The Process

Design the Right Thing.

1. Discover.

Once a challenge is identified, we still don’t know what we don’t know. At this point, it’s essential to begin research to understand the landscape of where we are so that we can eventually uncover what tool, process, or interface can solve the problem. During the Discovery phase, research is what we focus on. By leveraging qualitative and quantitative data, we can build a collection of data to inform the rest of the process.

2. Define.

With all the unstructured data we’ve collected, we can embark on synthesis. We’re able to organize and parse the data and analyze these insights, first individually and then collectively with a proper understanding of the problem. Trends (both current and emerging), best practices, and competitive analysis are layered in. At this point, we’re pretty close to understanding what opportunities we can tie success to and understanding if (once defined) the results will solve the challenge. Taking into account stakeholders and end-users, we define the right thing and step into the pen-to-paper work.

Build the Right Thing the Right Way.

3. Design.

Sometimes referred to as Development, this phase is primarily focused on ideation (and yes, I hate that buzz word too, but stick with me here). We begin a feedback loop of ideation and evaluation as we start with low-fidelity wireframes to high-fi wireframes. Through this process, we conduct formative testing with users to accurately understand if we are on the right track and can identify and address problems and pains points along the way. From wireframes, we move onto UI, usually with a low-fi and high-fi version, followed up with another round of formative testing. Changes happen, things are tidied up and made pixel perfect.

4. Deliver.

During this phase, implementation is our focus. The right thing, designed right, is packaged up and delivered to whoever is responsible for building it, such as an engineering or a development team. Agile is king here, and the UX team is consistently engaged along the way, integrated into the implementation team so that business needs are correctly being address while the design is also being adhered to. It’s less of a supervisory role as it is more of a consulting role to advise and answer questions that inevitably come up. QA is involved along the way, during each sprint. UAT is conducted before releasing the product. Finally, it’s “delivered.” Usually, at least one summative round of testing is conducted, and future optimizations are made over time for future releases. Designing the Thing Right is a step that is repeated again and again. Each time, the challenge is addressed and solved for more and more.