Secrets of a Sticky Note Ninja : Rapid Ideation and Problem-Solving with Post-It Notes
Short Abstract [88 words]
Sticky notes (aka Post-it Notes [tm]) are the lingua franca of remembering pesky tasks…yet their real potential lies in effectively and rapidly organizing collaborative group work. Don’t underestimate these simple tools: it’s amazing what powerful results you can get from a $2.00 office supply investment.
In this hands-on tutorial, we’ll cover 8 simple, flexible and impactful methods that help you unpack problems, document workflows, identify issues & opportunities (and what to do about them) and keep everyone, from business folks to development teams, in sync and on target.
Long Description
Sticky notes (aka Post-it Notes [tm]) have become the lingua franca of remembering pesky tasks and to-do items…yet their real potential lies in effectively and rapidly organizing collaborative group work. However, few teams know how to make the most of these simple yet powerful tools. In this workshop you’ll take your group collaboration skills to the next level with a set of methods that maximize the potential of sticky notes.
In user experience work, sticky notes are used in all stages of the process, from strategy to design and through development. In this hands-on tutorial, we’ll cover 8 simple, flexible and impactful methods that help you unpack problems, document workflows, identify issues & opportunities (and what to do about them) and keep everyone, from business folks to development teams, in sync and on target. And you’ll have the opportunity to test-drive 2-3 of these methods to gain hands-on experience with the methods.
Armed with only the most humble of office supplies (sticky notes and sharpie pens) we’ll work through 6 major collaborative challenges:
* Unpacking problem and opportunity spaces
* Gathering design and development goals
* Building consensus for shared direction
* Making sense of complex workflows
* Delving into the roots of a problem so that you can solve it appropriately
* Creating idea constellations that spark new approaches and directions
You will learn:
* how to pick the right method for a specific problem
* how to lead a group in collaborative sticky note sessions
* how to organize a workroom for maximum collaborative success
* keys to quickly and easily documenting workgroup results
* how to work asynchronously via sticky-note boards
Speaker/Facilitator Notes
- The facilitator has been working with structured sticky note techniques for over 7 years in a variety of contexts: strategic user experience projects with clients, development teams for WebDev projects, community non-profit organizations and in a city planning context with a neighborhood organization.
- A short-form (90 minute) version of this tutorial has been presented in the past, at a User Experience conference (Adaptive Path UX Week 2007), and at an Interaction Designers Association (IxDA) San Francisco event. Feedback from the participants was very positive at both sessions.
- The session has been presented in in a hotel meeting room setting (a crazy-but-overcomeable-challenge…stickies hate fabric walls) with approximately 150 participants, and in an office meeting room setup with over 75 participants.
The session outline is as follows:
* Intro and context-setting : 5 min
* Overview of techniques : 20 min
* 2 hands-on exercises : each 15 min with 10 min share-out
* Closing and questions : 15 min
Materials include:
* Sticky note decks in asst. sizes, colors
* Sharpie pens (because Sharpies smell like ideas…)
Structure of exercises:
* We’ll work in groups of 5-7
* Following each exercise, each group will have the opportunity to ask questions and share experiences with the larger group