How Medium Built a Platform for Quality Content
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The document discusses how Medium prioritized quality in its design and launch. It summarizes how Medium: 1) Designed the interface and user experience to invite high-quality content by making writing and publishing feel polished and professional. 2) Launched with established authors who set a high bar for content quality, and hired an editor to curate content. 3) Focused extensively on typographic details, layout, and promoting substantive comments to differentiate the experience from other publishing platforms and compete with print.
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How Medium Built a Platform for Quality Content
- 1. SweatingU X D E T A I L ST H E Stephen P. Anderson @stephenanderson #uxlondon t
- 2. I really, really wanted give a talk all about craftsmanship
- 3. I really, really wanted give a talk all about craftsmanship
- 4. It’s 2012…
- 5. “a publishing platform…” It’s 2012…
- 6. you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles It’s 2012… “a publishing platform…”
- 7. you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles It’s 2012… “a publishing platform…” ?
- 8. you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles It’s 2012… “a publishing platform…” ! no customization options ! no custom domains ! royalty-free access to all content ?
- 9. ? you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles ! no customization options ! no custom domains ! royalty-free access to all content “a publishing platform…” It’s 2012……a new place on the Internet where people share ideas and stories that are longer than 140 characters and not just for friends. It’s designed for little stories that make your day better and manifestos that change the world. It’s used by everyone from professional journalists to amateur cooks. It’s simple, beautiful, collaborative, and it helps you find the right audience for whatever you have to say.” “
- 11. “Everything changed for me over the weekend when I took the time to write a blog post on Medium.” “As someone who writes a lot of stuff and has used a lot of different writing software, I'm telling you that I was blown away by the quality of the product as a writing tool.” “The entire process is a breeze. And once published, the article looks pretty good too in terms of typography and appearance.” “Intuitive enough to seem psychic.” “Because it is such a pleasure to work with, Medium has become something of a fetish object for writers.” “It does not take a user experience designer to publish a professional story.” “A joy to use!” “It’s so damn beautiful. Medium has removed all the cruft that gets between the reader and the message…” “Clean design, great concept, full of potential treasures to be read.” “The best writing tool on the web.”
- 12. But here’s the thing: I feel as if the service looks so good that it invites only the best content that I—or anyone— can write before actually hitting publish. Let’s put it another way: If I’m going to write a post on Medium, I don’t want to let Medium down. (“It’s not you, it’s me.”) “Part of the reason I haven’t published to Medium is because I’m slightly intimidated. I know that is illogical and insane on the surface, but I feel intimidated and almost as if I have to rise to a higher standard on Medium.” —Christina Warren, senior tech analyst at Mashable
- 13. But here’s the thing: I feel as if the service looks so good that it invites only the best content that I—or anyone— can write before actually hitting publish. Let’s put it another way: If I’m going to write a post on Medium, I don’t want to let Medium down. (“It’s not you, it’s me.”) “Part of the reason I haven’t published to Medium is because I’m slightly intimidated. I know that is illogical and insane on the surface, but I feel intimidated and almost as if I have to rise to a higher standard on Medium.” —Christina Warren, senior tech analyst at Mashable
- 15. Right now, the Internet rewards speed and quantity, and we wanted to make a place where quality matters.” —Ev Williams “
- 21. • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality
- 22. • Designed more like a magazine. • Designed a social system to create a built-in audience for new authors • Launched with published authors (which set really high bar for content) • Hired former Wired.com editor Evan Hansen as an editor for the site • Bought he long-form journalism startup Matter • Created what is arguably the best writing tool on the planet • Promoted contextual comments • Focused on typographic UI details that compete w/ centuries of print (vs other web platforms) • Focused A LOT on quality content • Offered pre-publishing feedback • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality The not so obvious “how to build” (& launch) experience details
- 23. • Designed more like a magazine. • Designed a social system to create a built-in audience for new authors • Launched with published authors (which set really high bar for content) • Hired former Wired.com editor Evan Hansen as an editor for the site • Bought he long-form journalism startup Matter • Created what is arguably the best writing tool on the planet • Promoted contextual comments • Focused on typographic UI details that compete w/ centuries of print (vs other web platforms) • Focused A LOT on quality content • Offered pre-publishing feedback • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality The not so obvious “how to build” (& launch) experience details Product
- 24. • Designed more like a magazine. • Designed a social system to create a built-in audience for new authors • Launched with published authors (which set really high bar for content) • Hired former Wired.com editor Evan Hansen as an editor for the site • Bought he long-form journalism startup Matter • Created what is arguably the best writing tool on the planet • Promoted contextual comments • Focused on typographic UI details that compete w/ centuries of print (vs other web platforms) • Focused A LOT on quality content • Offered pre-publishing feedback • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality The not so obvious “how to build” (& launch) experience details Experiences Product
- 29. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality
- 30. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality
- 31. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality
- 32. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality
- 33. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality Why focus on Quality?
- 34. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality Why focus on Quality? What’s dangerous about our processes?
- 35. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality Why focus on Quality? What’s dangerous about our processes? What does it mean to be design led?
- 36. Why focus on Quality? Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the value of quality
- 37. Why focus on Quality? PrideAnything worth doing, is worth doing well. Idealism What kind of world do you want to live in? Trustin expertise of your team
- 38. Why focus on Quality? PrideAnything worth doing, is worth doing well. Idealism What kind of world do you want to live in? Trustin expertise of your team These aren’t very convincing to most business stakeholders.
- 39. Why focus on Quality? User Trustand perceived reliability Conversion What do people actually do? Usability and lower support costs Affect How does someone feel about using your product?
- 40. Why focus on Quality? User Trustand perceived reliability Conversion What do people actually do? Usability and lower support costs These are all about perceptions. Affect How does someone feel about using your product?
- 49. “change blindness” To see an object change, it is necessary to attend to it.
- 59. http://www.neubible.co/ A Bible reading experience that exceeds any other that I’ve tried. Attention to typography and usability greatly outweigh the limited number of translations available at launch. Absolutely worth the price to have God’s word presented in such a thoughtful manner.” “
- 60. http://blog.pickcrew.com/the-science-behind-fonts-and-how-they-make-you-feel/ People exposed to the well-designed layout were found to have higher cognitive focus, more efficient mental processes, and a stronger sense of clarity.” Do font and layout affect our emotions? “
- 61. What is the effect of typefaces on legal briefs? http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/Rules/Painting_with_Print.pdf , http://www.typographyforlawyers.com/ and http://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.106.1.35-42
- 62. Motion, typography, layout, images… These are functional things.
- 63. “we’re going to push off some styling stuff to hit the deadline”
- 64. “we’re going to push off some styling stuff to hit the deadline” NoOO!!
- 65. ‘functional’ is relative use cases & unit tests user perceptions and behaviors
- 66. ‘functional’ is relative use cases & unit tests user perceptions and behaviors Experiences Product
- 67. Maturityof the space we play in Why focus on Quality?
- 68. Quality Time
- 69. Quality Time “good enough” “would be nice”
- 70. Quality Time “good enough” “not a priority” “would be nice”
- 71. Quality Time “good enough” “not a priority” “nice to have” “NOT ACCEPTABLE” “MUST HAVE” NoOO!!
- 72. Quality Time “good enough” “not a priority” “nice to have” “NOT ACCEPTABLE” “MUST HAVE” NoOO!! What is the maturity of the space we’re competing in?
- 74. http://daringfireball.net/2015/02/60_frames_per_second_and_the_web 60 frames per second is not “would be nice.” It’s “must have.”
- 76. 2014 wasn’t a good year to be average. Since 2007, the average customer experience in the industries that Forrester tracks has gone up across the board, and the number of truly awful experiences has dropped like a rock. In 2015, the race from good to great CX will speed up.” —Harley Manning, Forrester “The Race from Good to Great Customer Experience Intensifies” “
- 77. Meaningful Pleasurable Convenient Usable Reliable Functional (Useful) Focused on Experiences (People, Activities, Context) Focused on Tasks (Products, Features) © 2006 Stephen P. Anderson | poetp SUBJECTIVE / QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVE / QUANTIFIABLE Has personal significance Memorable experience worth sharing Super easy to use, works like I think Can be used without difficulty Is available and accurate Works as programmed Prioritize Aesthetics (no, not Graphic Design) (visual, behaviors, sounds, psychology) Design for FLOW (boredom vs anxiety) Leverage Game Mechanics/Learning Theory (completeness) Have a Personality Create conversational and context aware interactions (“Adaptive Interfaces”; narrative IA structures) Elicit Desire (Limited availability, limited access, curious and seductive experiences)Simplify, organize, and clarify Display information visually Reduce features and complexity Use language for more natural Add features that support desired ine browsing) Have a believable story Co-create value with customers Connect people in community Are part of a bigger system Appeal to emotional, spiritual, and Create a tolerance for faults at Are tied to a person’s self-image, highly personal Creating Pleasurable Interfaces: Getting fom Tasks to Experiences presented by Stephen P. Anderson | Nov 8, 2006 “It is not enough that we b products that function, tha understandable and usable we also need to build produ that bring joy and excitem pleasure and fun, and yes beauty, to people’s lives.” THIS IS THE“CHASM”THAT IS REALLY, REALLY HARD FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO CROSS
- 80. Experiences Product people, activities & context tasks & features outcomes and experiences output and functionality perceptions, emotions, attention, memory… interfaces, interactions, usability, etc.
- 81. Why focus on Quality? Context(and tolerance for friction)
- 82. HIGH TOLERANCE FOR FRICTION NOTOLERANCE FOR FRICTION Enterprise Productivity App used to solve a work-related functional needs; little to no choice; training often required Consumer Recreational App Consumer Productivity App used for enjoyment when one is not working; requires change in habits Plus Tools for Remote Collaboration used to solve a functional need; high degree of choice
- 83. Why focus on Quality? To Create Awesome Users* * just read or watch everything you can find from Kathy Sierra!
- 84. https://medium.com/@johntmeyer/medium-is-for-nobodies-like-me-f7dfa4c0625a When I write in Medium I seem to transform into Mark Twain or Ernest Hemingway. I feel like the tap of each keystroke is like the swoosh of a quill pen. I don’t think about the interface or user-experience. I’m not overwhelmed by features or tools. Medium is just a blank canvas and my ideas.” Example of User Awesome: “
- 85. Example of User Awesome: I find the clean organization of Ulysses gets out of my way, and when I’m writing—it’s as smooth as silk. In a subtle way, I feel inspired by Ulysses and consequentially, I end up spending more time with my butt in the chair, actually writing because I’m enjoying myself.” —Micah Moss, Screenwriter and Novelist “
- 86. Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality What’s dangerous about our processes?
- 87. The MINEFIELD of dangerous ideas: The MINEFIELD of dangerous ideas: Not necessarily bad, just highly volatile and easily misunderstood!
- 88. The MINEFIELD of dangerous ideas: The MINEFIELD of dangerous ideas: MVP(Minimum Viable Product) LONG SENTENCE Scope creep Perfection P0, P1, P2, P3... Functional Business Units Process& Documentation (reductionist) Scoping + Estimation Not necessarily bad, just highly volatile and easily misunderstood! LONG SENTENCE LONG SENTENCE
- 89. What’s dangerous about our processes? Scope creep
- 94. https://medium.com/@rjs/what-happens-to-user-experience-in-a-minimum-viable-product-5917f88079a1?s=9-what-happens-to-user-experience-in-a-minimum-viable-product “The set of features you choose to build is one thing. The level you choose to execute at is another.” —Ryan Singer Scope Quality Scope Scope
- 95. What’s dangerous about our processes? Perfection
- 96. Me: “good is the enemy of great” Him: “perfect is the enemy of good” Him: “touché”
- 97. Me: “good is the enemy of great” Him: “perfect is the enemy of good” There’s a difference between perfection and excellence. Him: “touché”
- 98. MVP(Minimum Viable Product) What’s dangerous about our processes?
- 101. Minimum Viable Product Product ? “A donut w/o glaze ain’t no donut to me.”
- 102. Huh? Minimum Viable Product ProductYuck! Insufficient Features. Incomplete. Poor quality compromises testing. ? “A donut w/o glaze ain’t no donut to me.”
- 103. EVP — Exceptional Viable Product MQP — Minimum Quality Product MDP — Minimum Desirable Product MVPP — Minimum Viable Product we’re Proud of Minimum Viable Product has become… MVE — Minimum Viable Experience etc.
- 104. What’s dangerous about our processes? Our reductionist Approach to Scoping + Estimation
- 107. “The Whole is Other than the Sum of the Parts”
- 108. “An Experience is Other than the Sum of the Parts”
- 111. != The pieces are the same… …but the final experience here is just WRONG!
- 112. Product
- 113. Experiences Product
- 114. Production. Direction. Balance. Orchestration. Choreography.
- 115. The universal constant behind all these process conversations…
- 116. Delivery VS Quality release early and often. you can’t release half a product You never want to dig a deep hole in the wrong spot. You only get one chance to make a first impression. “good enough” “good is the enemy of great” “experimentation & learning” “thoughtful planning” Alwaysbeshipping Wecan’tshipthiscrap! “done” “done right” “nice to have” “must have” everything is a test You can’t predict what customers will want, you have to test and experiment, release early and often. “some things you just know” (common sense, intuition, abductive reasoning, experience) Is this a P0, P1 P2…? “Quality is a bar, not a feature that can be scoped out” (Both perspectives are true, at different times, under various circumstances)
- 117. (Both perspectives are true, at different times, under various circumstances) Delivery VS Quality release early and often. you can’t release half a product You never want to dig a deep hole in the wrong spot. You only get one chance to make a first impression. “good enough” “good is the enemy of great” “experimentation & learning” “thoughtful planning” Alwaysbeshipping Wecan’tshipthiscrap! “done” “done right” “nice to have” “must have” everything is a test You can’t predict what customers will want, you have to test and experiment, release early and often. “some things you just know” (common sense, intuition, abductive reasoning, experience) Is this a P0, P1 P2…? “Quality is a bar, not a feature that can be scoped out” At our core, we are a company that values _______________, though we make exceptions for ____________ when it seems right.” “ Delivery or Quality?
- 118. (Both perspectives are true, at different times, under various circumstances) Delivery VS Quality release early and often. you can’t release half a product You never want to dig a deep hole in the wrong spot. You only get one chance to make a first impression. “good enough” “good is the enemy of great” “experimentation & learning” “thoughtful planning” Alwaysbeshipping Wecan’tshipthiscrap! “done” “done right” “nice to have” “must have” everything is a test You can’t predict what customers will want, you have to test and experiment, release early and often. “some things you just know” (common sense, intuition, abductive reasoning, experience) Is this a P0, P1 P2…? “Quality is a bar, not a feature that can be scoped out” At our core, we are a company that values _______________, though we make exceptions for ____________ when it seems right.” “ Delivery or Quality? DELIVERY? QUALITY?
- 119. What does it mean to be a design-led company? Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t value quality
- 121. Most businesses want these types of outcomes…
- 122. Most businesses want these types of outcomes…
- 123. …but are they ready to change how they operate and what they value? Most businesses want these types of outcomes…
- 124. What does it mean to be a design-led company? THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION:
- 126. Design-led != pixel perfectionism, necessarily. the design team calling the shots.
- 127. Design-led = aligning the entire organization around the experiential needs of customers
- 128. …and if something isn’t quite right, you don’t ship it.
- 129. …and if something isn’t quite right, you don’t ship it. Experiences Product
- 130. http://www.inc.com/mark-kawano/lessons-from-my-time-at-apple-ship-something-you-re-proud-of.html Not only does the company set internal deadlines, it also creates deadlines for deadlines that have their own deadlines. Every aspect of the company's production cycle, from conception to ship date, is calculated. But— and this is a big "but"—what makes Apple different is that it is a company that is willing to move those deadlines. If a product in development isn't ready to be released, the deadline is pushed back. If an idea isn't perfect, or isn't considered truly magical and delightful internally, it's held back, revised, and the product given an entirely new launch date.” “ The Biggest Lesson I Learned as an Apple Designer
- 131. http://www.inc.com/mark-kawano/lessons-from-my-time-at-apple-ship-something-you-re-proud-of.html Not only does the company set internal deadlines, it also creates deadlines for deadlines that have their own deadlines. Every aspect of the company's production cycle, from conception to ship date, is calculated. But— and this is a big "but"—what makes Apple different is that it is a company that is willing to move those deadlines. If a product in development isn't ready to be released, the deadline is pushed back. If an idea isn't perfect, or isn't considered truly magical and delightful internally, it's held back, revised, and the product given an entirely new launch date.” The Biggest Lesson I Learned as an Apple Designer “
- 132. http://www.inc.com/mark-kawano/lessons-from-my-time-at-apple-ship-something-you-re-proud-of.html Not only does the company set internal deadlines, it also creates deadlines for deadlines that have their own deadlines. Every aspect of the company's production cycle, from conception to ship date, is calculated. But— and this is a big "but"—what makes Apple different is that it is a company that is willing to move those deadlines. If a product in development isn't ready to be released, the deadline is pushed back. If an idea isn't perfect, or isn't considered truly magical and delightful internally, it's held back, revised, and the product given an entirely new launch date.” “ The Biggest Lesson I Learned as an Apple Designer
- 133. At our core, we are a company that values _______________, though we make exceptions for ____________ when it seems right.” “ DELIVERY QUALITY
- 134. At our core, we are a company that values _______________, though we make exceptions for ____________ when it seems right.” “ How would your organization complete this statement?
- 135. At our core, we are a company that values _______________ . At our core, we are a company that values _______________ though we make exceptions for ____________ when it seems right.” “
- 137. Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Not “Design-Led” (Aligned around some other value)
- 138. Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values “Design-Led”Not “Design-Led” (Aligned around some other value)
- 139. Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Most “Quality” happens because of individuals who care deeply and have the necessary skills to make a difference “Design-Led”Not “Design-Led” (Aligned around some other value)
- 140. Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Individual Beliefs Processes Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Most “Quality” happens because of individuals who care deeply and have the necessary skills to make a difference “Me too!” companies “We want to be design-led” “Design-Led”Not “Design-Led” (Aligned around some other value) Cultural Values
- 141. Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Individual Beliefs Processes Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Individual Beliefs Processes Cultural Values Most “Quality” happens because of individuals who care deeply and have the necessary skills to make a difference “Me too!” companies “We want to be design-led” “Design-Led”Not “Design-Led” (Aligned around some other value) Cultural Values What does your company value?
- 142. “What do you reward?” —Jared Spool
- 143. Celebrate doing the right thing, not shipping something everyone on the team isn’t proud of. Set objective standards that create means for any team member to stop the assembly line. “What do you reward?”
- 144. Celebrate doing the right thing, not shipping something everyone on the team isn’t proud of. Set objective standards that create means for any team member to stop the assembly line. “What do you reward?” Not sure what your organization values? Look at what you informally celebrate and formally reward.
- 145. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality
- 146. Most businesses desire to create (and most individuals enjoy) well-designed, high-quality experiences BUT THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY… Individual Beliefs Many team members don’t really understand the cost or value of quality Processes Product design and development processes tend to scope out quality Cultural Values Day-to-day business decisions unintentionally create a culture that doesn’t prioritize quality Why I created this talk: better conversations (partly) the responsibility of CXO I want to work in a place that values great, well-designed experiences I’d like to see more businesses understand and value great design!