Experience Design (XD) begins with understanding and strategy and ends with successful adoption and strong interactive engagement. It’s the inherent intuitiveness and ease-of-use for end users that can make the difference between a good product and a really great one.
The JohnstonXD development team uses a lean approach to user experience design, an iterative process of Discover, Design, Develop and Deliver that starts long before the release of any new application, website or product. Great designs are built on insight, and by understanding our users and their domain at a deep level, we find the best opportunities to provide rich, fruitful interactive experiences.
Discover
Everything revolves around the users – their stories, their preferences and their expectations. Market research, analytics, surveys, usability testing, heat mapping and just plain talking it through, all have tremendous value in tailoring the right solution to the challenge. We gain understanding by collaborating with stakeholders to identify business requirements and assess needs. We learn preferences and user requirements with persona templates and empathy maps, identifying market segments, goals, motivation and means while helping to prioritize features and strategize planned releases.
Design
Visual design determines the “look and feel” of all graphic elements the user encounters. Interface design incorporates the elements and strategies needed to facilitate the user’s ability to navigate, easily moving through the information architecture to marry interaction and functionality. Information design structures the presentation of information to facilitate understanding, while interaction design defines how the user interacts with the information space to facilitate intuitive access to content.
Develop
Initial concepts are presented as paper prototypes and lo-fi wireframes for analysis and review. With usability at the heart of the process, rapid and iterative design “sprints” bring concepts to pre-determined review points along the design path to evaluate both hardware and software-based interactions. Prototypes are vetted through testing, relying on observed behaviors and user actions. Scorecards gauge effectiveness across a range of criteria like “Accessible”, “Clear”, “Communicative”, “Credible” and “Controllable”. And daily scrum sessions generate team input and accommodate any client “requirements churn” that may arise.
Deliver
With design assets like iconography, graphics, typography, color palette, high-fidelity mockups and alarm notifications in place, it’s time to validate and make any necessary adjustments. Realistic prototypes are tested with targeted personas in the user community to help optimize the product, functionality and interactive experience. Once all data has been collected and final recommendations incorporated, the product is released to customers or internal teams for use and further refinement based on feedback from the field.
The result is a powerful interface between the user and the technology platform that is easy to use, effective and engaging. Have XD create a powerful user experience design for you.