{"id":10199,"date":"2017-06-16T14:58:11","date_gmt":"2017-06-16T13:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/?p=10199"},"modified":"2022-06-01T09:28:59","modified_gmt":"2022-06-01T08:28:59","slug":"product-design-playbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/product-design-playbook\/","title":{"rendered":"Product Design Playbook"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-l marginBottom-m c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5\">Concepts and Methodologies To Live\u00a0By<\/h3>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">At the time I\u2019m writing this post, I\u2019ve been a full-time product designer for ~ 3 years, though my overall professional career is closer to ~ 8 years. Every couple of months I would sit down and braindump lessons learned and methodologies I\u2019d absorbed from work, Meetups, articles, podcasts, etc.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">As a believer in paying it forward I am sharing everything here in the hopes that it becomes a reference point not only for myself but for any product designer, experienced and inexperienced alike. My hope is for the inexperienced to learn concepts needed in the modern agile product design environment. The experienced can use it as a place to help demystify design for coworkers and higher-ups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Every so often I\u2019ll continue to update this; a living document to grow as I continue to become the best product designer I can be. Enjoy!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User Experience Design<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-1uN9O5hLpvH7qIBi-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10221\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-1uN9O5hLpvH7qIBi-1.png\" alt=\"0-1un9o5hlpvh7qibi-1\" width=\"600\" height=\"590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-1uN9O5hLpvH7qIBi-1.png 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-1uN9O5hLpvH7qIBi-1-32x32.png 32w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-1uN9O5hLpvH7qIBi-1-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-1uN9O5hLpvH7qIBi-1-64x64.png 64w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/definition-user-experience\/\">Nielsen Norman Group defines<\/a> User Experience (UX) Design as \u201cencompassing all aspects of the end-user\u2019s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.usability.gov\/what-and-why\/user-experience.html\">Usability.gov defines<\/a> it as \u201cfocusing on having a deep understanding of users, what they need, what they value, their abilities, and also their limitations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">User <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/designing-for-experience\/\">Experience Design<\/a> places a value on business goals and objectives of the group managing the project in addition to user requirements. Designers\u2019 overall goal should be focused on increasing user satisfaction through engaging interactions with their product, functionally and aesthetically.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">UX Design\u00a0Facets<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Peter Morville at Semantic Studios <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"http:\/\/semanticstudios.com\/user_experience_design\/\">defines<\/a> the various pillars of user experience design as:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Useful<\/strong> Your content should be original and fulfill a need<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Usable<\/strong> Site must be easy to use<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Desirable<\/strong> Image, identity, brand, and other design elements are used to evoke emotion and appreciation<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Findable<\/strong> Content needs to be navigable and locatable onsite and offsite<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Accessible<\/strong> Content needs to be accessible to people with disabilities<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Credible<\/strong> Users must trust and believe what you tell them<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">User Experience Design is actually comprised of various specialties executed together including:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Visual Design: <\/strong>the use of imagery, color, shapes, typography, and form to enhance usability and improve the user experience<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Information Architecture: <\/strong>organizing, structuring, and labeling content in an effective and sustainable way. The goal is to help users find information and complete tasks.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Content Strategy: <\/strong>planning, creation, delivery, and governance of content. Content not only includes the words on the page but also the images and multimedia that are used.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Interaction Design:<\/strong> the design of the interaction between users and products<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Usability: <\/strong>the degree to which something is able or fit to be used.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">User Research:<\/strong> understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Ethnographic User\u00a0Research<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Understanding the people who will use a product is a key first step in trying to create empathy and influence what the initial problem statement will be. A technique known as Ethnographic Research allows designers to get a clear picture of the user\u2019s problems and processes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss in his 1963 book <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Structural-Anthropology-Claude-Levi-strauss\/dp\/046509516X\">Structural Anthropology<\/a> said that, \u201cEthnography consists of the observation and analysis of human groups considered as individual entities (the groups are often selected, for practical and theoretical reasons unrelated to the nature of the research involved, from those societies that differ most from our own). Ethnography thus aims at recording as accurately as possible the perspective modes of life of various groups.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-6EFpDx66VdlzfUEM-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10228\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-6EFpDx66VdlzfUEM-2.png\" alt=\"0-6efpdx66vdlzfuem\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The groups L\u00e9vi-Strauss mentions are known today as personas. Personas allow for the generic concatenation of user data from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective. To many project managers this observational method may appear inefficient but it\u2019s a very important exercise that informs designers about the context in which customers would use a new product and the meaning the product should hold in their lives or jobs.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Ethnographic Study<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A user interview, where a designer sits down with a user to discuss their problems and processes, is known as an Ethnographic study.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Study findings provide an understanding of user behaviors, needs, and motivations using observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies. Depending on the situation and required information various research techniques are available including surveys, A\/B testing, focus groups, and more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-uzKBMsrFz2IDeKcX-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10229\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-uzKBMsrFz2IDeKcX-1.png\" alt=\"0-uzkbmsrfz2idekcx-1\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-uzKBMsrFz2IDeKcX-1.png 1200w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-uzKBMsrFz2IDeKcX-1-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-uzKBMsrFz2IDeKcX-1-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/consulting-field-studies\/\">Nielsen-Norman Group defines<\/a> Ethnographic studies as \u201cthe best way to learn about your customers\u2019 goals and needs. Visiting people in their own environment can help you learn very different kinds of information from that collected in usability labs or other methods. They are commonly known as \u201cfield studies\u201d and \u201ccontextual inquiries\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">There are 4 research keystones that inform long-term product strategy:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Identify user needs that have yet to be met<\/li>\n<li>Test market demand for products that do not exist<\/li>\n<li>Provide a holistic view of a problem space<\/li>\n<li>Expose opportunities for competitive differentiation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Challenges<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/consulting-field-studies\/\">Nielsen Norman Group points out<\/a> that despite the unique insights gained from field studies, few organizations take advantage of this technique \u2014 usually due to some combination of the following:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Lack of understanding of the importance of this technique<\/li>\n<li>Uncertainty about how to plan and conduct a field study<\/li>\n<li>Misconceptions that it will be too time-consuming or expensive<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty in interpreting the piles of data collected<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">One specific challenge faced within organizations is that user research is not entirely a quantitative process. You don\u2019t get lots of neat numbers, graphs and figures at the end. User research is very much a predominantly qualitative process. It produces lots of unstructured data that can be hard to summarize. It\u2019s also difficult to prevent bias from creeping into the research process. Bias can cause our own understanding of something to introduce a lack of objectivity. To help prevent bias delve into the user much like a character actor does. Your goal should be to understand them and their contribution to your research. It\u2019s never a good idea to assume that all interviewees view problems they face similarly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-JBk_xHVTx7BPTrSg.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10231\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-JBk_xHVTx7BPTrSg.png\" alt=\"0-jbk_xhvtx7bptrsg\" width=\"720\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-JBk_xHVTx7BPTrSg.png 720w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-JBk_xHVTx7BPTrSg-600x250.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Interviewee Interaction<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">User research begins by developing a relationship with the interviewee. Developing a level of rapport helps show you possess empathy and understanding with that person. When they feel comfortable with you they tend to be more honest when participating in the process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Take the time to introduce yourself prior to starting. Explain what\u2019s going to happen and invite questions from the start. Make sure you are engaged in the conversation throughout and thank them for taking the time when finished.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Interview Strategy<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">If the interviewee states they took an action or made a judgment call but do not explain their motivation, this is an opportunity to ask \u201cwhy\u201d to explore if you can find a root cause to truly address their problems within their existing processes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Each time you ask \u201cwhy\u201d you get someone to re-evaluate their position and dig a little deeper into their own reasoning. It can seem odd to keep asking \u201cwhy\u201d at first but it brings great insights.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-ixBimNVX228badlY.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10232\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-ixBimNVX228badlY.png\" alt=\"0-ixbimnvx228badly\" width=\"800\" height=\"769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-ixBimNVX228badlY.png 800w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-ixBimNVX228badlY-600x577.png 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-ixBimNVX228badlY-768x738.png 768w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-ixBimNVX228badlY-32x32.png 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">If the interviewee mentions something often or seems to trigger a strong emotional response to a topic that is also an indicator of something you\u2019ll want to spend time exploring to discover new opportunities or problems that aren\u2019t currently being addressed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Bonus points if you are forward thinking and book a room with a whiteboard. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask the interviewee to sketch out a particular process. It\u2019ll be more accurate and, honestly, it saves you from drawing it later on. It doesn\u2019t need to be perfect and, if they won\u2019t, you can just draw it following their instruction. This tends to help the interviewee wrap their head around a bigger picture instead of just focusing on one aspect of a process or software that doesn\u2019t hold great value across personas.<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black fontWeight-5 lineHeight-xxl fontSize-xxl breakPointM-lineHeight-xxxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Human-Centered Design<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">What is Human-Centered Design<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Human-Centered Design aligns what your users and your team members want, with what is technically feasible and financially viable. It can be applied to both physical and digital products.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">It is one of the best pathways to products that are embraced by users whilst also meeting an organization\u2019s business goals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">It\u2019s an approach that helps make sure new products are tailor-made to meet people\u2019s needs and wants. It is achieved when the following pillars of the methodology intersect:<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Desirability<\/strong>: What do people desire?<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Feasibility<\/strong>: What is technically and organizationally feasible?<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Viability<\/strong>: What can be financially viable?<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">This methodology is flipping the heart of product design from system-focused to human-focused. That means building a product thats interaction fits the way a particular persona works instead of requiring the user to learn new processes through documentation in order to conform to the system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-a5tf9Stiec_2-F-C.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10233\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-a5tf9Stiec_2-F-C.png\" alt=\"0-a5tf9stiec_2-f-c\" width=\"800\" height=\"285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-a5tf9Stiec_2-F-C.png 800w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-a5tf9Stiec_2-F-C-600x214.png 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-a5tf9Stiec_2-F-C-768x274.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">HCD can generate insights about both your target users and internal stakeholders through the following activities:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>User testing and interviews<\/li>\n<li>Focus groups<\/li>\n<li>Behaviour analysis<\/li>\n<li>Digital analytics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Human-Centered Design is really all about building empathy for every person involved in the product design process. This way the final product is tailored as close as it can be to meeting user and stakeholder needs. It maye take a few iterations of the design process to finally understand a problem or create an user-accepted solution.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Design Thinking<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.interaction-design.org\/literature\/article\/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process\">Interaction Design Foundation describes<\/a> Design Thinking as \u201ca design methodology that provides a solution-based approach to solving problems. It\u2019s extremely useful in tackling complex problems that are ill-defined or unknown, by understanding the human needs involved, by re-framing the problem in human-centric ways, by creating many ideas in brainstorming sessions, and by adopting a hands-on approach in prototyping and testing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/16toxsrJEdVIt_tnVjDVQUw.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/16toxsrJEdVIt_tnVjDVQUw.png\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">It draws upon logic, imagination, intuition, and systematic reasoning to explore possibilities of what could be and to create desired outcomes that benefit the target user.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Design thinking can greatly reduce uncertainty to facilitate lasting and innovative products by regularly engaging with users using <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/what-is-rapid-prototyping\/\">rapid prototypes<\/a> to learn, test, and refine designs. It\u2019s important to understand these insights are gained through real-world experiments and not just analytical data or marketing research. Research data can tell you \u201cwhat\u201d but only real-world experimentation will tell you \u201cwhy\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\u201cDesign thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer\u2019s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.\u201d \u2014 Tim Brown, president and CEO, IDEO<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Rapid Prototyping<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A process that uses rapid iteration to get to a product that will add the maximum value to the user. It is a cyclical concept where you move through each stage to the next and when you reach the end, you return to the beginning (over and over again) until you have the result that you need.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-GN1fyjaPuuxO1Ltf.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10234\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-GN1fyjaPuuxO1Ltf.png\" alt=\"0-gn1fyjapuuxo1ltf\" width=\"750\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-GN1fyjaPuuxO1Ltf.png 750w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-GN1fyjaPuuxO1Ltf-600x281.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Rapid prototyping is to let your users \/ clients know the objective of the prototype.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">It is also very important to explain to them that ultimately, the prototype is not the actual solution. This avoids confusions and encourages feedback from the clients. The other thing to keep in mind is, it is not necessary to prototype every single feature of the application.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Analyze the application carefully in breadth and depth and make a list of the features that you feel users will use the most and then prioritize the features that needs to be prototyped.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Tactical Design\u00a0Critique<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">TDCs allow us to quickly get a shared sense of how we feel about an existing design, what might need to be done about it?\u2014?and also grow stronger as a team while we\u2019re at it.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Objectives<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>List of tensions around the current design<\/li>\n<li>Tackle either tactically or strategically<\/li>\n<li>Team members have a chance to voice their opinions<\/li>\n<li>Shared understanding around parts of our user experience<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Process<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--ordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Design presented for entire group on TV<\/li>\n<li>Round Robin; Each person shares only 1 tension<\/li>\n<li>Repeat \/ Skip<\/li>\n<li>Cross Talking Prohibited<\/li>\n<li>30 min limit<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Participant Guide<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>What is the problem we\u2019re trying to solve?<\/li>\n<li>Make sure you understand the problem before providing feedback (don\u2019t be afraid to ask for clarification)<\/li>\n<li>Stay focused on what was asked<\/li>\n<li>Be honest and constructive<\/li>\n<li>Tie feedback to business\/user goals<\/li>\n<li>Be positive + negative<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t try to solve the problem; just express tensions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black fontWeight-5 lineHeight-xxl fontSize-xxl breakPointM-lineHeight-xxxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Agile, Scrum, and\u00a0Kanban<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Agile<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.agilealliance.org\/agile101\/\">Agile Alliance defines<\/a> Agile as \u201cthe ability to create and respond to change in order to succeed in an uncertain and turbulent environment.\u201d A Manifesto with 12 principles was written in February of 2001 by 17 software practitioners.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Manifesto\u2019s 12 Principles<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.<\/li>\n<li>Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer\u2019s competitive advantage.<\/li>\n<li>Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.<\/li>\n<li>Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.<\/li>\n<li>Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.<\/li>\n<li>The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.<\/li>\n<li>Working software is the primary measure of progress.<\/li>\n<li>Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.<\/li>\n<li>Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.<\/li>\n<li>Simplicity \u2014 the art of maximizing the amount of work not done \u2014 is essential.<\/li>\n<li>The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.<\/li>\n<li>At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Scrum<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/why-scrum\">Scrum Alliance defines<\/a> Scrum as \u201can Agile framework for completing complex projects. Scrum originally was formalized for software development projects, but it works well for any complex, innovative scope of work.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">The Scrum Framework<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-EVanNKGIEjGHXIgI.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10235\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-EVanNKGIEjGHXIgI.png\" alt=\"0-evannkgiejghxigi\" width=\"620\" height=\"287\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-EVanNKGIEjGHXIgI.png 620w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-EVanNKGIEjGHXIgI-600x278.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>A <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">product owner<\/strong> creates a prioritized wish list called a product backlog.<\/li>\n<li>During <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">sprint planning<\/strong>, the team pulls a small chunk from the top of that wish list, a sprint backlog, and decides how to implement those pieces.<\/li>\n<li>The team has a certain amount of time?\u2014?a <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">sprint<\/strong> (usually two to four weeks)?\u2014?to complete its work, but it meets each day to assess its progress (<strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">daily Scrum<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<li>Along the way, the <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">ScrumMaster<\/strong> keeps the team focused on its goal.<\/li>\n<li>At the end of the sprint, the work should be potentially shippable: ready to hand to a customer, put on a store shelf, or show to a <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">stakeholder<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The sprint ends with a <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">sprint review<\/strong> and <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">retrospective<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>As the next sprint begins, the team chooses another chunk of the <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">product backlog<\/strong> and begins working again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"http:\/\/www.scrumguides.org\/scrum-guide.html\">The Scrum Guide lists<\/a> 3 pillars that uphold every implementation of empirical process control.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Transparency<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The entire process must be visible to those responsible for the outcome. Transparency requires a shared understanding and goals. For example \u201cA common language referring to the process must be shared by all participants\u201d and; \u201cThose performing the work and those accepting the work product must share a common definition of \u201cDone\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Inspection<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Participants should frequently inspect Scrum artifacts and progress toward a Sprint Goal to detect undesirable variances. Their inspection should not be so frequent that inspection gets in the way of the work. Inspections are most beneficial when diligently performed by skilled inspectors at the point of work. This is typically performed at the end of a sprint in a retrospective group session.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Adaptation<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">If an inspector determines that one or more aspects of a process deviate outside acceptable limits and that the resulting product will be unacceptable, the process or the material being processed must be adjusted. An adjustment must be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Kanban<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-lUqP6BI8XNOK7zU9.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10236\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-lUqP6BI8XNOK7zU9.png\" alt=\"0-luqp6bi8xnok7zu9\" width=\"600\" height=\"366\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/leankit.com\/learn\/kanban\/what-is-kanban\/\">According to Leankit<\/a> Kanban is Japanese for \u201cvisual signal\u201d or \u201ccard.\u201d Toyota line-workers used a kanban (i.e., an actual card) to signal steps in their manufacturing process. The system\u2019s highly visual nature allowed teams to communicate more easily on what work needed to be done and when. It also standardized cues and refined processes, which helped to reduce waste and maximize value.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/community\/articles\/2014\/july\/scrum-vs-kanban\">Scrum Alliance describes<\/a> four core principles that Kanban follows:<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Visualize work<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Create a visual model of work and work flow, so as to observe the flow of work moving through the Kanban system. Making the work visible, along with blockers, bottlenecks, and queues, instantly leads to increased communication and collaboration.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Limit Work In\u00a0Process<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Limit how much unfinished work is in process and reduce the time it takes an item to travel through the Kanban system. Problems caused by task switching and the need to constantly reprioritize items can be reduced by limiting WIP.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Focus on\u00a0Flow<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">By using work in process (WIP) limits and developing team-driven policies, the Kanban system can be optimized to improve the smooth flow of work, collect metrics to analyze flow, and even get leading indicators of future problems by analyzing the flow of work.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Continuously Improve<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Once the Kanban system is in place, it becomes the cornerstone for a culture of continuous improvement. Teams measure their effectiveness by tracking flow, quality, throughput, lead times, and more. Experiments and analysis can change the system to improve the team\u2019s effectiveness.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User Story<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.interaction-design.org\/literature\/article\/user-stories-capturing-the-user-s-perspective-quickly-and-simply\">According to Interaction Design Foundation<\/a> a User story is used to \u201cfacilitate the functionality of a system but can be used in any environment to ensure that design and development are focused on user needs.\u201d It focuses on the who, what and why, never how. User stories are structured as the following:<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><em>As a [<\/em><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><em>persona<\/em><\/strong><em>], I want to [<\/em><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><em>goal<\/em><\/strong><em>], so I can [<\/em><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><em>motivation<\/em><\/strong><em>].<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Understanding the motivation helps because:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>it gives clarity as to why a feature is useful;<\/li>\n<li>it can influence how a feature should function;<\/li>\n<li>it can give you ideas for other useful features that support the user\u2019s goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Story Sizing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-yj_1llK_2Zaw1WKM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10237\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-yj_1llK_2Zaw1WKM.png\" alt=\"0-yj_1llk_2zaw1wkm\" width=\"424\" height=\"263\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">In an attempt to understand the total effort required to complete a story, points are assigned. Points are the unit of measurement for expressing the overall effort required to complete the acceptance criteria for a user story or any other piece of work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">They are assigned using the fibonacci sequence (1,2,3,5,8,13\u2026). 1 story should equal 1 point for 1 day of work. A 3 would merely mean 3x the effort, not necessarily 3 days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Because story points represent the effort to develop a story, a team\u2019s estimate must include everything that can affect the effort. That could include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>The amount of work to do<\/li>\n<li>The complexity of the work<\/li>\n<li>Any risk or uncertainty in doing the work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A story point estimate must include everything involved in getting a product backlog item all the way to done. If a team\u2019s definition of done includes creating automated tests to validate the story (and that would be a good idea), the effort to create those tests should be included in the story point estimate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Stories estimated at very large sizes are called Epics. Epics are made up of smaller journeys. Journeys are made up of many stories. So it goes:<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Epic -&gt; Journey -&gt; Story<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">These organizing principles are used when building a Product Story Map.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Agile Sprints<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Scrum.org <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.scrum.org\/resources\/what-is-a-sprint-in-scrum\">describes<\/a> a Sprint as a time-box of one month or less during which a \u201cDone\u201d, useable, and potentially releasable product Increment is created. Sprints best have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-rz86MVwa_A2w-lI8.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10238\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-rz86MVwa_A2w-lI8.png\" alt=\"0-rz86mvwa_a2w-li8\" width=\"695\" height=\"260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-rz86MVwa_A2w-lI8.png 695w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-rz86MVwa_A2w-lI8-600x224.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 695px) 100vw, 695px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Sprints events include Planning, Daily Scrums, Review, and Retrospectives. Any stories not completed within the assigned sprint are pushed to the following sprint to be completed first or sent to the backlog to for inclusion in a future sprint.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">During an Active Sprint:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>No changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;<\/li>\n<li>Quality goals do not decrease; and,<\/li>\n<li>Scope may be clarified and re-negotiated between the Product Owner and Development Team as more is learned.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Sprints help to determine predictability of team velocity through inspection and constant fluctuation of progress toward a sprint goal while also reducing risk of misapplying effort towards an invaluable goal.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Sprint Planning<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Sprint planning helps product teams determine which stories should be targeted for completion in the upcoming sprint by adding them to a sprint backlog list. The session is moderated by a scrum master who ensures the session is conducted within a time-box of ~ 45 min.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">As stories are added to the sprint backlog from the product backlog the product team should be cognizant of the total number of points added to a sprint much in the way a baseball manager monitors the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher. Using the team\u2019s prior sprint velocity as a barometer, make sure not to set unrealistic goals by over stuffing the sprint backlog. Yet with each successive sprint the scrum master should increase the sprint target story point completion by 5% to continually push team speed and productivity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Once the session is complete there is now a clear window into what stories will be targeted during the sprint. This also provides a window for stakeholders by setting expectations for what should be completed during the sprint.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Once the sprint starts the stories in the sprint backlog are locked for that sprint. Any planning after this is applied to the next sprint.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Backlog Grooming<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Backlog Grooming is a session where the product team in collaboration with stakeholders prioritize, add, or remove user stories in the product backlog. Prioritizing the backlog includes arranging the stories with the highest priority at the top and lowest priority at the very bottom. Grooming sessions are occur prior to the start of the next sprint.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Beware that this is generally an informal session and should not be viewed as a status meeting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Backlog Grooming includes the following elements:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Attendees include the Scrum Team and key stakeholders invited by the Product Owner;<\/li>\n<li>The Product Owner explains what Product Backlog items have been \u201cDone\u201d and what has not been \u201cDone\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>The Product Owner discusses the Product Backlog as it stands. They will estimate the likely completion dates based on progress to date (if needed);<\/li>\n<li>The entire group collaborates on what to do next, so that the backlog grooming provides valuable input to subsequent Sprint Planning;<\/li>\n<li>Review of how the marketplace or potential use of the product might have changed what is the most valuable thing to do next; and,<\/li>\n<li>Review of the timeline, budget, potential capabilities, and marketplace for the next anticipated release of the product.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The result of backlog grooming is a oft revised product backlog that alludes to the probable stories for the next sprint. The Product Backlog may also be adjusted overall to meet new opportunities.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Sprint Retrospective<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Scrum Guides <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"http:\/\/www.scrumguides.org\/scrum-guide.html#events-retro\">describes<\/a> the sprint retrospective is \u201can opportunity for the [Product] Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">At the completion of each and every sprint the product team should gather for an informal session for a formal opportunity to focus on inspection and adaptation of the sprint process. All members of the team, including the scrum master, participates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Topics considered:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Evaluate how the last sprint went with regards to people, relationships, process, and tools;<\/li>\n<li>Identify aspects of the process that went well along with any potential improvements.<\/li>\n<li>Initiate next steps to implement approved improvements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">At the conclusion of the session the team should have identified improvements to review and implement in the upcoming sprints.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Scrum Huddle<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A scrum huddle is a daily 15 minute session lead by a scrum master where a product team can synchronize. Huddles are used to understand progress toward a sprint goal and to inspect how progress is trending toward completing the work remaining in the sprint backlog. The huddle is held at the same time and place each day to reduce complexity. The scrum master is responsible for ensuring that only product team members participate in the huddle and not stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The team\u2019s updates touch on three points:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--ordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>What stories did you complete yesterday?<\/li>\n<li>What stories will you focus on completing today?<\/li>\n<li>Are there any impediments preventing you from completing anything?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A huddle increases the probability that the product team will meet their sprint goal. On a daily basis the team should understand how it intends to work together as a self-organizing group to accomplish the sprint goal. The primary target should be trying to complete all the stories in the sprint backlog by the end of the sprint.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Scrum huddles are specifically designed to have smaller meetings more often. This approach can improve communications, eliminate other meetings, identify impediments, highlight and promote quick decision-making, and improve shared knowledge amongst the team. A secondary goal for huddles is to inspect and adapt to the work currently in progress.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Velocity<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">At the end of each sprint the team adds up the effort estimates associated with each user stories that was completed. This rate is known as velocity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-7C-rqQz8_i8ZOv0u.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10239\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-7C-rqQz8_i8ZOv0u.png\" alt=\"0-7c-rqqz8_i8zov0u\" width=\"800\" height=\"505\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-7C-rqQz8_i8ZOv0u.png 800w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-7C-rqQz8_i8ZOv0u-600x379.png 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-7C-rqQz8_i8ZOv0u-768x485.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">In understanding team velocity the team is able to compute (or revise) an estimate project milestones. This is based on the estimates associated with remaining user stories and assuming that velocity over the remaining iterations will remain the same. Scrum Alliance <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/community\/articles\/2014\/february\/velocity\">describes<\/a> three specific valuable aspects for understanding team velocity:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--ordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Predicts how much scope can be delivered by a specific date<\/li>\n<li>Predicts a date for a fixed amount of scope to be delivered<\/li>\n<li>Understand our limits while defining the amount of scope we will commit for a sprint<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">As sprints are completed the planning and forecasts will begin to become more accurate as it will become more clear how many points the team can complete within a given sprint.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Product Story\u00a0Map<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A product story map is an holistic approach to building a shared understanding for teams around a user\u2019s experience with a product. The map is a simple way to visually tell a product story. Stories are arranged top to bottom to help understand the functionality of the system, identify holes and omissions in your backlog, and effectively plan holistic releases that deliver value to users and business with each release. Jeff Patton <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"http:\/\/jpattonassociates.com\/storymappingslides\/\">describes<\/a> story maps providing a visual representation of understanding:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Why we\u2019re building the product<\/li>\n<li>What are the product and user goals and requirements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-zU5VcCW9cjzdobi2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10240\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-zU5VcCW9cjzdobi2.png\" alt=\"0-zu5vccw9cjzdobi2\" width=\"800\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-zU5VcCW9cjzdobi2.png 800w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-zU5VcCW9cjzdobi2-600x437.png 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-zU5VcCW9cjzdobi2-768x560.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Horizontal Slices<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The product map is an evolving product backlog where stories can be pulled into a sprint backlog. The map, as seen above, has horizontal slices denoting the group of stories intended to be added to a particular sprint. These often correlate with product release schedules. The first row of stories on the map is considered the stories required to create an minimum viable product (MVP). The stories in the this row are the bare necessity to create a functioning product.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Acceptance Criteria<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Leading Agile <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.leadingagile.com\/2014\/09\/acceptance-criteria\/\">describes<\/a> acceptance criteria as \u201cthe conditions that a software product must satisfy to be accepted by a user, customer, or in the case of system level functionality, the consuming system.\u201d in other words criteria are the lowest level tasks required to be completed for a given story.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-lFvH1R_DOHj8iDUd.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10241\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-lFvH1R_DOHj8iDUd.jpeg\" alt=\"0-lfvh1r_dohj8idud\" width=\"638\" height=\"479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-lFvH1R_DOHj8iDUd.jpeg 638w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-lFvH1R_DOHj8iDUd-600x450.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Focus<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Acceptance Criteria should be quantitative in nature. It can be added to stories at any point in the process but any story added during a sprint planning session should have acceptance criteria assigned before the sprint starts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Its also important to define the what, and not the how. This tact ensures that requirements are met but allows for flexibility in implementation for the team member working on a story. Tasks should never dictate steps to take.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Acceptance criteria can vary on topic but not intent. Design acceptance criteria is usability-oriented such as \u201cusers should encounter no major usability issue while completing task A\u201d. Whereas development acceptance criteria is task-oriented such as \u201cWrite script X for connect to API Y\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User-Centric Product Design Lifecycle<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The user-centric product design lifecycle is a high level process combining user-centered design principles with agile and scrum methodologies. Following this process will ensure that the product meets both user and stakeholder requirements. The 5 pillars of this process are:<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6580\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-T8L6Dtdc3vesvbLL.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10242\" src=\"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-T8L6Dtdc3vesvbLL.png\" alt=\"0-t8l6dtdc3vesvbll\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-T8L6Dtdc3vesvbLL.png 800w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-T8L6Dtdc3vesvbLL-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/0-T8L6Dtdc3vesvbLL-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Strategy<\/li>\n<li>Discovery<\/li>\n<li>Analysis<\/li>\n<li>Design<\/li>\n<li>Production<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">By following these pillars, and their subsequent events, a product team is enabled to create a more informed and usable application with the expectation of low user rejection and high user satisfaction.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Strategy<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Stakeholder Discussions<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Especially in an enterprise setting, the stakeholder often commissions a project to create a product to solve a perceived problem.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Project Vision\/Goals<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The stakeholder will have a \u201cvision\u201d to execute a solution for a perceived problem. This vision will often drive priority of the roadmap release schedule. The problem statement \/ product story is defined here to help focus the scope of the product and what challenges it will look to solve.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Brand Strategy<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Branding can play as big a role as user experience and functionality. The product must fit into an overall brand strategy (marketing analysis). This can include what integrations are targeted to using the same typography and color palette.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Measure of\u00a0Success<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Defining success at the onset w\/ stakeholders buy-in is crucial so that everyone both inside and outside of the product team can measure if they have been successful. It\u2019s important that the goal posts be set at the onset and not change.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Project Priority<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Determining which aspects of a product should be prioritized over others. This should guide the project manager in designing the release schedule and what features to work on when.<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black fontWeight-5 lineHeight-xxl fontSize-xxl breakPointM-lineHeight-xxxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Discovery<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Business Requirements<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">This is traditionally what is used to drive product development. These requirements help establish acceptance criteria later on in the process. These are the \u201cmust-have\u201d aspects of the product.<br \/>\n\u201cWe must begin digital projects by exploring and pinpointing the needs of the people who will use the service, and the ways the service will fit into their lives. Whether the users are members of the public or government employees, policy makers must include real people in their design process from the beginning. The needs of people \u2014 not constraints of government structures or silos \u2014 should inform technical and design decisions. We need to continually test the products we build with real people to keep us honest about what is important.\u201d \u2014 via U.S. Digital Services\u00a0Playbook<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Analytics Review<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">How often are users competing tasks? How many users use a particular system? How many tasks are they processing? Obtaining analytical data about users helps understand <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">what<\/strong> they are doing.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Content Audit<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Understanding the data users are utilizing during their tasks helps for user-defined acceptance criteria. If specific types of data are used it\u2019s important to understand this so you make sure to include that in your product.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User Interviews<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Contextual user interviews help understand <strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">why<\/strong> users take specific actions. This is the most qualitative event and provides a trough of information about user behavior. It also helps define user processes, tasks, and personas.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Surveys<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Theses are great if you need quick responses to quantitative information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User Testing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">This can be done during the interviews but doing some sort of <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/ballparkhq.com\/?utm_campaign=Ballpark%20SEO&amp;utm_source=marvelblog\" title=\"testing on the user\u2019s existing products\">testing on the user\u2019s existing products<\/a> can help you improve your product by avoiding the pitfalls the current software falls into.<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black fontWeight-5 lineHeight-xxl fontSize-xxl breakPointM-lineHeight-xxxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Analysis<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Use Cases<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">These are often situational understandings of a particular user action. Nowadays these are written as user stories, encapsulating the persona, action, and motivation of the task.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Persona Creation<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A persona is an document that contains the analysis of qualitative and quantitative information about a identified meta-person. Personas are made up of groups of real people who identify with a particular role. Each persona has their own goals, tasks, and motivations.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Story Boards<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Storyboards help understand user stories in a visual way. They are created at specific situations or use cases.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Experience Map<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">An experience map They can help organize user stories in a logical way that enables product teams to quickly and efficiently build products.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Workflow Diagram<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">When trying to map a product flow to a user\u2019s processes, workflow diagrams are essential in understanding when to present information to the user.<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black fontWeight-5 lineHeight-xxl fontSize-xxl breakPointM-lineHeight-xxxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Design<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Mood Board<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Much in the vein of Pinterest, mood boards are \u201cyes, and\u2026\u201d exercise where designers will collect colors, typography, existing products, etc to form a basis for the overall look, feel, and function of the product.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Site Map<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">A site map visually shows the steps a user could take to navigate a product, this is analogous with information architecture.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Sketching<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Jotting down general ideas in a notebook or on a whiteboard is the free-form exercise designers can perform to get a general idea of concepts that could be used in the design of a product.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Wireframing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The next level up in fidelity from sketching, wireframing takes into account the device constraints and dimensions on a whiteboard or a program like balsamiq creating very low fidelity mock ups for what a real design could mimic.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Prototyping<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Using the wireframes as a basis, prototyping is where the designer creates \u201cgood enough\u201d products.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User Testing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Using the wireframes or prototypes, designer show users what they\u2019ve come up with in a short amount of time. Users are able to physically interact with the product but no actual code or data is present. This instant feedback look avoids expensive development effort to make sure when the product is built, very little changes would need to be made.<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black fontWeight-5 lineHeight-xxl fontSize-xxl breakPointM-lineHeight-xxxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Production<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Prototyping<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Prototypes at this point have been thoroughly vetted in the previous step so they should be much more fully formed and tested with a users outside the initial pilot group.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Beta Launch \/\u00a0MVP<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">This is when a minimum viable product (MVP) gets deployed to a set of pilot users. The product should be thoroughly QA\u2019d from both a design and development standpoint.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User Testing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Testing with the pilot user group, and more if possible, should be stringent using testing plans to make sure all use cases are thoroughly tested and functionality has no errors.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Release \/\u00a0Launch<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The big day has come to deploy your release! User behavior should be closely watched using analytics and contact with users should be higher than usual to make sure the product is fully functional.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">User Involvement<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Throughout this user-centric process there are multiple points in which the people who will use this product on a daily basis have multiple instances of interaction w\/ the product team. Following the learn, build, test methodology stakeholders and users are heavily involved in the beginning during the strategy and discovery phases when building empathy and understanding is the focus. During the design and production phases we are following more of a QA model in eliciting direct feedback from users.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Concepts and Methodologies To Live\u00a0By At the time I\u2019m writing this post, I\u2019ve been a full-time product designer for ~ 3 years, though my overall professional career is closer to ~ 8 years. Every couple of months I would sit down and braindump lessons learned and methodologies I\u2019d absorbed from work, Meetups, articles, podcasts, etc. As a believer in paying&#8230; <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\" href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/product-design-playbook\/\">Read More &#65515;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":148,"featured_media":10261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[493],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-product-design"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v15.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/product-design-playbook\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Product Design Playbook | Marvel Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Concepts and Methodologies To Live\u00a0By At the time I\u2019m writing this post, I\u2019ve been a full-time product designer for ~ 3 years, though my overall professional career is closer to ~ 8 years. Every couple of months I would sit down and braindump lessons learned and methodologies I\u2019d absorbed from work, Meetups, articles, podcasts, etc. As a believer in paying... 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