Caroline's Corner: Negative Plans for Positive Results

Wading through yet another complicated methodology the other day, my mind started to wander. Why are some of these documents so hard to understand? Why so repetitive? And I knew the answer, really: the thing starts as a simple approach, and then gradually collects accretions rather like a stately ocean liner gathering barnacles, or a simple house getting extended as different families move in. Little changes are made here and there to accommodate various special cases. Whole sections are added because of the need to think about accessibility, or to conform with ISO 9001, or because the organisation has adopted a new project management process. Gradually, the original clarity and simplicity becomes complicated and verbose. The people using it stop looking in the actual document and instead, work to some vague approximation of it that they recall from their training a year or more ago. Corners are cut, projects do things differently for no good reason, and the fine methodology has become shelfware. Until one day, someone demands an audit and there are red faces everywhere.

So, what to do? How can we breathe continuing life into the methodology, quality process, planning procedure or whatever?

My suggestion: the negative plan. No, it's not a plan for making things go wrong (although we've all seen them). A negative plan is a project-specific document that states where the project is going to deviate from the mandated process. (Or, for process, read methodology, proecdure or whatever. I'm going to stick to process from here). The deviations can include omitting whole sections - or even, if you can persuade management and the client to agree, the negative plan can simply state 'we are not going to follow X process at all'. I never managed to get one saying 'nothing at all' signed off, but the possibility is there.

Somehow the task of flipping through the process documents and deciding what doesn't apply is less onerous than its opposite, creating lists of what you'll have to do in a project that doesn't have enough time or resources anyway. Often large chunks aren't appropriate: not relevant in this case, only needed for much bigger projects, already done on the previous project for which this is an extension. Fairly rapidly, you've achieved these good things:
* reminded yourself about what the process really entails,
* removed some unnecessary stuff from your lists of tasks,
* allowed yourself to concentrate on the parts of the process that really do matter for your project.

And if you find that there is some part of the process that is rarely important - bin it!

Cutting out a section from these complicated documents is deeply satisfying - and gets brownie points from the auditors because it shows that you're thinking about the documents and actually using them.

Caroline Jarrett
Independent usability consultant specialising in forms, questionnaires and data capture.

Effortmark Ltd
w. www.effortmark.co.uk
e. caroline.jarrett@effortmark.co.uk
p. +44 (0)1525 370379

Associated Link: Effortmark

Poor Shopping Basket Usability will hinder Christmas Rush
Source: UN, 20 November 2008
 
A new study from eDigitalResearch identifies customer service and online shopping basket usability as the two key areas where online retailers need to improve.

Future Phones to Read Your Voice, Gestures
Source: Wired, 19 November 2008
 
Five years from now, it is likely that the mobile phone you will be holding will be a smooth, sleek brick — a piece of metal and plastic with a few grooves in it and little more.

Why Digital Research is important in tough Financial Times
Source: Financial Times, 18 November 2008
 
With the banking sector moving towards consolidation, it is crucial that customers are understood, reacted to and rewarded for their loyalty.

Get Ready for 'Ergobamanomics'
Source: AssemblyBlog via ergonomics in the news , 17 November 2008
 
Is President Elect, Barack Obama, a secret ergonomics and usability enthusiast?

The Most Dreaded Keyword Phrase
Source: SearchEngineLand, 15 November 2008
 
In website usability, one of the hardest obstacles to overcome is the mentality of “This is what I would do.”

User Experience Standards Missing from Web 2.0 Designs
Source: UN, 14 November 2008
 
Usability professionals should be more involved with the development of Web 2.0 tools.

New technology showcased at World Usability Day
Source: User Vision, 13 November 2008
 
Today is World Usability Day!

Review: 16 User Interface Prototyping Tools
Source: Dexo Design, 12 November 2008
 
People constantly ask me what the best prototyping or mockup tool is, so I decided to do a review of all the tools I’m aware of.

Radio 4's PM show announces Winner of 'Show Us a Better Way'
Source: BBC, 11 November 2008
 
Ever been frustrated that you can't find out something that ought to be easy to find? Ever been baffled by league tables or 'performance indicators'?

Cisco Systems extends Product Usability Research
Source: Catalyst Resources, 10 November 2008
 
Cisco is conducting extensive usability research with Catalyst Resources, into complex new technologies.