Illustration created with DALL-E
Alright, here's my latest gray matter baby.
Product design is all about imagining, crafting and iterating creations that tackle users problems head-on or cater to specific market needs.
Improvisation, also called improv, is a form of theater, usually comedic, where the performance is unplanned, created spontaneously by the performers. The ultimate on-the-spot creativity. No scripts, just raw communication, relying on an actor's ability for diving deep into character and engaging with fellow performers.
So, what's the connection between these two worlds? Well, I've put together 8 improv rules (crafted by some real brainiacs, mind you) and cracked the code on how they can amp up the design process.
Oh, and you might be thinking, "Why on earth is she talking about a cross-over of improv and design?" Easy! Before diving into design, I spent years as an improv enthusiast, teaching it to eager learners. Not sure that helped, hopefully, that gave me some credibility.
IMPROV RULES
1. “Yes, and…"
In the improv world, we've got this golden rule called 'Yes, and…'". It's as basic as it gets. It means that whatever has been established, you must agree and move it forward by adding new information. By saying “yes”, you accept the reality created by your partners and begin the collaborative process.
Saying “no” grinds invention and innovation, saying “yes” reminds you to respect what your partner has created and to start from an open-minded place.
Design Principle
- It's all about saying "yes" to what’s already on the table. Design isn't about tossing out the wheel and starting from scratch. Sure, the wheel's been rolling along just fine, but how can we improve it? How can we make it a smoother ride for everyone? That's where you enter the game. Just remember, folks are used to the wheel; it's part of their everyday lives. So, when you bring something new to the table, make sure it slides right into their routine without causing a fuss. After all, familiarity's your best buddy.
2. Add new information
We don't just stop at "yes", we go all out with "yes, and…". In improv, you agree and then add something of your own to keep things moving forward. When we're improv-ing, progress only happens when we add in some fresh ideas.
Design Principle
- Pablo Picasso once said "Good artists copy. Great artists steal." Well, that's our cue to not just slap a new coat of paint on a product and call it a day. No, true innovation means rolling up our sleeves, digging deep and figuring out how to level up that product, making it more accessible and all-around awesome.
3. Don’t Block. No Negation
Don’t negate someone else’s reality. Basically, it's all about not raining on someone else's parade. Denial destroys or stops the addition of new information or worse, negates what has already been established. Blocking is a way of minimizing the impact of new information, keeping the action from moving forward.
Design Principle
- Think of blocking like a speed bump on the road to progress. It just slows everything down. So, instead of getting stuck in your own brilliant ideas, stay curious, keep searching. Don't get tunnel vision; that'll only steer you away from what users really want. Sure, your idea might be golden to you and your pals, but it might not be hitting the mark for everyone else.This is a great principle to be implemented in the research and ideation phase.
4. Avoid Questions (User Questions in Design)
Another form of blocking is asking questions. Questions force our partners to fill in the information or do the work. Don’t ask questions, instead, what you wanna do is take charge with bold statements. Be part of the solution.
Design Principle
- Now, don't get me wrong—designers should always ask questions. But when it comes to the actual product design, it's all about taking the lead. Don't leave users scratching their heads, wondering where to find what they need. Be a couple of steps ahead of them, anticipating their every move. Think about it: there's nothing worse than playing hide-and-seek with dropdown menus and footers. This principal's your golden ticket, whether you're sketching out ideas, building prototypes and even in the testing phase.
5. Be Specific
Details are the lifeblood of moving a scene forward. Each little nugget provides clues to what’s really important. Details help provide beat objectives.
Design Principle
- As per the previous principle, you need to be straightforward with the information, be straight-up with your users! Offer them all the details they need to get the full picture, but don’t overwhelm them. There is a 14th-century theory called Occam's Razor which says that if you have two competing ideas to explain the same phenomenon, you should prefer the simpler one. Less is often more when it comes to design, minimizing the cognitive load on users by eliminating unnecessary complexities. Keep things nice and tidy.
6. Focus on the Here and Now
A good scene doesn't just happen out of nowhere. They do not take place on an empty stage. Focus on the here and now. A scene is about the people in the scene. The change, the struggle, the win or loss will happen to the characters on the stage. Focus on what is going on right now.
Design Principle
- Stay relevant and aware! Keep yourself updated. Stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest, but don't just follow the crowd. Keep yourself informed about new tech, user needs and as Google calls it, products for “the next billion” users. Design should never be about learning 2-3 tools and 10 principles and moving on with your job for the next decade. Design's all about continuous learning and growing. You can find this principle applied throughout the empathize, define and testing phases, being mindful of users' reactions.
7. Make choices
When it comes to improv, it's all about setting the scene. This is a three-part process:
a. Who (basic character type)
The best way to create a character in improv is to think of a very specific personality type and just start moving like the character. Choosing an occupation might help to spark a character.
b. What (conflict, or “the problem”)
The conflict is so important that we call it “the game.” You can’t have a scene without a conflict.
c. Where (setting)
Create where you are very specifically.
Design Principle
These questions aren't just for improv, they're the bread and butter of the design to be kept in mind during the whole process. Who are we designing for, who is our user? A great tool to answer this question is a user persona. What problems are we solving? What are the pain points my user is having so I can make sure to create a product that solves exactly those problems and not just blind guess. And where, where will the user use the product? It is dark, is it during the day, usually at work, at uni, at the grocery store, on the street, in the car, in bed, somewhere noisy, somewhere with excessive stimulus, etc. These are the building blocks of a killer design, so don't skimp on the details.
8. Listen.
Pay attention to what the other actors are saying and respond to them rather than just making up what you want.
Design Principle
- Throughout the entire design process, listening is key. It does not come as a surprise that you have to listen to users to discover their needs. You also have to listen to what the competitor is doing, to your colleague's ideas or superior feedback on designs. And believe me, you should keep your ears wide open when you're testing your prototype. Don't just hear what's being said—actually listen, you'll learn a lot more with your ears wide open than with your mouth running. It's the secret sauce to creating something truly awesome and, most importantly, USEFUL.
CONCLUSION
I've handpicked a handful of rules and sprinkled some improv magic on product design. But here's the fun: this isn’t just about design—it's about the big picture. I’m sure that if you explore any other fields, you'll discover similar interconnectedness. It's a valuable reminder that what you learn in one realm can totally rock another.