The CONOPS

by Dwayne Phillips

This is a reminder of one of the fundamental documents or documentations in creating systems that delight users. It is the Concept of Operations.

First things first. We want to provide a system that delights users. Where do we start? Let’s talk with the users; watch the users; learn from the users, and speak the language of the users.

Then, let’s record what we have learned about what the user does and what the user wants and needs. That recording is the Concept of Operations or CONOPS. The CONOPS can be a written document. It can also be a session of a podcast. It can also be a video. It can also be anything we can imagine.

There are a few characteristics:

• Describe the user’s day and how a system will fit in that day.
• Use the user’s language.

Here is a suggested question:

• If you had 1,000 people in the back yard helping you do your job, what would you do and what would they do?

The CONOPS does not describe the technology inside the system. The only technology mentioned is that which the user is already using. This is one of the more difficult aspects of the CONOPS for the technical team. We just can’t seem to step away from our wonderful technology.

For example:

• My car stalls at a traffic light. I say, “Stalled, help.” Within a couple of minutes, my car is on the side of the road out of everyone’s way, someone is giving me a ride to work, and someone will get my car to the repair shop.
• I come home tired from work. I say, “Dinner for two prepared in less than 30 minutes.” A recipe pops up using only the groceries in my house that meets the needs I said.
• I’m eating dinner. If someone important to me calls me on the phone, it rings. I know it is important. Otherwise the phone takes a message.

Keep it simple. Keep the user at the center. Don’t try too hard. There will be plenty of time later for trying really hard.