UX Lesson Ep.2 — How UX works?
Lifecyle of UX
Introduction
Now we know more about UX. But how UX works?
In other words, how do we know user’s need and desire?
After we observe, what’s next step?
In this lesson, there will be a brief overview for you.
UX Lifecycle
So called lifecycle, or we can say that there is a complete set of UX.
By running this cycle, it can say that at least the whole process of UX has been done. But it sill depends on each design team of its goal and concerns of business.
Lifecycle can divided into four part,
1 .Analyze
2 .Design
3 .Prototype
4 .Evaluate
(Turn back to analyze if necessary)
Different book may gives different names about the UX cycle, but almost give the similar ideas.
Analyze
In the stage of analyze, understanding user work and needs is the main works have to be done. Or in my view, it is the critical part of the whole design process, only with the observation from user’s context, the true action and reaction to service or product will reveal.
This will be the inspiration of design in the future.
There are many ways for collection information from user.
Like interview or observation of behavior, but most used ways for keeping with context might be contextual inquiry, which will be discussed in future.
Design
Creating interaction design concepts is the main work in this stage.
After collecting information, it’s time trying to outline concept for solving problems and providing solutions by service or product.
Design Concepts are not generated so easy. First, it based on excellent insights from previous stage (analyze), a good design concept comes from good insights from observation. Second, brilliant ideas can’t rely on single person, it should include cross-background or professional member for brain storming.
The way often used in this stage like brain storming, affinity diagram, contextual analysis.
Prototype
To test the design concept, prototype will be crucial role for testing.
It insures that design concept can suit for your target user without problems and problems can solved before releasing to public.
Prototype can not just for one version, rapid and multiple prototypes benefit for future, however it also need budget and time, depends on every company’s plan and culture.
Fail fast, learn fast, success fast.
Evaluate
After testing by prototype, the final stage of evaluating verifies and refines interaction design. It means that from the testing, finally starts examining the design idea for releasing in commercial or not.
More, this is not the end. Like the meaning of cycle, it can go back to the first stage of collecting more data to fix the problems happen in previous stage.
The entire project might be canceled due to the business goal or other reasons. Or abandoned by the failure in market. Overall, a successful product or service not only depends on design process, it also includes commercial elements.
Reference
The UX Book: Process and guidelines for ensuring a quality user experience. (2012) By Rex Hartson and Pardha S.Pyla
