Product Bootcamp
The first time I heard Christine Perfetti speak was over ten years ago when she was still working with Jared Spool at UIE and I was just dipping my toes into the world of UX. I’ve attended quite a few of their workshops and talks over the years, and I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for what I learned there. When Christine recently asked me if iZotope were interested in hosting her Product Bootcamp, I immediately jumped at the chance. In exchange for using the space, my team was invited to participate, so a win-win!
My favorite thing about Christine’s approach to product design is that she focuses on a toolbox of techniques, rather than advocating a rigid process. She has discovered in her research that this approach differentiates high performing teams from the rest. In the bootcamp, she introduced many of these techniques as we worked through designing a better air travel experience and prototyped a taco kiosk.
First, the KJ. Participants quietly write as many issues on yellow sticky notes as possible in a short period of time. Stickies are placed on the wall and people silently group them. Blue stickies label each section. The next step is voting on the most pressing issues. This is a great technique for getting as many ideas and concerns from a larger group as possible in a short time, and prioritizing them while gaining alignment.
Overall, the bootcamp was a great team building opportunity for the designers and product team members. And we even got to use the KJ technique the next day to gain alignment at a feature discussion meeting.
