Competitive Analysis
See how others solve similar problems and try to not reinvent the wheel
Data analysis
Do you have all the useful data you need? Try to have a look at funnels, clicks, page views, performances
User feedback
Always speak with Customer Care team! Don’t have one? Check your old surveys or videos, what your customer says? What do they actually do?
User stories
Have you done personas yet? If not DO IT NOW. Ok, now use them to write down user stories and scenarios.
User flows
Create your user’s flow based on the scenarios you created, you can use it later to review the journey and create wireframes on top of each step.
Red routes
Define red routes for your product and you’ll be able to identify, prioritise and eliminate any usability obstacles on key user journeys.
Brainstorm & sketch
Find a war room, fill it with markers and drinks, get together and sketch, discuss, vote, disrupt, have fun!
Wireframe
Add some details and structure to your ideas, reuse patterns and create pages on top of your user flows so you’ll not leave anything behind.
Prototype
You can start creating paper prototypes and continuously iterate to more functional ones. Use sketches, HTML pages or static images, then just get some people and test.
AI
Understand your users, your data structure and your channels. How can you organise your navigation and content in a clear and consistent way?
Language
Follow your brand personality, keep in mind users’ culture and language, the context of your product and make sure they understand you
Accessibility
You don’t need to add extra functionality or to duplicate any content. The key is simply to assess the requirements of those with different skills and limited devices.
Sustainable
Help the planet by reducing the resources you use, reinforce greener behaviours and promote sustainability best practices. Yes, your product can do that!
Ethical
Move fast and break things! What about slow down and make sure your product is secure, private, honest? Be considerate when you design and follow good ethics.
Inclusive
Remember that everything you design is skewed by your own view and background. Be sure to open your design process to remove your biases and design for everyone.
UI elements
Reuse elements and patterns. Follow your style guidelines. Don’t have any? Create your guidelines. Start small, then create pages.
Gestures
So you have a swipe slider? Tell me more about pinch, drag, zoom, rotate, shake, six-inch smartphones, left-handed people, mouseover, kinect, motion detection.
Responsiveness
Can I see it on my mobile? Oh wait, what about my smart-watch which works as a remote for my 50″ TV. Bonus: remember cross device experience.
Waiting times
If your users have to wait ages for the page to load, at least show them a loader. If take longer why don’t you try something more entertaining?
Errors
Be clear and specific on what and where the user’s error is. I mean, your error, because if it’s your fault you should say it
Completed actions
Give immediate and clear feedback of successful user’s actions. Do not always wait for server response, trust your server once in a while!
Finalize layout
It’s time to let your design shine, make it in the right way, don’t stop with the first solution, always ask “is this the best you can do?”
Use of images and icons
Use of icons and images is strongly influenced by context, culture and layout that you use. Like icons, test your images, small changes can bring huge improvements.
Font & colours hierarchy
Use colours and font sizes properly, try to follow your guidelines and keep it simple. The best visual hierarchies lead users to take the action confidently.
Micro copy
Every word is important, and a bit of personality will help your brand.
Micro interactions
Trigger, rules, feedback, loop. Details make the product. Bonus: Ever heard about easter eggs?
Transitions
Motion shouldn’t be only beautiful, it should build meaning about the spatial relationships, functionality, and intention of the system.
KPI Setup
What you want to achieve? What are your goals? Write down how you define success and failure and check if you have everything you need to collect the data.
AB Test plan
Plan your AB test ahead and, if you can, plan a short roadmap of improvements. Your goal is not just improving KPIs, but learning something.
Test
UX lab, survey, sessions recording… test, observe and fix, test, observe and fix.
