In this presentation we share how our UX research team increased its scope of work from surface-level UI issues to a full portfolio of user-centered research. We use organizational ethnography and organizational change literature to develop a three phase model of research team growth. We then discuss the implications of our model for strengthening ethnographic praxis in cultures dominated by usability engineering. We conclude with a reflection on building internal bridges to facilitate change.

1. https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewalmonroth/5479747909
From UI to UX
Building Ethnographic Praxis in a
Usability Engineering Culture
Kirsten Bandyopadhyay & Rebecca Buck

2. New Lightning
Experience

3. FROM Change
Our story of
TO
ORGANIZATIONAL

4. http://stockarch.com/images/transport/automotive/golden-gate-highway-4807
How did we get here?

5. DESIGN MATURITY STAGES
Wu and McMullin, 2006
Problem Framing
Problem Solving
Feature & Function
Style
No Conscious Design

7. DESIGN MATURITY STAGES
Problem Framing
Problem Solving
Feature & Function
Style
Done by
Executives
Outsourced

8. DESIGN MATURITY STAGES
Problem Framing
Problem Solving
Feature & Function
Style
Research
team’s focus

10. DESIGN MATURITY STAGES
Problem Framing
Problem Solving
Feature & Function
Style
Goal

11. Excavation

12. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
UX
Outsourced
Outsourced
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style

13. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
Internal
UX Team
Outsourced
Usability
Analysts
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style

14. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
New role
Outsourced
Usability
Analysts
Usability
Analysts
UX
Researchers
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style

15. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
Consolidated
under usability
Outsourced
Usability
Analysts
Usability
Analysts
UX
Researchers
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style
Usability
Team

16. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
New
manate
?
?Outsourced
Usability
Analysts
Usability
Analysts
UX
Researchers
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style
Usability
Team

17. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
We joined
?
?Outsourced
Usability
Analysts
Usability
Analysts
UX
Researchers
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style
Usability
Team

21. ToFrom
PROBLEM FRAMING
IDEATION
EXPERIMENTATION
EVALUATION
OPTIMIZATION
PROBLEM FRAMING
IDEATION
EVALUATION
OPTIMIZATION
EXPERIMENTATION

22. Excavation
Language
Values
Goals

23. Foundation

24. Problem Framing
Feature & Function
Style
Problem Solving
DESIGN MATURITY STAGES

25. There are
200 people in
the deck!
They were reading all 115 pages?!?

26. For Feature X:

27. Opportunity Work Space

28. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
Foundational
projects
?
?Outsourced
Usability
Analysts
Usability
Analysts
UX
Researchers
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style
Usability
Team

29. Foundation
Utility
Partners
Visability

30. Construction

32. Vertical Horizontalor
Should the navigation be vertical or horizontal?

33. Apps :)
Apps :)
How do people navigate through the product?
Not an app :(

34. Creating
Documents
Running
Businesses

36. Construction
Processes
Outcomes
Experiments

37. Today
http://archives.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/golden-gate-bridge-foot-bicycle-traffic-to-return-to-near-normal/Content?oid=2186372

38. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Executives
Impact at
every level
?
?Outsourced
Usability
Analysts
Usability
Analysts
UX
Researchers
...
Problem
Framing
Problem
Solving
Feature
& Function
Style
Usability
Team

39. Research Walls
Problem Framing
Feature & Function
Style
Problem Solving
DESIGN MATURITY STAGES
Style

40. S1 Mobile
Problem Framing
Feature & Function
Style
Problem Solving
DESIGN MATURITY STAGES

41. Problem Framing
Feature & Function
Style
Problem Solving
DESIGN MATURITY STAGESEarly stage
prototyping

42. Jan Schmiedgen, http://www.slideshare.net/janschmiedgen/design-thinkingbootcamp

43. Problem Framing
Feature & Function
Style
Problem Solving
DESIGN MATURITY STAGES
Lightning Design
System

44. Thank you
Kirsten Bandyopadhyay & Rebecca Buck