As designers, we understand that no single process or framework fits every situation perfectly.
To address this, I've developed an approach that focuses on empowering individuals and teams through guiding principles rather than adhering to a rigid process.
While there are logical steps to move from concept to something of value, each step is adaptable, focusing on what is necessary to progress.
I've outlined this approach below with a short overview, principles that guide each step and some activities that are often used. This is most suited for 0-1 or more complex problems, for smaller problems I use this approach (link coming soon)
A recurring challenge I’ve encountered is the tendency to start projects with a predetermined solution, which can lead to misalignment with market needs and increased risk of failure due to the lengthy nature of product development.
To avoid this, my approach emphasises a problem-first strategy using Design Thinking, Lean UX, and Agile methodologies. This involves embracing the inherent messiness and focusing on customer-centric design.
Research and experimentation are integrated into iterative design and development cycles to avoid a linear waterfall approach. This method aims to mitigate risks through early and frequent testing, creating feedback loops for continuous product refinement until achieving problem-solution fit.
I have been inspired by renowned product coaches like Marty Cagan, Jeff Gothelf, Teresa Torres, Melissa Perri, Itamar Gilad, and Alberto Savoia.
Through experimenting with different methods while developing multiple products from 0-1, this approach has proven to be the most effective. It fosters cross-functional collaboration, bringing diverse perspectives and adaptability throughout the development process.
This ensures the focus is on creating value by building "the right it" before concentrating on "building it right."
Often, the true issue isn't immediately apparent, and failing to identify the root cause or core problem can lead to merely addressing symptoms. It's crucial to invest time in clearly defining the problem before rushing to a solution:
Once we have a firm understanding of the problem, the known/unknown activity helps reveal the gaps in our knowledge and sets a path for discovery. One of the most effective approaches is qualitative research, especially conducting user interviews, which provides firsthand insights into customer pain points and challenges.
This approach ensures that the product addresses genuine problems and fills gaps in the market.
Adoption Factors:
To ensure customers and their users will want to adopt the product, it’s important to establish the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors:
Push Factors: These are elements that motivate customers to change their current way of working. They often stem from pain points or inefficiencies in existing processes.
Pull Factors: These are attractive features or benefits that draw customers towards adopting a new solution. They represent the potential improvements or advantages offered by the new product.
Vast amounts of data on their own provide little insight. Without thorough analysis, the data gathered during research remains largely unhelpful and ineffective. Organising and analysing data is crucial for customer centric data informed decisions.
Exploration fuels innovation. This starts with comprehensive brainstorming sessions involving cross-functional teams and key stakeholders who have vested interests. This process generates a wide array of creative solutions to address customer issues.
Once we have some promising ideas for solving a problem, it's tempting to jump straight into high-fidelity designs, which can sometimes lead to success. However, true success is achieved by creating value for everyone involved. Here we focus on what is the 'smallest most useful thing' we can do to learn our way forward.
Creating effective user experiences is not just the responsibility of UX designers; it requires a collaborative approach. By integrating diverse expertise and perspectives, cross-functional teams facilitate efficient and effective iterative design processes. This close collaboration with product and engineering teams ensures that key factors such as technological capabilities, budgetary constraints, and time limitations are considered.
To speed up design and get the most reliable feedback from prototypes, I often code them. I've found this method to be quicker than using design tools, and it provides more valuable feedback earlier on, helping me refine the finer details of interactions.
This is the moment of truth: have our efforts generated the value we intended? We must not fear being wrong. This is the time when we might fail, but it is also when we learn and find opportunities for improvement.