Process
There’s no replacement for a process. Where else can you look when you don't know where to go?
I start with a traditional engineering design process and adjust as needed.
It’s similar to the engineering design process that I learned in high school and later taught in high school technology education classes. Call it that, the scientific method or any other cool name it might have, it’s all the same concept – Define the problem, conduct research, plan the strategy, create solutions and iterate on them, evaluate results and communicate the work.
While nothing is truly final, the final step is refining the work. By doing this throughout each and every step, I’m actually moving the process into “Agile Design.” That means I use the basic process for every situation that arises, whether it’s updating my research goals, incorporating new parameters or editing my template layouts. It’s all (agile) refining and it’s all good.
Identify the problem
Define goals.
Create priorities.
Research variables
Learn the specifics. Let the information lead you.
Gather background information on your client, their customers and industry, as well as their competitors. Understanding terms and concepts, analytics, science and consumer reviews are all valuable.
Interview stakeholders inside and outside the business.
Develop solutions
Brainstorm based on what you know to be true at this point. Set ground rules and guidelines. Remain focused on the goals.
Break everything down. You’re creating a system that has to work for the smallest and largest parts. Good parts usually make a good finished project.
Select the best possible solution
Measure the solution(s) against goals. It’s rare that everything will fit perfectly. This is when you look back to your priorities.
How will this help or hurt development? Can we create a template from this? How will it fit into the CMS?
Remove your bias. Keep asking if it meets the goals and fits your strategy.
Construct a prototype
Depending on where you are in the project, this can range from a sketch to a clickable online prototype.
Test and evaluate solution
Go through the goals and priorities and see how the solution stacks up.
Show people and get their reactions (make sure they're focused on the specifics that you’re testing). Bring in a professional focus group to administer A/B testing or just ask friends, family and coworkers who fit the audience you’re aiming at.
There are a lot of ways to go about testing. If you can’t do them all, try a few tests that approach from different angles.
No single test should provide all your proof.
Share results and get feedback
Drawings, annotations, presentations and explanations are what we use to communicate.
Be specific but don’t make assumptions on the work someone else will have to do. Don't promise something that can't be built. Making sure you know what you're offering is part of your research.
Since the best UX requires teamwork, you should have people to ask the right questions to.
Redesign
This is a loop. Back to the beginning.
* Being a perfectionist is common in UX. Remember, you have to stop sometime. If you deliver nothing, it's worth nothing.