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  • August 28th, 2006
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This week in ux-clinic: harvesting the idea farm

This week in the ux-clinic discussion group:

We’re early on a project and doing lots of prototypes and crazy UI exploration. But as the design manager, I know its almost time to turn the corner and focus. My problem is my team is in love with how they’re working, and I don’t know how to harvest the idea farm, without killing the morale of all the farmers.

How do I turn down the velocity on idea generation without turning it off? We need to get at least one level deeper in focus and stop thinking broadly, but I don’t know how to safely make that happen.

- Harvesting the idea farm


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  • Dmitri Zimin(e) - September 15, 2006 at 3:07 pm #
  • As the saying goes, “the result is more important then the process”. I know only one exception :-)

    Your farmers are obviously enjoying the process. Do they care about the result? I bet deep in their hearts they know they eventually need to harvest. They’ve been into it before. They know that as much as enjoyable the process is, the delivery of result can give a creator a greater satisfaction.

    It may be the matter of sending the signal – “time to harvest”. If you don’t want to be the first one to break your group conspiracy, I understand. Then a notion of “product owner” may help. Have a product owner signalling you – “time to harvest”.


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