The Problem
The Product team I worked on at FamilySearch was especially unique. I was the only designer on a team with 6 product managers and 4 developers. The product managers all had slightly different aspects of the product that they worked on, but they all generated campaigns. Half of the team worked in a separate office in Salt Lake City and the other half at the FamilySearch building in Lehi.
The first problem we had was communication. Several times we thought we were all on the same page only to find out in the middle of implementation that our goals did not match. The other problem was that we worked on a top-down model. UX and development weren't involved in the process until the product manager came up with a solution to a problem. We would rush that solution to the finish line without stopping to think if it was the right idea.
I decided to create a written process that would formalize our communication, involve UX design from the onset of a project and allow us to identify problems earlier. This process proposal is not perfect yet but with feedback from the team, it was accepted and it helped give UX a seat at the table.
1. Define a Value Proposition
Idea Generation and Evaluation
Who:
Product Managers, Designers
Purpose:
• Work together with design to do research to identify problems and opportunities (numbers, feedback, user interviews, surveys…Etc.)
• Determine goals
• Identify target users
• Identify resources that we can take advantage of
• Come up with loose solution ideas
• Determine how we measure success
Outcomes:
Business proposal
Start a confluence page with up to date documentation.
Team assignments
2. Collaborate
Duration:
1 hour
Who:
The team
The team
Purpose:
The Product Manager/Campaign Manager and UX designer present the campaign proposal and assign feasibility studies.
Items to Review:
• Value Propositions
• Collections or other resources will we be taking advantage of
• What do we already have what do we need?
• Come up with more solution ideas
• Through ideas out
Purpose
•Narrow down to a few good ideas that are ready for spikes
Feasibility Spikes
Can we? Should we?
Duration:
2 – 5 story points
Who:
The team
Purpose:
• Determine what it would take to accomplish the goal.
• Come up with other solution ideas as needed
• Determine how feasible the idea is to design and implement.
• Through out ideas
• Front end/design may or may not need to do a spike depending on the campaign.
Items to Review
Can we reasonably accomplish the goal with proposed solutions?
Kick off
Duration: 0.5 - 1 hr
Who: The team
Purpose
• Make final direction decision
• Items to review
• Discuss findings
• Pivot if needed
• Make decisions on deadlines.
Outcome
• Move forward
• Pivot
• Back to define a challenge
Design: Conceptual
Time Frame:
• New Idea: Up to 1 iteration
• Repeat idea: A few days
Tasks:
• Create flow, User Environment, Wireframes, User Interviews, LO-FI usability testing
• Desk Feedback
• Get feedback from other UX and Web Developers
Progress Update
Engineering Review
Duration:
1 hour
Who:
• Designer
• Product Manager
• Campaign Manager
• Appropriate Developers
Purpose:
• Make sure the idea is still right
• Make sure everyone is on the same page
Presentation Points:
• Show Wireframes
• Show test results
• Clarify/Pivot if needed
Design: Detailed
Time Frame:
1 to 1.5 iterations depending on the campaign
Tasks:
• Design HI-FI prototypes
• Usability test
• Analyze
• Repeat
Feedback:
• Other UX
• Developers
• Product Managers
• Campaign Managers
Approvals
Get Approval From:
• Other UX Designers
• Copy Editing
• Platform Leadership Group
Design Review
Duration:
0.5 - 1hour
Who:
• Front end
• Back end
• Quality Assurance
• Campaign Manager
• Product Manager
Purpose:
• Final check full design
• Make assignments
• Make estimates
Presentation Points:
• Show full design flow
• Show Responsive Design
• Error states
• Show Mbox
• Email Design
• Bot Message
• FS Messages design
Campaign Evaluation
Duration:
1 hour
Who:
All who were involved in the campaign
Purpose:
Find out how we did and identify places to improve
Presentation Points:
• Evaluate results
• Show spikes, user flows and Clicktail
• What did we do well?
• What could we have done better?
Results
We are still implementing this process and I am sure some things will change as we use it. So far, the communication between disciplines has improved and I have already noticed a significant culture change. In the future, as we refine this process, we hope to catch problems early, save time and recourses and elevate the quality of our product.
