This document summarizes the results of a survey of 105 UX practitioners on their experiences with Agile methodology. The survey found that most respondents believed Agile fosters collaboration, knowledge sharing, creativity, and reflexivity. However, many also felt Agile hinders efficiency, decision-making, quality of deliverables, and client engagement. The document discusses using these survey results to further explore how Agile impacts various aspects of design work through additional case studies and expanding the scope of inquiry.

1. Winter School
2014
John Knight
Aalto University of Arts, Design and Architecture
© John Knight, 2014
Agile as a
Theory of Design – UX
Practitioners’ Survey

2. Efficiency
Respondents noted better visibility of deliverable –
reducing uncertainty
Perceived reduction in reworking and increase in reuse
of resources
Feedback supporting better scope management and
clarity of requirements Belief that Agile improved
quality assurance
A comparison of methods (Case Study) suggested that Agile provides a collaborative framework
that has the potential to aid reflexivity and accelerate a design focus: Categories from the study
included:
Case study – Agile vs. Waterfall comparison
Satisfaction
Perceived reduction in effort in general and better
and clearer focus
Belief of more even distribution of work with greater
involvement across disciplines
Feedback on more clearly defined roles and
responsibilities and reduced conflict
Quality
The sense that there was more effective and
informed decision-making
Increased involvement in process improvements
Perceived reduction in ‘production’ effort and greater
‘thinking’ time
Collaboration
Feedback that knowledge sharing throughout the
lifecycle improved
Reported clearer sense of direction and cohesiveness
– common goal
The sense that engagement had increased within the
wider project team

3. Emergent – There is a dialogic relationship
between outcome and activity – wicked problem
Provisional – Artefacts manifest partial solutions
at any point in time
Contractual – Deliverables embody contractual
agreements
Mutable – Outcomes are amenable to ongoing
change
The implications of the Case Study included the potential for Agile to be an implicit theory of the
activity of design and its outcomes as defined below – these needed to be tested:
Implications from the case study
Co-creative – A distributed activity
involving clients and practitioners
Reflexive – An iterative social process of
doing and reflecting
Inclusive – Accommodates a wide set of
stakeholders
Recursive – A continuous process of
improvement
Agile Design Theory Agile Artefact Theory
‘Traditional’ Design Theory ‘Traditional’ Artefact Theory
Individualistic
Internally Reflexive
Exclusive to ‘Designers’
Focused on early ‘conceptual’ design
Emergent
Provisional
‘Designerly ‘rather than pragmatic
Products tend to be ‘fixed’ after ‘design’

4. Enhancements to the Case Study required surveying greater numbers of practitioners and
widening the scope of enquiry to investigate the following topics:
Improvements to the case study
Does Agile foster
collaboration?
Does Agile foster
efficiency?
Does Agile foster
knowledge
sharing?
Does Agile help
decision-making?
Does Agile
improve quality?
Does Agile foster
creativity?
Does Agile foster
client
relationships?
Does Agile foster
reflexivity?

5. 105Respondents
An online survey was run over two months with a good response rate from relevant respondents
(UX) generating a good amount of qualitative and quantitative data
Follow-on Online Survey of UX Practitioners
Range of Qualitative and Quantitative Data
The client often learns a lot
(maybe more than they
need?!) and team members
learn more about PM.
Everyone else learns a little
about everything.
Good Response Rate and Profile Match

6. Agile fosters collaboration between different teams
Survey Results - Collaboration
67%

7. Agile hinders efficiency
Survey Results - Efficiency
74%

8. Agile fosters sharing knowledge and skills
Survey Results - Knowledge Sharing
78%

9. Agile hinders effective decision-making
Survey Results - Decision-making
64%

10. Agile hinders the quality of deliverables
Survey Results- Quality
59%

11. Agile fosters creativity
Survey Results – Creativity
55%

12. Agile hinders cooperation between clients and teams
Survey Results – Client Engagement
60%

13. Agile fosters knowledge development
Survey Results - Reflexivity
66%

14. Contact
Kiitos
John.knight@aalto.fi
@worldofknight
Pinterest/worldofknight