Collaborating Across Design Shapes
Simulation Activity
Select an Environment:
During this activity, use your mouse to click the onscreen arrows, or the keyboard tab function followed by the enter key to select your focused option.
Meet the Design Team
Monica
X-Shaped Designer
Juan
I-Shaped Designer
Sila
T-Shaped Designer
Click on the sign to hear more about each member.
Assigning Roles for User Research
You're preparing for a new product rollout. How will you delegate user research responsibilities among your team?
Scenario 1
Assign the I-shaped designer to conduct interviews while the X-shaped designer oversees data synthesis.
Have the T-shaped designer lead all user interviews and analysis.
Create cross-role subteams mixing strengths from all designers.
Outsource the research to a third party while your team focuses on prototyping.
Risk: Burnout
You've chosen a depth-focused approach. While the I-shaped designer may excel in interviews, managing all user research alone could lead to burnout or blind spots.
Great Depth!
Juan
I-Shaped Designer
Risk: Specific Area(s)
While broad, expansive skills may support consistency in UX Design, these professionals might lack depth in specific areas, like accessibility.
Great Consistency!
Sila
T-Shaped Designer
Risk: Confusion
While this encourages collaboration and well-rounded insights—it can create role confusion without clear leadership if not done carefully.
Great Collaboration!
Risk: UI Integrity
This saves vast amounts of internal time but risks losing user empathy and nuanced understanding. Is it worth it?
Great Time Efficiency!
Scenario 2
Designing the User Interface
You’re designing a mobile interface for a multilingual audience. What design choices will you prioritize?
Design for English-first, then adapt for localization later.
Implement a minimalist, icon-driven interface to reduce reliance on language.
Conduct usability testing in three primary languages before finalizing the UI.
Use auto-translation features with responsive layout adjustments.
Risk: Usability
This provides a streamlined process upfront, but may result in usability issues for multiple languages.
Great Efficiency!
Risk: Lack of Familiarity
This increases universal usability, but may confuse users that are unfamiliar with certain icons or metaphors.
Great Usability!
Risk: Impact of trust
This option is time efficient and resourceful, but it impacts the accessibility and trust in diverse communities.
Great Thought!
Risk: Sacrifice to the UI
This is a quick solution, but may compromise tone, accuracy, and layout integrity of the user interface. Is it worth it?
Great Solution!
Reflection
How did your choices impact:
Mentally reflect on these topics. When you’re ready, click on the next arrow in the bottom right hand corner.
Meet the Design Team
Monica
X-Shaped Designer
Juan
I-Shaped Designer
Sila
T-Shaped Designer
Developing Learning Objectives
You’re designing a course for adult learners. What approach will you use to develop clear, measurable objectives?
Scenario 1
Align objectives with Bloom’s Taxonomy and job-relevant competencies.
Use general objectives and allow learners to self-direct based on interest.
Start with assessment design and back-map objectives from those tasks.
Repurpose objectives from a previous course with minor edits.
Risk: SME Collaboration
Clear alignment with outcomes and professional application—but may require more upfront collaboration with SMEs.
Great Alignment!
Risk: Lack of Direction
This option promotes learner autonomy, but risks increasing confusion and promotes an overall lack of focus.
Great Autonomy!
Risk: Narrow goals
This ensures instructional alignment, but could lead to overly narrow learning goals. This may be exactly what your project needs, or the opposite.
Great Alignment!
Risk: Target Audience Needs
This option saves time, but you may miss the target audience’s specific needs.
Great Time Efficiency!
Scenario 2
Creating an Assessment Strategy
You need to align assessments with your learning objectives. Which strategies will you use to measure success?
Design scenario-based assessments that mirror real-life challenges.
Use multiple-choice quizzes with instant feedback.
Incorporate peer reviews and collaborative projects.
Ask learners to submit reflective journals on their learning process.
Risk: Complexity
This design decision is highly engaging and authentic, but can be complex to grade and difficult to standardize.
Great Authenticity!
Risk: Learner Confusion
While highly efficient and scalable, this option may not measure or encourage comprehensible understanding.
Great Efficiency!
Risk: Bias
This option builds community and reflection, but may also introduce bias or uneven amounts of effort throughout the team.
Great Collaboration!
Risk: Lack of Measurement
This promotes metacognition, but is tougher to assess consistently and objectively over time.
Great Metacognition!
Reflection
How did your choices impact:
Mentally reflect on these topics. When you’re ready, click the next arrow key in the bottom righthand corner.
Key Takeaways
During this activity, you…
When you’re ready, return to the Course.
✅Reinforced team collaboration
✅Applied strategic thinking to manage real-world scenarios
✅Reflected on your techniques to apply to future design challenges
Restart the Simulation Activity