Cultural Theory
The study of cultural norms, values, and practices and their influence on human behavior. Useful for designing products that are culturally sensitive and relevant.
The study of cultural norms, values, and practices and their influence on human behavior. Useful for designing products that are culturally sensitive and relevant.
The belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Important for fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
The set of shared values, practices, and goals that characterize a startup company. Important for fostering innovation, agility, and a collaborative environment within product design teams.
A business culture that prioritizes product development and innovation as the key drivers of growth and success, often involving cross-functional collaboration. Crucial for fostering innovation and ensuring that product development is aligned with business objectives.
An organizational environment that encourages and supports creative thinking, risk-taking, and the pursuit of new ideas. Essential for fostering continuous improvement and breakthrough advancements.
A philosophical approach to culture and literature that seeks to confront the social, historical, and ideological forces and structures that produce and constrain it. Valuable for analyzing and addressing power dynamics and biases in design.
A qualitative research method that studies people in their natural environments to understand their behaviors, cultures, and experiences. Crucial for gaining deep insights into user behaviors and contexts.
The study of cooking techniques, ingredients, and the cultural significance of food, providing insights into creativity and innovation in other fields. Useful for drawing parallels between culinary arts and design, fostering creativity and innovation.
Numeronym for the word "Localization" (L + 10 letters + N), adapting a product or content to meet the language, cultural, and regional preferences of a specific target market. Essential for ensuring product relevance in different regions.
Culture, Automation, Lean, Measurement, and Sharing (CALMS) is a framework for guiding the implementation of DevOps practices. Important for fostering a DevOps culture and improving collaboration, efficiency, and continuous improvement in product design teams.
The process of transitioning an organization to agile methodologies, including changes in culture, processes, and practices. Essential for organizations seeking to adopt agile practices for improved efficiency and responsiveness.
Numeronym for the word "Internationalization" (I + 18 letters + N), enabling localization for different languages, regions, and cultures without requiring extensive rework. Important for expanding product reach to global markets.
A Japanese term meaning "continuous improvement," focusing on small, incremental changes to enhance processes and products. Crucial for fostering a culture of ongoing improvement and excellence in product design and development.
A mindset and approach that embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, passion for improvement, and deep sense of ownership typically associated with a company's founders. Essential for maintaining agility, innovation, and customer-centricity as organizations grow and mature.
The practice of guiding and inspiring teams to create effective, user-centered design solutions that align with business goals. Crucial for fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence in design practices within organizations.
A structured routine for continuous improvement based on a scientific approach to problem-solving and process optimization. Crucial for fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within product design teams.
A repository for team members to submit and collect innovative ideas, reflecting a commitment to fostering creativity and shared ownership of product development. Crucial for maintaining an open culture of innovation and capturing diverse perspectives that contribute to the product's evolution and success.
The emotional attachment an employee feels toward their organization, which influences their desire to stay. Useful for understanding employee retention and motivation in organizational design and management.
Activities that give the appearance of innovation but do not produce tangible results. Important for recognizing and avoiding ineffective innovation efforts.
The visual images, symbols, or modes of representation collectively associated with a subject, often used in design to communicate ideas quickly and effectively. Important for creating cohesive and meaningful visual systems.
A leadership philosophy where the leader prioritizes the needs of the team, empowering and supporting members to achieve their full potential and fostering a collaborative, inclusive environment. Important for building strong, motivated teams, enhancing collaboration, and promoting a culture of trust and respect within an organization.
The practice of guiding and inspiring teams to develop and deliver successful products, often involving strategic vision, team management, and innovation. Crucial for driving product success and fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
The level of sophistication and integration of design practices within an organization's processes and culture. Essential for assessing and improving the effectiveness of design in driving business value and innovation.
Not Invented Here (NIH) syndrome refers to the aversion to using or buying products, research, or knowledge developed outside an organization. This mindset can hinder innovation and collaboration.
An approach that places the user's needs, preferences, and behaviors at the forefront of all design and development activities. Important for fostering a design culture that prioritizes user satisfaction and engagement.
An organizational structure that emphasizes flexibility, employee initiative, and decentralized decision-making. Useful for fostering innovation and rapid response to changes within an organization.
The rate at which employees leave a company and are replaced by new hires, often used as a measure of organizational health and stability. Essential for understanding workforce dynamics and designing strategies to improve employee retention.
The study of social relationships, structures, and processes. Important for understanding the impact of social dynamics on user behavior and designing for social interactions.
The study of the principles and techniques of art, including visual composition, aesthetics, and the role of art in society. Important for understanding visual design principles and enhancing the aesthetic quality of digital products.
Universal, symbolic patterns and images that derive from the collective unconscious, used in design to create meaningful and resonant experiences. Useful for creating designs that tap into universal human experiences and emotions.
A cross-functional team that is given the autonomy, resources, and authority to make decisions and take ownership of the product's success, focusing on solving user problems and achieving business outcomes. Important for fostering innovation, accountability, and agility, leading to more effective product development and higher user satisfaction.
A structured evaluation process where a product's design, functionality, and user experience are assessed, often by peers or experts. Essential for identifying areas for improvement and fostering a culture of continuous enhancement.
The practice of promoting and defending the value of design within an organization or community. Crucial for ensuring that design considerations are prioritized and integrated into decision-making processes.
The systematic process of capturing, evaluating, and implementing ideas to drive innovation, reflecting a collective commitment to continuous improvement and product excellence. Essential for harnessing team creativity and maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes successful product development.
An ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes over time through incremental and breakthrough improvements. Crucial for fostering a culture of constant enhancement and adaptation.
A prioritized list of ideas and potential features for future product development, embodying a collective vision for innovation and improvement. Essential for managing creative input and maintaining an innovation pipeline that aligns with the team's entrepreneurial spirit and shared commitment to product excellence.
The study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation. Important for designing effective visual communication and iconography.
Obstacles to effective communication that arise from differences in understanding the meanings of words and symbols used by the communicators. Crucial for designing clear and effective communication systems and avoiding misunderstandings.
A systematic evaluation of behaviors within an organization or process to identify areas for improvement and ensure alignment with goals. Crucial for understanding and improving user behaviors and organizational processes.
Work that is not performed in real-time, allowing team members to collaborate without needing to be online simultaneously. Crucial for increasing flexibility and productivity in remote and distributed teams.
The study of the nature of beauty, art, and taste and the creation and appreciation of beauty. Essential for creating visually appealing and engaging user interfaces.
The understanding and proficiency in the principles, practices, and processes of design. Essential for empowering individuals to effectively participate in and critique design processes.
An approach to design that challenges assumptions and provokes thought by creating speculative or provocative artifacts. Crucial for stimulating critical thinking and innovation in design.
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a comprehensive management approach focused on continuous improvement in all aspects of an organization. Essential for ensuring high-quality products and services and achieving customer satisfaction.
The process of working together with others to generate creative ideas and solutions, leveraging diverse perspectives and skills. Essential for producing innovative and well-rounded design solutions.
A broader, more informal community of interest that spans across the entire organization, focusing on shared topics such as agile practices or UX design. Valuable for cross-functional learning, knowledge sharing, and promoting a unified approach to common challenges.
The ability of an organization to adapt quickly to market changes and external forces while maintaining a focus on delivering value. Essential for fostering an adaptable and resilient design and development process.
The use of universal character types and personalities to define and communicate a brand's identity. Important for creating a relatable and memorable brand personality.
A psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony and conformity in a group results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making. Crucial for recognizing and mitigating the risks of poor decision-making in teams.
The perseverance and passion for long-term goals, often seen as a key trait for success. Important for understanding and fostering resilience and persistence in design and product development.
SAFe is a framework designed to scale agile practices across large organizations by integrating agile and lean principles. It is widely used but criticized for its rigidity, bureaucratic structure, and potential to stifle true agile culture.
Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse (SCAMPER) is a creative thinking technique that encourages innovation in a product or process. Useful for generating new ideas and improving existing products or processes.
A Japanese term meaning "the real place," used in Lean management to describe the place where value is created. Important for understanding the actual processes and identifying areas for improvement.
A design principle that suggests using an odd number of elements in a composition to create visual interest and balance. Crucial for creating aesthetically pleasing designs.
Adaptive Software Development (ASD) is a software development methodology that focuses on continuous adaptation to changing requirements and environments. Essential for managing changing requirements and ensuring agile project delivery.
The study of the nature, functions, and effects of cinema, exploring how films communicate and create meaning. Useful for understanding narrative and visual techniques that can be applied in multimedia design.
A creative thinking technique where the typical process is reversed to generate new ideas by considering the opposite of conventional assumptions. Useful for fostering innovation and challenging existing assumptions in problem-solving.
A meeting held at the end of a project or development cycle, also known as a "post-mortem," to review what went well, what didn't, and how processes can be improved in the future. Crucial for continuous improvement and learning from past experiences to enhance future projects.
A framework for assessing and improving an organization's ethical practices in the development and deployment of AI. Important for ensuring that AI systems are developed responsibly and ethically.
A social norm of responding to a positive action with another positive action, fostering mutual benefit and cooperation. Important for designing user experiences and systems that encourage positive reciprocal interactions.