I was pulling out of a parking lot, headed home from an errand. I fired up the mapping app on my phone, and hit my right blinker to follow the map.
My little blue dot advanced a few pixels... but then, the map refreshed. The whole canvas spun around and repositioned, and there I was, driving the wrong way.
But hey, at least I realized it. Turning around was no more than a minor inconvenience.
The only difference between my map-app debacle and what we see happen on some UX projects is the stakes. Executives behind the wheel of every big UX investment have a particular destination in mind. A destination that’s worthy of significant investment.
But, just like in the car, if you start with a wrong turn and you don’t realize it, you won’t make it where you’re headed.
How do UX projects start off-track?
If we’re being honest, we all know that the initial direction for a UX project is often a concoction of both pure and questionable motives: from legit embarrassment about the state of things to the squeaky voice of that one key account, from executive preferences to more ambitious accessibility goals, from competitive envy to deals lost. Sometimes the driving factor is a technology initiative, a feeling that “its been too long since a redesign”, or the creative director’s career goals.
One common wrong turn often involves what Andrzej Marczewski calls “solutioneering”
Solutioneering: Brit. /səˈluːʃ(ə)nɪ(ə)rɪŋ/ noun 1. The act of creating a solution before understanding the true root of the problem
The reasons that teams dive into the solutions too soon are also plentiful. John Cutler provides a more serious list here in his recent writeup on Premature Convergence, but the possibilities are innumerable.
And hey–sometimes it works out. But often times, there’s a gap between what users actually need, and what we think they need. Which can lead to a steering wheel that’s off kilter–by a little, or a lot.
Head in the right direction with your UX project
Insights from upfront reconnaissance can either confirm or disprove prevailing theories, helping your organization avoid burning time and money on the wrong path.
We call it the “Clarify” phase, and at Slide UX, it’s a fast-paced phase that often includes:
Mapping out what users experience today–even parts that are not yet digital. What information do users need? What information do they provide?
Understandably, team members can become fixated on the steps they’re responsible for, and lose context of the steps before and after, especially as they evolve.
Listening to someone less familiar as they move through the experience. What do they notice? Sometimes you’ll be embarrassed about the things you overlook because you’re so familiar.
Exploring how other brands handle similar interactions. Your customer’s expectations often stem from experiences they have with other brands inside and outside of your space. What obvious solutions lie in plain sight?
App store ratings and reviews can even provide insight into how users feel about products. Learn how UI & UX can fuel growth in the app store.
Understanding how users actually progress through your experience. Use metrics and interviews to uncover: Where are they confused? Where are they delighted? Where are they, physically? What time of day is it? What part of the week? What do they do before and after, and why? What other work do they have to do to be successful with what you offer?
See how Scott Segal, Director of UT at the American Board of Radiology has found that user insights can change assumptions.
The key: Understand the problem before designing a solution.
Nobody likes finding out that they’re headed in the wrong direction, but you (and your team) would rather realize it (and adjust) as soon as possible.
With upfront UX reconnaissance, you can be sure that you understand the opportunity. Refresh the map to be sure you stay on track to your destination.