My Process

1. Get the Details

For me, having a strong grasp of all the available information is a crucial first step. That means auditing the existing product, creating an inventory of every page and how it connects to the others, and reading as much as I can about the decisions that led to its creation. I layer on top of that any available research, user feedback that's been received, and analytics reports to identify strengths and weaknesses.

2. Ask and Analyze

With an initial audit complete, I formulate questions to ask product managers, users and internal stakeholders to better understand what I'm seeing. I try to ask a mix of questions that allow people to express their hopes and frustrations, without leading them toward a specific answer. Getting a wide array of thoughts and opinions at this stage is crucial. Depending on the number of surveys and/or interviews, I have a few methods of analysis to distill key themes and group my notes effectively.

3. Architect and Design

At this point I start building a series of rough user flows, which I refine over a few versions with feedback from my teammates. I then start to wireframe key pages and features that have emerged as being critical for success. In cases where the design system is already mature, I might forgo wireframing in favor of using the design library to create high-resolution mockups. In either case, once more feedback has been received, I'll design in full fidelity and prepare how I'll present my designs.

4. Build, QA and Ship

I work in lock step with product managers, designers and engineers from the moment a project begins. As the engineering team prepares to build the designs, I make sure my documentation is on point and that I'm extremely available to answer questions or talk through tweaks. As the staging environment begins to come together, I proactively check the modules and data structures to make sure everything is consistent with what was proposed.When we get closer to launch, I go through with a fine-tooth comb and make sure all the UI and UX elements are working as expected across a number of devices.

5. Synthesize and Improve

I always want to know how products are being used and how they can be improved. Launches are exciting, but the subsequent month or so (as meaningful data gets aggregated) are crucial for beginning to spot trends, monitoring the performance of specific buttons, etc. Whether it's refining button text or changing the functionality of a major feature, I value the process of making something the best it can be, and am always excited to get feedback, whether it's positive or constructive.