@dsetia_1
User-Centered Design at The Economist
Danny Setiawan Lead UX for Mobile, The Economist06.08.2016
@dsetia_1
Objective
Share insights and practical steps to improve UX contribution in Agile based on my experience of
implementing User-Centered Design for The Economist mobile team.
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Agenda• Intro • UX activities • At The Economist • What does that look like?
• Integration UX into Agile workflow • Going Lean • Usability Testing Driven Development
• Questions?
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3 types of UX activity
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Operational• Goal: Flow (unblocking dev)
• Activity: Reacting to issues raised by developers during sprint
• UX role: Produce deliverables so dev team can complete stories
• Measure: Team’s velocity
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DevelopmentTask 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 … DoneBacklog
UX resource
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DevelopmentTask 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 … DoneBacklog
UX!?
UX resource
@dsetia_1
DevelopmentTask 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 … DoneBacklog
UX!?
UX!?
@dsetia_1
DevelopmentTask 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 … DoneBacklog
UX!?
@dsetia_1
DevelopmentTask 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 … DoneBacklog
UX!?
UX!?
@dsetia_1
DevelopmentTask 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 … DoneBacklog
UX!?
@dsetia_1
DevelopmentTask 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 … DoneBacklog
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Tactical• Goals: Flow (smooth implementation), value (what’s important for
customers)
• Activity: Preparing everything that’s required to implement stories for upcoming sprint (prioritize use cases, test solutions)
• UX role: Contribute to story definition, prioritization and produce deliverables addressing potential blockers
• Measure: Team’s velocity, customer satisfaction
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Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
UX resource
Task 3 Task 4
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Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
UX resource
ElaborationIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
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Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
ElaborationIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
@dsetia_1
Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
ElaborationIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
@dsetia_1
Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
ElaborationIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
@dsetia_1
Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
ElaborationIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
@dsetia_1
Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
ElaborationIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
@dsetia_1
Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklog
ElaborationIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
@dsetia_1
Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklogIdeate Prototype Test
ElaborationPrep for dev
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Strategic• Goals: Growth (customer segment and problem to solve)
• Activity: Research to identify and validate opportunities
• UX role: Facilitate discovery phase, ideate and test solution
• Measure: Acquisition metrics
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Development
Task 1 Task 2 … DoneBacklogIdeate Prototype Test Prep for dev
Elaboration
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Development
… DoneBacklog
Elaboration
Ideate + test solution
Discovery
Identify + validate new opportunities
User Research
Stakeholders’ Input
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At The Economist
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OperationalTacticalStrategic
Mar 2015
Activities breakdown Economist Mobile UX Team
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OperationalTacticalStrategic
Mar 2016
Activities breakdown Economist Mobile UX Team
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How ?Change of Culture
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“Culture
set of beliefs, values, and behaviors, including their embodiment in artifacts; that are shared by a group of people
WORKING DEFINITION
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Culture
• Belief: How we believe things work (world view)
• Value: What we consider important (prioritize)
• Behavior: What we do to get the value based on the world view we subscribe to
• Artifacts: Manifestation of our behavior
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Example
• Belief: User testing is a waste of time
• Value: Efficiency
• Behavior: Not supporting user testing initiative
• Artifacts: Email, verbal communication
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Practical Tips• Start Small
• Small team, small cost, small time, small risk • Build momentum : Many small wins > One big win
• Don’t dictate, motivate • Provide real value (that can be felt) • Help others succeed
• Don’t bulls#*t • It’s ok to say “I don’t know the answer (but I can help you find out)” • Drop the buzzwords
• Lead with a story (meaning & purpose) • Co-create
• Be transparent about your method • Include others in your process • Let others contribute
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How we started…• Start with unblocking dev to earn trust
• Facilitate small ideation sessions that involves the team (proto-persona, sketching exercise , etc.)
• Visualize process, highlighting contribution UX can make
• Support Product Owner and Scrum Master in product roadmap creation
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What does that look like?
Integrating UX into Agile workflow
Team’s activities
Android JIRA workflow
Going Lean
Lean Startup Method
Hypotheses to Validate
PersonaProblemSolutionUsabilityGrowth
Team’s activities
Team’s activities
Team’s activities
Team’s activities
3 months 6 months
Sample Artifacts
Proto-personas created by our mobile team Storyboard of a morning commute scenario
Sample Artifacts
User interview using Google Hangout
Our Product Manager collecting anecdotal feedback at a local coffee shop
Sample Artifacts
sketches created in 6-8-5 exercise Team + stakeholders sketching together
Sample Artifacts
screen storyboard with notes from critique
Quick InVision prototype to test swipe visual cue
Sample Artifacts
In-person moderated usability test in session Usability test observation room
Usability Test Driven Development
Usability Testing: DE Tasks
Task 1 - Authentication
Task 2 - Selecting + Downloading Issue
Task 3 - Discovering Content
Task 4 - Reading Settings
Task 5 - Review Bookmarks
Task 6 - Listening
Task 7 - Creating Playlist
Task 8 - Subscribing
Task 9 - Adjust Settings
Task 10 - Others
Validating with Users
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%
Mitigating risks and identifying gaps throughout the production process.
Risk Level: