MY PROCESS
Designing the right thing = designing things right. While there's no one size fits all approach, the designer's process toolkit is key to the value they provide.
With an ever evolving design methodology, I employ processes that confidently progress the project from a starting point of deep questioning. Gathering reliable research insights, I form a solid foundation from which to test assumptions, generate solutions and iterate designs in order to create gratifying outcomes.
RESEARCH & DISCOVER
I map the domain landscape, conducting competitive analysis to ascertain market trends and evaluate direct rivals and indirect competitors whose services may employ interesting solutions to satisfy proximal user needs.
Next I triangulate primary research:
- The numbers
Quantitative research: analytics and user survey data - Users' motivations and needs
Qualitative research: interviews, observing behaviour - Wider contextual factors
Socio-technical system, ideological/cultural context, policy and legal concerns, physical environment
This models the problem space as a human centred nested complex system (Cham, 2016).
This knowledge guides subsequent development, decision making and testing strategies throughout the project.
DEFINE & SYNTHESISE
I synthesise user data into personas. These conglomerate characters represent key user types which are used to continually test project development ensuring core user needs remain prioritised.
Through techniques including concept mapping, affinity mapping, task analysis, experience mapping and service blueprinting I uncover insights, themes and areas of opportunity, distilling user research into realistic scenarios that guide product development.
Narrowing the divergent discovery stage of the project I find the crux of the problem the project aims to solve. This is defined in the problem statement, the ‘how might we..’ question, that my design process will answer.
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
I'm an advocate of radical collaboration, an efficient co-creative ideation technique developed by IBM Design Thinking: I bring together as broad a range of stakeholders as possible and create the perfect environment for the cross pollination of great ideas. I love drawing on my experience as a trained Workshop Facilitator to guarantee these sessions are great fun, produce valuable concepts and establish a deep shared understanding of the project’s goals, bridging departmental divisions while keeping users’ needs to the fore.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Whether auditing an existing site or starting afresh, I organise the content of the interactive system with a solid understanding of the needs and capabilities of our users and the context in which the system is deployed.
ITERATE
I advocate a fail-fast approach to uncover and address design issues from the earliest point possible. I prototype rapidly from hand sketched ideas to clickable digital prototypes through frequent and rapid build, test and reflect cycles, ensuring solutions provide maximum value for the people that will use them.
SOLUTION
Combining a toolkit of established and emerging best practice UX process and methodologies with positive approach to business constraints, I provide solutions that help users achieve their goals and drive business outcomes for the client.
Whether handing over to Developers or UI Designers, I ensure the provenance of my work through accessible design resources, specifications and clear style guidelines.