#Weeknotes 95 (11 Oct) — Wireframes, game mechanics, and paradoxes
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Work wise:
Now that we wrapped up the “understanding” phase of the Discovery project, we moved on to the “defining” phase of what a to-be experience for the new service could look like. It’s a fun stage and it can also get very messy. We have a lot of ground to cover and very little time. Typical right?
We knew it was crucial that we get alignment and buy-in early to reduce the amount of rework needed down the line. We created an iteration plan for the user experience track to ensure we involve all the key stakeholders in the co-design process, in a sensible order: first to sensecheck and coDesign with the wider team, then relevant SMEs on priority areas, and of course validating with the end service users. Everyone had a role to play in ensuring the solutions being designed were fit for purpose.
Now that the requirements are much clearer, we started thinking of solutions using wireframes. Wireframes are great for visualising early concepts as they take little time to create and encourage conversations around key elements of a journey, rather than the details. Decisions can be made quicker when there’s a visual anchor to base on even if they’re not in high fidelity.
I’m glad I finally got the opportunity to try Miro’s wireframes tool. The simplicity reminds me of Balsamiq which I used to love. It’s great that I can wireframe directly in Miro rather than using a separate application. The tool is very basic which is great to keep things simple, but I do miss the ability to create components to reduce duplication. Figma is still my preferred go-to when it comes to design. But for the ease of collaboration, Miro does a pretty darn good job.
Life wise:
I managed to pass the finals in the Duolingo tournament. Woohoo! Though I must admit, it was a bit anti-climactic. There was some positive messaging, but I don’t think I even got a badge to show for it. Considering all those extra hours I put in on the app to stay in the tournament for the past few weeks, not sure if it was worth it. Lol. Yes, technically I’m spending the extra time learning languages, but I was more focused on the points aspect than the learning. I figured out which lessons and exercises would generate more points within the shortest time and I knew which time of the day and week to do the lessons to maximise bonus points. I feel what I ‘learned’ isn’t necessary on the language side! I suppose I’m just another sucker for such game mechanics.
Whatever they’re doing, it’s working. Boo.
On a separate note, my nearly 3-year-old son Layton has been very chatty these days. I find such delight when conversations take unexpected turns. Here’s one I could recall:
Me: “Layton, you’re talking too loud, it’s hurting my ears. Where’s your inside voice?”
Layton: “It’s not here.” In his high cute toddler voice said in a very matter-of-fact manner
Me: “…”
Layton: “Can you go get it?”
Just adorable.
Things I came across:
I started reading the book “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng and there was a beautiful quote:
“Anger is fear’s bodyguard”
I love the dichotomy. It reminds me of Brene Brown’s definition of courage that stems from vulnerability. Everything exists in tension.
In the same vein as opposing meanings and contradictions, I enjoyed reading an article on paradoxes that widen our thinking. The 4 paradoxes I learned are the Liar’s Paradox, The Ship of Theseus Paradox, The Barber Paradox, and The Omnipotence Paradox. A fun read!
Photo of the week:
