters… additional funds
for unmanned explorations… 531 million dollars in fiscal ’62…
7 to 9 billion dollars additional over the next five years
46. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
many years… heavy costs … a degree of dedication,
organization and discipline which have not always characterized
our efforts… we cannot afford inflated costs of material or talent,
wasteful interagency rivalries, or high turnover of key personnel
47. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States
take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared
to do the work and bear the burdens to make it successful. If we
are to go only half way, or reduce our sights in the face of
difficulty, in my judgment it would be better not to go at all.
48. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
coherent
kə(ʊ)ˈhɪər(ə)nt/
adjective
1. (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent
‘they failed to develop a coherent economic strategy’
2. Forming a unified whole
‘the arts could be systematized into one coherent body of
knowledge’
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/coherent
53. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
“It’s just a website
We’re not going to
the moon”
Mikey Dickerson on fixing healthcare.gov
Photo by Matt Jukes @jukesie from the Office for
National Statistics Alpha/Beta team
digitalblog.ons.gov.uk/2015/03/24/ons-digital-
sxsw/
56. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
1. Diagnose the problem
what is the true nature and extent of the problem? what are we really
trying to achieve? what’s really going on here?
2. Find the unifying idea
what overall approach will enable us to cope with and overcome the
obstacles identified in the diagnosis? what is the common thread in the
problems we’ve found? where can we focus in order to apply leverage?
3. Craft a coherent plan of attack
what is the co-ordinated set of actions or steps we should take that will
work together to accomplish our goal?
58. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
1. Denial - our thing is not broken
2. Anger - we hate you for telling us
3. Acceptance - holy crap our thing is broken
Dan Hon, ‘Stages of Transformation’, 11 April 2011
tinyletter.com/danhon/letters/s4e10-stages-of-transformation
59. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
“A good diagnosis simplifies the often
overwhelming complexity of reality by
identifying certain aspects of the
situation as critical.”
Richard Rumelt
Good Strategy/Bad Strategy
66. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
1. problem statement
2. opportunity/objective
3. situation/constraints/context
4. recommendation: Big Idea
5. recommendation: smaller ideas/
releasing early value/validation
6. principles, models
Diagnosis
Unifying idea
Coherent plan
of attack
I wrote about this a bit more at
medium.com/@sophiedennis/weeknotes-s01e01-what-a-difference-a-day-makes-from-dwp-to-nhs-digital-d1fe54ff0cb0
72. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Strategy tells us
Where are we going?
What will be different when we get there?
Where are we now?
How are we going to get from here to there?
What might stop us and how will we overcome that?
79. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
[I imagined] that where I wanted to be – an author, primarily of fiction,… supporting
myself through my words – was a mountain. A distant mountain. My goal. And I
knew that as long as I kept walking towards the mountain I would be all right.
And when I truly was not sure what to do, I could stop, and think about whether it
was taking me towards or away from the mountain.
I said no to editorial jobs on magazines, proper jobs that would have paid proper
money because I knew that, attractive though they were, for me they would have
been walking away from the mountain.
And if those job offers had come along earlier I might have taken them, because
they still would have been closer to the mountain than I was at the time.”
Neil Gaiman, commencement speech to University of the Arts, 2012
www.uarts.edu/neil-gaiman-keynote-address-2012 Watch at vimeo.com/42372767
81. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
The client asks you to design a business card
You respond that the problem is really the
client’s logo
Michael Beirut, ‘You’re So Intelligent’, Design Observer, 9 May 2007
designobserver.com/feature/youre-so-intelligent/5917/
The client asks you to design a logo
You say the problem is the
entire identity system
The client asks you to design the identity
You say that the problem is the
client’s business plan
82. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
The problem isn’t making
something look pretty, you fool,
it’s world hunger!
Michael Beirut, ‘You’re So Intelligent’, Design Observer, 9 May 2007
designobserver.com/feature/youre-so-intelligent/5917/
One or two steps later, you can claim whole
industries and vast historical forces as your purview
83. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Why?
So more people get their flu jabs
Why?
So fewer people end up in hospital with severe, life-threatening flu
Why?
To reduce pressure on the health service
Why?
ONLY WE CAN SAVE THE NHS!
What are you doing?
Making it easier to book an appointment for a flu jab
84. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
“the nature of these challenges are emblematic of
deeply entrenched flaws in our institutional
structures, our underlying theories, definitions of
success, and ultimately how we have
constructed our civilization.”
Christian Bason
The frontiers of design for policy
86. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Why?
So more people get their flu jabs
Why?
So fewer people end up in hospital with severe, life-threatening flu
Why?
To reduce pressure on the health service
Why?
ONLY WE CAN SAVE THE NHS!
What are you doing?
Making it easier to book an appointment for a flu jab
93. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Defeat the commies
Win the space race
Land a man on the
moon and return him
safely to earth
Design more
powerful rockets
Get Congress to pony
up the cash
Launch unmanned
explorations
Build a space ship
change
goal
goal
goal goal goal
change
change
goal
94. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
1. What is the hierarchy of vision and goals? it may help to
start at the bottom with the most immediate task, then ask “why?”
2. What is the highest level goal you can directly
contribute to or influence? this is where you are going
3. What is the level above that?
this is what will be different when you get there
Defeat
the commies
Win the
space race
Land a man on the
moon and return
him safely to earth
Design more
powerful rockets
Get Congress to
pony up the cash
Launch unmanned
explorations
Build a space ship
Pick your mountain
Think about a project you are working on, or a situation you want to change:
95. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Strategy tells us
Where are we going?
What will be different when we get there?
Where are we now?
How are we going to get from here to there?
What might stop us and how will we overcome that?
96. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Strategy tells us
Where are we going?
What will be different when we get there?
Where are we now?
How are we going to get from here to there?
What might stop us and how will we overcome that?
97. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
1. Diagnose the problem
what is the true nature and extent of the problem? what are we really
trying to achieve? what’s really going on here?
2. Find the unifying idea
what overall approach will enable us to cope with and overcome the
obstacles identified in the diagnosis? what is the common thread in the
problems we’ve found? where can we focus in order to apply leverage?
3. Craft a coherent plan of attack
what is the co-ordinated set of actions or steps we should take that will
work together to accomplish our goal?
98. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
1. problem statement
2. opportunity/objective
3. situation/constraints/context
4. recommendation: Big Idea
5. recommendation: smaller ideas/
releasing early value/validation
6. principles, models
Diagnosis
Unifying idea
Coherent plan
of attack
I wrote about this a bit more at
medium.com/@sophiedennis/weeknotes-s01e01-what-a-difference-a-day-makes-from-dwp-to-nhs-digital-d1fe54ff0cb0
99. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Exercise
Brainstorm on page one of the strategy worksheet, or using
post-its:
1. Problems (for users, for org, for you)
2. Objectives (for users, for org, for you)
3. Opportunities
4. Constraints
5. Wider context/situation
100. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
“A good diagnosis simplifies the
often overwhelming complexity of
reality by identifying certain aspects
of the situation as critical.”
Richard Rumelt
Good Strategy/Bad Strategy
101. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Problem statement
This should be made up of:
• the specific problem, or user need, you want to address
• the result of the problem
• the situation which makes the problem a priority, or change of situation
which makes the problem higher risk
• the risk or opportunity that’s a result of the problem and situation
Melanie Cannon, Lead Content Designer, DWP, How to write a problem statement
medium.com/leading-service-design/how-to-write-a-problem-statement-50e2c87810fe
102. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Example of a problem statement for Strava, the running and cycling app
the specific problem, or user
need, you want to address
It can be difficult to stay motivated to do regular exercise.
A lot of people start an exercise routine like running or cycling
regularly, but don’t keep it up.
In the UK, obesity is increasing and people are finding it more difficult
to cope with mental health problems. We know that taking regular
exercise improves our physical health as well as our mental health.
There’s an opportunity to help people stay active and improve their
performance. Connecting them with other people for support,
encouragement and competition, and making it easy for them to
analyse their workout, could help more people stay motivated.
Melanie Cannon, Lead Content Designer, DWP, How to write a problem statement
medium.com/leading-service-design/how-to-write-a-problem-statement-50e2c87810fe
the risk or opportunity that’s
a result of the problem and
situation
the situation which makes the
problem a priority, or change
of situation which makes the
problem higher risk
the result of the problem
104. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
1. Diagnose the problem
what is the true nature and extent of the problem? what are we really
trying to achieve? what’s really going on here?
2. Find the unifying idea
what overall approach will enable us to cope with and overcome the
obstacles identified in the diagnosis? what is the common thread in the
problems we’ve found? where can we focus in order to apply leverage?
3. Craft a coherent plan of attack
what is the co-ordinated set of actions or steps we should take that will
work together to accomplish our goal?
111. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
“Nemawashi”
lit: going around the roots
“In Japan, high-ranking people expect to be let in on new proposals prior to an official
meeting. If they find out about something for the first time during the meeting, they will
feel that they have been ignored, and they may reject it for that reason alone. Thus, it’s
important to approach these people individually before the meeting. This provides an
opportunity to introduce the proposal to them and gauge their reaction. This is also a
good chance to hear their input. This process is referred to as nemawashi.”
Defining Nemawashi, Rochelle Kopp, Japan Intercultural Consulting (2012)
japanintercultural.com/en/news/default.aspx?newsid=234
112. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
• Share early and often
• Share your rationale before you start on solutions
• Make the map together - it focuses discussions
• Open invitation sketching, co-design and ideation
workshops
• Brief the most influential people 1:1
• Make your pitch
114. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Who are your stakeholders?
1. Senior decision-makers and executives
2. The people who’ll need to implement any changes
3. People whose work will be affected by any changes
116. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Signs you lack a strategy
1. A lot of activity that fails to deliver significant benefits
2. Not knowing which option to pick or pursue
3. Repetitive debate and discussion about focus, priorities
and direction - constantly going over the same ground
4. Difficulty choosing between equally valid but incompatible
options
117. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
“If our goal is to X, then I recommend we do A. But if our goal is
Y, then we should do B instead”
“Is X or Y more important to our organisation?”
“Is our goal to do A or B?”
119. slideshare.net/sophiedennis @sophiedennis
Further reading
Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy
Lots more examples and advice on good vs bad strategy
Jared Spool, Beyond the UX Tipping Point
https://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2016/05/26/jared-spool-beyond-the-
ux-tipping-point-live/
Becoming a user-centred organisation
Sophie Dennis, The Art of Things Not Done, NUX5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh-hvPtqN54
Product strategy with story-mapping and the Kano model
Megan Casey, The Content Strategy Toolkit
Advice, templates and methods for getting buy-in and working with
stakeholders. Useful for any kind of design or UX project.
Dan Brown, Documenting Design Discovery
medium.com/eightshapes-llc/documenting-design-discovery-
db14da1b0627#.24ud09pj0
More on structuring findings. He’s also written a book about it.