How to become a confident workshop facilitator

Over the years, I have faced countless questions about that underlying confidence required to do what I do. It is a challenge - how do you get to the point...

December 01, 2021

How to prepare yourself for great workshop facilitation

Running workshops is a performing art. It’s not just about preparing material - although that is important of course - but preparing yourself for a good performance. 

November 25, 2021

Workshops to evaluate problems, ideas and projects

Evaluate your ideas and the problems you think you’re solving to make sure you’re not wasting your efforts on a wild-goose chase.

November 20, 2020

Workshops to make your problem, goal or purpose clear

The power of properly framing things cannot be underestimated and - once it’s been skipped - it is pointless to complete retroactively.

November 20, 2020

Workshops to help you understand problems and gain insights

Here is a range of proven workshop exercises and tactics that can help you understand who your users/audience/customers are and what they need, what your team’s skill set should look like and...

November 02, 2020

How to build and test great prototypes

Read how to set up your prototype for success, and avoid testing them like an amateur. 

November 09, 2020

How FBI negotiation tactics help you give better feedback

It’s how we help each other improve. It grows our craft, our relationships and most importantly, humbles our ego. But, feedback isn’t always easy to receive. So how do you...

August 11, 2020

Why are we addicted to meetings?

Meetings rarely produce meaningful design work. And most, if not all, meetings are a waste of time. So why do we have them?

July 14, 2020

Are you a Comfortable or Vulnerable Designer?

Two designers. One has three years of experience. The other has 10 years of experience. Who is the better designer? 

July 06, 2020

How to stop being a know-it-all designer

As a designer, you might think you know best. But when you drop your opinion and guide your team towards validating assumptions - you take on the position of facilitator. A far...

June 23, 2020

How our elders tell the best stories, and what you can learn from them

On a warm, drizzly evening the other day, I took my dog, Coco, round the block for a quick pre-bedtime stroll. It would not turn out to be quick. 

July 15, 2021

The secret to storytelling without being condescending

I had a choice: stay in my comfort zone and talk at people about prototyping. Or try something I've never done before: tell an engaging story that has the chance to stick in...

June 24, 2021

Episode 17: Once Upon a Time in Manchester (Part 3)

A storyteller, struggling to teach innovation. And an innovator, struggling to find his story ...  Then, one day, a message: “Hey Steve. I’ve got a proposition for you. Free to...

June 17, 2021

Episode 16: Niamh’s Pride and Fall

The penny finally dropped in Nan’s back garden. Niamh and her Dad stood there, watching Tony the estate agent hacking brambles and weeds with a spade. Slowly he reveals a...

June 01, 2021

Episode 15: It's a Kind of Magic

Niamh has been with MiCasa for three months now. A dream job for any developer, starting with an almost blank page and focussing on what the customer really needs.  Tactics:...

May 27, 2021

Six tips for building effective product teams

Building an effective team is crucial for designing great products. Every team is unique, but there are some common traits in those that are most successful. Emulate those traits with...

October 27, 2020

What should a product manager do in their first month?

Joining a new product team is like starting at a football club. You're eager to play, but you don't know their tactics or strategy. You have to train with the...

September 08, 2020