Love simplicity

Ugly and complicated tools. Complex and unlikely roadmaps. Endless chatter about nothing. Complexity is everywhere, and often, it's the default. It's all "bundled in" just because it's the way it's always been done. This overload makes us sick. It leads to more overhead costs which means people's attention is diverted from what matters most: getting work done.

For some time now, we've abandoned the maximization theory – the belief that more is better. More tools, more people, more communication processes... but sometimes, to complete a task, all it takes is a quick chat or a message on Slack. The Agile Studio chases simplicity in everything it does. It keeps asking, "Is this element truly essential to reach our goal? Can we simplify anything in the process or tools?"

This mindset has allowed us to assist our clients more effectively. In the past, clients would come to us with long lists of features and complex ideas. We used to accommodate their approach by writing detailed specification documents based on their input, often free of charge. However, it's extremely challenging to pre-estimate the details of a complex project, and without in-depth discussions, it can become a lengthy and tedious task. This approach often led us to manage never-ending projects and complex client relationships.

Today, we no longer adopt this approach. When a client suggests a new project, our focus is on fostering a meaningful conversation rather than just exchanging formal documents. To do this, we lock ourselves in a room for several days of collaborative work with the client, tackling complexity from the general ("What led you to undertake this project?" and "What do you hope to achieve?") to the specific ("Let's work together to outline a possible user flow.").

This approach disrupts the usual pattern where the client asks, and the agency responds with a quote based on limited information. Instead, we actively collaborate to understand and define the problem, aiming for a shared solution, at least at a conceptual level. At Moze, we call this phase Co-design Workshop – which synthesises various methodologies, including GV's Design Sprint and Jeff Patton's User Story Mapping.

Regardless of the terminology used, it's crucial that this activity gets paid. Why? Compensation allows us to dedicate the necessary effort to thoroughly assess a new project. It's a design phase before implementation, a decision about "what" and "how" before moving on to "doing."

Getting started with this approach might not be easy. In our case, we began by proposing to our clients to conduct a preliminary analysis at a very affordable price. This choice has proven successful because it allowed us to gain experience, refine crucial facilitation skills, and build a track record that instils confidence in new clients. Over the years, our process has undergone significant changes, but our main goal remains the same: understanding what to do before taking action.