# How to Make Sense of Any Mess  ## Metadata - Author: [[Abby Covert]] - Full Title: How to Make Sense of Any Mess - Category: #books ## Highlights - there aren't that many causes for confusing information. Too much information Not enough information Not the right information ([Location 56](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=56)) - we determine the structures we need to communicate our message. ([Location 62](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=62)) - Here are three complexities ([Location 69](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=69)) - Note: We need to agree in a direction. Communicate clear so all get same understanding. So people can use info sys correctly and have accurate expectations. - lacking a clear direction or agreeing on how to approach ([Location 70](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=70)) - Differing interpretations can make a mess ([Location 73](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=73)) - Instead, to establish the truth, we need to confront messes without the fear of unearthing inconsistencies, questions, and opportunities for improvement. We need to be open to the variations of truth that are bound to exist. ([Location 77](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=77)) - The most important thing I can teach you about information is that it isn't a thing. It's subjective, not objective. It's whatever a user interprets from the arrangement or sequence of things they encounter. ([Location 92](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=92)) - While we can arrange things with the intent to communicate certain information, we can't actually make information. Our users do that for us. ([Location 98](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=98)) - Most of the time, there is no right or wrong way to make sense of a mess. Instead, there are many ways to choose from. Sometimes we have to be the one without opinions and preferences so we can weigh all the options and find the best way forward for everyone involved. ([Location 130](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=130)) - Knowing is not enough. Knowing too much can encourage us to procrastinate. There's a certain point when continuing to know at the expense of doing allows the mess to grow further. ([Location 133](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=133)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Note: Analysis paralysis - Who are his users and what does he know about them already? How could he find out more? Who are the stakeholders and what does he know about what they are expecting? How does he want people to interpret the work? What content would help that interpretation? What might distract from that interpretation? ([Location 146](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=146)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Users: Who are your intended users? What do you know about them? How can you get to know them better? How might they describe this mess? Stakeholders: Who are your stakeholders? What are their expectations? What are their thoughts about this mess? How might they describe it? Information: What interpretations are you dealing with? What information is being created through a lack of data or content? Current state: Are you dealing with too much information, not enough information, not the right information, or a combination of these? ([Location 154](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=154)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Our language choices change how we use our time and energy. ([Location 163](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=163)) - Language is any system of communication that exists to establish shared meaning. ([Location 171](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=171)) - Perception is the process of considering, and interpreting something. ([Location 173](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=173)) - When we don't define what good means for our stakeholders and users, we aren't using language to our advantage. Without a clear understanding of what is good, bad can come out of nowhere. ([Location 182](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=182)) - When you're making decisions, balance what your stakeholders and users expect of you, along with what they believe to be good. ([Location 186](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=186)) - Note: What's good for each side and in common. - Beauty and quality are not always related. ([Location 188](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=188)) - Meaning can get lost in subtle ways. It's wrapped up in perception, so it's also subjective. Most misunderstandings stem from mixed up meanings and miscommunication of messages. ([Location 198](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=198)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - The meaning we intend to communicate doesn't matter if it makes no sense, or the wrong sense, to the people we want to reach. ([Location 203](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=203)) - To determine who matters, ask these questions: Who's most important to get agreement from? Who's most important to serve? What words might make them defensive? What words might put them at ease? How open are they to change? How will this affect their lives? How does the current state of things look to them? Is that good or bad? ([Location 205](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=205)) - To start with why, ask yourself: Why does this work need to be done? Why is change needed? Why do those changes matter? Why should other people care? Why hasn't this been tackled correctly? Why will this time be different? ([Location 216](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=216)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - When deciding what you're doing, ask yourself: What are you trying to change? What is your vision for the future? What is within your abilities? What do you know about the quality of what exists today? What further research will help you understand it? What has been done before? What can you learn from those experiences? What is the market and competition like? Has anyone succeeded or failed at this in the past? ([Location 224](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=224)) - Tags: [[product management]] [[favorite]] - To look at your options, ask yourself: How could we communicate our message? How much time and effort will it take? How could the solution look and feel? How will this be produced? How will this be maintained? How will this be measured? How will we know if we've succeeded? ([Location 232](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=232)) - How long would you spend on a task without understanding why it's important or what you are actually accomplishing? Constantly answering these basic questions are a big part of our everyday life. ([Location 244](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=244)) - Our words also change how other people make sense of our work. ([Location 247](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=247)) - Note: Tone comes from values. Those are defined by the design principles. They are vital for the strategy, but how to find them? - First, choose a set of adjectives you want your users to use to describe what you're making. Then, choose a set of adjectives that you're okay with not being used to describe the same thing. ([Location 263](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=263)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Note: OK: - Structured - Detailed * Clear * Useful - Informative - Inspiring - Entertaining NOT: - Confusing - Redundant - Boring - Ugly - Misleading * Introductory * Opinion based * - A good test is that someone shouldn't be able to tell which list is positive or negative. ([Location 268](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=268)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Current users: People who interact with whatever you're making. Potential users: People you hope to reach. Stakeholders: People who care about the outcome of what you're making. Competitors: People who share your current or potential users. Distractors: People that could take attention away from your intent. ([Location 283](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=283)) - As users, our context is the situation we're in, including where we are, what we're trying to do, how we're feeling, and anything else that shapes our experience. Our context is always unique to us and can't be relied upon to hold steady. ([Location 300](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=300)) - But to make sense of real-world problems, you need to understand how users, channels, and context relate to each other. ([Location 310](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=310)) - What channels do your users prefer? What context are they likely in when encountering what you're making? How are they feeling? Are they in a hurry? Are they on slow Wi-Fi? Are they there for entertainment or to accomplish a task? ([Location 311](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=311)) - Beware of jumping into an existing solution or copying existing patterns. ([Location 314](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=314)) - When faced with a problem, you reference your mental model and try to organize the aspects and complexities of what you see into recognizable patterns. ([Location 324](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=324)) - Scope is your clearly stated purpose for the diagram. The scope of a blueprint for an actual house is greater than the scope of a diagram explaining the rooms that make up a typical house. ([Location 332](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=332)) - Scale is the relative size of your diagrammatic work.The scale of a map covering a wall is greater than the scale of a map on regular-sized paper. ([Location 333](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=333)) - What do people need to understand? What are the edges of the map or diagram? What are you not mapping or diagramming? Where will other people see this map or diagram (e.g., on a wall, in a presentation, on paper)? ([Location 336](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=336)) - A timescale is a period of time your map or diagram represents. There are three main timescales: Then: How did things used to be? Now: How are things today? When: How do you see it being in the future? ([Location 340](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=340)) - Reflection: Point to a future problem (e.g., a map of a local landfill's size in the past, present, and projected future). Options: Show something as it could be (e.g., a diagram showing paths a user could take to set up an application). Improvements: Show something as it should be (e.g., a diagram pointing out opportunities found during user research). Identification: Show something as it once was or is today (e.g., a map of your neighborhood). Plan: Show something as it will be (e.g., a map of your neighborhood with bike lanes). ([Location 350](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=350)) - Make it easy to make changes so you can take in feedback quickly and keep the conversation going, rather than defending or explaining the diagram. ([Location 369](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=369)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - sensemakers ([Location 374](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=374)) - The more ways you can frame the mess, the more likely you are to see the way through to the other side. ([Location 376](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=376)) - A block diagram depicts how objects and their attributes interrelate to create a concept. ([Location 380](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=380)) - A flow diagram outlines the steps in a process, including conditions a user or system is under, and connections between tasks. ([Location 384](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=384)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - A Gantt chart depicts how processes relate to one another over time. Timelines, and project plans are both common examples of Gantt charts. ([Location 388](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=388)) - A quadrant diagram illustrates how things compare to one another. ([Location 391](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=391)) - A Venn diagram is useful for highlighting overlapping concepts or objects. The overlap, known to some as the hedgehog or the nut, represents how these things relate. ([Location 395](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=395)) - A swim lane diagram depicts how multiple players work together to complete a task or interact within a process. The result is a list of tasks for each user. This is especially useful when you're trying to understand how different teams or people work together. ([Location 401](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=401)) - A hierarchy diagram depicts how objects, concepts, people, and places relate to each other. In website design, hierarchy diagrams are often called sitemaps. ([Location 404](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=404)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - A mind map illustrates the connections between concepts, objects, ideas, channels, people, and places within a particular context. ([Location 408](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=408)) - A schematic is a diagram of an object or interface simplified for the sake of clarity. Schematics are known by many other names including wireframes, sketches, lo-fis, and blueprints. ([Location 413](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=413)) - This is a case where an exploded schematic is useful, because it shows how the individual pieces come together to form the whole. ([Location 416](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=416)) - A journey map shows all of the steps and places that make up a person or group's experience. ([Location 419](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=419)) - The rows represent the user's context (e.g., outside, on the bus, at home). Each point represents an event or a task that makes up the overall journey. Each point is placed sequentially as it relates to the other points. ([Location 420](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=420)) - Matrix diagrams are especially useful when you're facilitating a discussion, because they're easy to create and they keep themselves on track. An empty box means you're not done yet. ([Location 445](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=445)) - Start by choosing a direction to go toward. If you take one step in that direction each day, you'll get to the finish line in due time. ([Location 457](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=457)) - Digital things live within other things and places, including physical and analog places. For example, a user accesses a mobile application on a smartphone, in a coffee shop, in a building, on a city block… ([Location 464](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=464)) - You can turn a space into a place by arranging it so people know what to do there. This act is called placemaking. ([Location 490](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=490)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - In placemaking, you choreograph a sequence of steps users can take and decide how you want them to move. You can recommend steps, but they'll move wherever and however they want. ([Location 492](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=492)) - A place is a space designated for a specific purpose. ([Location 500](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=500)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - A space is an open, free, or unoccupied area. ([Location 504](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=504)) - No matter what you're making, your users will find spaces between places. They bring their own context and channels with them, and they show you where you should go next. Find areas in flux and shine a light on them. ([Location 505](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=505)) - Language is how we tell other people what we want, what we expect of them, and what we hope to accomplish together. ([Location 512](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=512)) - To refine your ontology, all you need is a pile of sticky notes, a pen, and some patience. Find a flat or upright surface to work on. Write a term or concept that relates to your work on each sticky note. Put the sticky notes onto the surface as they relate to each other. Start to create structures and relationships based on their location. ([Location 530](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=530)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Put the sticky notes onto the surface as they relate to each other. Start to create structures and relationships based on their location. ([Location 532](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=532)) - Ask each person to share: One term that they wish they knew more about One term that they wish others understood better ([Location 542](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=542)) - controlled vocabulary is an organized list of terms, phrases, and concepts intended to help someone navigate a specific context. ([Location 548](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=548)) - controlled vocabulary doesn't have to end with terms you intend to use. Go deeper by defining terms and concepts that misalign with your intent. ([Location 555](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=555)) - define a term clearly: Write down the meaning of the term as simply as you can. Underline each term within your definition that needs to be further defined. Define those terms and test your definition with someone who doesn't know those terms yet. Look at each individual word and ask yourself: What does this mean? Is it as simple as possible? ([Location 574](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=574)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Gather the following about each term: History: How did the term come into being? How has it changed over time? Myths: Do people commonly misunderstand this term, its meaning, or its usage? How? Alternatives: What are the synonyms for the term? What accidental synonyms exist? ([Location 581](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=581)) - Verbs don't exist without nouns. ([Location 590](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=590)) - When you combine nouns with appropriate verbs, the resulting sentences can be referred to as requirements for what you're making. ([Location 595](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=595)) - A strong requirement describes the results you want without outlining how to get there. ([Location 605](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=605)) - When you're choosing a direction, you may run into these questions: What if I disagree with a user need or opinion identified in my research? What if I disagree with the way another stakeholder sees a core concept or decision? What if I don't want to do this the way others want me to? ([Location 613](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=613)) - Be careful not to fall in love with your plans or ideas. Instead, fall in love with the effects you can have when you communicate clearly. ([Location 625](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=625)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - During the meeting, Rasheed: Questions acronyms and proprietary terms Eliminates accidental synonyms Documents myths, alternatives, and histories ([Location 632](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=632)) - To control your vocabulary: Create a list of terms to explore. Define each term as simply as you can. Underline words within your definitions that need to be further defined, and define them. Document the history, alternatives, and myths associated with each term. Review your list of defined terms with some of your users. Refine the list based on their feedback. Create a list of requirements that join your nouns and verbs together. ([Location 638](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=638)) - A well-defined goal has the following elements: Intent: What are the specific results you want to see for your efforts? Baseline: What points of reference can you use to compare your progress with where you are today? Progress: How will you measure movement towards or away from your goal? ([Location 649](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=649)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - You may measure that distance in time, money, politics, talent, or technology. ([Location 657](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=657)) - To find the right indicators, start with these questions: What can you measure in your world? What could you measure if things changed? What signs would tell you if you're moving towards or away from your intent? ([Location 670](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=670)) - To choose the best way to gather the data, keep these considerations in mind: Time: How much are you asking for, and how long might it take? Access: How many sources are your respondents using to find answers? Who else might they need to contact? Bias: Are they applying their own thoughts and preferences, or delivering data? ([Location 691](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=691)) - A baseline is the measurement of something before changing it. ([Location 698](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=698)) - When we have a baseline, we can judge performance. ([Location 704](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=704)) - Flags are useful because they allow us to know when something important happens. ([Location 706](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=706)) - The right rhythm depends on your context and your intent. When you're choosing a rhythm, think about the ways you collect data, how specific it needs to be, and how complex it is. ([Location 714](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=714)) - But as fuzzy as your lens can seem, setting goals with incomplete data is still a good way to determine if you're moving in the right direction. ([Location 724](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=724)) - A structure is a configuration. ([Location 748](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=748)) - To choose a good structure for what you are making, you need to find one that: Makes sense to your users Reflects your intent Helps you to reach your goals ([Location 749](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=749)) - To effectively arrange anything, we have to choose methods for organizing and classifying content in ways that convey the intended information to our intended users. Structural methods for organization and classification are called taxonomy. ([Location 759](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=759)) - We use taxonomies to make sense of everything from systems to objects. ([Location 765](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=765)) - Sorting is the act of arranging content according to established rules. The act of deciding how to sort something within a taxonomy is called classification. ([Location 773](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=773)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - The most challenging part of classification is working with other people to agree on a set of rules. ([Location 779](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=779)) - Ambiguity costs clarity; exactitude costs flexibility. ([Location 788](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=788)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - The ambiguity that's wrapped up in something as simple as "alphabetize these" is truly amazing. ([Location 802](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=802)) - A facet is a discrete piece of knowledge you can use to classify something. ([Location 805](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=805)) - How you choose to classify and organize things reflects your intent, but it can also reflect your worldview, culture, experience, or privilege. ([Location 832](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=832)) - Taxonomies serve as a set of instructions for people interacting with our work. ([Location 834](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=834)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Hierarchies tend to follow two patterns. First, a broad and shallow hierarchy gives the user more choices up front so they can get to everything in a few steps. ([Location 841](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=841)) - A narrow and deep hierarchy gives the user fewer choices at once. ([Location 843](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=843)) - When individual pieces exist on one level without further categorization, the taxonomy is heterarchical. ([Location 845](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=845)) - Like any taxonomy, the categories and labels you choose affect how clear a sequence is to use. ([Location 855](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=855)) - Hypertexts are fundamentally different from hierarchical, heterarchical, and sequential taxonomies, because they don't change where things are located, just how they're found. ([Location 858](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=858)) - A signpost directing you to a store around the corner is also hypertextual, because it sends you to a specific location without changing the location of the store. ([Location 862](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=862)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Hierarchy, heterarchy, sequence, and hypertext are just a few common patterns. Most forms involve more than one of these. ([Location 866](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=866)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - A typical website has a hierarchical navigation system, a sequence for signing up or interacting with content, and hypertext links to related content. ([Location 867](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=867)) - A typical grocery store has a hierarchical aisle system, a heterarchical database for the clerk to retrieve product information by scanning a barcode, and sequences for checking out and other basic customer service tasks. I was even in a grocery store recently where each cart had a list of the aisle locations of the 25 most common products. A great use of hypertext. ([Location 868](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=868)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - A typical book has a sequence-based narrative, a hierarchical table of contents, and a set of facets allowing it to be retrieved with either the Dewey Decimal system at a library, or within a genre-based hierarchical system used in bookstores and websites like Amazon.com. ([Location 871](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=871)) - Develops a controlled vocabulary to identify the nouns and verbs of both companies across their existing channels ([Location 878](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=878)) - you can save time and frustration by thinking with boxes and arrows before making real changes. ([Location 884](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=884)) - As we move towards our goals, things change and new insights become available. Things always change when we begin to understand what we couldn't make sense of before. ([Location 897](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=897)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Trying to make something that will never change can be super frustrating. ([Location 899](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=899)) - Perfection isn't possible, but progress is. ([Location 903](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=903)) - These are all important pieces individually, but we need to look at them together to answer questions about the whole ([Location 909](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=909)) - You should be making prototypes to get feedback from users on language and structure. ([Location 916](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=916)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - When you see the world through the eyes of other people, you can spot weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. ([Location 918](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=918)) - To get through the tension, try to understand other people's positions and perceptions: How does this mess look to them? What does their mental model look like? What words do they use? Could your language mislead them? Do they agree with the intent, direction, and goals you outlined? Do they agree on the level you're working at? ([Location 924](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=924)) - Stakeholders need to: Know where the project is headed See patterns and potential outcomes Frame the appropriate solution for users Users need to: Know how to get around Have a sense of what's possible based on their needs and expectations Understand the intended meaning It's our job to uncover subjective reality. ([Location 937](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=937)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - "Well, it isn't hard if we're willing to collaborate and make decisions about what we're doing. I have some tools we can try. What do you think?" ([Location 949](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=949)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - When making a cup of coffee, the filter's job is to get the grit out before a user drinks the coffee. Sensemaking is like removing the grit from the ideas we're trying to give to users. ([Location 958](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=958)) - Be the one not bringing the ideas. Instead, be the filter that other people's ideas go through to become drinkable: Shed light on the messes that people see but don't talk about. Make sure everyone agrees on the intent behind the work you're doing together. Help people choose a direction and define goals to track your progress. Evaluate and refine the language and structures you use to pursue those goals. ([Location 960](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=960)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Information Architecture (n.): As an object: The way we arrange the parts of something to make it more understandable as a whole. As a practice: The act of deciding which order the pieces of a whole should be arranged in order to communicate the meaning that is intended to users. ([Location 1043](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=1043)) - Tags: [[favorite]] - Placemaking (n.): The act of determining how to communicate the intended purpose of a place to its users. ([Location 1069](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00PKMUHKG&location=1069))