Critical thinking is an important skill for UX designers and others. It involves defining critical thinking, understanding how the brain works through examples of the limbic system and orgasms, and recognizing that people see the world differently so connecting ideas is important. Critical thinking tools can help clarify understanding, provide context, and ensure ideas are supported by evidence. Markets also come in different types so it's important to consider the size and needs of the target market to know if an idea has potential.

1. Critical Thinking
(For UX Designers--or Anyone, Really)
#critthink
South by Southwest 2011
Russ Unger |
Christina Wodtke | Zynga
Image Source © Time Inc.

2. DTCT
Defining The Critical Thinking

3. Houses, Walls, Windows
Image Source © Time Inc.

4. Henry Ford
“
If I would have asked people what
they wanted, they would have
said “a faster horse.”
Images Source © Time Inc.

5. The Limbic System
Images Source http://home.comcast.net/~momtofive/SIDWEBPAGE2.htm

6. Brains Are Wired 2-Dimensionally
Image Source © icanhascheezburger.com

7. Limbic Also Controls the Orgasms
Image Source © http://www.meh.ro/

8. My Wife
“
Really? An orgasm slide?
ﬔose people had better not think
that’s me in the picture...
Image Source Russ Unger

9. Dr. Steve Julius
“
With a bit of training and through
some basic brain-stretching
exercises, we can be reflective.
We can slow down and find
alternative solutions.
Image Source Steve’s Son Max

10. Let’s Try One
• Four Magic Seedlings
• Must be planted equal distances
apart from each other
• Yes. You have to plant four of
them to make the magic
Image Source © Russ Unger

11. Show Your Work
2’
Math Lesson:
271
2’
A2 + B2 = C2
2’ 2’ 4+4=8
284
2.8
Square Root of 8
= 2.82842712
2’
Image Source © Russ Unger

12. Solved!
2’
2’
2’
2’ 2’
2’
Image Source © Russ Unger

13. DTCT
What It IS NOT: What It IS:
• Biased • Self-directed
• Partial • Self-monitored
• Uninformed • Self-corrective
• Prejudiced
Image Source © Time Inc.

14. The Reality of It All
An Example in Failure

15. The Cotton Bowl
“
She focused so much on her business that she forgot
to focus on her business.
Image Source My Cousin

16. The Reality of It All, Part 2
An Example in “Well, we’ll have to wait and see how this one plays out, but, hmm...”

17. News To Me
Images Source © Time Inc.

18. Deja vu?
Images Source © ﬔe Wachowski Brothers

19. Remember These?
“
When the cassette recorder was invented, the
music industry announced a moral panic over the
fact that people could simply steal music from the
radio, or copy it from each other.
- John Lanchester
Images Source © http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacksonboyle/1506260962/sizes/l/in/photostream/

20. Remember These?
Images Source Wikipedia

21. Meet the First Digital Audio Player
1979
Images Source Kane Kramer http://www.kanekramer.com

22. Meet the First Digital Audio Player
Images Source Kane Kramer http://www.kanekramer.com

23. Meet the First Digital Audio Player
Images Source Kane Kramer http://www.kanekramer.com

24. The MP3 Player is an Application
Images Source © http://flickriver.com

25. The New Books
Free?

26. Back to the Newspapers...

27. Back to the Newspapers...

28. Christina Wodtke - Zynga

29. Business is from Mars, Design from Venus
Deductive/Inductive Reasoning Abductive Reasoning
“Traditional firms utilize and reward the use of “Designers value highly a third type of logic:
two kinds of logic. ﬔe first, inductive, entails abductive reasoning. Abductive reasoning, as
proving through observation that something described by Darden professor Jeanne Liedtka,
actually works. ﬔe second, deductive, involves embraces the logic of what might be.
proving -- through reasoning from principles --
that something must be.” ﬔis style of thinking is critical to the creative
process.”
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/aug2005/di20050803_823317.htm

30. Designers can make great leaps forward

31. But the business folks can be left behind
Critical thinking can be used to build a bridge between two types of thinking,
connecting the dots

32. Critical thinking can also help you with their ideas
How many have you thought about a client or a boss “ﬔat’s a
moronic idea”
Can you build a bridge to their goal?

34. Yes, and
AND
7

35. Step Back
Think
Organize
Proceed
ﬔe Inner Game of Stress: Outsmart Life's Challenges and Fulfill Your Potential
by W. Timothy Gallwey
8

36. Tools for Thinking
Clarification:
Do I understand what you are saying?
Understanding:
Do I understand your thinking
Context:
Do I understand the world we are acting in?
Evidence:
What tells me this is right?

37. For Clarification, try Active Listening
1. Repeat
2. Paraphrase
3. Extend

38. For Understanding, try Five Whys
My car will not start. (the problem)
•Why? - ﬔe battery is dead. (first why)
•Why? - ﬔe alternator is not functioning. (second why)
•Why? - ﬔe alternator belt has broken. (third why)
•Why? - ﬔe alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and has never been replaced.
(fourth why)
•Why? - I have not been maintaining my car according to the recommended service schedule.
(fih why, a root cause)
•Why? - Replacement parts are not available because of the extreme age of my vehicle. (sixth
why, optional footnote)

39. Context
A Little About Markets

40. One Word: Plastics

41. Why the one word?
Opportunity
Brand Completeness
Blocking competition
Raising money
Curiosity

42. Is it worth doing? Three reality checks
1. Size of Market
2. Type of market
3. Personality of market

43. REALITY CHECK #1: SIZE MATTERS
TAM is not SAM

44. How Big Is The Opportunity?
Total Available Market (TAM)
• How many people would want/need
the product?
• How large is the market be
Total Available Market (in $’s) if they all bought?
(TAM) • How many units would that be?
How Do I Find Out?
• Industry Analysts – Gartner, Forrester
• Wall Street Analysts – Goldman,
Morgan

45. How Big Is My Slice?
Served Available Market (SAM)
• How many people need or can use
product?
• How many people have the money to
Total Available Market buy the product
Served Available
Market (SAM)
• How large would the market be (in
(TAM) $’s) if they all bought?
• Can you reach them?
How Do I Find Out?
• Talk to potential customers

46. Some Startups saw this.
(SAM)
Total Available Market
(TAM)

47. Return on Investment
All your CEO cares about …
•Returns (measurable changes)
•Increased sales
•Reduced costs
•Achieving the mission (for a non-profit)
•Investments (cost of making change happen)
•Keeping headcount low
•Using resources more effectively
•Only bringing in consultants if necessary

48. REALITY CHECK #2: DIFFERENT MARKETS HAVE
DIFFERENT NEEDS
What Business Will You Be In?

49. Three Types of Markets
Existing Market Resegmented Market New Market
Who Cares?
Type of Market changes EVERYTHING
Sales, marketing and business development differ radically by market type

50. Existing

51. Competitor

52. Competing in an Existing Market
Faster/Better
Somewhere Else

53. The 9X Effect
John Gourville, Eager Sellers and Stony Buyers (2006)

54. Resegmented

55. Gap’s new entry

56. Competing By Resegmenting
Niche = marketing/branding driven
Cheaper = low end

57. New Market?

58. Same Product, Different Markets
New
New Existing Resegmented

59. New Market
Cheaper/good enough can create a
new class of product/customer
Innovative/never existed before

60. Choose your idea wisely
From Guy Kawasaki, Art of the Start
stupid ﬔe holy grail
Your ability to
provide
unique
product or
service
bankrupt compete on price
Value to customer

61. REALITY CHECK #3: MARKETS ARE PEOPLE

62. Customer Development
Steven Gary Blank, Four Steps to the Ephinany
Customer Customer Customer Company
Discovery Validation Creation Building

63. Potential Roadmap
What Would You Move?
• Collaboration space
• Speaker features/video
• Reporting and advanced
Capability
Admin
• Community features
• E(mail) to attendees
Version 1.0
• Un/Official events list
• Network notifications
• Basic Admin
Soon Later Much Later
39

64. Evidence
Research: Ethnography, user diaries, etc
Testing: paper prototyping, ghetto testing, etc
You’re good at this part!

65. Proceed Together
ﬔe 3 Skills You Need to Succeed
Product
Business Tech

66. And Pray
Idea Execution Timing Dumb Luck

67. So, Now What?

68. User / Browser Role Play
Courtesy of Stephen Anderson

69. Wear A Different Hat
Courtesy of Stephen Anderson

70. Hold A Funeral For Your Product
Images Source © Time Inc.

71. Thank You!