How processes can pivot a digital agency

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Many designers and developers do not have business backgrounds, and MBAs, yet setup agencies because we love the thrill of design and want to make a difference. There are many thriving small studios but often, we find ourselves challenged by leading teams, running sales departments, propelling marketing, managing processes and doing web design all at the same time. So how can we grow our agencies from singular clients and 1-2 staff to international stardom? Also does a yearly business plan make a difference and when is the right time to create one? Danny will explain how better processes and recurring procedures increase revenue, reduce risk, improve profitability, transform HR and lead to better client relationships. He will explain how strategic R&D, innovation and a passion for usability are key to success.

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How processes can pivot a digital agencyHOW STRATEGY, PROCESSES AND INNOVATION HELP TO TRANSFORM A DIGITAL AGENCY

1. WHY THE DUCK 2. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 3. WHY PROCESSES 4. USER CENTRED DESIGN 5. LEAN PROCESSES 6. STRATEGY 7. INNOVATION 8. MARKETING 9. PEOPLE 10. CONCLUSION

@cyberduck_uk @danny_bluestone

WHY THE DUCK?

Organic growth• Started off as a ‘one man band’ working with freelancers in my bedroom • Funded using credit cards, initial revenue was £40K-£50K per year • Used user centred design (UCD) as a methodology to deliver quality • Gradually moved into serviced office, hired staff and did marketing • Revenue tripled, innovated new services and marketed at trade shows • Income continued to almost double every year for the first 4-5 years • Moved offices again, hired 4 staff per year (on average) • Used Scrum and agile to improve project management processes • Cemented business processes via lean principles and ISO9001 • Blue Ocean business planning improved profitability within 2 years • R&D, hackathons and compassionate HR continue to lead our philosophy

FAST FORWARD TO 2014

Org chartWe currently have three people layers: strategy, management and experts

Thinking about holacracyHolacracy is hierarchical and allows roles to overlap, with a lead link within each department/division

GET MENTORS AND INSPIRATION

Image credit: http://just-tri-hard.blogspot.co.uk/2010_05_01_archive.html

Image credit: http://vapor-studio.com/art-design/legendary-design-guru-jony-ive-now-runs-apple-software-too/

THE INFLUENTIAL DESIGNER

Image credit: http://uxpodcast.com/51-brad-frost-future-friendly/

THE CODE NINJA

THE MARKETING THINKER

Image credit: http://delfi-net.com/home/img/hs-seth-godin.png

Image credit: http://web.braintive.com/10-reglas-heuristicas-de-usabilidad-de-jakob-nielsen/

THE USABILITY RESEARCHER

THE BUSINESS GURU

Image credit:https://poppeelings.wordpress.com/tag/alan-sugar/

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT AT EVERYTHING

Image credit:http://img.fark.net/images/cache/850/7/76/fark_76Ru0JwFEefbW3eEPX-ol5X4AYA.jpg?t=94VPRgdzNIy7UfUksJLG_A&f=1405310400

JUMP INTO THE MIDDLE OF THINGS GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY FALL FLAT ON YOUR FACE AND REACH FOR THE STARS

The T shaped human

Breadth of knowledge

Depth of expertise

Image credit: http://filmecon.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/team-money-monopoly-and-counterfeit.html

Image credit:http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/freddie-mercury/images/31652011/title/freddie-photo

OK, DO I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

FUSE YOUR GIFT OF WORK INTO THE BLESSINGS OF LIFE WHILE INSPIRING THOSE AROUND YOU.

Work ethos

Image credit:http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/true-grit-wallpaper-99133-1920x1200.html

HUMILITY PUSHES US TO ACHIEVE MORE

Be humble

Image credit: http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/true-grit-wallpaper-99133-1920x1200.html

ARE YOU A TAKER, MATCHER OR GIVER?

Givers

Image credit: http://article.wn.com/view/2014/04/02/Wharton_Professor_Adam_Grant_Explains_Why_The_Most_Successfu/

FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BOLD

Be bold

Image credit: http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-worstbiopicactors/4/

WHY PROCESSES?

research development marketing on going support

art directionuser experience

UCD

research development marketing on going support

art directionuser experience Scrum

research development marketing on going support

art directionuser experience

ISO 9001 & Lean

USER CENTRED DESIGN TRANSFORM DESIGN

CAPABILITIES

Design for generationsEACH GENERATION HAS A DIFFERENT MENTAL MODEL

SILENT GEN

BOOMERS

GEN X

MILLENNIALS

DIGI’ NATIVES

1960s-1980s

1940s-1960s

1920s-1940s

1980s-2000s

Now

PersonasREMOVE ASSUMPTIONS FROM YOUR DESIGN PROJECT

Brand overlapTHE BRANDING AND MARKETING CAN BE TRANSFORMED VIA UCD

LEAN THINKING PIVOTS YOUR

CULTURE

DECISIONS ARE BASED ON LONG TERM PASSIONS AND AMBITION AS OPPOSED TO SHORT-TERM OBJECTIVES AND PROFITS

Philosophy

USE RESEARCH AND VALIDATED LEARNING TO ENSURE DESIGN DECISIONS ARE MEANINGFUL AND USEFUL. KEEP DOCUMENTATION LIGHT AND SMART

Waste

STANDARDISE PROCEDURES, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN SO WE CAN FOCUS ON FLOW, CREATIVITY AND MAKING A HUGE IMPACT WITHIN THE DETAIL

Standardisation

STOP WHEN PROBLEMS HAPPEN TO REFLECT, CHANGE AND IMPROVE ENSURING THAT QUALITY ASSURANCE IS AT THE HEART OF WHAT YOU DO (“JIDOKA”)

Get quality right first time

Image credit: https://www.adsgroup.org.uk/articles/38410

ENSURE THE EFFORT IS EVEN AMONG THE TEAM (“HEIJUNKA”)

Level out the workload

INVEST IN OUR TEAM, GROW AND NOURISH LEADERS SLOWLY AND RETAIN THE ONES WE HAVE, SO THEY KNOW HOW TO RUN OUR BUSINESS

Grow leaders

INVEST IN CROSS FUNCTIONAL TEAMS TO AMPLIFY LEARNING AND BOOST CREATIVITY !

Diversify the teams

Decide by consensusPONDER ON MANY OPTIONS BUT IMPLEMENT RAPIDLY (“NEMEWASHI”).

ONCE YOU HAVE A STABLE PROCESS USE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT (KAIZEN) TO ANALYSE AND IMPROVE ON IT

Continual improvement

A STRATEGY IS ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVE A

TIPPING POINT

THE BLUE OCEAN CANVAS HELPS TO VISUALISE YOUR STRATEGY.

Blue ocean strategy

A LONG TERM PLAN IS REQUIREDTO DEFINE TARGETS, MARKETING TACTICS AND A NEW STRUCTURE TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.

Our three year plan

INNOVATION IS KEY

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO INNOVATE? WHY DO YOU NEED TO DO IT? HOW DO YOU DO IT? WHO DO YOU DO IT FOR? WHEN DO YOU DO IT?

The big ‘I’

ON THE NEXT SLIDE WE WILL SEE (A VIDEO) OF WHAT A HACKATHON CAN GENERATE!

Innovation in action

PIVOTAL MARKETING

IT TAKES A DAY TO LEARN BUT A LIFE TIME TO MASTER.

Marketing

Image credit:http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2010/evian-baby-inside/

Image credit

START A TRIBE TO MEET, LEARN AND SHARE

CREATE A TRIBE OF SUPER HUMANS

Image credit

PEOPLE BELIEVE WHAT THEY TELL THEMSELVES, NOT WHAT YOU TELL THEM

BUILD UP AND RAISE THE PROFILE OF KEY TEAM PLAYERS

Recognition

Image credit http://aludin.com/2013/12/

TRAIN PEOPLE WELL ENOUGH SO THEY CAN LEAVE, TREAT THEM WELL ENOUGH SO THEY DON’T WANT TO

A GREAT LOCATION = STAFF LONGEVITY.

Location

IN TODAY’S CONNECTED WORLD, YOU CAN FIND THAT PERSON.

The unicorn myth

THERE ARE FOUR PRINCIPLE PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS WE USE TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD: SENSATION, INTUITION, FEELING AND THINKING

Myers BriggsISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP

ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP

ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

•Go for a long term plan but keep it lean and adaptive •Innovate is key to success, but think why you need to innovate •Explore holacracy, lead and manage with compassion •Invest in training, great recruitment and solid HR processes •Departmentalise your business and interlink everything (ISO:9001) •Use recurring procedures to automate as many things as possible

Summary

THANK YOU!@cyberduck_uk @danny_bluestone

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