[Sigia-l] How the design process fits into the agile methodology, WAS Pricing the Design Process

[Tillier Ivor]

Jamie said:
With agile it's the opposite. It's very light on deliverables, the
focus switching to building a usable product at the end of each
iteration. It's very user-centred in its approach as you can build
user testing cycles into each iteration to feed into requirements for
the next.

Probably a subject for a separate thread (if there hasn't already been
one) is how the design process fits into the agile methodology - which
has some big challenges. I'd be interested to hear other people's
experiences with this.
END

Hi Jamie, You still need a 'big picture' and the more clearly this is defined, the better the direction.  Adopting an agile, iterative approach means that you can always develop or change it if you want. Another advantage is that by creating a clear specification of a possible solution at the start, one can anticpate issues before they arrive e.g. to prevent painting yourself into a corner.  I acknowledge that an iterative approach doesn't mean that you don't map out, even roughly, future iterations, I suppose I'm really suggesting that it needs to be combined with a good plan/specification.

As for user testing, before you start on a project, your business case should give you a pretty clear definition of what is required from the project.  Even if one route is different to another, the ultimate solution should still satisfy the need - which should be testable.  I agree that from a standard usability perspective its important to test the solution effectiveness of any features or distinct processes in your design, but you are never going to be able to evaluate the whole user experience without all the bits tied up, which takes us back to the starting question 'what are you trying to achieve?' and then 'how will you know when you've got there?'.  These questions need to be asked at the beginning if not least to help the project stay focussed and on track.  If you come up with some wonderful solution or opportunity mid-project, you can then always adapt your project accordingly.

Ivor Tillier