UX and Agile: Best Practices
4 likes•2,392 views
The document outlines seven best practices for integrating user experience (UX) design within an Agile framework, emphasizing the importance of balancing user needs with business objectives. Key strategies include utilizing ad-hoc discovery sprints, assigning a dedicated UX owner, and involving the team through constant communication and buy-in on design concepts. The overarching message is to ensure a holistic view of user experience while maintaining flexibility and adaptability throughout the Agile process.
UX and Agile: Best Practices
- 1. Best Practices Sally Abolrous UX Strategist, Researcher, and Designer [email protected] www.salouli.com UX and Agile
- 2. What I love about Agile · Teaming · It’s collaborative and cross-functional · Incremental · You don’t have to answer everything now · Rapid · Frequent releases to test your designs · Flexible and Adaptable · The team’s goal is to keep improving
- 3. What I don’t love about Agile · Velocity is everything · Quality is an after-thought
- 4. A great user experience must be rooted in an understanding of business needs and user needs; Good user interface design is not enough. User Experience
- 5. User Experience Beyond the 30%... · We immerse ourselves in the business · We listen to stakeholders and users · We identify problems · We propose and test solutions · We create and share a vision · We drive decision making
- 6. A great user experience must be rooted in an understanding of business needs and user needs; Good user interface design is not enough. User Experience How do we fit this into the process?
- 7. Experiments that work · 7 Best Practices based on successful experiments · Resulted in high velocity · Resulted in high quality
- 8. 1. Ad-hoc “Discovery” Sprints Best practices for Agile UX
- 9. Why? Ad hoc “Discovery” Sprints · “Sprint 0” is short. We can’t plan for everything · We need time to answer big questions · We need time to reach a decision · We need to take a step back and look at the big picture Sprint 0 Sprint 1 Sprint 2 Sprint 3 Sprint 4 Sprint 6
- 10. How does it fit in Agile? Ad hoc “Discovery” Sprints · Design (UX, BA, Arch) is 2 sprints ahead · “Discovery” sprints as needed · Prioritize non-UX stories/ tasks for the team while doing discovery Design Sprint 0 Design Sprint 1 Design Sprint 2 Design Sprint 3 Design Sprint 4 Discovery Design Sprint 6 Sprint 0 Sprint 1 Sprint 2 Dev Sprint 3 Dev Sprint 4 Dev Sprint 5 Dev Sprint 6
- 11. What do you do? Ad hoc “Discovery” Sprints · Talk to the users, the business, and the stakeholders · Create and evaluate concepts · Research the industry and the competition · Conduct surveys, participatory design sessions, usability testing · Etc…
- 12. What are some deliverables? Ad hoc “Discovery” Sprints · Process Flows · Stories · Scenarios · Wireframes · Design guidelines
- 13. 2. Assign a UX Owner Best practices for Agile UX
- 14. Assign a UX Owner Why? · Team is focused on the details of the current and next sprint, not on the big picture · Multiple designers on different teams can lead to inconsistency · Need someone to ensure the vision is carried through and the design doesn’t lose its integrity Make it my way! 80/20 Rule Zero training Less is More!!!
- 15. How? Assign a UX Owner · Embed UX members in the agile teams · Increased collaboration · Increased understanding of UX process · Common vision · UX owner may/may not be on a team · UX owner ensures consistency · UX owner maintains the vision and design goals · UX owner passes/approves deliverables Team A UX VD PO BA Dev Arch QA SM
- 16. 3. Don’t lose sight of the Big Picture Best practices for Agile UX
- 17. Why? Don’t lose sight of the big picture · In Agile, stories are small and focused on one feature · It’s easy to forget about the big picture · The navigation and interaction of the whole system is UX’s responsibility Sprint 1 Team A Sprint 2 Team B Sprint 3 Team A Sprint 3 Team B Sprint 4 Team C Sprint 3 Team C
- 18. Don’t lose sight of the big picture · Everywhere… · Process Flows · Personas · Design Mantras · Wireframes/Sketches/Ideas · Design team… · Cross-team design sessions to ensure pieces fit together · Maintain and use the UX framework · Think ahead
- 19. Don’t lose sight of the big picture Anticipate what’s coming next based on process flows. Is there a next step or is this final step? What if the user gets interrupted? Out of scope Out of scope
- 20. 4. Get Buy-In from the Team Best practices for Agile UX
- 21. Why? Get Buy-In from the Team · Everyone should be invested in the design · Development, Business, QA insight is crucial Solid Design Technology Context Business Goals Customer Needs
- 22. How? Get Buy-In from the Team · Talk! Often! · Whiteboard sessions with Arch/Dev/BA · Make Informed decisions · Understand the technology: · Limitations, Customizations, Effort required… · Understand the business: · Goals, Motivations, Priorities… · Share early design sketches/ideas · Are there better solutions? · Are there technical concerns? · Are there testing concerns?
- 23. 5. Put the user in the user story Best practices for Agile UX
- 24. A great user experience must be rooted in an understanding of business needs and user needs. Put the User in the User Story
- 25. Why? Put the User in the User Story · Business objectives and goals drive design decisions · and users’ objectives and goals drive business decisions · Bring the user’s voice to requirements gathering sessions with the business · Bridge the gap between the business and the users
- 26. We think beyond the requirements Put the User in the User Story · Question how things work today · We ask “why?” · Think beyond a user story · What’s happening before this? After this? · Channel the user · Will users understand this term? Add tooltips · Do users have enough information to make a decision? Add info · Do users know where they are? Add breadcrumbs · Do users know who to contact in case they get stuck? Add content · Are we missing key requirements needed to complete a task?
- 27. We look for ways to delight users, make their lives easier, and form an emotional connection with our product or service. Put the User in the User Story
- 28. 6. Form a User Committee Best practices for Agile UX
- 29. Why? Form a User Committee · Feedback is needed quickly · No time for formal user research
- 30. Made up of key personas Form a User Committee · Available for the entire team to: · Gather additional requirements · Understand and create process flows · Review wireframes · Review visual designs · Review prototypes or implementations · Complete surveys · Help expedite decision making · Ensure that nothing is overlooked or missed
- 31. 7. Have your UX Laundry List Ready Best practices for Agile UX
- 32. Why? Have your UX Laundry List Ready · There’s always room for improvement and refinement · Inconsistencies get deprioritized during sprints · Visual design often gets deprioritized · Iterations are important in both UX and Agile · There’s always some unexpected down time – be prepared!
- 33. How? Have your UX Laundry List Ready · Evaluate and test the release frequently and keep a log of desired enhancements · Discuss your list with the team and get their buy-in · Keep your list prioritized at all times
- 34. Thank you! Questions or comments? Contact me at [email protected]