Filter ux ebook

INCREASE YOUR UX TEAM’S PRODUCTIVITY

BY AVOIDING THESE 3 COMMON (AND COSTLY) MISTAKES

UX TODAY The explosion of apps in the last 6 to 7 years has dramatically increased the number of user experiences and platforms we interact with in our daily lives, creating an overwhelming demand for in-depth UX expertise.

With more and more UX positions to fill – quickly, and with limited budgets – product owners are struggling to build the specialized, high-performing teams they need.

The result is that their teams often experience slowdowns, extra costs and communication issues in their UX processes.

Here are the three most common mistakes we help our clients avoid when we’re helping them build a UX team – and the solutions you can leverage.

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COMMON MISTAKE

1

NO.

SKIMPING ON UX RESEARCH EXPERTISE 3

FATEFUL WORDS

We already know our users, so why spend on formal research?

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THE FALLOUT: Product design informed by an incomplete or incorrect view of your customers.

1: Experience Dynamics

72

%

of failed products are attributed to poor user adoption.1

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KNOW THY USER With 72% of failed products attributed to poor user adoption, it’s clear that many organizations

Most common slowdowns and costly fixes

may not know their users as well as they think they do.

Re-doing the same work multiple times; clogging the pipeline

The cost of skimping on in-depth user research is high. In addition to running the risk of launching a product that is destined to fail, a lack of user research expertise typically causes slowdowns and costly fixes later on in the process.

Unanticipated post-launch costs, such as increased support calls.

Delaying time-to market; risking competitive edge UX Design with relevant recommendations

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Without [UX Research], teams often make decisions based on pet ideas that aren’t backed by facts.

ROBERT LASKER, UX DIRECTOR AND FILTERATI

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THE SOLUTION A UX Researcher’s work often involves:

Bring on user research experts during the project’s foundational stages.

Identifying and recommending the most effective research methods for the project Conducting a variety of research activities such as interviews, usability studies, ethnographic

Though your whole product development team should be in touch with who your users are and what they need, only highly trained UX researchers have the keys to the deep insights that lead to successful products. Enlisting their insights and expertise the start of the project is one of the most cost-saving decisions you can make.

studies and A/B tests Informing early and revised UX Design with relevant recommendations Analyzing and reporting findings to others in the company

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COMMON MISTAKE

2

NO.

LUMPING UX ROLES TOGETHER 9

FATEFUL WORDS

You can do that too, right?”

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THE FALLOUT: Compromised quality – and misdirected, burnt out and less effective workers.

Faced with tight timelines and limited resources, many companies are attempting to address their growing list of UX demands by putting tasks on their existing employee’s plates that fall outside of their areas of expertise.

But assigning very specific, high-stakes UX tasks to whoever you have on hand – no matter how talented they are – works against them, their team members, their manager and ultimately the end-user.

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When we enjoy what we do and have honed our craft, we deliver great results. Find people with a passion for what they do and the skills to match, and watch your project come to life.

AARON BOWERSOCK, UX DESIGNER AND FILTERATI

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THE SOLUTION

Identify the precise UX skill set you need, and don’t settle for anything else.

UX roles are extremely nuanced, so hire for and

Specialized UX Roles: UX Strategist

UX Researcher

UX Designer

UI Designer

Visual Designer

leverage them accordingly. Set your product and team up for success by carefully aligning skillto-task and task-to-cost when it comes to these deeply specialized roles.

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COMMON MISTAKE

3

NO.

OVERLOOKING EQ 14

FATEFUL WORDS

“Their resume checks off all the boxes. Perfect.”

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THE FALLOUT: Bringing on highly skilled professionals who lack the right interpersonal strengths causes increased disruption instead of increased productivity.

1: Talent Smart

90

%

of top performers at work display high levels of EQ1

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EQ MATTERS UX is an incredibly people-focused field – both in terms of the need to be in touch with users’ thoughts and emotions, and the need to effectively collaborate and exchange ideas and feedback with other members of the product development team.

Increasingly, research is showing that “dream teams” are made out of people with high EQ – those who can identify and manage their emotions and the emotions of others.

However, many companies have outdated interview processes that don’t effectively assess interpersonal skills, making it challenging to build a highly productive UX team.

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Just as important as thinking about individual UX skill sets is thinking about when and how these different experts need to work together.�

LAUREN CURTIS, UX DESIGNER AND FILTERATI

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THE SOLUTION Seek out candidates who:

Adjust your UX hiring strategy to place a greater focus on EQ. In such a competitive hiring climate, and with top UX talent in such hot demand, it’s understandable to want to scoop up the first experienced and skilled candidates you can find.

Taking a deeper look at EQ, however, is one of the most powerful changes you can make to your UX team building process.

Have a proven history of successful collaboration Are able to convey their reasoning and process to others outside their specific discipline Light up when talking about their work and why it matters to them There are a growing number of qualified UX specialists on the market, but it’s more than worth it to find the select ones who are the ideal fits for your specific project, culture and team.

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BUILD YOUR UX DREAM TEAM Though specific hiring needs vary significantly based on the type of product, project scope and other factors, we’ve found that these principles apply to virtually every case – so before moving ahead with your next UX project, make sure you’re not falling into these 3 costly UX pitfalls. Take the time to hone in on your specific needs and engage the right expertise at the right times, and you’ll create an empowered team that’s more than the sum of its parts.

Filter helps leading brands execute digital marketing and design. From building a scalable team of elite UX specialists, to providing you with the right UX professional needed to increase your internal team’s capacity or skills, our

Let’s talk!

flexible solutions are customized to solve your specific needs – ensuring your

info@filterdigtial.com

end-product will ship on time, on budget, and be a big hit with your users.

800.336.0809

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