Beginner's Guide To User Stories

The User Experience universe revolves around the user. Everything that is created is based on the understanding of these users. But how can you, as a UX designer, get important insights about users and their behaviors?

The answer is by using research techniques. One of these techniques is called User Story which has become an integral part of UX process.

In this article you will learn:

• What User Story is?
• What makes a good User Story?
• Benefits of User Story.

So hold tight that cup of tea because as a UX professional you certainly don’t want to miss out on this one.

What is User Story?

To put it in simple words, a User Story is a brief description of what the end user wants to accomplish by using a product/service. It sums up the requirement or goal of the end user and the reason behind it.

There can be a User Story for every level and even sub-level of every product function or feature.

The User Story is created by a UX Designer or User Researcher.

One very important thing that one must never forget about User Story is that it is always from the perspective of the end user. It is never created based on the perspective of the UX professionals.

User Story Example:

Let us look at an example to get a better understanding of User Story.

Consider a person, say Rohan, who wants to buy an Android smartphone with the latest features. But as Rohan is a working professional, he cannot find time to explore various options during the day time. Evening is the only time when he can do so.

On top of that, commuting to office from home and vice-versa means Rohan gets exhausted. He has no plans to again go out, visit multiple shops to buy a smartphone. Instead, he chooses to buy the smartphone through an e-commerce website. This not only saves him time but also offers him an opportunity to avail discounts on the site.

The entire journey of Rohan which has been explained above is called User Story.

Features of good User Story:

Developing a User Story is not that difficult. But the fact is that creating the right User Story in the first go is also not that easy. Hence, we can have references in place based on which you can develop your product/service’s User Story.

So how does one create a good enough User Story?

Although there are no set rules for creating a User Story, the INVEST acronym, created by Bill Wake is a good reference of what a good User Story should look like. We look at what each element of this acronym stands for.

I (Independent):

Product functions and features will always be interdependent, however, when writing a user story one must always try to create an independent story that is self sufficient for a particular feature or sub feature.

N (Negotiable):

The best thing about a User Story is that it can be easily changed as required and help product iterations.

V (Valuable):

The A User Story must offer value to all product stakeholders such as designers, engineers, product managers & owners, marketing personnel etc.

E (Estimable):

A User Story essentially allows designers estimate the scope and importance of a feature for a user.

S (Size):

The User Story should not be too big so as to become impossible to plan and implement in small chunks.

T (Testable):

A User Story must be testable as it will help the UX team know whether they have got the User Story correct or not.

User Story Template:

Every user story is different and hence creating a one for all template is not a possibility. Still, you can get an idea of how a User Story looks like. Look at the image below to know how it appears.

User Story Template

Tips for writing an effective User Story:

1. Start with users.

2. Utilize Persona to get deep insight into users’ journey.

3. Keep them simple and to the point.

4. Collaborate with other team members to write the stories.

5. Keep them refining as the process moves ahead.

6. Split the stories into individual themes.

7. Visualize the stories.

Benefits of User Story:

1. It helps in identifying the main problem or issue faced by the end user and how the product/service being offered should solve it.

2. It helps in creating products/services which are user focused.

3. It helps in avoiding hitting dead ends as far as design and overall UX process is concerned.

4. It is crisp, concise and easy to understand.

5. It can be readily used in project planning.

User Story is, undeniably, an integral part of UX process. It greatly helps in keeping your UX project organized, focused and consistent.

UX Design Predictions for 2016

User Experience industry is a dynamic place which constantly keeps on evolving. This year has seen UX awareness spread among and across different sectors. Besides, people have become smarter, technology has evolved.  So where will all this lead the UX to in 2016?

Here are our predictions for UX industry for 2016.

1. Rise in Micro interactions:

A micro interaction informs a user about his status at a particular point within a product.
As the attention span of the users is shrinking, it is imperative that UX designers focus on designing engaging and informative experiences.

Micro interactions are a great way of achieving this goal.

Micro Interaction Keeps User Engaged

To understand the importance of micro interaction we look at a simple example of uploading a file. The first micro interaction is to ask the user to choose a file to upload.

Once the file chosen, the user can click on the “Upload” button and once the uploading begins, the user is shown the upload progress bar. This ensures the user is always updated with regards to the uploading process.

2. Minimalist Designs:

Minimalist design is a design that does not have unnecessary elements and its goal is to make content a focal point.

One major confusion that has been found generally is that minimal is often considered as same as simplicity; it is not and both are quite different.

Minimalist Design: UX Design Trend for 2016

Minimalist is usually concerned with having least number of elements.  In fact, products with minimalist designs carry a lot of hidden complexities.
The days of heavy design with lots of text are gone and this is where the minimalist design comes into play.

Users have become smart and want to spend their time wisely.

The rise of content consumption is another reason why going minimalist is the right course to take. This type of design also minimizes distractions at user’s end and keeps the spotlight on content that will be consumed by the end user.

3. Rise of Prototyping Tools:

The design industry is continuously evolving and seeing huge transformation. Besides, clients have become more demanding and expect to see well crafted prototypes.

Prototyping tools offer a very affordable way to create prototypes without spending a bomb. In fact, since 72% of designers are designing for the web and mobile. Prototyping tools are a great way to design and test interactions across different platforms.

The UX industry has realized how helpful and efficient these tools are.

Hence, it isn’t surprising to see that the industry is seeing an influx of prototyping tools like never before. In the near future we can expect to see tools that can merge wireframing and prototypes together.

Two major reasons that will fuel the growth of prototyping tools are:
• Rise of mobile apps
• Increasing design awareness

4. Personalized Communication:

Undoubtedly, this is an age of personalization and since UX is all about User, it gains even more importance. As mentioned earlier, the content consumption is on the rise more than ever before.

Companies to need to capitalize on this and use this trend to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Personalized Communication: Key UX factor in 2016

Today’s user expects to have a personalized experienced rather than just a generic one. Companies need to deliver the content that relevant to the user’s need and is of course personalized.
If companies want to make their products stand out then personalization is the key.

5. Increasing UX Awareness:

Now a days, users have become demanding and want more in return for using a product. With so many options to choose from, users don’t want to waste their time on trying too many products.

They have become choosy and whatever product they choose, they expect to have a memorable and a positive experience. Although users might not even realize that what they are expecting from a product is good UX, they are, in fact, they are doing just the same.

This awareness about using products that deliver value for their time and money has spread among a large section of users. In other words, users have become a lot more aware about UX.

There will be other trends and advances that will occur but the UX predictions for 2016 mentioned above will likely have a major role to play in shaping the industry for the future. Irrespective of the trend, UX professionals must always be open to upgrading their skill set and knowledge &incorporates them in their works.

5 Tenets Of UX Industry Every UX Beginner Should Know

Undoubtedly, UX is one of the hottest sectors today. The high pay scale, big name recruiters, it all seems like fairy tale career choice.  But as glamorous as it might appear, there are certain things (read core beliefs) that a new UX professional must know and remember all the time.

1. UX Is More Than  Product Or Service:

The experience of the end user does not start and end with the product or service he uses. In fact, the product is just a part of it. To put it in a simple manner, user experience is a sum total of all the interactions that a user has with a company.

Product is just one of the many components of User Experience

It includes factors such as pre-sales, post sales conduct of the company. For example, if a product is great but customer care is pathetic then it definitely does not make a pleasant experience.

Besides, things such as company’s vision, belief and practices play a crucial role in shaping up the user experience. It is the job of the designer to inculcate these values in the design.

All the factors (offline and online) must combine perfectly to deliver a desirable experience for the user. Keeping the big picture in mind will always help you deliver better results and retain happy users.

2. Facts Are Your Best Friends:

Allow us to burst the creativity bubble that is often associated with UX design (well at least to some extent).UX design requires understanding the user as much as possible. And nothing helps more than having hard core facts and figures at one’s disposal.

One of the critical attributes of a successful designer is the ability to translate data (read facts) into useful design.

Never Assume in UX

One of the biggest mistakes that UX professionals make is to make invalidated assumptions. This is one of the biggest traps into which many a designer has fallen (beginner or expert, there is no exception).

3. It Is Always About The User:

If you plan to work in UX industry then this is the mantra that you should never ever forget. It is because there is a user that there is the need to create an experience; a memorable one at that.
As a designer, a user must be the centre of your UX universe.

Everything In UX Is About The User

Everything that you do should always revolve around the user. Always keep the users in mind even before you begin designing. After all, he is the one for whom you are creating that experience.

4. UX is Strategic:

The purpose of existence of UX is to improve and offer something that is adept at making people’s lives better. It is this belief that is the core of user experience field. So how does it help in achieving its goals?

It helps the users achieve their goals. This idea is the focal point of UX design. The main purpose of this idea is to improve the users’ experience with products/service they use and beyond that.

Strategic Planning Either Makes Or Breaks the UX

It encompasses everything related to customer life cycle which consists of the following:
• Grabbing the user’s attention.
• Systematic enticement of the users to use the product or service.
• Making the whole journey memorable.

To sum it up, UX is basically driven by a vision that is driven and justifies every design decision.

5. Every Day Is A New Learning Experience:

User Experience Design is a dynamic industry and something new happens every other day. The fact that it is a human-centric field makes UX Design ever changing as people, their liking, wants and desires are always changing.

The users of today have matured and when you combine it with evolving technology it only means new challenges every new day. If you are expecting to have same two days at the office then you most probably are looking at wrong career choice.

There Is Always Something New And Exciting Happening in UX Industry

Quite often, what you learn through books and what you face in reality are quite different.

As a User Experience Professional you will face unexpected, difficult obstacles. And this is where you can find an opportunity to learn and evolve as a professional. With new challenges comes the chance to learn something new.

The urge to learn and evolve is what separates successful UX professionals from the rest. And if you are keen to grow as as UX designer then you must check this out.

So Happy UX to you!

5 Ways You Can Break Into UX Industry As A Fresher

At ImaginXP we often get asked "How do I enter the UX Industry without any formal training?"

Is it possible to get hired as a designer without holding a degree in design? We say Yes! Absolutely Yes! 

All you need is the right approach, mind-set and guidance towards developing the skills that you need to become a practicing UX professional.

We are going to tell you 5 quick steps that you can follow to start you off on the right path.

Step 1: Do your research:

User Experience is a vast and at times ambiguous term. Before you take the decision of starting to apply for jobs or look for training options spend some time reading about the UX design industry. 

Conducting Research Is Key Element of UX Design Career

Thanks to the emergence and popularity of mobile devices user experience has become a mainstream design discipline and there is a plethora of content available online.

Read, watch and listen to everything you can get your hands on so that you familiarize yourself with user experience as a discipline and terminology associated with this field. 

Following are a few online resources to start you off:

1. Smashingmagazine - Interesting, educative & easy articles on everything related to design

2. Youtube.com - You will find great videos on UX.

3. Boxesandarrows- Informative blog on UX design

You may also consider reading any of the following books:

·         The Elements of User Experience by Jesse James Garrett

·         Killer UX Design by Jodie Moule

·         A Project Guide To UX Design by Russ Unger and Carolyn Chandler

·         The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

·         Mind Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain by Tom Stafford & Matt Webb

·         Undercover User Experience Design by Cennydd Bowles & James Box

·         UI Is Communication: How to Design Intuitive, User Centered Interfaces by Focusing on Effective Communication by Everett N. McKay

  

Quick Tip: Research is a key part of a UX designer's profile. Inculcate this habit today to be successful tomorrow.

Step 2: Get connected to the design community:

If you want to enter the industry it is always a good idea to get connected to the design community. 

Networking in an essential part of career growth

Designers are a friendly and not to forget fun bunch of people. Reach out to any designers that you may know through friends, family and colleagues or on platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook. 

In addition there are various UX design groups and forums which provide a great opportunity to meet and interact with the larger design community as a whole. And if you are a real go-getter find the next design seminar or meet-up happening in your city and go attend one.

We assure you it will be an experience worth your time. For a UX industry professional no two days are the same and he needs to be able to deal with technical and non-technical issues. Networking helps in developing the non-technical(read human aspect) of UX industry. 

Step 3: Teach yourself some tools:

Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator are the go-to tools for any designer. Although User Experience is not a tool driven design discipline you will always get extra 'brownie points' for being proficient in these tools. 

Learn tools essential for every UX designer

These software will help you define and show case your ideas to clients, colleagues and managers. However, don't look at this as a daunting task that will take you years to master. 

There are various free online tutorials especially by Adobe themselves that help not only experienced professionals but also newbies to master these tools, and as they say "Practice makes Perfect!                                                                                                         

Step 4: Do a short course:

If you don't have the time for a full time degree program you should look into doing short term certificate courses. The advantage of a short course is that you learn the processes, methodologies and techniques of practicing user experience design in the industry. 

Formal Training Will Give You Career Advantage Over Others

You get to learn from experts, meet & interact with peers and get a physical connect with the design fraternity.

At ImaginXP we have some fabulous courses for beginners looking at entering the UX industry.

 Step 5: Work as Intern:

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional looking to make a switch you have to understand that design is all about communicating your ideas, finding solutions and showcasing your work. 

Internship is the best way to start UX career

As a beginner the best thing you can do to land a paid job is to look for an internship with a good design or product company where you will give you the opportunity to work under experienced designers, learn from them and improve skills required to become a pro at UX designing.

This is not as difficult as it looks but yes it will help if you work towards building a portfolio before you apply. How can you do this? Research, read, watch, learn some tools and get to work!

  

So as we promised some quick pointers on getting into the Design Industry.

5 Must Have Soft Skills For A UX Designer.

Let’s be honest and accept that 9 out of 10 times an article pertaining to UX will talk about design techniques, skills and tips. However, the hugely important people skills are most often least talked about.

User Experience Design, as the phrase suggests is after all, all about the ‘user’. Not some ambiguous hypothetical entity but normal people like you and me. 

UX Designers have a lot on their plate and those who miss out on these key skills find themselves under-prepared for the role of a Designer. But, don’t worry we have you covered!

In this blog post you will learn 5 must have soft skills that will not only make you a sought after UX designer but also guarantee career growth.

1.  Empathy:

Designing for users means that you must be able to immerse yourself in the life of a user. If you cannot understand and relate to a user and his problem then finding the right solution for him will be a neigh impossible task and is one of the reasons that so many products fail.

Image: Todd Hayen

Designers must as a core skill develop empathy to understand how users behave in a given situation. He should be able to see things from their perspective and this can be achieved when he steps into their shoes. 

Since human interaction is central to the UX design discipline, designers must be able to empathise with and understand people.

2. Communication:

Design is all about communication. Communicating ideas, beliefs and thoughts and so communication skills is another must have for all designers.

Image: http://goo.gl/QWxrv4

Too many people labour under the impression that designers are aloof and live in their own world. However, in today’s high-tech world where design is an integral part of all products this misconception must be dispelled.  

A UX designer talks to stakeholders, clients, engineers and users.

Good Communication is a powerful weapon in the arsenal of outstanding designers.

3.  Presentation:

The fact of the matter is (and we can have another blog to debate this point) that a designer must also be a sales guy. He needs to be able to stand up and showcase his designs, defend them and then take a buy in from the other stakeholders.

Image: http://goo.gl/M1H70R

So it goes without saying that if you can present well then you will sell well. It is not enough to make brilliant designs, although in an ideal world it should be, a designer must also package and present his designs to a wider audience.

However, it is not all for show. The ability to create a well-structured, impactful and succinct presentation also reflects clarity of thought and professionalism towards work.

Plus how cool is it to wow a roomful of senior management with your amazing designs and presentation!

4. Good Listener:

Remember how we talked about empathy earlier? You will empathize when you listen. Listening to someone to know what they want to say and listening to someone to understand what they say are two very different things.

Read that again.

Image: http://goo.gl/XCQ8X6

Being a good listener is immeasurably more powerful than being a good talker. Being a good listener entails holding back your comments and judgments & giving your full attention to the person talking. 

You will be surprised at how much information you can gain by just sitting back and listening while someone else does the talking.

Besides, one of the biggest advantages of good listening is that it will save you a lot of guess work later on in the design process.

5. Storytelling:

No matter what anyone tells you, always remember that designers are story tellers. People who tell stories will generally possess all the above skills that we discussed. 

They listen to people, empathize with them, communicate freely and then present their stories to the world.

Image: http://goo.gl/SfYICF

A designer especially a UX designer does pretty much the same. He observes, listens, empathizes and weaves a user story, and then gives this story back to his users in the form of a product.

Final word:

Is this the coolest job in the world or what? On a more serious note though, soft skills are just as important as technical skills especially if you are a designer working in user experience industry. 

Mastering these 5 key skills will put you firmly on the path to being an outstanding and a successful UX Designer.

What other soft skills do you think a designer in UX field must have to succeed? Drop us a comment and we would be happy to read it.

A Day In The Life Of UX Designer -ImaginXP

If you think being a UX designer is all about being lost in a world of colors, typo and Photoshop then you are in for quite a surprise! 

A UX designer plays various roles like a researcher, planner, manager and dreamer, with a general work day filled with a plethora of differing activities.

Let’s take a peek into what a day in the life of a UX Designer looks like!

Although this is not definitive guide, it is a reasonably accurate depiction of a UX designer’s daily routine.

7:00 am: Wake up early and get ready quickly

The day usually begins with an early morning shower followed by breakfast.  I feel that waking up early and going for a quick run usually gives me a great boost for beginning my day.

8:30 am: Leaving for work

Commuting to my workplace requires leaving home early. I generally zip to work on my red scooty and reach office whilst listening to a few of my favorite tunes. The early morning air whipping past me as I ride sets my day just right.

9:15 am: Coffee and Catch-up

I reach office and have a quick coffee with my team while we discuss everything from last night’s party, to new intern who joined my project to difficult clients and unrealistic delivery schedules.

9:30 am: Mail Time

I generally start the work day with spending about half an hour reading and replying to mails. As a UX designer one of my major tasks is communication and project management so being on top of mails is important. 

It is also a good idea to spend a little time in the morning getting this task out of the way and then focusing on other work through the day.

10:00 am: Time to get going

Followed by mail time is usually a sync up call with different clients where we discuss progress on projects, updated requirements, review on work sent in etc. This sync up call leads to prioritizing on work for the rest of the day.

11:00 am: Wireframing & Prototyping

One of my core responsibilities as a UX designer is designing interactions for products that we are designing. Today I am working on the workflow and interaction for an innovative new fashion styling app. In layman’s terms we call it wireframing and prototyping. Axure is currently my tool of choice for prototyping.

1:00 pm: Lunch

This period is usually filled up with quick emails and social media check followed by actual lunch and catching up with colleagues who might be working on other projects.

2:00 pm: Get out the paper and pencils

I have just kicked off a new project, so I will be spending a big chunk of my time on the initial conceptualization for a new eCommerce application. 

It involves studying the user research done by the research team and an intensive brainstorming session with the rest of the designers on the project. This gives us a good start on ideas and concepts for the product. We quickly sketch user stories, scenarios and thoughts on the product.

4:00 pm: Break Time

I spend some time with my beloved cup of coffee and take a fifteen minute break to read latest installment of my favorite comic!

4:15 pm: Back to work it is

Now it is time to really get my hands really dirty and get back to my project from the morning. It is all about reviewing, reworking and enhancing the interactions that I have been working on along with starting the first draft of the User Interface design with my visual guy. 

He is a wizard with Photoshop by the way.

6:00 pm: Lets call it a day

So today was filled with client calls, meetings, wireframing and a very productive brainstorming session. It is quickly back to my mailbox to send out last minute mails and updates. Logging in my hours on our personnel management portal and a sign off on the day.

I am on my way back and looking forward to a cold beer and good music with some close friend.

Hope you guys had as much fun reading this I have living it everyday.

Adieu!

-UX Designer, ImaginXP

5 Reasons Why Design Is Not Art

Art and Design are often used as synonyms with little thought given to the difference that exists between the two. Many a times aspiring designers fall prey to this misconception believing the design is an industry populated with artists. The reality however, is quite a bit different! 

Here are 5 reasons you can give that will ensure people won’t ever again say ‘Design is  Art’.   

1. Different Purposes:

The main difference between design and art is the purpose of their existence. Art inspires but design solves a problem. How? 

Art is a tool of self-expression. There is no end goal to art. An artist ‘creates’ for his own satisfaction, unconcerned weather the audience likes, understands or appreciates his/her work. At its best art inspires humans and if not, it is but a manifestation of an artists’ imagination.

The purpose of design is way different. Design is meant to solve a problem. There is always a user and an end goal in mind when a designer ‘designs’ any piece of work. Design is neither self-expression nor a personal preference. Design is a process that is followed to communicate, interact and help your user solve a problem; just like UX Designing.

2. Art is talent, Design is a skill:

Art is always about the artist. The greatest pieces of art around the world are known by its creator be it the frescoes at Sistine Chapel in Vatican City or Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. If we work on the premise that art is self-expression then it goes without saying that an artist must possess some natural talent for his chosen field.

Design and Art are similar but not same

Design on the other hand is a skill that a designer inculcates with patience, perseverance and dedication. Design is a process that every designer needs to learn, imbibe and execute in daily life to be able to deliver as per requirements. When was the last time that you tried to find out who the designer of your favorite mobile app is? 

3. Different processes:

Another main area of difference is the way art and design is created.  

There is no set process for creating art. Every artist has his/her own ways of creating art and each artist will be known for his/her own style. Although there are generic guidelines for painting, sculpting, drawing etc and an artist can greatly improve his style by learning techniques, art at the end of the day is individualistic.

Compare this to creating good design and you will see that design is all about the process.  Even though designers might have their own styles, underneath all of it, the process of designing is set. The goals are pre defined and outcomes measured vis-à-vis the goal.  

4. Art is subjective while Design is Objective: 

Art is more about appreciation and acknowledgement. In a way, it is a one way communication the impact of which cannot be measured. It may or may not have the desired outcome as expected by the artist.

It is all about perspective.

Design on the other hand is objective. It is definable and measurable. It is neither open to self expression nor varied interpretation. This is not to say that design is bland or boring. It is anything but that. However, it is important to remember that design must be free from personal bias and preferences and work towards it purpose.

5. Different Interpretation: 

Art can be interpreted in different ways by people who come in touch with it.To understand this you don’t need to look further than modern day musicians who have done cover versions of classic songs composed  decades ago. Just as they say, to each his own. 

Unlike art, every design has to have a fixed goal that serves a purpose. Design is about communication rather than interpretation. Although users may experience design differently if it fails to meet its goal then it fails to be good design. 

Final Word: 

The distinction between art and design can be understood on a closer inspection. Remember art is something to be appreciated while design is something to be used. These two might be similar but they are not same and in fact are two different disciplines in their own way.