Hi: Thanks for your responses to the "Dear CEO" post. To avoid cluttering up the list, I will wait until this evening and then post a consolidated reply that integrates your ideas into the original.
Of course, as some of you have pointed out, any presentation will require substantiation and customization. My goal for this effort is to create a "generic" approach that speaks to the way that senior managers think. What I want to achieve is a tool that you can adapt for your own situation. Some of you (for example Dave Malouf) have also contributed suggestions that are not directly about the logic of the argument but are ideas about how to conduct the session. I will assemble these into a companion document which we can review later. I believe that the collective wisdom of the group will lead to a truly useful document. Thanks and keep those cards and letters coming. Best, Charlie ============================ Charles B. Kreitzberg, Ph.D. CEO, Cognetics Corporation ============================ -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of dave malouf Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:15 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Dear CEO: I think that is Victor's point, William. That MS isn't cuttin' it in the UX arena and thus can't compete. But if you want to get a glimpse of where mobile windows is going, check out the UI for the latest Zune. i got to play w/ it recently and really loved it. If I wasn't so invested into DRMed AAC (upwards of $500 according to Apple if I wanted to convert it to DRM-free), I'd really consider it for my next MP3 player. But regardless of that. A few thoughts. I appreciate the "let's start the conversation" presentation that Charlie presented. Very proactive post that gives people a tangible tool. So kudos and thanx. I think that I might make some changes though: 1) do what victor was doing. Case studies, quotes, etc. and try to be as non-Apple as possible. Look at Zip Car, Salesforce.com, BBC, Amazon, etc. Be sure to choose examples that are relevant to your business and quantify their story in some way. 2) Fess up! as one person noted it WILL cost you money up front. It is a new task which means new hours and probably new bodies. Create a PLAN, not just a speech. 3) Demonstrate that you know your boss' business explicitly (not that charlie wouldn't do this, but there wasn't a "place holder" slide for this) 4) Don't go in alone. Be sure you've already created allies in the other departments just by word of mouth. 5) Prep through blitzkrieg. When I was hit with this issue a few jobs ago, I would hit almost weekly if not multiple times a week my entire office with posts from BusinessWeek and FastCompany highlighting design's direct effect on business. Again, stay away from Apple examples. 6) Don't talk about user experience or even design. Talk about measurable and tangible articulations of design in the context of YOUR product. 7) Demonstrate that you have expertise by just being above your boss' head, but not too much that they blow you off. 8) Here's the kicker ... JUST DO IT! Sketch out examples just based on heuristics how you envision your company's products changing over time. Be the visionary and show the sweat equity to your ideas. Enjoy! -- dave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=46405 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
