This phase is the part of the project that helps the design team to obtain real information on 3 important aspects to make a product:
- Learn about the product,
- Potential user, and
- Business who plans to sell it.
Also, help the team to create recommendations for building the product in a better way with the most essential components.
Most of the time when starting a new design project the client has information about the product they want to sell and a more or less accurate idea of their potential client; they think this information they give to the work team is enough to start the project design, but the reality is different, the veracity of that information is what will guarantee a high percentage of the success of the design, as it will be directed and focused on the right audience, it is not the same to design an application that allows you to shop online for a group of people between 18 and 40 years old, than for a group of people between 40 and 70 years old, the way these groups of people relate to the information and what they want to buy is very different.
There is no single way to approach this phase, it depends on whether you have a budget prepared to work on it or not and how this affects work time and results.
With or without budget?
When we’re working with a budget destined for the UX discovery phase, the work team will start collecting all the information that the client has about the product and about the public to whom it is directed, this information will be compared later with the research data that be found.
Once the customer’s information is collected, a typical person is formed that will be used as a guide to create fictitious people with similar characteristics, this is done in order to have a study population and check if the team is already on track with the group of people that were chosen as potential customers.
Finally, a prototype of the product is made that can be shared with real people who belong to the group previously selected, this prototype will be tested by the people, who at the end of the experience will be surveyed to rate the product and how was their experience using it.
The information from the surveys will be crucial to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the product, how it can be improved, and which will be the best way to sell it.
In the opposite case of not having a budget for this phase, the first thing will be to talk with the client and make him see how important it is to have verified information on the tastes and preferences of the potential client.
In this case, a quick study of the group of people to whom the product is directed will be made, these people will be interviewed with questions about the market to which the product is directed.
In short, it is not as effective as the process that is done when there is a budget available, but it still helps the team to improve design strategies and to build a roadmap with the time and resources.
What they can save?
It is important to give the value that this phase has in the design process, investing a little more money and time creating a budget for this phase and taking it into account in each project, will facilitate the work and in the long term it is an investment that is you will see in the final product.
It guarantees to have clear ideas and the path that must be taken to develop them correctly.
A product can be very good and have high sales expectations, but if it is not aimed at the correct audience or its advertising strategy and selling is not appropriate, it is money that is being lost, so it is better to start the design process having very clear what the final goal is and what you want to achieve.
