What is
design strategy?
Also referred to as Design Strategy or UX strategy, this is the phase where we align the user needs (insights gained from UX research) with those of the business. UX strategy aims to find the nexus between design thinking & “business” thinking.
“Business” thinking or corporate strategy involves paradigms such as brand mission/vision, offerings, economic viability, profits, & sustainability.
Whereas, design thinking deals purely with user needs, behaviors, pain points, & requirements. Striking the right balance between these two seemingly disparate entities is the main goal of the design strategy process.
What is the importance of UX strategy?
In simple words, be it war or the boardroom, putting the right strategy in action could mean all the difference between victory and loss, aka, a successful product loved by your users and a product that falls flat on its face.
A design strategy is not helpful just for the designer, but it’s equally important for the business & its users. You might have all the rich insights about users, but without a solid design strategy framework, these insights are of no use.
Here are some of the key reasons why you need to establish a strong UX strategy before proceeding with the design phase –
- Ensures you are designing the right solutions for the right user groups
- Provides a clear guideline on how to distribute & utilize resources
- Sets well-defined, measurable goals & the right metrics for success
- Bridges the gap between business offerings & desired user experience
- Serves as the guiding star for the entire team – designers & stakeholders
- Quantifies the impact of UX decisions on business growth & product success
- Fosters organization-wide alignment & understanding of user needs
UX strategy
methods
Design Thinking
Contrary to its nomenclature, design thinking is not a tool limited to designers, but extends to all innovators, thinkers, creators, & solution-providers. Design Thinking refers to the iterative (& non-linear) process of understanding users, challenging assumptions, redefining problems, & creating better solutions; all of which are done to prototype & test faster. Empathy is of key importance here as all design decisions revolve around users. Another important factor is experimentation, in the face of known/unknown/ill-defined problem statements.
How is it done?
Product Roadmap
A product roadmap is the guiding strategic document that clearly defines the plan for executing the UX/product strategy. Much akin to its name, a product roadmap maps out the vision & direction of the product across time, along with short & long-term goals, priorities, & progress of the plan. The main goal of a product roadmap is to define the vision & design strategy, provide a clear guideline for execution of the design strategy, align internal stakeholders, facilitate options & scenario planning, & enable communication with external stakeholders.
How is it done?
Growth Strategy
Through growth strategy, your business can unlock doors to consistent growth & expansion by overcoming current & future challenges. This is done by finding the right product/market fit, innovating new products powered by robust user insights, & providing superior user experience, better engagement, & high product stickiness.
How is it done?
Service Design
Through service design we create sustainable & optimal solutions for solution/service providers. Service design is how we organize & realign an organization’s resources – the people, the process, & the properties to enhance the employee experience that indirectly improves the end user experience. In service design, much like user experience design, several moving components should be aligned & integrated correctly to ensure a smooth, seamless course of action internally across large enterprises.
How is it done?
