design process
BRIEFING
Depends on a project, but usually I first try to get as much information during the briefing stage. This stage can last longer until the briefing and objectives are not clear to everybody involved. This includes user flow, technology and objectives mapping, tree structures, timeline and budget planning. At best this part of the process involves main stakeholders, developers and anyone directly involved with the product.
Deliverable: creating documentation stating initial briefing.
Depends on a project, but usually I first try to get as much information during the briefing stage. This stage can last longer until the briefing and objectives are not clear to everybody involved. This includes user flow, technology and objectives mapping, tree structures, timeline and budget planning. At best this part of the process involves main stakeholders, developers and anyone directly involved with the product.
Deliverable: creating documentation stating initial briefing.
RESEARCH
Design process starts with research
- knowledge base, data and insights relative to the specific industry
- benchmarking related products and features
- benchmarking product positioning, market and target user segment
- user research (statistics, interviews, questionnaires)
Deliverable: research documentation with data, insights and conclusions.
Design process starts with research
- knowledge base, data and insights relative to the specific industry
- benchmarking related products and features
- benchmarking product positioning, market and target user segment
- user research (statistics, interviews, questionnaires)
Deliverable: research documentation with data, insights and conclusions.
DESIGN
This part of the process starts with brainstorming, card sorting, user storyboarding, fast sketching. It might involve developers, graphic designers and client itself. This is where ideas popup, where fundamental features come out and create bases for what will become a structured wireframe. Usually I create interactive wireframes with low graphic detail. This helps keeping discussions and user testing focused on main functionalities, structure, interaction and strategy rather than visual details and content. The final stage of this part of the process is creation of visual design with fine tuned screens and interactive prototype with animated interactive elements and real code examples. This is the part of the process in which we usually discuss contents, typography, calls to action, the tone of the communication, technical and operative details, visual aspects such as colors, icons and graphic design, animations.
Deliverable: interactive animated prototypes and documentation
This part of the process starts with brainstorming, card sorting, user storyboarding, fast sketching. It might involve developers, graphic designers and client itself. This is where ideas popup, where fundamental features come out and create bases for what will become a structured wireframe. Usually I create interactive wireframes with low graphic detail. This helps keeping discussions and user testing focused on main functionalities, structure, interaction and strategy rather than visual details and content. The final stage of this part of the process is creation of visual design with fine tuned screens and interactive prototype with animated interactive elements and real code examples. This is the part of the process in which we usually discuss contents, typography, calls to action, the tone of the communication, technical and operative details, visual aspects such as colors, icons and graphic design, animations.
Deliverable: interactive animated prototypes and documentation
Animated prototype
USER TESTING
User testing can be done using low detail wireframes if project is complex and requires lots of iteration. Otherwise users might test first version of high level detail prototype. User testing can be done remotely with video and screen recording, in one to one sessions, questionnaires or focus groups.
Deliverable: report on user feedback, insights and conclusion.
User testing can be done using low detail wireframes if project is complex and requires lots of iteration. Otherwise users might test first version of high level detail prototype. User testing can be done remotely with video and screen recording, in one to one sessions, questionnaires or focus groups.
Deliverable: report on user feedback, insights and conclusion.
Quick prototyping and testing
DEVELOPMENT
Design process is not finished when the coding starts. Assisting developers with some arising problems and decisions is the key for delivering what has been designed. Depending on a project, usually I share screens with information regarding grids, margins, measures, fonts, colors, icons, images etc. but sometimes I might deliver ready coded and cross-browser/device tested HTML/CSS/JS static screens for developers.
Deliverable: screen specs and documentation, static HTML/CSS/JS screens, debugging reports.
Design process is not finished when the coding starts. Assisting developers with some arising problems and decisions is the key for delivering what has been designed. Depending on a project, usually I share screens with information regarding grids, margins, measures, fonts, colors, icons, images etc. but sometimes I might deliver ready coded and cross-browser/device tested HTML/CSS/JS static screens for developers.
Deliverable: screen specs and documentation, static HTML/CSS/JS screens, debugging reports.
Discussing prototype with developers during a live share session
Deliverable specifications for developers
ANALYSIS
This is the most exciting part, when real world users interact with the product we have designed and developed, watching them convert in customers and give feedback. Sometimes I work closely with users and support teams in order to receive qualitative input about the user's experience. Experience with leading tools for the data tracking, conversion funnel analysis and AB testing such as Google Analytics, KISSmetrics, Heap Analytics. Working closely in touch with the real user data drives the user centered approach in product's evolution.
Deliverable: reporting on insights, ideas and conclusions gathered at this stage.
This is the most exciting part, when real world users interact with the product we have designed and developed, watching them convert in customers and give feedback. Sometimes I work closely with users and support teams in order to receive qualitative input about the user's experience. Experience with leading tools for the data tracking, conversion funnel analysis and AB testing such as Google Analytics, KISSmetrics, Heap Analytics. Working closely in touch with the real user data drives the user centered approach in product's evolution.
Deliverable: reporting on insights, ideas and conclusions gathered at this stage.
Conversion funnel analysis
RE-DESIGN
As part of the iterative design process, redesign or new feature design follow the analysis part. Some features are developed upon explicit requests from stakeholders or being part of the initial development plan, others come from usability tests or directly from user's requests. Others are improvements developed based on the results from data analysis, for example, when analysing a conversion funnel, we might spot a page that has major abandonment rate. Usually, redesign stage starts from the top of this list, analysis report being the new briefing.
As part of the iterative design process, redesign or new feature design follow the analysis part. Some features are developed upon explicit requests from stakeholders or being part of the initial development plan, others come from usability tests or directly from user's requests. Others are improvements developed based on the results from data analysis, for example, when analysing a conversion funnel, we might spot a page that has major abandonment rate. Usually, redesign stage starts from the top of this list, analysis report being the new briefing.
Collaborative online design review