wrong UX design process?

Question

I'm a new UI/UX designer at a company, and it's my first UX job. I could really use some advice on my design process. When I joined the team, they gave me a week-long task (trial-period) to work on a dashboard and simplify its complicated interface. They had already conducted customer interviews, and I used the research findings from the existing documentation. I began sketching and ideating on some solutions, and then proposed my design with a high-fidelity mockup, as per my manager's request.

They liked my designs and offered me a full-time position to continue working on the dashboard to make it more intuitive and user-friendly. However, I'm feeling confused about which design process to follow. The dashboard has many features and pages. Initially, I rushed to impress them and got used to a specific process, but now I'm not sure if I'm following the right approach.

At present, my process involves understanding the requirements, doing a little research, sketching solutions, choosing ideas, creating high-fidelity designs on Figma, and prototyping to demonstrate the final product. My managers prefer to see high-fidelity prototypes and have not responded well when I tried to bring in a complete design thinking process, as it took too long and they preferred my quicker turnarounds.

I'm unsure if I need to take every design task through a complete design thinking process. The constant influx of new tasks and projects leaves me feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to proceed with my design process. I'm also worried that my designs lack strong evidence from research and collaborative design.

Although the team loves my designs, I'm the only UX designer, and they might not be familiar with the proper design process. However, a team member asked if I'm creating low-fidelity wireframes and testing them before moving on to high-fidelity designs. I'm at a loss on what to do next and whether I'm on the right path or need to make adjustments to my design process. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

UX Design was definitely very overwhelming in the beginning! Great work landing your first fulltime position! <3

As for a specific process, there isn't one single process that all designers follow, but a good starting point might be to familiarise yourself with the Agile method. It's an iterative process, meaning you complete big projects by predetermined milestones.

Basically, you determine the MVP (Minimum Viable Product, meaning the barebones most important features and pages that the system needs) and work on that first. If it's not essential, leave it for now and note it down as a future add-on.

I personally start with some research (looking at existing systems similar to the one I'm looking to design), then I create a sitemap/user flow using FigJam. At this point I run it by the stakeholder to ensure I'm designing all the pieces they want. After that I do the wireframes in Figma, then have another meeting with the stakeholders to ensure each page has all the necessary content.

After that, I design the main dash or home page in 2-3 different styles and let the stakeholders choose one so that I can be sure they're happy with the UI direction before I do all the other pages. I am UI/UX hybrid so if you don't need to do the UI, then after the wireframes you can just hand it off to the necessary department.

Dashboards are notoriously difficult to get right so you got thrown in the deep end 😂 the good news is, once you have this down, most other designs will be a breeze! I hope this helps! Good luck <3

Answer 2

I'm unsure if I need to take every design task through a complete design thinking process.

Because you are feeling overwhelmed, understand that there is nothing wrong with your design process, but that you need better task management which means how you break down a project into tasks and how you communicate these to the project manager. Take it for granted, neither now nor later, even after working with them for years, the project manager may not be aware of the design tools you use or what the design process entails at all.

There is no need to create digital wireframes or grey mockups if pen and paper works for you. There is also no need to present multiple concepts if the problem is straightforward and you have understood user needs properly. If you have enough data, reasons and experience with the target user needs, proceed with what you think (not feel) is best. If every micro-interaction in the design has been a conscious decision, it will be enough. There will always be something better out there at a later date. Draw a benchmark and accomplish that.

If you understand 'Cost of effort' a.k.a. 'Level of effort', it will decide where you cut corners in the design. By cutting corners, I mean if you should be testing every little thing. Not at all necessary. As a designer, you know better when and why a bar chart and not a line chart should be used. Not negotiable, those are two different charts with each it's own merit.

Minor interactions may not cost much to change if things do not work out after the release of the product. But primary navigation patterns will be expensive to change. Conduct user testing for those which will have high cost-of-effort later or when you do not have enough data about them, just to make sure that you are on the right direction. Rest is just task management.

Answer 3

Are you working for a startup?

It is hard to change the way company works and thinks about UX, especially when you are the only UX designer. From what you wrote it seems obvious to me they are happy with you and they get the results they want and that is all that matters to them. Everything else, like expending your design process, they see as a waste of time and money.

Try talking to them and convince them how a proper design process would benefit them (be prepared with some good arguments etc) and see how it goes.

But I'm afraid your best option is to find another job especially if it frustrates you (not worth it). It does not need to be right away, maybe wait to get a year or two of working experience under your belt,meanwhile work on your portfolio and so on. I also heard job market for UX is slowly getting better.

Best of luck

Answer 4

You do not need to show them your design process. it is very natural the people like to see the results rather than the process it is not a case study where senior designer will look at your process. The Non-UX Designers always want to look at the final product.

As you mentioned the first process that you use on trial period works than stick to it. because that is what we do as a ux designers we stick to whats working for users and other peoples who are around you "in your case "