Impact of lean UX on product designers and business owners
It is a user centric, data focused, and collaborative approach to problem-solving for product teams.
The first time I encountered Lean UX was while working at a company. After taking a break for Christmas, I returned to find that a new approach to problem-solving had been introduced. We were going to start using the Lean UX approach to address problems, and everyone had to get up to speed real quickly. Jira was already set up, and with the start of the new year, the entire organization was focused on discussing KPIs and Q1 goals.
It took a while to get the hang of it, but it has been a very rewarding experience. I learned a lot of things that I hadn’t considered in the past and would like to share some of these with other product designers who may have opportunities to use this approach soon or are already using it. It’s a game-changer and offers a very enjoyable way to produce user-centric design solutions that effectively address user needs and meet business goals — tried and tested.
This will be a 4-part series where I share my learnings working with Lean UX. My goal is to highlight key insights for product designers as more organizations adopt the Lean UX approach to problem-solving. The Lean UX approach offers numerous benefits for product designers, businesses, and organizations when implemented effectively. In this first article, I will discuss the advantages of using the Lean UX approach.
What is Lean UX
If you’re not familiar with Lean UX, here’s a summary: Lean UX, short for “Lean User Experience,” is an approach to user experience design that emphasizes collaboration, iteration, and delivering value to users quickly and efficiently. It is based on the principles of Lean and Agile methodologies.
Lean UX is an innovative design approach that promotes speed, experimentation, collaborative teamwork, and prioritizing user needs. It continuously improves designs based on real-world feedback.
It aims to better understand user wants and needs through UX research, data analysis, and customer feedback. By using calculated hypotheses and iterative validations, the design team ensures they address real user needs and eliminate guesswork. Instead of immediately jumping into design, Lean UX follows a gradual process that allows ongoing changes based on validation.
In his article Why I’m in love with Lean UX, Jorge Valencia provides an excellent and concise explanation of Lean UX. His explanation is so comprehensive that I won’t attempt to reiterate it here.
Impact on product designers
Once you grasp the concept of Lean UX, you start seeing design in a different light. It adds a sense of enjoyment to your job and awakens your problem-solving abilities. You begin to experience design in a whole new way, tackling small, bite-sized problems that go live.
By observing firsthand how users interact with your design, you gain valuable insights into the problem you are trying to solve. You adopt a more investigative mindset, exploring the product with a keen eye.
As you continue to use Lean UX as a problem-solving methodology, over time, you learn to think like the people you design for. By observing user engagement, you uncover their true needs and validate your assumptions based on their feedback. This process boosts your confidence, helps you appreciate the value of your work, and improves your ability to collaborate across different functions. Your problem-solving skills also improve as a result.
When implemented, Lean UX becomes an interesting and enjoyable problem-solving framework for product teams. It emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, user insights, iterative processes, collaborative problem-solving, fast testing, and rapid prototyping. It offers a variety of engaging activities.
As a product designer, I can personally attest to the benefits of working with Lean UX. It has increased my confidence in the impact of my designs and the value I bring to my organization and skill set. It has made me a better designer. Additionally, through my interactions with team members, I continuously learn more about their contributions and how the entire team functions. This has made me more efficient in my role.
Impact on Businesses and Organisations
Over time, your users become acquainted with your product, leading to fewer angry customers and increased user satisfaction. By focusing on delivering value to users and iterating based on their feedback, organizations are more likely to create products and experiences that meet user expectations. This can result in more conversions.
It is important not to overlook the value of writing and sharing educational content and release plans with your users. This helps build a friendly relationship with your users (paying customers), and your announcements become something they eagerly anticipate, similar to our excitement for updates from Figma. Storytelling plays a vital role in effectively conveying your message to both the internal team and the users, as well as the general public.
Another significant benefit of Lean UX is the enhanced collaboration among team members. By embracing Lean UX, teams can foster cross-functional collaboration among designers, developers, product managers, and other stakeholders. This promotes effective communication, shared understanding, and a stronger sense of ownership and accountability within the team.
However, it is crucial to address the potential challenges that can arise if the principles of Lean UX are not properly understood. In some cases, a toxic environment may emerge, characterized by unhealthy competition, fear of appearing unintelligent, and an ineffective feedback structure. To mitigate these risks, it is essential to establish a defined feedback structure that encourages collaboration and constructive criticism.
When implemented successfully, Lean UX can cultivate a collaborative team environment, foster healthy competition, and boost the confidence of team members. It encourages individuals to think outside the box and actively contribute ideas in meetings, regardless of their level of experience.
Moreover, it’s worth noting that Lean UX may be particularly suitable for teams with senior designers, as it requires problem-solving skills typically found at a senior level.
I strongly urge senior executives, CEOs, and product leads who are considering or have already implemented the Lean UX framework to regularly check in with their team members. This practice will help assess team morale and determine if any of the aforementioned challenges are being addressed effectively.
Thanks for reading! 😊
Looking for a Senior product designer to join your team? Just shoot me an email at karenaiyakoregh@gmail.com
