Here is an excellent presentation (slides with audio) on "Generative UX Design" by Leah Buhley of Adaptive Path. She gave this presentation at the IA Summit 2008 (i.e. the Information Architect Summit). It is entitled "How to Be a UX Team of One" and goes over her personal best practices for Lone Ranger UX professionals.
One of Leah's key points: Business Needs + User Needs = Design Principles. In other words: software needs to be more than purely functional (i.e. business-focused). It also has to be personal (i.e. user-focused). I'd put it this way: "If all food were nutritious but tasteless, people would be no better off because they wouldn't eat enough to stay healthy."
Leah presents her ideas well and with a lot of passion and provides great food for thought. What more can I say, really? Check it out.
My take-aways (e.g. Leah's points mixed with some of my own ideas):
One of Leah's key points: Business Needs + User Needs = Design Principles. In other words: software needs to be more than purely functional (i.e. business-focused). It also has to be personal (i.e. user-focused). I'd put it this way: "If all food were nutritious but tasteless, people would be no better off because they wouldn't eat enough to stay healthy."
Leah presents her ideas well and with a lot of passion and provides great food for thought. What more can I say, really? Check it out.
My take-aways (e.g. Leah's points mixed with some of my own ideas):
- Generate many ideas. The more the better. Sketch a lot. On paper, even. That said, you should still brainstorm within constraints. This is the real world, after all.
- Use a continuum (e.g. from beginner to power user), 2X2 or larger grid to organize your mock-ups. Experiment with word association, combine ideas, extract concepts from an idea. Build up, break down, re-organize.
- Compile an "Inspiration Library" by taking screen grabs of inspirational sites and applications. It incorporates competitive analysis but also provides mnemonic cues (Rorschach) for things that just plain work.
- Assemble an ad-hoc team at which to throw ideas and out of which to draw new ideas. Use sketchboards (i.e. butcher paper) on a wall to post up ideas and display low-fi mock-ups. If your ad-hoc group needs some guidance, use basic templates into which they can draw their own ideas.
- Abandon the ideal of the Artiste -- the beret-wearing holder of all design knowledge. Decorate your workspace with mock-ups, ideas, sketches. Get people's input. Be proud of incomplete/in-progress ideas. Share them and get people's impressions.
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