Championing UX to the Non-UX Crowd

Editor's Notes

• #2: I work at SEEK. We’re a job-finding website.\n
• #3: Expressed another way, how do we make UX meaningful to business stakeholders?\n\n
• #4: We’re all at this conference because we understand and believe in the value of great UX. But many of us come from environments where there’s not a lot of understanding or appreciation of the importance of great UX.\n\n...so, you have a problem.\n
• #5: You have a problem\n\nBusiness people not taking notice of your awesome UX is your problem to solve\n\nUX without a business context can come off as ‘fluffy’ or worse, unnecessary.\n\n...how do we solve it?\n\n
• #6: Finding the right way to COMMUNICATE an idea and SOLVING A PROBLEM through employing design thinking.\nThat’s what we do as designers, right?\n\nFinding the RIGHT method of communication PLUS strategic thinking content\n
• #7: You can be helped by a good strategy document that:\n1 engages the stakeholder\n2 outlines how good UX meets business need\n3 demonstrates how you plan to implement your awesome UX\n4 be accountable and \n5 give business a stake in what you do\n\n\n
• #8: Point 1 \n\nFrame the conversation in terms your audience will understand. \n\nThat might be a strategy-type document that you can present back to business stakeholders where you ARGUE YOUR CASE in business terms.\n\nI did this recently as part of a strategy document to a VERY business-y crowd who didn’t know or understand the bigger need around UX \n\n
• #9: Powerpoint or Keynote\n\nIt’s over-used and problematic, but you can use this in your sell to frame the story. \nStrategy document presented as a Powerpoint/Keynote takes the viewer on journey.\n\n\n
• #10: Point 2 - explain how it meets business need\n\nThree things to understand in framing this:\n1. That business interest & need is being fully considered with your UX approach.\n2. That decisions that are made have a rational & pragmatic basis. (they make sense to the stakeholder)\n3. That business will be advantaged in some way (ie, you can deliver value) \n\nArticulate that value.\nSpeak to what it can do for building leads/visits/DLs, or whatever success looks like to your audience.\n
• #11: The truth is Business ignores good UX at its peril!!\n\nA great example is online banking. An example of the product (the ability to access and work with your bank accounts online) is focussed on but the UX of that (the actual in-browser experience) are not aligned. The UX of these systems was terrible for years until banks figured out that good UX was an important driver for customer satisfaction and that getting it wrong had huge implications for brand and ultimately business.\n\n...moves us onto strategy + content -> become the champion\n
• #12: Point 3\n\nBecome the advocate for UX in your organisation. \n\n...go back to basics\n
• #13: Explain what it is. Go back to basics. Outline how it’s going to work - the things you’ll do.\n(user surveys, building personas, etc)\n\nAudience might be unsophisticated - break it down for them.\n\n...even if the bar is low...\n
• #14: Even if it’s really basic goal that’s been set, find a way to pour your UX perspective into that mould so that it resonates.\n\nOnce you’ve made a big noise...\n...be accountable\n
• #15: Point 4\n\nLay out a plan for tracking how the work performs. This is your way of proving yourself and measuring success. EG, determine a conversion rate and improve on it over time.\n\nConversion rate, enquiries, building database, DLs, whatever.\n\nWe use Omniture\n
• #16: Point 5\n\nTell your business stakeholders what you need in order to deliver. Resources in the form of research methods, site-surveys, client interviews, etc. \nYou’re asking for something, but it also allows them to feel that they’re tangibly invested.\n\n... In conclusion\n
• #17: In conclusion\n\n\n
• #18: We need \n\nBeards not necessary\n