CREATING A METHODOLOGY

And the Myth of Perfection

Corey Vilhauer Now What? 2014

I’M COREY VILHAUER@mrvilhauer

“I’m sorry, I must be the worst speaker you’ve ever seen.”

- Me, Probably.

LET’S TALK ABOUT WEB CONTENT

“I’m sorry, we must be the worst team you’ve ever worked with.”

- A Real Client

METHODOLOGIESWHAT A METHODOLOGY IS

METHODOLOGYA formal documentation of a set of processes

ASK A QUESTION

RESEARCH A PROBLEM

FORM A HYPOTHESIS

TEST THE HYPOTHESIS

COMMUNICATE/CHANGE

METHODOLOGIES ALLOW FOR

REPLICATION

EACH COMPANY

IS DIFFERENT

EACH INITIATIVE

IS DIFFERENT

EACH PROJECT

IS DIFFERENT

EACH ONE OF US

IS DIFFERENT

WE ARE ALL

SNOWFLAKES

METHODOLOGIESWHAT A METHODOLOGY ISWHY THEY MATTER

“We don’t really have a process for getting articles approved.”

- A Real Client

“We send things to university relations but we are never really sure when they’re finally published.”

- A Real Client

“LOL” - A Real Client

1. COMMUNICATE OUR PROCESSES

2. STANDARDIZE OUR PATH

3. ALLOW FOR THOUGHTFUL

VARIANCES

YOU CAN’T BREAK THE RULES IF YOU DON’T MAKE THE

RULES

YOU CAN’T BREAK THE RULES IF YOU DON’T MAKE THE

RULES

METHODOLOGIESWHAT A METHODOLOGY ISWHY THEY MATTERHOW TO BEGIN

X XTHESE ARE GUIDES

NOT METHODOLOGIES

A GUIDE, NOT A MAP

WE CAN’T TELL YOU

WHAT TO DO

ALWAYS BE COLLECTING

X X

MAKE A LIST

DETERMINE HOW

DETERMINE WHY

BRING ‘EM TOGETHER

YOU ARE NEVER FINISHED

“Instead of driving an idea blindly into the world … you are guided by the feedback you get. There are no beginnings or endings - just small steps forward.

- Robin Sloan

METHODOLOGIESCOMMUNICATIONREPLICATIONCHANGE

THANK YOU

www.eatingelephant.com/nowwhat2014

@mrvilhauer

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