ChangeOrder

The Tipsy Triangle of Software Startupdom

In talking with entrepreneurs of many stripes over the past year, I've heard the following hypnotic refrain repeated over and over again: "If we design a beautiful user experience, we've got what we need to launch a successful business."

Whether uttered by corporate executives or designers fresh out of school, I've been surprised by this near-religious belief that great user experience is the silver bullet that will attract a huge audience base to your company's products or services. Surface solutions trump business plans. To quote Enrique Allen, founding member of The Designer Fund—a community of designers that invest in designer startup founders (of which I’m a member):

“UX can be a 'grabber,' like the shiny materials we buy but then don't end up using after a few days. Without a solid tech and business model 'holder' that provides lasting utility, startups will peak but then crash…”

Yes, to your customers, the user experience (UX) is everything: it's how your product or service is utilized by the world. But if you are a designer trying to create a sustainable business from your product and service ideas, the UX for your product is one important facet of creating a successful business. The user experience you design, the technology selections you make, and the business model you generate: all of these decisions support how you make money from your products and services. They are interrelated, to the point that you can't truly sustain a business in the long term without them all in place.

This may be obvious advice for those who have spent time creating products and services, or worked at a startup before. But for any designer that is looking to jump into the software game and bootstrap their own products or services, closely consider the following perspectives in the early stages of any new business venture.

The Building Blocks of Design Studio Culture: Space

In previous posts, I discussed the building blocks that comprise studio culture, and the first "hard" building block, the type of work you're seeking to fulfill. But once you know what kind of work you’d like to create, you’ll need a space where you can generate it! Design business owners must carefully consider the placement of their workspace, the studio layout, the use of the studio environment, and whether a dedicated studio space is even necessary to get the design work done.

 

Placement

You may be tempted to lease or purchase space in a far away, yet "up and coming" neighbourhood that is great for your budget. However, getting to work shouldn’t be hard work for your employees or your clients. Otherwise, you are implicitly charging your employees time that they could be using to take care of their life needs (and wants). Well-placed studios can help support those needs, by being near local coffee shops and restaurants, gyms and yoga studios, public transit or the freeway.

 

Layout

The layout of a studio helps facilitate the flow of conversation and the style of work taking place. Studio layouts can be open, closed, or some combination of open and closed elements.

Closed environments are manifested through closed-door offices, cubicles, and other areas where people can seal themselves off from others and focus on their work. My first years as a designer were in studio environments where each designer had their own cubicle, and any ongoing conversations required people peeking their heads over tall walls. At one point, we had joked about sawing holes in the cubicles to allow us to see each other’s faces without having to stand up. (This was before video chat and pervasive IM, mind you.) The layout of the space was a direct reflection of the work that was taking place, Ford assembly-line style.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have been working the past 6 years in entirely open studios, with little to no privacy possible without exiting the studio floor. The complexity of the work product—much of it rooted in designing and developing interactive products and services—required constant collaboration. An open studio plan encourages ad-hoc conversation and a cross-pollination of ideas that otherwise would never see the light of day. However, an open plan also requires pockets of privacy, whether via conference rooms or closed-door “war rooms” where the staff can work without distraction. In these environments, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones is the new “Do Not Disturb” sign.

 

Use of environment

You may choose to utilize some or all of your studio for other uses beyond billing for design work.

For example: Design Commission, an interactive design studio in Seattle, leases an affordable studio space within the Tashiro Kaplan Artists Lofts. As a requirement in their lease, part of their design studio must be run as an art gallery. This means that every first Thursday of the month, they have to put on a show as part of a community art walk. Year after year, they have exhibited work from a range of international artists, as well as created their own interactive art installations.

Other examples come from design studios that intentionally preserve a portion of their space for bringing in visiting artists or fellows; running a small retail store or "pop-up shop," such as the recent Stumptown Coffee in the Sid Lee office in Amsterdam; or subletting office space to like-minded businesses.

 

Co-location via virtual and temporary spaces

Some businesses choose to forgo a leased office space and work virtually, using by-the-meeting office spaces for face-to-face meetings with clients. In these situations, design teams can work from home or the coffee shop, connecting regularly through email, IM, phone calls, video chat, and online collaboration tools such as Basecamp, Campfire, WebEx, etc.

Plus, with the further increase of drop-in and shared spaces, such as Citizen Space in the Bay Area and Las Vegas, you can have the benefits of a studio environment on demand—providing the needed infrastructural perks (and ability to socialize) at a fraction of the cost of leasing a full-time space.

Got any great examples to share for how to build studio culture through your studio space? Share them below in the comments!