Hello
16years
18months
Auftragstaktik
Auf・trags・taktik(Mission tactics)
LEAN UX:5 Lessons From
The Prussian Army
Background
Origins of Auftragstaktik
Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, the Elder
Auftragstaktik• Missions over plans
• Intent over orders
• Trust and independence
Origins of Lean UX
Classic startup
DiscoveryResearch Design Build Test Launch
12 months
Better
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
Lean startup
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
12 months
Minimise risk
Minimise risk
Agile
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
Research
Design
Test
Launch
Build
2 months
Lean UX
Lean UX• Working software over big deliverables
• Collaboration over negotiation
• Respond to change over following plans
Five lessons
Copyright © iQ Content Ltd. Confidential
1) Interaction design 23/02/2009 24/03/2009
1.1) Finalise sitemap BB 23/02/2009 27/02/2009
1.2) Define application flows BB 24/02/2009 27/02/2009
1.3) Review application flows BB; PTSB 27/02/2009 27/02/2009
1.4) Create wireframes (brochure)
BB; AT 02/03/2009 06/03/2009
1.5) Review wireframes (brochure)
iQ; PTSB 06/03/2009 06/03/2009
1.6) Create wireframes (forms) BB; AT 09/03/2009 13/03/2009
1.7) Review wireframes (forms) iQ; PTSB 13/03/2009 13/03/2009
1.8) User testing (forms) BB; AT 16/03/2009 20/03/2009
1.9) Finalise specification BB; AT 18/03/2009 24/03/2009
1.10) Deliver functional spec BB 24/03/2009 24/03/2009
2) Graphic design 23/02/2009 24/03/2009
2.1) Create design concepts (1) DJ 23/02/2009 27/02/2009
2.2) Review design concepts (1) DJ; iQ; PTSB 02/03/2009 02/03/2009
2.3) Create design concepts (2) DJ 02/03/2009 06/03/2009
2.4) Review design concepts (2) DJ; iQ; PTSB 06/03/2009 06/03/2009
2.5) Create detailed designs (1) DJ 09/03/2009 13/03/2009
2.6) Review detailed designs (1) DJ; iQ; PTSB 13/03/2009 13/03/2009
2.7) Create detailed designs (2) DJ 16/03/2009 20/03/2009
2.8) Review detailed designs (2) DJ; iQ; PTSB 20/03/2009 20/03/2009
2.9) Deliver fInal designs DJ 24/03/2009 24/03/2009
3) Build 12/03/2009 24/04/2009
3.1) HTML/CSS templates FAB 12/03/2009 01/04/2009
3.2) Install T4 on server1 FAB 30/03/2009 30/03/2009
3.3) Install T4 on server2 FAB 31/03/2009 31/03/2009
3.4) CMS configuration FAB 02/04/2009 10/04/2009
3.5) UAT test scripts BB 08/04/2009 14/04/2009
3.6) UAT testing FAB 15/04/2009 23/04/2009
3.7) LAUNCH FAB 24/04/2009 24/04/2009
4) Content framework 23/02/2009 10/04/2009
4.1) Content meetings/sitemap review
RS; AT 23/02/2009 27/02/2009
4.2) Gather source material PTSB 23/02/2009 06/03/2009
4.3) Deliver content schedule RS 04/03/2009 04/03/2009
4.4) Create content RS 02/03/2009 12/03/2009
4.5) Review content RS; PTSB 13/03/2009 27/03/2009
4.6) Finalise content RS 30/03/2009 06/04/2009
4.7) Content migration iQ 06/04/2009 10/04/2009
Task Assigned Start End
February 2009 March 2009 April 2009
Feb16 Feb23 Mar2 Mar9 Mar16 Mar23 Mar30 Apr6 Apr13 Apr20 Apr27
PTSB.ie Project Plan (Feb 25)
1: Avoid long-term plans
No plan survives first contact with customers
No plan survives first contact with the enemy
Missions over plans
DiscoveryMobilise Logistics Engage MissionImprovise
Missions over plans
DiscoveryResearch Design Prototype MissionImprovise
Lesson #1• If you see a long detailed plan, question it
• If you create a long detailed plan, question yourself
• Advocate for smaller, iterative plans instead
2: Define a mission
Missions over plans
North Africa 1942
Missions over plans
North Africa 1942
Missions over plans
France 1940
Missions over plans
France 1940
“Gentlemen, I demand that your divisions completely cross the German borders,
completely cross the Belgian borders and completely cross the River Meuse. I don't care
how you do it, that's completely up to you.”
Kurt Zeitzler Chief of Staff, 1st Panzer Army
Mission
DiscoveryResearch Design PrototypeMission
Improvise
Mission
DiscoveryResearch Design Prototype
Make it incredibly easy to share, store and synch files. With
100% reliability. Improvise
Mission
DiscoveryResearch Design Prototype
All the music. In all the world. On all
devices. All the time.Improvise
Lesson #2• Define a clear mission
• Mission = the problem you are trying to solve
• Focus on achieving mission, not following plan
3: Embrace the chaos
Blitzkrieg
Schwerpunkt
Focus resources OpportunitiesSchwerpunkt
Schwer・punkt(Weighty)・(point)
Product/market fit
Focus resources OpportunitiesProduct/market fit
Crack the nut
Focus resources OpportunitiesSolve theproblem
Making software is messy
Product
Executive
IT
Legal
Marketing
Dev
Sales
UX
Comp-liance
Ops
Support
Collaborative design
Collaborative design
Collaborative design
Lesson #3• Take off your headphones
• Embrace the much wider team
• Harness the collective brainpower
4: Be open to change
Sacred cows
General Melchett
Sacred cows
Big Design Up Front
• We know best
• Only designers can design
• Let us figure it out
• Embrace our big deliverable
Lesson #4• Climb down from the ivory tower
• Be humble
• You can learn a lot from others
5: Give teams autonomy
“You must avoid countermanding orders: unless the soldier can see a
good reason for benefit, he becomes discouraged and loses confidence”
…or else lead from the front
Leading from front
• 220 Germany Army generals died in combat
• 13 US Army generals died in combat
Lesson #5• Give autonomy
• (Or seek autonomy)
• Or else join the fighting yourself
Competitive advantage
German soldiers
• Worth roughly 1.5 US soldiers
• Inflicted casualties at 50% higher rate
• True when attacking or defending
• Outnumbered or with numerical advantage
• When they had air superiority and when they didn’t
• When they won and when they lost
Source: Colonel Trevor Dupuy
Why did they lose the war?
Thanks!
@colmanw
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