The Power of the Jam

Finding new ways of testing and validating design

My name is Florence Okoye.

I do UX and Service design. And I like to think a lot. 

I really like talking UX

...Because AS DESIGNERS, WE curate the intersection of humanity and technology

I'm a theorist...

...WHO HATES BEING A THEORIST

Which brings us to the jam

What is a jam?

"Imagine a Jam session in music. You come together, bringing your instruments [and] your skills.  Someone sets up a theme, and you Jam around it. You don't overanalyse it, you don't discuss it to death, you Jam. You bounce your ideas off other people, and play around with what comes back.

Source: Global Sustainability Jam

"The Global Jam works in just the same way. But it's not music you are Jamming - it's ideas.

Source: Spaghetti Jams Birmingham

the jam process

SO How can it help?

As an in-house UX designer, there are many challenges you will always face

Funding

Processes

Politics

Fatigue

OK, SO...

How can it help ?

4 jam HACKS WOT I found useful

 

This is the bit where the title makes sense

1. jam culture

make a jam culture

Take everything as a case study

A Jam culture is built upon lived experience

Document your learnings

Make sure it's accessible for everyone to join in

Be prepared for change - culture evolves!

2. adopt the makers ethos

DON'T TALK, MAKE

Prototype, prototype, prototype!

If you can't explain it,

make it!

If you can explain it, then you should definitely be able to make it!

Document your design decision flow - the branches will help generate test cases

3. TEST in anger

TEST OFTEN,

AND TEST HARD

Testing with users is a given, so try spicing it up a bit

Testing with non-users is also good to help solidify your user story

Use your design journey to spur test cases

Use tests to settle those unsettleable conversations

4. humility breeds testability

"YES, AND--"

Treat ideas as precious resources

Think Sustainably

Don't be dismissive - let them build up

You're not going to come up with all the answers

Leave space for the designers of tomorrow

Problems also evolve - they respond to their context

SO, IN CONCLUSION...

One

  • Create a Jam culture based on lived experience.

  • Make it big and clear to everyone.

  • Make it open access!

  • Treat everything you do as a case study

two

  • PROTOTYPE PROTOTYPE PROTOTYPE!

  • TALK/DON'T TALK - BE SURE TO MAKE

  • DOCUMENT YOUR DESIGN PATH - IT WILL PROVIDE TEST CASES LATER

tHREE

  • test WITH anyone and everyone

  • test to get rid of DESIGN-BLOCK

FOUR

  • REMEMBER YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS

  • REMEMBER YOU PROBABLY WILL NEVER HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS

  • THINK "YES AND--"; BUILD UP IDEAS, DON'T DISCARD

FIVE

Do a Jam!

Thank you for listening

@FINOkoye