Well said Rich. I have been on Agile based projects for about 3 years now. My thoughts on how a "start-up interaction designer" can use Agile to his/her advantage:
1. Read about Agile and interpret it as a user centered design methodology. 2. Meet your client. Understand what they want to build, why do they want to build it and for whom. Get the "big picture". This is when you build the first cut of the site-map. 3. Meet the users. Understand goals, drivers, ... . Build the persona and scenarios. these persona will help you immensely throughout the project. 4. Meet technologists. What they been doing all this time ? Educate them on your "UCD interpretation" of the agile process and your findings. Now this is the tricky part. Typically, I have got staffed on the project before the developers and got the time (around 2-4 weeks to do the above). Otherwise, you will find them working on "spike solutions". That again gives you the time to work in parallel. Find out the technology limitations. That will help you design solutions that are easily implementable and you can get it done with least resistance. Well, mostly. 5. Meet you project manager. He will be almost ready with a list of "user stories". Sync up your site-map and scenarios. 6. Go back to your client. Share your findings (vision, user needs, technology) and "help" them prioritize features/stories. Split the list of stories (backlog) into iterations. 7. Go back to you drawing board. Design for as many iterations as you can and define the patterns. You need to be ahead by as many iterations as you can. If possible design the whole thing even before development begins. You can always make changes as the product evolves. Test with your users using paper prototypes. 8. Let the development begin ... 9. Use every iteration (release) for usability testing and gather user feedback. Create additional stories (new/enhancement) and have them prioritized. That should set you up for success. All the best, -- Bipul Keshri Senior Information Architect Sapient Corporation On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 8:23 PM, Rich Rogan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I've worked as the UX application design lead within Agile processes for 9 > or so years. I've experienced a few key initiatives which increase Design > success with Agile, and which make projects more successful in general. > > Key Initiatives for Design success with Agile process: > > 1. Be flexible with the "Agile Methodology" – use aspects that work, > deprecate those that don't. Dogmatic process adherence can kill a project. > > 2. Keep design artifacts one iteration ahead of engineering – Design > doesn't > have to be waterfall, rather design has laid out a roadmap with > architecture > and business, and these deliverables are consumed, negotiated and enhanced > with engineering. > > 3. Design Strategic Interface/Interaction "Scaffolding" upfront/ in first > iteration – (This assumes the organization has Strategic vision, if not, > good luck and cash your checks quick ;). Strategic vision into the > business > domain and objectives are the design drivers. With this information design > can build interface "Scaffolding" to be reused and adapted to multiple > situations, (see "pattern libraries"). Note these interface patterns can > include deep domain specific interactions, which become component building > blocks. Interface scaffolding components should be "minimum viable" in > functionality and design, this will aide in all aspects of usability, > design > and development, including consistency, ease of testing and training. > > Has anyone else had success with these initiatives or others within an > Agile > process? > > > On 4/19/08, Sean Goggins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I think the conflict between design and agile development methods is > best > > understood by reflecting on the values conflict between the two > > disciplines. > > > > Here's a full list of the principles of agile development: > > > > http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html > > > > These principles are ones I think designers and developers/technolgists > > will > > agree on in most cases: > > Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount > > of work not done--is essential. > > > > Welcome changing requirements, even late in > > development. Agile processes harness change for > > the customer's competitive advantage. > > > > These two fight design values the most: > > Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer > > through early and continuous delivery > > of valuable software. > > > > Working software is the primary measure of progress. > > > > > > This one has some risk because technology is "excellent", but design is > > merely "Good"... > > Continuous attention to technical excellence > > and good design enhances agility. > > > > Ten years ago software development was in a crisis. Agile methods have > > made > > a significant, positive impact on software development quality and > > productivity. As somebody with a software development background who is > > currently working both sides in the development of social software > systems > > in a research environment, I found this question interesting, and I hope > > the > > response is helpful. > > > > > > -- > > Sean P. Goggins > > http://www.goggins.com > > > > ``Design is what you do when you don't [yet] know what you are doing.'' > > -- George Stiny, Professor of Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of > > Technology, > > > > "The game is a lot better because he played it, and I think that's the > > criteria that matters most." > > --Mike Ditka on Brett Favre > > > > http://www.wisconsinidea.wisc.edu/history.html > > ________________________________________________________________ > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > > To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > > > > > > -- > Joseph Rich Rogan > President UX/UI Inc. > http://www.jrrogan.com > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
