Module 2 - UXD720
Assignment 2: Creative Contextualisation
In this module, there are two assignments: one, create a UX Prototype, and two, Creative Contextualisation, where we reflect on our practice and our learnings while creating a prototype.
An element of the marking rubric for Creative Contextualisation requires us to 'Plan for future research' and align these plans with our SMART principles. I created some SMART principles in Module one, so I thought I'd reference them for this module before kicking off my week-by-week reflection.
My Creative Contextualisation journal will be composed of two posts per week, one discussing the topics and learning objectives and the other discussing my creation process, which will eventually become the PDF to accompany assignment one.
SMART principles SMART goal setting is commonly attributed to Peter Drucker, who introduced the concept 'Management by Objectives' in his 1954 book, 'The Practice of Management' (Drucker, 1954). Management by Objective at its core is the process where teams work together to set, record, and monitor goals for a specific period. However, the mnemonic SMART has been attributed to George T. Doran, who published a paper titled "There's a S. M. A. R. T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives" (Doran, 1981), where he suggests objectives should be created with the guidance of:
Specific — target a specific area for improvement.
Measurable — quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress
Assignable — specify who will do it.
Realistic — state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.
Time-related — specify when the result(s) can be achieved.
This mnemonic is still used today in the modern workplace (albeit with slight adjustments). I've used the technique before with my teams and set goals using SMART principles.
Overall the teams I've managed felt happier, endured stress better, allowed them to think more clearly, learn more deeply, and better align their daily actions with their core values and goals. Performance reviews were more predictable and more positively received, making my life a whole lot easier.
The SMART principles I set in module one were:
Specific: 'I want to be more efficient in my business operations' by formulating my offer into concise packages that customers can understand and self-select without any ambiguity.
Measurable: I will track the qualified lead to conversion rate and survey customers pre-sales and post-sales.
Attainable: I will implement it as soon as the packages have been created.
Relevant: formulating my approach and increasing the number will separate me from individuals whose offer is unclear or inconsistent.
Time-bound: packages will be created throughout my Master's course.
These principles are still valid, and I don't see any reason to change them, as I've started to reap the benefits. However, I don't think I'm the finished article quite yet and will continue along this path.
References
Doran, G.T. (1981). There’s a SMART way to write management’s goals and objectives. Management Review, [online] (70), pp.35–36. Available at: https://community.mis.temple.edu/mis0855002fall2015/files/2015/10/S.M.A.R.T-Way-Management-Review.pdf [Accessed 27 Feb. 2021].
Drucker, P.F. (1954). The practice of management. New York: Harper & Row.
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