So, I’m working on a project at the moment, the requirements were written and handed straight to developers. I am now having to retrospectively apply UX and redesign parts of the software. I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle with it as the development is ongoing as I’m trying to design and test and research! Does anyone have any advice?
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The same thing happened at my work many times. I work as a UX engineer, and deal with researchers, designers and developers.
I work with UX designers and come up with UX recommendations, while giving them an idea of what might be harder to implement. So most of the difficult-to-change stuff is out of the way.
Then I have the designers and developers sit in a meeting and kind of understand what UX changes would be easier to implement.
We understand their development roadmap, and give them the UX changes for the current parts in development - on priority. The subsequent UX recommendations happen after they’ve finished developing the current feature. If some feature is high priority and difficult to implement, we have a discussion about that and figure out how and when it would be implemented.
So a good approach would be to understand at what stage their development is. Then come up with UX recommendations for the parts they’re working on. The parts that are on the roadmap, but not yet been developed could be dealt with after these priority ones are out of the way.
It is very much an uphill battle, but I’ve found this approach works well.
ciao @jacquidow,
from my point of view this task is 100% a UX cup of tea.
From my experience (and from the ones coming from colleagues) I learned that, not always (for different reasons), you can have a product development process that includes UX topics since the first phases of the project.
When I’m in this situation, usually, I proceed by applying the MVX (minimum valuable experience) approach. Step by step and release after release I try to increase the overall UX level improving the consistency of the UI, the consistency of the interactions and as much as possible simplifying the processes.
My tip is to prepare an execution plan divided by steps/releases and share it with the project stakeholders. Analyze, evaluate and at the end decide which UX KPIs the project should achieve. This exercise allowas you to have a shared execution plan.
Afterwads it will be easier evaluate it and, in case, change it.
Anyway it’s not an easy task, good luck!
Thanks @dopamino and @enlightened_06 That’s really useful.
I firstly focussed on the IA and the naviagtion through the app as this was a complete mess! I think that has made the biggest improvement. I like the idea of a MVX, this could really help if I break it into chunks and improve different pages as part of different releases. I was trying to do it all at once and feeling a little overwhelmed in all honesty!
I will definintely be asking for lots of user feedback from the first release and making as many improvements as possible 
I do like this approach!
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Wow, what a circus! I guess if the developers were only working on the backend functionality and nothing touching the front end user experience it would be SOMEWHAT workable (UX may reveal needs for additional backend development or, on the other hand, identify features that users don’t actually want or need)
I hope I never find myself in this position. Seems like they don’t understand or value the contribution UX can make towards creating a better product the first time around - not after the initial users have to deal with a bad experience using the application…some of them may decide the tool isn’t worth it and never come back to download the improvements made by the UX team. It seems the development “train” is already speeding down the track and if you can’t put the brakes on it then I’d be looking for another job if I were you.
Luckily, this is very much a one off in our company. They really do value the UX, and I know I will be able to make some significant improvements to what has been done purely on the UI and AI. All of our other projects have a strong UX lead, sadly this one snuck under the net!
Also luckily, this is to replace a very poor piece of software and will be a significant improvement to what our users have already in this area.
I’m looking at this project as a challenge that I will succeed in no matter what it takes!
YES!
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