Communication Archives

When You’re Holding A Hammer Everything Seems Like A Nail

This post is inspired by a conversation with one of the winners of the UXBite competition, Tomek. We were talking about various wireframing tools and one of the things Tomek said caught my attention: I was trying to work with ***, but I felt like they gave me a hammer and now I’m obliged to only see nails around me. That made me thinking.

We are being limited by the names we give to specific objects and tools. We are being limited by our habits. We are being limited by habits of other people. And we are being limited by our own usual ways of using certain tools.

For example: what you can do with a hammer? First thing that comes to mind: hit the nails with it of course! What a stupid question?! But as you keep thinking you can find different ways of using a hammer. You can hit nails with it but you can take them out of wooden boards as well. Or you can kill someone with this tool. Everything depends on current needs.

I know that you may be thinking prototyping / wireframing tool is only for wireframing or prototyping. Period. Today I want to show you a little alternative way of using JustProto. How? See below.

Product Retrospect.

Product Retrospect is a simple yet effective way of summary after the project’s closed. You gather the whole team and discuss every pro and con that’s project related. You don’t point fingers saying “You screwed this up by not talking to me earlier” but say “This was badly executed due to lack of communication”. Sometimes when your team is spread all over the world it’s extremely difficult to do this kind of project retrospective – time difference and gathering everyone on the same page is hard. JustProto’s collaborative features come in handy in this time of need:

Multiple Collaborators,
Real-Time Collaboration,
Chat,
Project Preview with just One Link,
Live Preview.

How it works?

Each JustProto account have an Administrator/Owner, who can grant access to others – The Collaborators. Each Collaborator gets his unique login and password to login to the project at a certain time. Using nothing else but computer with Internet access everyone edit the same project at the same time and everyone see all changes in the real time (that’s the Real-Time Collaboration).Kinda like on Google Docs while editing the same spreadsheet or word document.

Each person choses note, tag or pin color they like and that’s that – by editing its text Collaborators – The Team add their point of view on a closed project. What is important – everyone can talk on a project Chat. Smart history will save all the conversations. This way everyone’s up to date even if the Internet connection dies: Chat history and current version of the retrospective is saved and always available online.

Any person who is not on the project team but gets the Preview Link will see the retrospective project. Let’s say your boss is not one of your project team but you’d like him to know the results of the retrospective – send him a Preview Link and that’s that!

What’s even more fun and handy and cool – if a person who get the Preview Link will open it while you and your team edit the notes, they will see everything in the real time too thanks to Realtime Preview! How the project retrospective can all look like? See here.

This example shows that you don’t ALWAYS need to stick to the tool’s purpose. Don’t be limited, try thinking of other ways you can use the tools you like : ) What it also shows is the fact that wireframing tool can be helpful not only while design happen – it can also become pretty useful after the project is done. Remember that the tool is just a hammer. You don’t need to see nails everywhere.

Case Study – Real Story, Real Users, Real Help!

Today We’d Like To Brag A Little (Humbly, Of Course) About One Of UXPin’s Great Users. We’ll Be Introducing You To SocialPaths And Their Real-Life UXPin Adventure With Interactive Wireframes!

“We are no longer able to work without UXPin…”

SocialPaths (a.k.a. The Great User)
SocialPaths is a social media agency that, in their own Creative Director Piotr Zaniewicz’s words – mainly takes care of supporting all kinds of social media marketing activities. Their house speciality is engaging social media games connected to different kinds of loyalty programs that make good use of social media’s viral nature. Among many cool projects, the team at SocialPaths have created contest apps for the Facebook page of one of the biggest trance music festivals in Europe as well as a very popular app called The Great Advice of Mieciu The Eternal Student. While their apps are mainly created for Facebook, they also build interactive tabs for websites and contests.

KISS (a.k.a. The Biggest Work-Related Headache ; )
Working with clients isn’t always a bed of roses, the SocialPaths crew can vouch for that. Putting up with those occasional clients who always know best is one of the most annoying little problems SocialPaths encounters. Of course, clients have every right to have their vision of their product realized, BUT painting that vision in the form of a working app is sooooo complex and difficult that it’s not the piece of cake that clients think it is upfront. Our main problem that we face on an everyday basis is meeting client’s high expectations and stick to the golden KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) rule at the same time. Sometimes it is a struggle to convince client not to interfere where we know better – says Piotr Zaniewicz, Creative Director of SocialPaths.

UXPin (a.k.a. The Solution)
After a major brainstorming session, the SocialPaths team came to a conclusion about creating wireframes and interactive prototypes that could solve this problem, so they decided to try out some of the prototyping and wireframing apps out there. One of their friends sent them an interactive prototype made with UXPin and that gave them their first glimpse of our little baby.

Piotr, Creative Director of SocialPaths talks about what they were looking for exactly – We were in great need of tool that lets you create really advanced prototypes step by step so that our team would instantly know what parameters to consider while building (i.e. size, style, layout etc.) and that lets you create prototypes that REALLY visualize all the looks and features to the client.

It’s not easy to find a tool that does both, of course, but the final thing that made UXPin their weapon of choice was its ability to do everything online, so that there is no problem with keeping the project up to date; The newest version is always available to every member of the team at any given time. Another big plus was that UXPin’s really easy to implement – there’s no bigger pain than when the learning curve steals time instead of saving it: We were afraid of the implementation of new tool, but UXPin is so easy to use that after just a little while a fully functioning prototype went to the Graphic Designer – says Piotr.

The Conclusion (a.k.a. How UXPin Helped SocialPaths)
In our team, UXPin is used mainly by Project Managers and Designers who collect feedback and make on-the-spot changes to the projects according to our client’s wishes. In the first phase of the project creation, UXPin is the link between clients and our team. After three months of using UXPin we can honestly say it really does make our job easier! Thanks to making fully interactive, clickable prototypes, we avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary changes after the implementation. Our clients and us both save a lot of time. -Piotr Zaniewicz, SocialPaths

SocialPaths case is a great example of how wireframing saves time, money and refines communication. So why haven’t YOU used interactive wireframes to help YOUR business?

Create an account today and see firsthand how UXPin helps your!

How customer helps us to improve JustProto

A while ago we got a message from one of the users. Here’s what Mark said:

“I really wish that I could set the individual menu cell width for a horizontal menu so that when I am overlaying it on an existing web design that it will line up correctly with the existing menu tabs… is there any possible way to get that functionality in the software? I have been looking for this feature EVERYWHERE and nobody has it.”

Well, now no one can say “nobody has it” ;)
We took Mark’s suggestion under consideration and now it’s possible to set individual height and width for the menu element. You can do it manually – just click on the menu and you’ll see highlighted sections that you can set exactly how you need them.
What seemed to be a little improvement ended up being a big programming pain but eventually, we were able to set it up for Mark and all of you!

Kudos for Buka and Dooshek for not abandoning ship mid-project!

You can all try out the improvement here!

We love to get your feedback and we take all suggestions very seriously.
If there’s anything we can improve for you – just drop us a line!

Let’s Communicate Part 3

Non-verbal communication- mysterious background player

Most of the confusion doesn’t come from the fact that we do not hear speech, are not able to cut sentences into logical pieces, or do not understand the words. Their reason is that people simply don’t understand the intentions of speakers, especially when the social context fails.

When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of oratory he answered, “‘action”; and which was the second, he replied, “action”; and which was third he still answered, “action.” People tend to believe actions more than words!

That’s why non-verbal communication is now on top!Of course, everything you say is very important, but listener can also read from your gestures and body language. Did you know, that studies show that more information is passed when using nonverbal communication, than while using words?

Non-verbal communication is our unconscious, uncontrolled language. What’s more,non verbal messages supply, modificate and support words, providing them greater clarity and readability. It’s very important to make those two messages coherent. If not, our interlocutor will surely notice discrepancy between them.

Body position

Movements to the front and rear mean a positive attitude, movement to the sides – uncertainty and doubt. Change of position may indicate impatience or desire to end conversation.

Face mimic art

“The face is the only system that illustrates the specific, experienced emotions” – says Paul Ekman.

Face is the most expressive part of the body. Some emotions can be correctly guessed by looking only at the eyes and mouth. You should therefore pay attention to the eyebrows, forehead, chin and skin color.

We can mark out “muscles of sincerity” on our face, which are involved in the authentic expression of mimic, but very few people are able to activate them consciously.

Therefore, sham emotions will not activate these muscles. For example, in a sincere smile, the tips of eyebrows slightly lowers down. Only 10% of people are able to intentionally leave the tips of mouth without moving their chin.

Therefore, this movement will occur while experiencing authentic anger and sadness. Reliable sign of anger is when we are narrowing lips, without retracting them toward each other, or pursing. Also, very few people can consciously act in this way using their lips.

Legs

Not crossed, opened in a relaxed position, generally demonstrates cooperation, trust and friendly attitude. Crossed and removed, shows reserve, lack of confidence, suggests that the agreement is not proceeding well.

Hands

Relaxed, open hands are a sign of a positive attitude, especially when the inside of the hand is turned upward. Touching own body points at tension. Involuntary movements of hands, for example, clenching fists, are a reliable indicator of true feelings.

Let’s communicate Part 2

Yes, we can finally sit and start the conversation with our client.

Of course conversation doesn’t only mean speaking, it’s both – effective listening and smart presenting our thoughts. How to do it as much clear as it possible?

During conversation remember to:

Demonstrate the initiative

As a for example; Project manager, should show initiative. Do not only listen to what the client has to say about his problems, just try to put yourself in his situation, and propose your own, unique solutions and improvements.

If you suggest him a better solution than client’s one, there is a big chance that you gain a lifelong customer.

Use appropriate language

Use language that the customer can understand. Too many account managers uses technical knowledge terms, which customers do not understand. The famous ancient philosopher Aristotle advised: “Think like a wise man, but speak as a simple man.”

Take a break

From time to time, take a break. In this way, you give the client a chance to remember all informations you mentioned about. Also repeat what client just said, to make sure that you just caught the sense of his speech. It is not always necessary to repeat exactly the same words, same thing can be said in different words. In the meantime, it is good to summarize the most important information, so as to give the customer a chance to get a better view of the situation.

Differences between genders

How women conducts conversations, how men solves problems? Below, some practical comparison which can be usefull while business dialogues.

Women are more interested in the social environment, whereas men focus on their task. This leads to the fact that the conversation of men is more about facts, numbers, when women concentrates on whole conversation atmosphere.

How to refer this knowledge to communication with clients?
When a woman starts an appointment, probably her every choice will be dependent on atmosphere of whole meeting.

Of course, they will want to know a few facts, but they won’t focus on that as man. He will want to know everything about a subject, not paying much attention to the way we will present it.

Therefore, women are more able to forgive us some substantial mistakes, but will require the goodwill and friendly conversation.

Also, ways of solving problems are different. Women like to see the problem from many different points of view. That’s why they want to know opinion of the others about the subject. In company decisions are made together, during brainstorm sessions.

Men depend on their own opinion about the subject. They have specific approach to the issue and want to hold on into it. That’s way, looking for different opinion is not necessary for them. Thus they do not feel need of making analysis of the situation, because opinion of the others have little chance to change anything.

It doesn’t mean that, men-client is not interested in establishing nice atmosphere around or don’t want to know the opinion of the others , and similarly – women-client won’t be interested in any details or can’t take any decision by her own. It’s good to take those differences between genders under consideration and adapt style of conversation to each person.

In third, last part, you will find a few words about non-verbal communication.

Let’s communicate! Part 1

It’s not a secret that our business success highly depends on our communication skills.

Paradoxically, many companies forgot to put those skills on the top of training list. How many project didn’t start because of our account manager / sales representative communication impotence? Probably we won’t ever now (or statistics are so dramatic, that’s better not to know them ). What’s the most important, and how the communication process goes? What we should pay biggest attention to? Who is more communicative – women or men, what are differences between their skills ?

Below, I will try to shed some light on a burning question of communication between company and it’s client, by giving some practical tips and advice.

7 seconds

We sit in a restaurant, drinking nice coffee, waiting for an appointment with client. Finally, we see him coming through restaurant’s doors. We establish an eye contact, and it’s about to shake hands.

This is a time-twinkle, quick and unnoticed. What can happen during this 7 sec time period? You may say “not much”. Researchers from New York University proved that people make eleven decisions about us in the first seven seconds of contact, they estimate our:

education level,
economic level,
perceived creditability and believability,
trustworthiness,
level of sophistication,
sexual identification,
level of success,
political background,
religious background,
ethnic background and
social and professional desirability.

Shocked? Fortunately or unfortunately, perception is everything! First impression is an instinct, fully natural reaction, which can’t be switched off. From verbal and non-verbal signs we get picture strongly colored with emotions which remains and affect on our behaviour in the future.

If we came off badly, nothing is lost – the way we communicate also contributes to the first impression. Let’s make communication happen, and make first (good) impression long lasting one.

The first impression should be consistent with a further course of our conversation.Consistency of the two phases provides itself-confidence. You want the first seven seconds of contact to be positive. Those seven seconds may change the rest of your life, even business one.

In second part you will find few useful hints about conducting successful conversations with client.