Talking about agile methods is increasingly common in the context of digital companies. The so-called ‘ agile teams ‘ ensure deliveries through innovative processes that are updated to the current market situation.
Among the best-known methodologies, Lean UX is one of those that attracts attention because it specifically addresses the field of user experience, making the creation of products and experiences more fluid within companies.
Want to understand more about this concept? Continue reading and check it out.
What is the Lean UX methodology?
The Lean UX methodology, also known as Lean UX, is an approach that allows you to develop products and experiences through a less extensive documentation process , with transparent communications between the teams participating in the daily construction of the product.
This approach has an agile methodology mentality, where the goal is to make mistakes as quickly as possible in order to gather learnings and deliver the MVP (Minimum Viable Product). The method was born in 2012, when Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden shared the publication of the book “ Lean UX ” with the world.
The focus here is less on deliverables and much more on the experience we want to build, provide, and develop. This approach brings the development, design, and programming teams even closer together and, since collaborative work is a premise, it can bring other teams involved in the experience closer together.
How did the concept of Lean UX come about?
Before we talk about implementing Lean UX, let’s take a step back to understand the software development process in the past.
Companies had procedural work models, with the physical distribution of what was designed. And the resources for producing this physical artifact generated high costs, as they were expensive. The anxiety to “get it right” quickly was present throughout the construction process.
Something was launched and then waited for use and then, after a year, received feedback from users and customers about what was brought to market. Testing also involved long processes, with users and customers going to companies in person, and increasingly shorter delivery times.
Then comes the Agile Development methodology . Agile methods propose a transparent and faster dynamic in software development processes in a manifesto that can be read in several languages on the Agile Movement Organization website.
However, the discussion continued as the agile manifesto did not fully encompass the needs of people who develop user experiences, that is, UX Design professionals and related areas.
With this, the Lean UX concept brought new ideas to the table, such as the use of lean multidisciplinary teams with more autonomy, prioritization of small deliveries, as well as more freedom to have new ideas, as long as tests are carried out quickly.
What are the ways to apply it in the UX team?
Are you interested in the concept of Lean UX and want to bring this methodology to your team or company? Check out some ways to apply it.
A multidisciplinary team
Thus, we developed an experience that passed through the hands of different areas and people with different skills that develop the product, such as Marketing, UX Design, Product, Development, etc.
The involvement of these teams should be continuous and transparent from the beginning to the end of the project. Creating a diverse team will avoid rework and cascading decision-making processes.
No rudder
Teams cannot be large, as this can influence the process. We can consider a large team to have between 8-10 people dedicated to a single project.
Not having a large team can ensure efficient communication, quick understanding of stages and roles within the project and ease in the process of updating about the project, with people focused on the same priority.
Autonomy
Teams must have autonomy to produce. And this includes the team having the necessary and useful tools and infrastructure for their day-to-day activities. The autonomy process also includes deciding on the format for solving the problem.
The team can work together to solve the right problem without relying on a large number of structured documents and spreadsheets. The process of autonomy also creates greater permission to fail, thus facilitating the experimentation process.
Choosing what to attack
It is important that the team feels confident enough about the problem that will be solved and understands what they want to tackle first. This is because the problems that are solved will be tackled one at a time. The main objective is not to create the deliverable, but rather the result, as stated by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden in Lean UX.
Small lot
Shorten the delivery path by creating artifacts and designs that are necessary to advance the process. The focus then shifts to learning. In other words, Agile UX design should always move the team forward, reducing the number of incredible but untested ideas.
Always discovering
Learning should be constant. Entrepreneur Magazine has an article with tips for learning faster. And this process of discovery and learning, if applied to frequent meetings with your client, can ensure a lean and efficient process.
GOOB
The term seems strange when you first hear it. It originated with Stanford professor and entrepreneur Steve Blank and means “to leave the building”.
According to him, the best solutions will not be developed through long meetings and several encounters, but by going towards the client and user. Going towards the market and the problem to find answers.
Outsource the work
Take advantage of the fact that your idea is still a baby and get it to crawl. The sooner your idea is externalized, the faster it will be placed in the midst of feedback so that you can learn, absorb and evolve your planning.
You can also use resources such as notes and whiteboards for this, and now in remote mode, you can use several digital tools that bring office materials to your computer. The Lean UX Canvas can be a great work tool and make the team communication process intuitive.
“ Agile tools for remote teams are what every leader who manages people is looking for right now. And the good news is that there are many options available on the market today ,” as we can read in the MJV Innovation article .
Using MVP and MLP
The Minimum Viable Product, or MVP, acronym for minimum viable product, aims to get closer and closer to the expected result. Minimum viable product methods are already present in several companies. MVP uses minimum resources to validate an idea.
However, it soon evolved, focusing more on revenue generation after developing the idea and focusing on the consumer. With MLP, it is possible to innovatively evaluate customer feedback points and understand how the idea can fit into the market it plans to target. And as we noticed at the beginning of the conversation, make mistakes quickly and learn as soon as possible.
Perform rapid tests
Put your idea in the hands of your customer and user as soon as possible, so you can learn quickly. This will help you find out if your idea will hit the right target, and will prevent you from wasting resources and time on a product that will not be used or that may be outdated when it is released too late.
Collect feedback
Here at Tera, we always share the message that feedback is a gift, and that we can save it for continuous use. And, during the process, you will obtain this feedback through communication with your team and customers, through surveys, where you will be able to get qualitative and quantitative feedback. Collecting feedback through surveys is part of the final stage of the Lean UX process.
You will be receiving and sharing feedback throughout the project, through notes, idea explanations, and process documentation.
