Josh Clement

[joshclement]

Needs & lacks

Most designers would agree that need-finding is an important thing to do. We seek to better understand our users so we can make better software for them.

It’s a central part of the design process. Here’s an excerpt describing what Dropbox Design team gets up to:

Combining research, data, and thoughtful critique, we're discovering needs and solving fundamental problems that impact work and life for millions of people around the world.

And there’s no shortage of ‘how’ material out there ranging from good to questionable, so I won’t spend too much on that.

Yet in my experience, need-finding is a mysterious, slippery thing.

Why?

It doesn’t really have a definition.

Ask 100 product designers what a ‘need’ is and you’ll get 100 different answers, or 100 non-replies.

The Facebook approach to building software describes a need as a ‘people problem’.

From Julie Zhuo:

A people problem is a need, issue or opportunity articulated as someone on the street might understand it. Good people problems identify what people want to do in their daily lives and pinpoint what is broken or unsatisfying about their current solutions.

eg. “People are bored and uncomfortable on airplanes.” 

Charlie Sutton, another Facebook design leader, adds to the definition:

A people problem is human, simple and straightforward.

eg. “I know how to save things on Facebook, but don’t know how to get back to it.”

Airbnb designer Lenny Rachitsky, has a slightly more loose explanation that includes the business: 

A strong problem statement should reference a “need” that is not being fulfilled. Try to focus this around a user need, but can also be a business need if necessary.

eg. “Airbnb hosts are feeling frustrated because they want to improve, but are finding it difficult to figure out how.”

And a good hypothesis will usually speak to a user need.

Here’s an example of a hypothesis from the Patreon product team:

We believe that Patreon creators are highly motivated to use our platform, but experience writers’ block when building their pages because when the customer success team helps a creator launch, most of the time is spent helping them find relevant examples.

And finally, here’s something from the archives, an obscure paper by Rolf A Faste.

We speak of needs as though they exist in some real or physical way. We say “I need a car,” or “I need a house.” In actual fact, cars and houses are not needs in themselves, they are but one way to meet certain needs such as mobility or shelter. The need itself is a perceived lack, something that is missing. Needfinding is thus a paradoxical activity—what is sought is a circumstance where something is missing. In order to find and articulate a need, this missing thing must be seen and recognized by someone.

The products we design don’t always support the needs of users.

You’d think by now we’d have a simple clarified way of building features that are designed with the intention of directly meeting the needs of our users. We don’t.

We’re definitely getting better at it. Before my time, in waterfall world, a large requirements doc would be plonked on the desk of an engineer. Filled with functionality but with no rationale of why it should exist.

We’re getting better. Design thinking, love it or hate it, aims to put much more focus on the end-user before anything is even typed up into a doc.

But can we do better?

Conceptual design: A software design approach 

Daniel Jackson, a MIT professor, thinks we should build software incrementally in ‘concepts’ that all have a purpose and are designed around the needs of users.

An example: Think about ‘trash’ on a mac. It’s a concept. The purpose? Allow the undo of deletions.

Imagine if every time you deleted something it was immediately gone forever? That would suck. It solves a problem for a user and makes the software a bit more friendly.

A more 2019 example might be the ‘hold’ function on a Jump bike. ‘Hold’ is a feature, a concept, a solution. And it’s connected to the need of a casual cyclist. A lack.

Users of an earlier iteration of the app may have said something like “I wish i didn’t have to restart my ride every-time I stopped”. Or, I locked it and I came back 5 minutes later and someone else had reserved it! Or maybe Uber noticed people were leaving their bikes unlocked and running so they could stop by multiple locations rather than just riding from A to B.

Designers perceived a lack, something a bit ‘broken and unsatisfying’ and sought to solve it with a concept called ‘Hold Bike’.

I don’t think concepts solves the inherent muddiness of solving user problems but I love two things about it. 1. It’s simple and easy to learn. 2. It maps directly to how we build software. It’s not to different than a requirement, a bit of functionality or something that could be built in 2 weeks.

To design learnable, effective and tolerant systems, designers should be thinking about concepts (and their related purposes).

[joshclement]

Looking back and forward

Today marks Thomas Jefferson’s birthday.

It also marks the day I left Melbourne.

April, 2014

On that day, I committed to go out into the world and do something (not be someone). I’m happy I did, but I’m also a little surprised by this version of myself. What was he thinking?

If I was to meet myself 5 years ago, I think we’d both be shocked and delighted by what we saw. 

And vice versa.

My past self would appear naive, ignorant, stubborn, close-minded, but also optimistic and idealistic. Hungry.

And my ‘future self’? Americanized? More relaxed? More confident? A bit friendlier? It’s harder to judge.

But what makes me happy, and what tells me I’m on the right track is I would surprise myself.

I would have so many questions for myself. You live where? You do what? You did that? How? Was it hard?

So next time you’re looking over some old photos, make sure you’re surprised by what you’ve done, and the person you were, and pleasantly surprised by the strange version of your life that you find yourself living today.

[joshclement]

It’s been fun to watch the humble ATM machine evolve.

We’ve gone from a tiny, extremely low resolution screens to tiny comedians selling credit cards.

ATMs now support cardless access, welcome you by name and remember your preferred amount of cash.

It’s a bit like consumer software in general. It’s getting better, but there’s so many interests involved that it’s never close to <how good it could be>.

Designers fantasize about the perfect marriage between technology and humans, yet it very rarely is experienced during every day life. 

Going back to the ATM.

The product solves a problem for a huge number of people. It’s great. I can be practically anywhere in the world, and get access to cold hard cash.

For a long time designing ‘getting cash out from ATM’ wasn’t considered from the perspective of people. Now Chase employs designers to consider exactly that. The use cases, the context, frustrations and delights of trying to complete that task.

And that thinking is slowly surfaced in the product. The software becomes a bit friendlier, a bit more intuitive.

Yet, there’s still a long way to go. Improvements to the UX now battle with giant cross-sells to other things that make more money for the bank. 

Design lags. 

Business, technology & design. You don’t need the last one, but glad to see it’s sticking around and proving it’s worth.

[joshclement]

Last night I took the wrong way home. On purpose.

I was trying out the GoBike, an electric bike you can rent for $2 a pop.

Out of curiosity, I used the GoBike app to direct me home. It picked an odd route.

No bike path, a bit hillier, not the most efficient. Different code. Different algo.

So what? What’s a couple of minutes anyway?

I followed the route, marveling at the streets and sights that I’ve been redirected around for months.

In a strange way, I felt a bit guilty! In San Francisco, to turn your back on efficiency sometimes feels like a crime.

We get so used to following ‘the best’ option, that we forget it ever was an option in the first place.

And as personalization becomes the norm, it gets harder to go back to the defaults.

Our preferences fit well.

We get places on time. Familiarity. Self efficacy. Lower cost.

We know what we like, and the system shows us more.

And if you want to opt-out, it’s easy enough.

Use a different browser.

Sign out.

Put the phone down.

But how long will that last?

It’s likely there will always be an illusion of choice, since it’s just nicer that way, but “do it myself” will soon be seen as barbaric.

You know that lovely feeling you get when you land in a new country. You can see, smell, touch, taste the ‘unknown’ and it feels great.

Or bumping into a friend in the street.

Maybe in the future, instead of travelling, the only way to get that feeling will be by paying to wipe away our preferences temporarily. 

Or maybe try on someone else’s.

Serendipity will be read about, but not truly experienced.

Go off the grid while ya can!

[joshclement]

"As a user I want to know which stop is the ballpark.”

Which version is easier to understand? Icon+Label, or just icon?

[joshclement]

Time vs Serendipity

Yesterday, I decided to buy some ingredients for Shakshuka, a groovy sounding middle eastern breakfast.

I had most of what I needed already in my fridge, but I was missing a crucial component: Harrisa. 

According to wikipedia, harrisa is a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste. You usually pour it into stews and curries or smother it over meat.

Alright. So where is it? I stop by a large supermarket on the way home from work to investigate. It’s a Safeway. Definitely not known for international foods, but surely good enough. I wander around for a bit, hungrily eyeing some soft cheeses (yes I know that’s how supermarkets are designed), and finally end up at a japanese sauce section. I ask a salesperson who’s stocking the shelves if there’s any harrisa. He’s never heard of it, and asks another guy who takes me on a tour around half the supermarket, only to come up with nothing. 

I had a feeling this was going to happen, and decided to check out a nearby Whole Foods. I ride over, park my bike and venture inside. Another wander around, and I end up at an aisle with some barbecue and chili sauces. Getting warmer. Finally, I spot it! There’s one tin of Harissa. Not much of a selection, but it’ll do.

Was this a success, or a terrible waste of time. The next day, I decide it’s the latter. What was I thinking? I had no idea whether either supermarket had the product, and although they were close together, and on the route home, it could have taken even longer.

A quick search on Amazon, yields no results either. 

But I think if it had shown up I would have packed my bags and signed up for Amazon Fresh. 

You lose the serendipity, but maybe it is worth the cost.

[joshclement]

John Wick, 2014

[joshclement]

Fiendishly simply billboard from Calm. Ticks most of the boxes of what I think a good billboard should be.

It’s also very smart of them to double down on sleep as their positioning. Previously they were sort of a catch-all relaxation, mindfullness app (that’s headspace territory).

Their Outdoor advertising is a simple promise. Use this app and you’ll sleep better.

Other surfaces, like their landing page and onboarding flow you can see are a little more broad. 

I think this is fine, as long as they are not saying totally contradictory things. If Sleep is performing well to grab new users, keep doing it.

Now Calm is grossing more than Headspace on the app store.

[joshclement]

Positivity is Practice

Sunday afternoon. It hasn’t stopped raining all day. 

I decide to go for a swim. The pool is only about a mile away, but I need to call a Lyft. 

Stephen is my driver.

Stephen turns out to be the most positive person I’ve ever met.

The first thing I notice is the colourful stickies plastered all over the dashboard. There’s one stuck to the steering wheel with random numbers. There’s another that says “Happiness + Gratitude”. There’s another with dozens of ‘roles’, like son, husband, citizen. There’s another with sort of leadership principles. You get the idea.

I’m a bit taken a back. Isn’t this sort of personal development stuff best kept private? What’s he selling?

We start chatting, and he starts reframing everything I say into a positive.

I ask him how his day has been.

“Incredible. It’s been a truly great day.”

Incredible? I wonder. I look out my window. It’s bucketing rain. It’s a prototypical gloomy sunday afternoon. How could this possibly be incredible?

But Stephen seems to think it’s been an incredible day. He’s smiling to himself.

“Have you been busy?” I ask.

“Busy? Not busy, productive.” he replies. 

Productive? I start to think about the word ‘busy’. Is it really that negative? Maybe it is.

It’s a short drive, but I need to know more.

I compliment the positive paraphernalia and he immediately starts to tell me about his philosophy. “We only have one minute, so I’ll be quick. First, I decide to be positive. I make the decision.”

“How?” I wonder our loud. “Do you think of...”

He cuts me off. “You’re thinking too much already. You just do it. I used to be like you, always thinking. You just need to be positive.”

He said he used to swayed by things people said to him, or bad luck, or bad weather. But he started to be more careful with the words he used.

He believes that the words we use impact our thoughts and feelings. Our thoughts naturally seep into our speech, and vice versa.

So, his prescription was cut out all that negative self-talk and it’ll change the way you think and feel.

When I talk to someone like this, I really have to control myself. Everything in my being wants to take a contratian view and needle them into making a mistake or contradicting themself. I ask things like “but you must have a bad day”, or "don’t you feel good to rant about a bad day sometimes?”.

I have an urge to cut them down, to grab onto them and shake them. To make them see the world through my eyes.

I’ve learnt that’s a terrible approach for a number of reasons. Stephen’s view of life seemed to be giving him what he wanted, so why hold it up to the light like a science experiment? Who is to say his approach is better or worse?

If the Dalai Lama was riding in the back, listening in on our conversation, he’d probably tell me to shut up and listen.

Listening without judgement is tough. I’m working on it.

We arrive at the pool. He tells me to practice thinking (and speaking) more positively. “When something goes wrong, don’t respond with negative thoughts and words”

I thank him and I rush through the rain to the entrance. I grab the door handle and yank it open.

It’s locked.

“Fuck!”

[joshclement]

[joshclement]

2018 Review

Where were you this time last year? In New York. Freezing cold. Very unhappy. I felt stuck in an apartment I didn’t like and a job that I had outgrown.

What was the single biggest decision you made? I left New York and took a job on the west coast. I knew three people in the city (two college friends and a cousin), but it felt like it was time to make a change. My life has changed a lot since moving to the west coast. But if I could sum up the biggest change, is that I’m happier. I wake up every morning with a smile on my face.

Where did you spend most of your time? San Francisco. I found a room for rent in an old charming Victorian. I could see the street and a fig tree through my window. The first few months settling in (april, may, june) felt like a dream. I made new friends, I surfed, hiked, baked bread, partied. Everyone was friendly. My coworkers cooked and did yoga after work instead of bar hopping. There was no honking at night. The weather was mild. New York had been like a really tough father to me. Under his watch I’d grown a lot, but it had taken it’s toll. In SF, life was easy again. It’s quite hard to explain the value that a change of scenery can have on your mind and life. New York has it beat on almost any level (fashion, regional accents, people, interestingess, music, food, coffee, transit, crime), but it’s the right place for me right now.  Anywhere else? Mexico. Austin. Las Vegas. Lake Tahoe. Brisbane, Melbourne, Byron Bay. Israel.

What do you wish you did more of? Reading. Meditating. Public speaking. Problem solving. Getting my hands dirty. Learning new things. More conversations. Networking. Writing.

Did you have an epiphany in a place you visited for the first time this year? Yes. Things got surprisingly spiritual for me at the Western Wall - Jerusalem. I spent the last 10 days of the year in Israel. It was an important trip on many different levels for me, but the Western Wall was a stand-out moment. I’m still processing the trip and everything I learnt.

Biggest win of the year? I became a permanent resident. Once I started the process, nearly two years ago, I entered a contract with my sponsoring employer. It was probably the first time in my working life that I was locked in, and I hated that feeling. But getting little green card in my sweaty palms was worth every second.

What am I working towards in 2019? I don’t think I’ve ever felt as excited about a new year as I have right now. 2018 was about hitting the red button and shooting out of the escape hatch. I’m going into 2019 with a clear head, and a vision of what I want.

[joshclement]

Maybe it won’t click

Image credit

First, bad news.

I hate to tell you this, but new thing you are learning probably won’t pay off for you.

Maybe it won’t click.

That skill that you think will get you ahead in your career. That skill that will get you that promotion, boost your salary and make a real name for yourself. The thing that will secure your job and save you from the robots.

I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen.

You look up, startled, surrounded by textbooks, skin pale and oily from little sleep and lots of caffeine.

“Really?”, you say.

“But... I’m putting in the hard work. I’m sweating! I’m hustling god dammit, isn’t that enough?! I’m doing the work!”

To learn or not to learn

Learning is tough. It is, I get it. It’s tough because: • You can’t just stop everything and do it • You probably have a day job • There’s tons of great resources on the internet (no supply problem), but knowing where to focus is hard • You still need to drive this yourself - Even a really good friend or partner will likely shrug their shoulders at the end of the day and say, hey, at least you tried.

And I’m not saying you shouldn’t be learning new things. You absolutely should.

Learning new stuff is great because: • It’s fun • It’s not that hard (or it shouldn’t be) • If you focus on skills rather than goals, you’re more likely to create luck, opportunities and advantages for yourself. • And yes, more skills, more value for employers

Let me hustle!

No! You shouldn’t be killing yourself over something that you’re never going to be that good at it. These days it seems fashionable to grind yourself into a dust trying to create an online business or write Python or trade bitcoins. What a waste.

How to Learn without hurting

Instead, figure out as quickly as you can if there’s is a benefit to sticking around and learning this thing, or move on to greener pastures (or things you are naturally better at).

I don’t have any formula to figure out if it’s time to drop it and move on. Perhaps taking a quick review of your mental, physical, financial and relationship health would do.

You shouldn’t be hurting.

Keep moving, keep learning, but if something isn’t working for you, or the chance of a big payoff gets slimmer and dimmer, stop! You’re not doing anyone favours.

[joshclement]

Tell A Story Like Bobby Axlerod

The more specific or visual you can be, the more persuasive your argument. The more interesting your story. No one likes boring generalities.

Why?

Specifics stick in your mind like Scotch Super Glue™.

Here’s an example from Showtime’s Billions.

Bobby Axlerod is asked to think of a time when he used his anger as weapon.

Fifth grade.

I needed money. 

There were these rich eighth-grade pricks from Harrison. 

God, I hated their stupid faces. 

I had an Islander jersey and a Koho hockey stick. 

I signed 'em Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier, and the dickbags bought 'em. 

What'd you get? $300 cash, new sneakers, Atari. 

When they found out, they went to town on me like Dave "The Hammer" Schultz. 

God, I got so angry at them, my parents for not having enough money, myself for getting caught. 

That rage grew in me. 

It worked like jet fuel for years.

This is an incident from over 40 years ago, but there’s nothing fuzzy in this memory – for him, or the listener.

[joshclement]

How To Make Sure You Buy The Right Book

This is what my Amazon wish list looks like.

Here’s how to buy books that you won’t regret.

• Firstly. A book is a fantastic investment. So, when in doubt, buy. If a book contains one valuable thought, I believe that’s worth $5 or whatever it costs.

• If a book sounds interesting, I add it to the wish list. I check the list periodically. If the book no longer appeals to me, I’ll remove it. If I really want to read it, I move to cart and buy it. Sometimes I’ll add, remove, add a title a few times. I use time as a filter. Eg. The Edward Bernays and Ronald Reagan books have been in this list for a long time. I know they will be worth reading, but I’m not that excited about it, so I haven’t bought them yet.

I buy a book two ways. 1. I really want to read it. 2. I really think I should read it, meaning that it has stuck around in my wishlist for a long time.

Most books will move through this funnel. Occasionally I’ll impulse buy, in which case the book will skip the first 2 steps.

My wishlist also reflects the themes that I’m interested in at the moment:

Psychology bucket: Behave, Elephant, Sapiens.

Marketing bucket: Tested Advertising, Scientific Advertising, Words that work and Crystallizing Public Opinion.

People: Surely you’re joking, Impro, Exit West, Notes, 

Work: Radical Candor

[joshclement]

Fat+Muscle+Bone

In the health/fitness industry, we spend most of our time talking about a few things. FAT and WEIGHT.

We want to “lose” both of those things. They are bad.

We want to find out our body FAT % and lower that to.

But it’s not all about losing things.

We want to get muscle.

We want to get a six pack.

We want to get toned.

It’s normal to think like this. This is how the industry talks to us. This is how have been trained to talk about fitness. This is how our friends talk. We hear it on TV. Especially late at night. 

But there’s a healthier way to think about your weight.

It’s something that most people don’t know about. And even after reading this article, most people won’t take the time or spend the money. So, if you can’t be bothered, STOP READING.

Ok, for the rest of you, I’m talking of course, about a DEXA Scan.

Google it.

It takes 5 minutes, costs $50 and will change how you think about your body, and how you approach your fitness goals.

After your scan, you will be handed a report.

The report has a lot of numbers, but the most important thing to look at is this equation:

Lean Tissue + Fat Tissue + Bone = Total Mass

Sounds simple, but this was mind blowing for me.

We are all just big blobs of tissue and bone. 

Total mass? That’s what you see on the scale.

That’s what you get frustrated with when it stays the same number, even after eating bloody meal prepped meals and working out at the gym. 

That’s the number that goes up after a weekend, or snacking late at night.

That’s the number you pledge to change - after Thanksgiving.... and Christmas.

That’s the number that people HATE or think is UNFAIR.

It’s not any of those things. It’s just....

Muscle + Fat + Bone.

Ok. Breathe out. Relax.

Now. What do we do with those numbers?

First, understand that it’s impossible to make them do what you want. You can’t edit them on a computer and magically update your body.

They are lagging indicators. All we can really do is try and nudge them in the right direction. 

If you’ve ever seriously changed how you eat, you’ll notice you feel many other positive things (better energy, sleep, mood, mental acuity) before you see the scale move in a significant way.

The basic idea is you want to make that FAT number go down and the MUSCLE one go up. 

Once you understand the FAT and the MUSCLE and the BONE is all stuck together, it’s kind of obvious that “torching fat” or “packing on lean muscle” is a ridiculous concept. Whatever your goal, they both come along for the ride. 

You can be smart, and slowly lose fat while keeping most your muscle, but you are going to lose muscle. And conversely, if you want to get stronger, you will be adding on fat.

So before your start “torching fat from your belly” or “getting a six pack”, take a scan. Study the numbers. And then get to work.

Here’s a few labs where I’ve received scans. They all use the same machine, Look for deals, you can usually get a scan for half price.

K8 BodyScan - Melbourne, Australia

DexaFit - San Francisco, California

University Orthopaedic Associates - Somerset, New Jersey

[joshclement]

Stop trying to master one skill. Instead, build a skill set.

What’s the problem?

If your identity is tied up in a singular skill, eg. writing, especially if it is considered ‘creative’ by society, there’s a high chance you will get stressed at improving, or generating lots of good work.

Writing is what you must do. And you must do it well. Out of ideas. You’re done.

By putting all your eggs in the ‘writing’ basket, you’ve become more fragile, and exposed to much more risk.

Do this:

Spread yourself over 6-7 areas of interest/skills and you will always be eager to spend time in 1 or 2. 

Ok, sounds good. What do I do next?

In terms of picking the skills, I like a need-based approach. For example, if you are working on a project that needs some decent photographs, start learning the basics, and see if you can get a ‘good enough’ result.

If a project, or better - a deadline demands it, you will learn what you need. You will be much more effective with your time than if you are doing something “because you think it’s worthwhile, or will make me money.”

Allow yourself to be steered into ‘strategic procrastination’.

Can’t bear to pick up your camera and take photos? Start drawing.

Can’t bear to put pen to paper? Start experimenting with a camera.

And then what happens?

By stretching your net over many different skills, it’s likely your creative reservoir and motivation around your primary skill will quickly fill up with new ideas, connections and inspiration. 

Less burnout. More fun.

And...?

I bet without even realizing, you will be rushing back to your notepad/easel filled with energy and ideas.

[joshclement]

How To Be Better At Talking

I’m not the best talker.

I’ll admit it.

And if you ever talk to me, you’ll see what I mean.

When I talk, I’m often thinking out loud. This helps me, and annoys or worse bores the listener.

I struggle to cut to the point.

I can be funny, I can make people laugh. But it’s never after a punchline.

I can tell a story, but it can get easily derailed, or lose the plot.

I’m not even very good at arguing, something that seems to be innate to all Americans. I flip flop, and start sweating if I’m forced to prove my point.

Anyway, this is all to say, that I could benefit from some help.

The other day, I stumbled on a quick fix, that you might find helpful.

Because, we could all be better talkers.

It’s not something they teach in school. And for those of us who would struggle to put together a captivating public speech, remember, it’s not your fault. I think it’s something you can learn.

Here’s what I did.

The other night, I was riding home from work, and I wanted to reply to a message.

I should have waited until I was off the bike, but instead, I dictated and sent an audio message.

I thought about what I wanted to say, said it and saved it. Before you send audio messages, you can play them back to yourself.

We all know it sounds strange when you listen to yourself, so you’ll need to grit your teeth. But what happens next is really interesting.

You start to think.

Could I have said that better? Could I have spoken more clearly? Did my point come across? Do you smile or laugh listening to the story? Can you place yourself in the listeners shoes? Do you think they’d receive the message loud and clear.

Not only does recording yourself clean up your voice, it can also aid your writing.

Think about a tricky writing assignment. Asking someone out on a date. Asking for money. Most of us will toil over a few sentences, writing and rewriting. When you’re forced to say what you need to say with the red recording icon blinking in your face, you’ll get straight to the point. It may not be perfect the first run, but very quickly you’ll sound natural, normal and even persuasive, simply because you are using your own voice.

So, try it.

Send some short audio messages instead of typing, and you’ll not only be better at talking, you’ll be better to listen to!

And of course, I should I have read this post instead of typing it!