Warc, 8 March 2013
NEW YORK: Facebook, the social network, is attempting to
further enhance its "build and prototype" innovation culture,
especially as the firm tries to make in-roads in the mobile space.
Speaking to the Harvard Business Review, Kate Aronowitz,
Facebook's director of design, stated that the company puts practical
application, not theoretical appeal, at the heart of its R&D model.
"There isn't a review board that designers and
engineers go present to with PowerPoint slides. We're very much a build and
prototype culture. Ideas presented on slides just don't stick," she said.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, and Christopher
Cox, its vice president of product, are also highly involved in developing new
offerings. "It can be hard to judge something if you're not part of the
process of making it," said Aronowitz.
"They are just other people on the team, in a way ...
Our innovation process is less about getting approval, and more about getting
these thinkers to participate."
Mobile is a particular priority for the company, as more
daily users now log on via this channel than from PCs or laptops. As a result,
Facebook has the leading app for both Android and Apple devices.
To continue this positive momentum, it formed a mobile
design think tank in 2012, which is briefed to look two years ahead. Each
product unit also contains a mobile design specialist.
Real-time "contextual sharing" is a priority for
this medium, for example letting users request directions from a friend or ask
for recommendations about places to visit.
A simplified site design and identifying the ideal level of
notifications is also important, so as not to "flood" mobile users
while still offering a "compelling" experience.
"Our attention span is different when we're using a
phone. We need to give users something interesting, relevant, and create an
experience where they can take action very quickly," said Aronowitz.
"They're not focused, like they are at a desk."
Tapping a similar mindset, Facebook frequently relocates its
staff to different positions around its office to encourage different patterns
of thinking, and emphasises using a colour palette that is "residential
and comforting".
"Your physical environment influences how you think and
feel. If you want to build openness and collaboration, then the office must
reflect that," Aronowitz said.
Data sourced from Harvard Business Review; additional
content by Warc staff
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