Navigating complexity by design
If you’ve ever had anything to do with creating digital products, whether it’s apps, building a B2B platform, or developing a connected device, you’ll probably agree that the process from »falling in love with the problem« to research, prototyping, iterating, and launching is a complicated and complex one. Wait, why »complicated« AND »complex«? Don’t these words mean one and the same thing? Even my dictionary suggests using them interchangeably as synonyms. Well, in fact, there’s a significant difference between the two terms.
Complicated or complex?
»Complicated« refers to something with easily observable connections between various elements (people, milestones, deadlines, tasks etc.) and has a clear correlation between cause and effect. For example, if you want to plan recurring project meetings, you need to invite the product team, ask the stakeholders, coordinate everyone’s calendars, set the date, and so on. Depending on the size of the business organization, this task can get very complicated. But it’s not complex. You can complete all the necessary steps using easily available knowledge to find time slots suitable for all, contact the participants who need to be present, and master online meeting software.
»Complexity«, on the other hand, is something that can’t be handled with knowledge only. Complex tasks are unpredictable, especially in ever-changing environments, and don’t manifest clear or obvious connections between elements. Have you ever had a product launch where everything went exactly as — logically and reasonably — planned? I think I know the answer to that one. Sure, agile principles and project management tools help, but they tend to focus mainly on effective execution. When you throw into the mix new user insights, a dynamic competitive landscape, often vastly different environments in which your product is to be used, or a global pandemic threatening existing revenue streams — that’s not something agile project management can handle with ease. Dealing with complexity calls for different strategies and tactics.
The best way to approach complexity is to rely on our intuition.
To quote German Professor Peter Kruse, an expert in the field of organizational psychology, the best way to approach complexity is to rely on our intuition. Intuition is about making the right decisions based on experience, a feeling. It’s mostly about creating mental patterns and is rooted in long-standing and constantly updated practices. It’s about experience combined with knowledge, where new contexts, people, and situations continually interconnect. Sounds good, right? But the question arises, how do we apply these theoretical foundations to the daily practices of product executives? Here, the digital product and service design discipline comes into play.
Video: How do people react to growing complexity
Intuition — guidance by design
Design Thinking and Doing means establishing connections between several domains, investigating user behaviors, observing market trends, and collaborating with product managers, developers, and business owners — embedded in various contexts. These tasks have always been complicated and complex. And, since it’s in every designer’s actual job description, design has developed processes, methods, and tools to navigate through this overwhelming amount of ever-changing information.
For instance, what do you think is easier to communicate and understand: An incomplete, yet tangible product prototype where people can imagine what will happen, or a document 10 pages long struggling to describe every possible product scenario? Well, the answer seems to be a no-brainer.
A tangible prototype is one perfect example of how design helps to navigate in complex environments. It allows to integrate information originating from multiple perspectives. It synthesizes user research, technological possibilities, branding perspectives, and more. It helps to move forward when stakeholders voice their definite opinions. It’s also a great starting point for iterations and handoffs. It empowers people to take the right actions based on their intuition by imaging a final product.
Prototype: xarvio Scouting App | intive
Future-oriented? Design-driven!
Design isn’t just about thinking and doing. If you incorporate a design-driven mindset (Design Being) in product creation, you’ll navigate complexity even better — on many more levels. With a design-driven attitude, people — and organizations accordingly — can empathize with users and customers better, integrate build-measure-learn practices to iterate permanently, adapt to new insights or circumstances more quickly. Again, design gives people the tools to interconnect, stay current, and rely on their intuition.
New technologies and the VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity) are here to stay. Dealing with unpredictable environments and lots of unknown unknowns, also in the field of digital product creation, will become even more critical. That’s why integrating and using design practices now will give you the perfect navigation tool to adapt and update intuitions — for whatever future may come.
This article appeared first here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-complexity-product-creation-design-johannes-dornisch/
