My Process

My approach to the UX Process is based on the Adaptive path method popularised by the User Experience designer Jesse James Garrett. The method is an iterative process which breaks down the process into 5 stages, with the view of completing each stage before moving onto the next stage.

I’ve also highlights some of the tool I use in order to achieve a greater experience to the user.


1.Strategy

Defining the user needs and business objectives of the project...and how to measure them.

Possible Tasks to help achieve this step;

Competitor Analysis - Performing an audit/review of competing websites and apps; conducting user testing of competing sites; writing a report that summarises the competitive landscape.

Stakeholder Interviews - Conversations with the key contacts in the client organisation funding, selling, or driving the product.


2.Scope

The Scope defines the function, features and content requirements of the project. Putting more bones to the Strategy stage. The more researching into those areas will mean less irritations and save time moving onto the structure stages with less irritations.

Possible Tasks to help achieve this step;

Content Audit - Reviewing and cataloguing a repository of content.

Function Requirments – Outlining functionality of the project.

User Personas – creating fictitious identities that reflects one of the user groups for who you are designing for.


3.Structure

Defines how the user interacts with the product, and defines how the system is organised and how the information is prioritised, this stage can split into two different components depending on the type of project; Interaction Design & Information Architecture.

Possible Tasks to help with the Interaction Design;

User Journeys / tasks - to understand the main scenarios of tasks the user might do to interact with the application.

User Block Flow Diagrams – we created a block flow diagram for each task to allow us to add functionality.

Paper Prototyping – help to gain a greater understanding of the user journey, help to feedback and saving time on this stage

Possible Tasks to help with the Information Architecture;

Card Sorting - a technique where users are asked to generate an information hierarchy, which can then form the basis of an information architecture or website navigation menu.

Sitemap - is a useful task as it can be used to shape which screens to wireframe.


team img 1
example of a user block flow diagram
4.Skeleton

The Skeleton determines the visual form of the product, the layout and positioning of the content.

Wireframe - I tend to either create low fidelity wire frames first, or create high fidelity wireframes from the User Block Diagrams in the previous stages.


team img 1
typical wireframe taken from Hotels.com
5.Surface

Once all the 4 steps have been concluded with can apply the branding. The brand design system which includes branded colours, typography and style of photography / imagery.

Possible Tasks to help achieve this step;

Mood Board - helps to provide the visual atmosphere that the site should convey, exploring colour palette, typography and other visual elements.

Prototyping – helps to see it all come together and test before development, also get to develop any animation / dynamic graphical elements. Again, this can be an invaluable took for gaining feedback.

Design Systems – creating a design system will give a single source of truth to all design elements allowing design work / branding elements to be consistent, unfired and time saving.


example of a prototyping - taken from Hotels.com