agile ux in real life - lessons learned
DESCRIPTION
This talk is for anyone interested in achieving "the best of both worlds" with agile development and user-centered design. I also intend to address the concerns of skeptical UX professionals who think of agile as simply the latest industry buzzword, and wonder how the turmoil of disrupting tried and tested work practices could possibly improve the process and quality of the results. I share some practical advice based on my own experiences working in an agile environment and share some of the insights culled from our interest group of practitioners in Switzerland. I address questions such as: * What needs to be in place at the start of an agile software project to achieve a successful outcome ("iteration zero")? * Should a UX designer act as Product Owner in agile ("UXPO")? * How to best integrate user research in agile development? * What are the challenges and solutions for collaborating effectively within a multi-disciplinary agile team?TRANSCRIPT
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LESSONS LEARNED(P)HILIPP SCHRÖDER
AGILE UX IN REAL LIFE15.5.2013
➡ Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
➡ Working software over comprehensive documentation
➡ Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
➡ Responding to change over following a plan
AGILE MANIFESTO
HTTP://AGILEMANIFESTO.ORG/
1 ITERATION = 1 SPRINT = 1 TO 3 WEEKS
ITERATIVE DEVELOPMENT(SCRUM PROCESS)
24hrs
Sprint planning End of project
Sprint reviewSprint retrospective
Product Backlog Development
Goal achieved / money run down
WATERFALL VERSUS AGILEWaterfall Development Model
Agile Development Model
Analysis
Design
Programming
TestingTime
Handover Handover Handover
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Inspect Inspect Inspect Inspect
AdaptAdapt
Inspect
Adapt Adapt
A way to improve efficiency & effectiveness➡ Keeping focus on (customer) value➡ Removing non valuable activities
(e.g. excessive documentation)➡ Optimizing the workflow & information flow
to achieve the shared goal (cf. Kanban)➡ Attention to symptoms of overburden
(work with a sustainable pace)
LEAN THINKING
Visual Design
Site ObjectivesUser Needs
Content Requirements
Functional Specifications
Interaction Design
Information Architecture
Information DesignNavigation DesignInterface Design
Concrete Completion
ConceptionAbstract
time
Surface
Skeleton
Structure
Scope
Strategy
Concrete Completion
ConceptionAbstract
time
HTTP://WWW.JJG.NET/ELEMENTS/
THE ELEMENTS OF USER EXPERIENCE
Surface: Design the visual presentation of user interface
Skeleton: Design the arrangement and contents of individual screens; navigation
Structure: Define the 'information architecture' of the user interface
Scope: Narrow down the requirements for features and content
Strategy: Gather business goals and user needs
Visual Design
Site ObjectivesUser Needs
Content Requirements
Functional Specifications
Interaction Design
Information Architecture
Information DesignNavigation DesignInterface Design
Concrete Completion
ConceptionAbstract
time
HTTP://WWW.JJG.NET/ELEMENTS/
THE ELEMENTS OF USER EXPERIENCE
User Needs & Business Goals
Observe
Both!
My personal favorites...BENEFITS OF AGILE
Agile can shorten the time from idea to delivery➡ Fast delivery (an increment of working
software each iteration)➡ Focus (focus on business value, important
features first, less waste)➡ Informed decisions (decide in the latest
responsible moment)
TIME TO MARKET
IMAGE: CC BY SA CHARLIE LLEWELLIN ON FLICKR
SUSTAINABLE PACE
The iterative process facilitates working at a regular pace.
The pace of last iterations can guide the target for the next iteration.
The agile principles enable flow, a state of focussed concentration.
SCRUM PROCESSJANICE FRASER'S UX CYCLES
UX CYCLES
AGILE DEVELOPMENT
COMMON GROUND: WORKING ITERATIVELY
THINK Generative Research,
Ideation,Test Results,
Competitive Analysis MAKESketches,Wireframes,Mockups,Prototypes,Deployed Code
EVALUATEFeedback,Site Analytics,Usability Testing
Planning End
ReviewRetrospective
Backlog Development
Sometimes referred to as “iteration zero”
WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE AT THE START OF ITERATION ONE?
An UX practitioner’s answer:➡ The (design) strategy➡ Business requirements➡ User research➡ Personas, scenarios➡ ... yaddi yaddi yadda ...➡ And a design framework
Big
Design
Up Front
WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE AT THE START OF DEVELOPMENT?
An agile practitioner’s answer:➡ A product vision➡ A prioritized product backlog➡ A product owner➡ A development team
WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE AT THE START OF ITERATION ONE?
Inspect &
Adapt
AGILE PROJECT CHARTER
DON’T OBSESS ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE, GET A COMPASS.
Business goal 1
Business goals
Success criteria
Users / customer value
Team / roles
Working agreements
Project context
...
➡ How do we know we are successful?
➡ Who are our users? What is the value for them?
➡ Clarify expectations about the roles in the team.
➡ Jointly define operational guidelines (Definition of Done, ...)
➡ Clarify interfaces to parties involved in the project
➡ Adjust / add as needed
Project title
Business goal 2 Business goal 3
How
Why
Use agile chartering to map out the territory
How to best integrate user research in agile development?
USER RESEARCH AND THE AGILE FEEDBACK LOOP
LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH & CO-DESIGN
Product Owner
Developers
UX Researcher
Customer Service Rep
Users
MON TUE WED THU FRI MON TUE WED THU FRI
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SHOULD A UX DESIGNER ACT AS PRODUCT OWNER IN AGILE (“UXPO”)?
THE AGILE PRODUCT OWNER
Domain expertise
Business User-centered Design
Technology
PO TEAM- Focus on the “what” / problem space
- Who is our customer and what is a problem that is worth solving?
- Leverages user research methods (cf. Lean startup: customer development)
THE PO TEAM / DEV TEAM COMBO
DEVELOPMENT TEAM- Focus on the “how” / solution space
- Figures out how to best solve the defined problem
- Leverages agile development principles
Relieving the "PO as a bottleneck" problem
close collaboration / collaborative design
COLLABORATING IN A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY AGILE TEAM
COMMUNICATE LIGHT, VISIBLY & COLLABORATE ACROSS ROLES
HTTP://STYLETIL.ES/
STYLE TILES FINAL SITE
ITERATE VISUAL LANGUAGE IN A LIGHTWEIGHT WAY
LIVE STYLE GUIDE
BUILD A MODULAR DESIGN. CONTINUALLY REFINE & REFACTOR.
My personal take on it➡ Good profits and repeat business requires
happy and loyal customers➡ Happy and loyal customers require products /
services with great user experience➡ Great software requires great collaboration
during product development (cf. Conway's Law)
TAKE AWAY: COLLABORATION IS KEY
