My presentation for UX Bristol on Friday 15th July 2011

1. One Big Field
How to run a user-centered
requirements gathering workshop
Presented by Fergus Roche
Friday 15th July 2011
for…

2. One Big Field
UX
(user experience)

3. One Big Field
Prototype
UX will reduce
risk
The UX approach allows us
to visualise a view of the
future without going near
build, reducing cost.
Source: OBF project – interac5on prototype

4. One Big Field
We design with 2nd most Most a8en5on
data
Lots of designers don’t.
Which we find weird.
Most clicked
image source: OBF project

5. One Big Field
Help orgs. make
better decisions
Position your need; if you
can write down a problem
correctly, you can see the
solution.
image source: OBF project

6. One Big Field
Why a workshop?
Gain insight & build consensus
image source

7. One Big Field
When to run a workshop to gather
requirements?
Made up
& combos
bespoke Rapid
Prototyping

8. One Big Field
When to run a workshop to gather
requirements?
Made up & Rapid
bespoke combos Prototyping
Waterfall Trad. digital agency Iterative Agile / Scrum
Requirements Research Inception Requirements
Specification Business requirements Business modeling Specification
Design IA Requirements Architecture
Construct Specification Elaboration Design
Integrate Design Analysis & design Implementation
Test Build Construction Testing
Install Test Implementation Deployment
Maintain UAT Test Maintenance
Go live Transition
SLA Deploy
Typically run workshops during these stages

9. One Big Field
Three key elements…
1. The process map
2. A requirement in context
3. Prioritisation
image source

10. One Big Field
…lets pretend we’re
in a workshop

11. One Big Field
The project
2011 National Elections: Get the people to vote!
Client
Electoral commission [stakeholders]
Supplier
Syco Productions [supplier & UX team]
Challenge
Post-Olympics, electoral turnout for 2014 is
forecast to drop to 30%.
image source

12. One Big Field
Simon has been brought in to
X-Factor the elections…
image source

13. One Big Field
Rules of the game
 Grouped by suit:
 Players: Ace - 7
 Watchers: 8 - King
 Roles:
 Ace – UX team leader [Syco]
 2 & 3 – UXer [Syco]
 3 – client contact [Elec. comms]
 4, 5, 6 & 7- stakeholder [Elec. Comms]

14. One Big Field
Your first task…
Process-mapping

15. How the
hell do I
vote?
Said Chloe [aged 19], a dynamic entrepreneur
knee-deep in running her fifth successful start-up.

16. One Big Field
Task no 1: process-mapping
Process map out the existing process of
voting in the general elections.
[Ace – 7]
See scenario

17. EXAMPLE
CLIENT

18. One Big Field
Process-mapping assets
Persona
Key scenarios
Flip-chart paper, post-its & markers
A clear & empty wall

19. One Big Field
Personas
Simple > proper ones
[or the One Big Field, special-trump-card-micro-persona one…

20. One Big Field
EXAMPLE
CLIENT
Scenario: I5bek’s earthquake
There is a major earthquake in a rural remote area of Kyrgyzstan. The
Bri5sh Red Cross launches an appeal.
I5bek, a young Bri5sh man with Kirghiz parents, is very concerned
about his rela5ves ‐ his uncle, aunt and cousin from his mother’s
side live in the area affected by the earthquake. He's been trying to get
in touch with them but has not heard anything since the earthquake.
How can the Bri5sh Red Cross help him to find out what is happening
to his rela5ves
He’s wondering whether to donate money to the appeal
He would also like to donate some of his winter clothes, and wants to
find out where his nearest Red Cross shop is to do so.
Having donated money and clothes, he comes back to the website a
month later to find out how the Red Cross has been using his
dona5on in Kyrgyzstan.
Describe and map out how he would engage with the Bri5sh Red Cross
currently. Highlight the tracing & message, donate and shop steps.

21. EXAMPLE
CLIENT

22. One Big Field
EXAMPLE
CLIENT

23. One Big Field
PROCESS-
start BUSINESS LIKES/
SCENARIOS
MAP
OBJECTIVES
DISLIKES
[EXISTING]
IDEATION
PRIORITISE
REPEAT PER
ACROSS
CLUSTER
/ CULL
SCENARIO
MAPS
Quan5ty [x50] Quality [x2]
SCORE
PROTOTYPE
IDEAS ORGANISE /
PRIORTIES end
AGAINST LIST REQS.
FIRST
OBJECTIVES

24. One Big Field
Three key elements…
1. The process map
2. A requirement in context
3. Prioritisation
image source

25. One Big Field
Lets swap!
 Grouped by suit:
 Watchers: Ace - 7
 Players: 8 - King
 Roles:
 Ace – UX team leader [Syco]
 8 – client contact [Elec. comms]
 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King- stakeholder
[Elec. Comms]

26. One Big Field
Task no 2: ideation
Come up with 50 ideas to improve this
process. Requirements in context.
[8 - King]

27. One Big Field
EXAMPLE
CLIENT
Process map:
Find information on
<type X>business
cover. Offering a
package for the first
time.

28. One Big Field
EXAMPLE
CLIENT

29. One Big Field
Three key elements…
1. The process map
2. A requirement in context
3. Prioritisation
image source

30. One Big Field
PROCESS-
start BUSINESS LIKES/
SCENARIOS
MAP
OBJECTIVES
DISLIKES
[EXISTING]
IDEATION
PRIORITISE
REPEAT PER
ACROSS
CLUSTER
/ CULL
SCENARIO
MAPS
Quan5ty [x50] Quality [x2‐5]
SCORE
PROTOTYPE
IDEAS ORGANISE /
PRIORTIES end
AGAINST LIST
FIRST
OBJECTIVES

31. One Big Field
Task no 3: Strategic prioritisation
Are the top ideas/requirements relevant?
[Everyone]

32. One Big Field
Score the top ideas against
the strategic statements for
the project.
image source: OBF workshop

33. One Big Field
Strategic statements
1. Reduce the cost of the voting system
2. Increase number of voters to over 70%
3. Gather more data on voters
4. Make system favour the Party contributing
most to Commission’s retirement Fund
5. Allow voters to also audition for X-Factor

34. One Big Field
PROCESS-
start BUSINESS LIKES/
SCENARIOS
MAP
OBJECTIVES
DISLIKES
[EXISTING]
IDEATION
PRIORITISE
REPEAT PER
ACROSS
CLUSTER
/ CULL
SCENARIO
MAPS
Quan5ty [x50] Quality [x2‐5]
SCORE
PROTOTYPE
IDEAS ORGANISE /
PRIORTIES end
AGAINST LIST
FIRST
OBJECTIVES

35. One Big Field
EXAMPLE
CLIENT
…end results

36. One Big Field
The three key elements…
1. The process map
2. A requirement in context
3. Prioritisation
image source

37. One Big Field
13 essential ingredients
for a successful workshop
image source

38. One Big Field
No 1 – have a plan
Travelex Workshop
Part 1
Part 2
Intro
<split & mix teams>
20 mins
15 mins
05 mins - Intros [Phil]
15 mins - review & ideate across x2
05 mins - Project overview [Phil]
process-maps
10 mins - Likes/dislikes [ferg]
<Split into groups>
20 mins
20 mins
10 mins - Process-map a scenario 5 &
10 mins - Process-map a scenario 1 & 2
6[open]
05 mins - Ideation [50 ideas]
05 mins - Ideation [50 ideas]
05 mins - Cluster and prioritise x2
05 mins - Cluster and prioritise x2
<repeat>
<combine top ideas>
20 mins
10 mins - Process-map a scenario 3 & 4
10 mins
05 mins - Ideation [50 ideas]
Prioritise [against biz objectives]
05 mins - Cluster and prioritise x2
If time, review and cluster non-selected
needs / what's missing
10 mins - Coffee break
5 mins slippage overall

39. One Big Field
13 essential ingredients
1. Have a plan 8. Timekeeping & team
2. Group dynamics back up
3. Enthusiasm 9. Divide & conquer
4. Pace & flow 10. Coral the alphas, don't
5. Assets spread them out
6. Stand up! 11. The bad idea from the
7. Know your room & top dog
reconfigure 12. The really good idea
13. Remember to shut-up
image source

40. One Big Field
A workshop can gain you
insight & build consensus
with the stakeholders
image source

41. One Big Field
A final point on handling large groups…

42. One Big Field
Thanks!
image source: OBF workshop for…

43. One Big Field
Next steps to prioritising
requirements…

44. One Big Field
Prioritising requirements
 MoSCoW
 The 1-100 scale
with Planning Poker

45. One Big Field
Planning Poker…
Req 1: do the washing up after dinner – effort
involved = 1 Chihuahua
Req 2: build a small desk from a flatpack IKEA set –
effort involved = 1 Labrador
Req 3: replace the engine in your car – effort
involved = 1 Great Dane
Req 4: build a small nuclear fusion generator in an
Afghan cave. As a prisoner – effort involved = ten
Wargs [massive monster dogs from Lord of the
Rings]

46. One Big Field
Planning Poker…
• Know that no human can accurately estimate. We
just can’t do it. Accept it.
• Don’t estimate based on time
• Estimate requirements based on effort relative to
other requirements.
• Apply abstract value system e.g. 1-100, dogs
• Work out what the value of 1 is per developer in
time
• Multiply to get real effort values
• Adjust through project lifecycle

47. One Big Field
Thanks!
& thanks to the plants…
image source: OBF workshop for…