Solution Framework
My Solution Framework has been curated from courses taken with Universal Mind and IDEO and carefully refined through various client experiences. The five-step process — empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and deliver — is flexible based on project goals and budgets, while providing results across a breadth of industries, products, and services.
The following is a detailed walkthrough of the different stages of my process.
Step 1
Empathize
During the Empathize phase of the project, I’ll connect with your customers on a deep level. I accomplish this goal by using a variety of methods. Most common is face to face interviews focusing on what they are thinking, doing, and feeling. I may also complete a competitive analysis, a heuristic evaluation, or customer surveys.
At a high level, we’ll be trying to answer four basic questions:
What is the user’s goal?
What opportunities are unmet?
Where are these opportunities missed?
How does missing these opportunities affect the user?
2 - 4 Weeks
Customer access is pivotal to achieving this deadline.
Individual Interviews
Staff Interviews
Heuristic Evaluation
Customer Surveys
Research Results
Business Analysis
Theoretical Journey Map
Step 2
Define
During the Define phase of the project, we’ll summarize all of our customer research into the people that define the breadth of your customers and the journey they experience while working with your products or services.
At each point of the customer journey, well be looking at:
What is the customer doing?
What is the customer thinking?
What is the customer feeling?
1-2 Weeks
Synthesis of
Research Results
Quantitative Evaluation
Personas
Customer Journeys
Step 3
Ideate
During the Ideate phase of the project, we’ll start by forming series of “How might we HMW)…” questions based on what our persona’s are thinking, doing, and feeling.
Next we’ll imagine customer centric solutions to the HMW questions that provide unique value above and beyond the status quo.
1-3 Weeks
Ideation
UX Design Sprints
Ideation Summary
Vision/Design Docs
Quantitative Results
Step 4
Prototype
During the Prototype phase of the project, we’ll start by prioritizing each customer centric solution based on feasibility, cost, and ability to measure.
After prioritizing, we’ll start implementing each of the solutions and measuring the results both qualitatively and quantitatively.
This is an iterative process that will require ongoing effort, a point person to lead, and a team to execute.
6-12 Weeks
Create Prototypes
Test Prototypes
Prototypes
KPIs
Result Summaries
Step 5
Deliver
During the Deliver phase of the project, we’ll create the final versions of the prototypes that were successful.
Each solution will have it’s own develop, test, sign off, launch schedule.
The solution as a whole will also have KPIs to monitor the ongoing customer experience as technology and customer expectations change.
This is not the end of the customer centric journey, but rather a really solid start.
4-8 weeks
Potentially ongoing based on the client’s needs
Create Final Versions
QA Test
Launch
Test Results
Final Versions
Ongoing KPIs
