Cake Wrecks with guest John Cutler

Listen to this episode from Sketchplanations - The Podcast on Spotify. Have you ever had your order or instructions (for a cake or otherwise) go hilariously awry? Oh dear... How funny. Never mind eh?!? I'm sure there's a lesson in these somewhere. In this episode, we discuss the phenomenon of 'Cake Wrecks,' where instructions for creating something go hilariously wrong, and how this applies broadly to miscommunication in product development. The conversation is joined by John Cutler, a prolific writer and ("on second") thought leader in digital product development. We delve into the importance of clear communication, prototypes, and iterative understanding in avoiding these 'wrecks' in both hardware and software realms. As always, we also touch on real-world examples, the role of user experience, and the necessity of involving all team members in the design process to ensure a shared and accurate understanding of project goals.Stay tuned for practical advice on improving clarity and collaboration in your projects.Topics Covered. 00:00 Introduction to Cakewrecks00:57 Everyday Essentials and the Magic of Three01:44 The Versatile Bic Four Colours Pen02:17 Reminiscing About Handwriting and Notes05:31 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest05:39 Exploring Cake Wrecks and Misinterpretation06:29 John Cutler's Journey and Insights13:47 Challenges in Product Development20:07 The Illusion of Fixing Decisions20:28 Challenges in Hardware Manufacturing21:13 The Importance of Clear Communication22:44 Prototyping and Specification23:46 Avoiding Misunderstandings in Projects25:20 Participatory Design and User Experience28:18 Embracing Diverse Perspectives34:48 The Role of Sketching in Communication37:55 Concluding Thoughts and ResourcesGet in TouchHave you ever had your instructions result in something way more literal than intended? Or did you mis-interpret the orders of someone else? Let us know:email us: [email protected] leave us a voice noteReference LinksIn this episode we also reference:YouTube clip of John's first digital product development project; the computer bar tending game, Last CallJen Yates' amusing blog on Cake WrecksJeff Patton's book; User Story MappingSpinal Tap's Cake Wreck moment when they accidentally order an 18" tall model of Stonehenge in stead of an 18' model. Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner's book, How Big Things Get DoneAll music on this podcast is provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.