In the previous part, I already introduced some UX practices that I have experience with, now it’s the time to move to the Design stage.
After the assessment phase, we will understand the current situation, expectations, and problems that need to be solved. Base on some criteria such as timeline, budget, product phase, we define the problem that needs to be solved. At this point, we form personas and create some scenarios when the user is struggling, and their pain points happen. The information collected will be a guiding star for us when brainstorming and making design decisions.
1. Personas
As we are doing user-centered design so that we can not forget our users. The method of picking patterns of a user is called personas creating. It is created based on the data gathered in the assessment phase and represents a great number of users in terms of demographics, needs, and pain points.
2. Ideation & Sketching
At this step, we will have many brainstorming sessions to find feasible solutions for the problems we already defined. Many tools and frameworks can be applied, such as card sorting, information architecture, Crazy Eight. The purpose is to push out as many ideas as possible. Some of the ideas can be sketched with pencils and paper.
3. Flow mapping & Navigation
When we can decide the idea that we will be going to design, we apply them into a flow to see the user’s journey in an overall look. Flow is crucial, especially when we need to make sure that everything is working logically, define what happens in the un-happy cases, so on, and so forth.
4. Wireframe
The wireframe is a Low-fidelity prototype, which provides a clear structure of the information such as content and functions. As wireframe usually represents the initial product concept, the designer does not need to care about interaction design, color, or graphic styles. Despite how it was made — drawn by hand or created digitally — the wireframe’s goal is to get the skate holder to agree on the design’s structure and the information architecture.
5. Prototype & Testing
Designing a Hi-fidelity prototype is the most exciting and interesting part when a designer can play with color, font style, interactive design to produce a fruitful design concept. The final prototype can be used for user testing to collect feedback to see whether it works as we think and finding possible flaws to improve for the next round of the Spiral Model.
Above is my process when designing a website/app/product. The steps that listed are frequently apply but not compulsory. In some urgent projects, we also cut off some parts to save time and resources.
Read more:
Google Design Sprint: https://www.thesprintbook.com/
