My Approach
How I take on a Problem
When presented with a problem I have found the best way to deal with it is through some variation of the following steps. Many variables are considered throughout the process, depending on the challenge, but a strong emphasis is put on the need for user-centred solutions. Which is why User testing is a step that could be repeated throughout the process at several points. Applying design heuristics and User Experience methodology by following the steps below allows for a thorough, creative and well thought out solution to any problem.
Step 1.) Research
Beginning with initial research, I obsess over a company and a project. Searching and researching anything relatable or similar to it. To paraphrase a famous quote, The first step to solve any problem is to clarify it.
Once I am happy with the amount of information I have about the problem, I move on to competitive benchmarking, the competition, similar functions on other apps and anything else that could be beneficial.
Following a benchmark, it is best to get the users perspective in the situation, surveying potential, past and current users. If there is no user body to access, I create a Persona to run through simulations on potential use before doing an In-Depth interview. A friendly but detailed chat with relative parties to gather more important information. If there is an existing product, I end this leg of the approach with a usability test, normally with a number of people fitting the target audience of the product.
Step 2.) Consolidation
With the bulk of the research completed, notes, benchmarks and surveys all gathered, I find myself with a mountain of raw and unsorted data in various forms from notes, to photos to videos. The natural next step is to sort through the data, organise it as much as possible and present the research in as strong a way as possible.
Beginning with the creation of a customer journey map, using the information about the user to see how they would feel about several simulated layouts. Applying PESTLE & Swot analysis to the data and the company.
Following this, a team of designers/ volunteers create an Affinity Diagram to layout the specifics of the apps before card sorting or (preferably) user lead card sorting to weed out the pain points and build up the framework of the product. When all of the data is accounted for and dissected, what is left is the project’s skeleton. Ready to be built upon with the UI and design system side of the process.
Step 3.) Design
The last step of consolidating the information is to create a flow map of the product and how it will be experienced by the users. Turning to my sketchbooks, I begin the planning process of how the product will look, if a design system is in place I strive to use it, if not I begin creating it.
As far as I am concerned, design systems are essential for creating an easier and more relatable product for a user to maintain. With copious amounts of Sketching done, I submit my designs for approval, doing one step forward where necessary and creating a low fidelity prototype to demonstrate the journey so far and offer an opportunity for testing with users or clients given the opportunity to give us feedback on the product.
With experience in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, among others as well as Figma, Sketch and other digital design software, turning the low fidelity sketches into high-quality designs is the easiest step of my approach. With the sketches digitised and the designs ready, I begin the final leg, the Prototyping stage.
Step 4.) Prototyping
With experience in low, medium and high fidelity prototypes using softwares like Figma, Framer, Axure and Adobe XD to create them, with everything else together and the designs ready to be converted into the prototype, the normally created with a wireframe for developers to understand the process of what could not be rendered in the prototype.
Once all of this is completed, the prototype is ready to be user tested again. Feedback will be taken away and analysed, returning back to step 1 in order to fully take advantage of user feedback. And so the process begins again. And will continue, until user satisfaction is reached.
This method is improved if allowed to work in an AGILE process, further user-testing and differing levels of research. As I mentioned at the top, my method is dependent on the project, how new the project is, is there a previous iteration to be updated or will this be the first release, how many similar projects or companies are out there and how it affects the research stage, and most importantly; the level of communication with the client, the process can be vastly improved if a dialogue is present with the client, allowing for a more thorough understanding of the problem and an open relationship to show the progress made. This information will not affect the outcome, but more the process. Keeping myself flexible and open to the process, always ready to learn.
