The document discusses starting and running a design partner program, which involves a dedicated set of users providing regular feedback on product features and UI design. Design partners are involved earlier in the design process than beta testers or user groups. Example programs described recruit from existing user groups and communities, requiring monthly or weekly commitment and using persona validation, product demos, and usability testing. Legal agreements between partners and companies vary but typically involve NDAs. Maintaining the program involves having an administrator, fostering community, and setting clear timeframes.

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Starting and Running a Design Partner
Program
Mary Beth Raven, Oracle

2. Copyright © 2015, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. |
Starting and Running a Design
Partner Program

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Design Partner Program
• A form of participatory design to actively involve users in the design
process to help ensure the results meets their needs and is usable
• Dedicated set of users who provide feedback on a product on a regular
basis
• Early involvement! Can include feature prioritization
• Consistent legal/confidentiality agreement

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Design Partners provide feedback on the features
and UI design of upcoming versions of the software

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Example Programs
Technical Product Collaboration Product
Participants ~20 companies, ~35 people ~300 companies, 500+ people
Recruiting Existing User Group Existing user group, support community, blog,
Twitter
Commitment •90 min every ~ 3 months
•Meet once a month, one company at a time,
5-7 companies each month
•Meet 1 hr every week, everyone invited
• Additional usability testing 1x1 monthly 5-7
customers/month
Session types •Persona validation
•Remote usability testing
•Persona validation
•Product demos
•Show alternate designs, discuss, vote
Legal NDA for each session Yearly blanket NDA for all sessions
Maintenance UX team tracked NDAs, participation and
reward (3 iPad minis)
Product management maintained

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DESIGN PARTNERS
Fewer people, start early in the design process, regular
participation
BETA TEST
Even fewer people, but they start later in the design
process and
have deep participation
including installing
and using the
product over
a period of
time
USER GROUPS
Many people, small participation
Design Partner Compared to Other Programs

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Recruiting
Get them
• Invite user group members, Customer Advisory Board Members
• Post invitations in support communities
• Post invitations on social media – Blog, tweet, Facebook
• Incentives: several give-aways at the end of each product
release (iPad minis, Starbuck’s gift certificates
Incentives
Keep them
• Demonstrate that you listen!
• Improve the product based on their feedback
• Explain why you did NOT make some of the requested
changes (technical, business etc.)

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Work with your company’s legal team
Different companies have different legal requirements
Company A Company B Company C
Participants sign a Non-disclosure
(NDA) for every session
Participants sign a yearly NDA The participant’s COMPANY signs a
“Customer Participation
Confidentiality Agreement” (CPCA)
NDA was an online survey they went
to, checked a box and typed their
name and date
If they signed and NDA as part of a
user group or Customer advisory
group, then they were already
covered for the Design Partner
Program
This agreement broader than an
NDA. If a participant has a good idea
and you implement it, the
participant cannot expect any
revenue recognition.

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• Have an official “Design Partner Program” administrator
• Can be part of other jobs
– User Research
– Product management
• Foster Community
– Arrange in-person meetings
– Appreciation events ( at yearly conference or user group meetings)
– Tie to “Champion” or “Elect” programs
• Have a set begin and end
– Yearly
– Per release
Maintain the Program