The User Feedback Two-Step: Managing UX participation in Agile projects

The User Feedback Two-Step
Managing UX participation in Agile projects
Hugh Beyerbeyer@incontextdesign.com

Core Principles of Agile
Fast iterations
So continuous integration
So Test-Driven Design
Etc.
Reliable feedback
So all the techniques from 20 years of HCI
Work with real users
Contextual Inquiry—their workplace, not yours
Experience, not demos
Interpretation, not wish lists

Initiating an Agile Project
User stories are not the beginning
User stories reflect a pre-existing design
“Sprint 0” clarifies that design
The design addresses a pre-defined need
User work practice drives the project
“Envisioning” / “strategy” / “roadmap”
This work has always preceded development (Agile or not)
UX has a role
user research
analysis
high-level design
iteration

The Big Picture

Structure of a large Agile project
Sprint
Sprint
Sprint
Release planning
Strategic design: Initial user research, ideation, concept testing
Phase 0 for component
Scope development effort; plan parallel streams; define roadmap
Sprint
Sprint
Sprint
Release planning
Phase 0 for component
Ongoing UX stream for cross-system coherence
Interaction Architecture planning

The life of a feature
UX squad defines feature as part of “Sprint 0” planning
Feature gets written into a story card
UX squad does final UI and low-level behavior design in sprint N-1
SW squad develops feature, consulting with UX squad on details in Sprint N
Feature is built into the sprint N’s deliverable
UX squad tests the working feature with users in sprint N+1
Changes indicated by testing are written into a new story card
New story is prioritized into sprint N+1
SW squad implements changes per story card, consulting with UX squad
And so on…

Interleaving UX and Code Development
The UX team has 3 jobs:
Do user test of stories implemented in Iteration N-1
Consult with the SW Squad on stories being implemented in Iteration N
Do detailed design and user iterations of stories for Iteration N+1
2
2
2
4
4
4
6
6
8
1
1
1
3
3
3
5
5
7
Sprint 1
Sprint 2
Sprint 3
Sprint 4
* * *
Implement:
Implement:
Set up and research
Implement:
SW Squad
Bug Fix:
1
Design:
Design:
Design:
Design:
UX Squad
User Test:
User Test:

Resources
InContext Web Site
www.incontextdesign.com
Agile User-Centered Design publication
http://www.morganclaypool.com/doi/pdfplus/10.2200/S00286ED1V01Y201002HCI010
Original 2004 paper on user-entered Agile
http://www.incontextdesign.com/resources/AgileCD.pdf

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The User Feedback Two-Step: Managing UX participation in Agile projects

by Hugh Beyer on Aug 20, 2010

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The User Feedback Two-Step: Managing UX participation in Agile projects — Presentation Transcript