Despite our best intentions you may find persistent governance problems on your team. UX professionals are, after all, in high-demand and we often find ourselves in teams of one. Starting with a loose case-study/post-mortem of my work and my recommendations, this session invites us all to consider the little things we can do to make sure everyone on your team is thinking about UX.

1. WHEN YOU NEED UX
GOVERNANCE
Stephen Nguyen
stephen.nguyen.b@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/stephennguyenux
UXCAMP DC – January 4, 2014

2. CORPORATE USABILITY MATURITY
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-maturity-stages-1-4/
STAGES 1-4
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hostility Toward Usability
Developer-Centered Usability
Skunkworks Usability
Dedicated Usability Budget

3. CORPORATE USABILITY MATURITY
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-maturity-stages-1-4/
STAGES 1-4
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hostility Toward Usability
Developer-Centered Usability
Skunkworks Usability
Dedicated Usability Budget

4. CURRENTLY

5. CURRENTLY
+

6. CURRENTLY
+
=

7. CURRENTLY (disclaimer)
+
=

8. AGILE! (woo!)
What we want:
• Individuals over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation

9. AGILE! (woo!)
What we want:
• Individuals over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
But what we often get…

10. AGILE! (woo!)

11. AGILE! (woo!)
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2007-02-02/

12. AGILE! (woo!)
1. Customer satisfaction by rapid delivery of useful software
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development
3. Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)
4. Working software is the principal measure of progress
5. Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace
6. Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers
7. Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location)
8. Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
10. Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential
11. Self-organizing teams
12. Regular adaptation to changing circumstances

13. AGILE! (woo!)
6. Close, daily cooperation between business people and
developers
7. Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (colocation)
8. Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be
trusted
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design

14. AGILE! (woo!)
6. Close, daily cooperation between business people and
developers
7. Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (colocation)
8. Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be
trusted
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
How can you make sure the user is represented in all these
conversations?

15. ENFORCE A COMMON LANGUAGE
Page vs. Sheet
Report
(Subject 1) Page
(Subject 2) Page
(Subject 2) Page
Sheet 1
(Subject 2) Page
Sheet 2
(Subject 2) Page
Sheet 3

16. ENFORCE A COMMON LANGUAGE
Window vs. Menu; Dialogue vs. Dialog

17. MAKE SURE IT’S MAINTAINABLE
• Developer classes/methods/resources
Exams > Loaded Exams > My Exams
editExamProfile > editExamDetails
edit_exams_active.png

18. OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Personas
• Scenarios
• Models/Maps
• Style Guides

19. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)

20. http://patternry.com/p=feedback-messages/

21. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)

22. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)
• Glossaries

23. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)
• Glossaries
• Team Wiki

24. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)
• Glossaries
• Team Wiki
• Usability Testing Videos

25. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)
• Glossaries
• Team Wiki
• Usability Testing Videos
• Other Information Radiators

26. ―DEVELOPERS DON’T CARE ABOUT THAT
STUFF‖
Information Radiators:
• Are large and easily visible to the casual, interested observer (Developers
don’t care)
• Are understood at a glance
• Change periodically, so that it is worth visiting
• Are easily kept up to date

27. ―DEVELOPERS DON’T CARE ABOUT THAT
STUFF‖
Information Radiators:
• Are large and easily visible to the casual, interested observer (Developers
don’t care)
• Are understood at a glance
• Change periodically, so that it is worth visiting
• Are easily kept up to date
You need to become a living, breathing, walking, talking information
radiator.

28. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)
• Glossaries
• Team Wiki
• Usability Testing Videos
• Other Information Radiators

29. (LESS) OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS
• Pattern Libraries (Collaborative and Functional)
• Glossaries
• Team Wiki
• Usability Testing Videos
• Other Information Radiators
• Meetings!

30. KEEP IN MIND
• You have limited social/project capital – use it wisely

31. KEEP IN MIND
• You have limited social/project capital – use it wisely
• Never let anything die on the vine – don’t start something you
know you can’t finish

32. KEEP IN MIND
• You have limited social/project capital – use it wisely
• Never let anything die on the vine – don’t start something you
know you can’t finish
• You must always champion UX wherever possible.