Being Curious for a Living (revised)

Being Curious for a Living

How asking questions creates loyal clients (and better online tools)

Monday, May 16, 2011

Hi, I’m Lauren.Some titles I’ve held:

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Project Manager

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Project Manager

• Information Architect

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Project Manager

• Strategist

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Project Manager

• Strategist

• Entrepreneur

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Project Manager

• Strategist

• Entrepreneur

• Author

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Project Manager

• Strategist

• Entrepreneur

• Author

• Avid learner & self-improvement freak

• Front-End Coder

• Web Designer

• Project Manager

• Strategist

• Entrepreneur

• Author

• Avid learner & self-improvement freak

• Collaborator

Drilling Down:What fuels web design?

Code • Graphics • Widgets • Software

Strategy • Process • Consultation

Function • Meaning • Delight • Evolution

Strategy • Process • Consultation

Does being an expertmean having the answers?

“They did everything we asked.”

Best testimonial ever?

“Our sales* increased by 150%.”

*or mailing list / donor base / reach…fill in your business goal here.

Best testimonial ever:

“Concentrate on being consultative rather than

getting trapped in a transactional mentality.”

–David Bakerwww.recourses.com

Good questions & bad questions

5 W’s + 1 H

5 W’s + 1 HQuestions clients ask:

5 W’s + 1 HQuestions clients ask:• Where will people find it?

• Where will they hear about it?

• Who will help us get the word out?

• When does it need to launch?

• How will it be built?

5 W’s + 1 H

5 W’s + 1 HAsk better questions:

5 W’s + 1 HAsk better questions:• Who is it for?

• Who are your competitors?

5 W’s + 1 H

5 W’s + 1 H• What is its purpose?

• What are the 3 most critical things you want your visitors to do?

• In 25 words or less, what is the key message and/or impression you want your site’s visitors to take away with them?

5 W’s + 1 H

5 W’s + 1 H• Where does it fit into your overall

organizational / brand / communications strategy?

5 W’s + 1 H

5 W’s + 1 H• When it launches, how will you

maintain and develop it further?

5 W’s + 1 H

5 W’s + 1 H• Why are we building it?

5 W’s + 1 H

5 W’s + 1 H• How will you measure success?

• How do you want your audience to feel when they interact with you?

Story: datadotgc.ca

Good answers & bad answers

Why?Bad answer:

Because everyone else has one.

Why?Better answers:

Why?Better answers:• Because it serves our business goals.

• Because it’s our #1 user-requested feature.

• Because it increases the function / delight / meaning / evolution factor(s).

Who?Bad answers:

Everyone

Who?Bad answers:

Everyone

Who?Bad answers:

Everyone

Death by demographics

Who?Better answers:

Who?Better answers:• Descriptors

• Profiles

• User stories (What do they want to do, and why?)

What?Bad answer:

Increase sales.

Why?Better answers:

Why?Better answers:• Increase sales of X by __% by [date],

using the following techniques & strategies…

Why?Better answers:• Increase sales of X by __% by [date],

using the following techniques & strategies…

• Improve cart usability & thereby decrease abandonment by 10%.

The Business Case for “Why?”

Outcome Benefit

Create better, more effective sites

Stronger portfolio,testimonials & referrals

Exceed your clients’ expectations

Customer loyalty & retention

Happy clients Save yourself redoing work for free

Outcome Benefit

Documentation

DocumentationBusiness & functional req’s

DocumentationBusiness & functional req’s• WHO: Audience segments: who are

they, and what are they here to do?

• WHY: Measures of success

• HOW: Technical specs

Story: Macrowikinomics

strikes back.

Get curious.(Your clients will thank you.)

Anything you want to ask me?

Thank you.www.raisedeyebrow.com

www.laurenandemira.com

@laurenbacon

Being Curious for a Living (revised)

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Curious Incident

Curious George

Curious #1

CURIOUS RITUALS

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Curious Things

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Living Cities: Vision and Method, revised

Stay curious

Curious Minds

Just Curious

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