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Originally from the MoDevUX Conference 2014 – here is the description: We have consulted with startups and large enterprises seeking to produce the right product (e.g., mobile app, web application) faster. We will reveal the remarkable similarities between startups and large organizations seeking to be as nimble as startups.

In a majority of cases the challenges were the same: – they were not sure how to speed development – they had difficulty balancing user and business needs – they typically had strong development teams with established methodologies that had blended agile and waterfall methodologies – they typically had little user experience expertise or input in the existing designs – designs / development builds were underway but the results of the designs were unsatisfying to users

We have done LeanUX design projects with a number of clients continuously testing and honed our process by testing various techniques: – rapid iterative design and improvement (design thinking) – brain storming sessions (design thinking) – design studios (traditional art school critiquing process) – rapid prototyping, usability testing and revision

We also want to share the pitfalls as you start to get involved in lean startup including having: – The “genius designer” mentality within the UX team – The “stay in the building until the product is ready” mentality – Different internal groups (design, development) that work against each other – Executives that swoop down and influence (aka hijack) the process – Too little contact between the designers and other team members – Too many chefs leading to poor focus – The anti-cheerleader who always says “No!”

Through a series of case studies we will describe the processes and flow that worked best for both large enterprises small startups: – Conducting a strategy workshop to align the team on business and user needs – Rapidly developing personas and scenarios as a team with all stakeholders – Conducting a design studio with all stakeholders to agree on the design directions to explore – Rapidly iterated prototype and guerilla testing – Creating non-technical, but partially functional prototypes through available tools (e.g., Axure, Proto IO, iRise)

Nearly every group we worked asked: – Does this work for a company like mine (Startup, Enterprise, Healthcare, Government, etc.)? – What was the composition of the most successful LeanUX teams? Number of team members? Types of expertise? – How did the process differ between Startups and Large Enterprises?

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