This case study showcases a selection of UxD artifacts and methods I most often create or apply throughout the product development life cycle. These include personas, stakeholder interviews, competitor research, focus groups, sketches, wireframes, prototypes and qualitative and quantitative research.
Personas
Traditional personas are usually heavily researched to create validated representations of the company’s target audience which are then packaged up and presented in a tidy report to the company’s leadership. They are time-consuming and expensive to create.
Traditional personas are usually heavily researched to create validated representations of the company’s target audience which are then packaged up and presented in a tidy report to the company’s leadership. They are time-consuming and expensive to create.
Proto-personas are a variant of the typical persona, with the important difference that they are not initially the result of user research. Instead, they originate from brainstorming workshops where company participants try to encapsulate the organisation’s beliefs.
Stakeholder interviews
These interviews are typically conducted as part of the initial research phase in product development. They serve to determine stakeholder needs and identify business requirements. Documenting stakeholder needs involves identifying, understanding, and representing different, and sometimes opposing viewpoints. It is important to collate all viewpoints to form a complete picture.
These interviews are typically conducted as part of the initial research phase in product development. They serve to determine stakeholder needs and identify business requirements. Documenting stakeholder needs involves identifying, understanding, and representing different, and sometimes opposing viewpoints. It is important to collate all viewpoints to form a complete picture.
Competitor research
Competitor analyses involve the auditing or reviewing of competing websites and applications. In addition, we also conduct usability tests on competing products. Results are compiled to summaries the competitive landscape.
Competitor analyses involve the auditing or reviewing of competing websites and applications. In addition, we also conduct usability tests on competing products. Results are compiled to summaries the competitive landscape.
Sketches, wireframes and prototypes
I consider pen and paper a vital part of any UX process. Through a series of rough sketches and wireframes I like to explore the framework of a product, content, navigation and interactions.
I consider pen and paper a vital part of any UX process. Through a series of rough sketches and wireframes I like to explore the framework of a product, content, navigation and interactions.
I always start out by sketching on scrap paper, stickies and whiteboards. Other most-often used favorite tools to ideate and share ideas are Sketch, Axure RP, Lucidchar, Paper and Google Docs. The following examples show some wireframes, sketches and initial concepts done on paper and whiteboard; and user flows in a Google Doc format.
