Process
User Research
I like to reach out to product owners, sales people, help desk staff and any other internal experts who communicate regularly with customers. It's amazing the insights you can uncover if you simply spend some time with people on the ground. Still, nothing beats meeting potential users in person, and listening to their experiences. By talking through concerns and needs with real users, I find I can understand workflows and feature needs much more easily.
User Personas
Journey Mapping
I like to use tools like UXPressia for beautiful journey maps that are quick and easy.
Workflow Design
Information Architecture
Favorite methods and tools:
- Post-Its
- Whiteboarding
- Spreadsheets
- Hierarchy grids
I like to handle certain areas of IA first in the design process, namely navigational structures and admin/settings areas. By examining these areas, I start to understand the subsequent screens that will be needed, and the deeper level workflows. This is especially helpful for products that change dynamically based on user role and credentials. Even if these structures aren't complete, a solid first pass goes a long way to help organize and focus my efforts.
Wireframes
High-Fidelity Mockups
Prototypes
User Testing/Product Feedback Loop
User testing should be done often, and throughout the product development lifecycle. I've done user testing that was informal to quickly verify a new adjustment, and user testing that was more involved and formalized. For fun, I've even been a tester myself on UserTesting.com!
At the end of the day, you can't verify that your theories are correct until you verify them through accurate user feedback. And if you can't verify it, you shouldn't build it.
I like to employ a very close partnership with product managers and owners when engaging in user testing and research. As the voices of the customer, it's critical that we understand and mutually agree on user needs.