UX Strategy Toolkit in Action: Capstone Project Case Study
From Vision to Reality — Implementing a UX Strategy Toolkit to guide Capstone Success
Fall 2023
Project Overview:
During the Fall 2023 semester, we embarked on a journey, implementing a modified version of the UX Strategy Toolkit outlined in Jaime Levy’s “UX Strategy” book. This strategic framework guided the development of our Capstone project, and covered key aspects such as the development of a Lean Canvas, an Initial Value Proposition, a Competitive Analysis, Storyboarding, Rapid Prototyping, and User Research.
The Tools:
My Role:
As one-third of Team GMO, I worked closely with my teammates, Molly Linder and Olivia Shapiro, to develop a UX Strategy Toolkit and identify a direction for our Capstone project.
The Problem:
Our project aimed to address the crucial need for strategic thinking in UX design. We sought to identify unique challenges faced by our client, Reed Leeper, P.C., and align our project deliverables with the actual needs and preferences of users. This was an essential step to ensure that we discovered user-centric design preferences and data that we then used to develop our approach in building our client’s website.
The Solution:
Chapter 1: Your Capstone Team
To kick off our UX Strategy Toolkit, we identified who made up Team GMO (Gavin Hall, Molly Linder, and Olivia Shapiro) and declared the type of project platform we would be developing for our client and why.
Project Platform: A website.
Why: We are engaged in a close collaboration with a legal firm out of Marietta, Georgia for our project. There has been a recent transformation from “Busch, Reed, Jones & Leeper” to now “Reed Leeper.” With a name change and the need for an updated website, we are working with the firm closely to ensure that their website will highlight and reflect the new branding along with new aspects that we discover and implement along the journey.
Chapter 2: Lean Canvas
In this phase, we completed a Lean Canvas, identifying critical elements for our project, including:
- the problem,
- solution,
- key metrics, and
- a unique value proposition.
Crafting a compelling narrative, we emphasized Reed Leeper’s commitment to accessible legal representation through a user-friendly website.
Chapter 3: Initial Value Proposition
Crafting the Initial Value Proposition involved defining our client’s customer segment, creating a problem statement, and outlining a unique value proposition. Through surveys and interviews, we gained insights into user preferences and expectations.
Problem Statement: Individuals have a hard time distinguishing what type of law Reed Leeper practices due to a cluttered website and clunky organization.
Unique Value Proposition: Reed Leeper P.C. is a law firm in Marietta, GA that is easy to find and retain as legal representation through their easy-to-understand and accessible website.
Chapter 4: Competitive Analysis Matrix
Next, we worked on a Competitive Analysis Matrix, where we researched five direct competitors and four indirect competitors. This step allowed us to develop a SWOT analysis, gaining a deeper understanding of our client’s competitive landscape.
Chapter 5: Competitive Analysis Brief
Then, we condensed our findings into a Competitive Analysis Brief, a visual presentation highlighting key insights, challenges, and opportunities. This document provided a holistic view of our client’s competitive environment, allowing us to better justify certain design decisions for the new website.
Chapter 6: Storyboarding Value Innovation
Visualizing the value innovation in our project, we identified three key features — a Spanish translate option, an uncluttered/simplistic design approach, and dynamic contact form. Through storyboarding, we communicated the user experience and value proposition of our website.
Chapter 7: Rapid Prototyping
With a conceptual (and very general) plan in place, we translated our ideas into a rapid prototype. The prototype allowed us to test and iterate our design before moving to the next phase. Check out our rapid prototype below.
Chapter 8: User Research Experiment Design, Study Recruitment Tool, User Research Interviews
To validate our hypotheses and gather real user feedback, we designed a comprehensive user research experiment.
Hypotheses:
1. An individual seeking legal council finds Reed Leeper P.C. through an online search and utilizes the website to retain representation.
2. A clean and inviting website appeals to clients as they search for and decide on legal representation.
3. A client’s first languag being spanish, they would utilize the spanish translation button to better understand the content of the website.
4. The potential client will find the pages of the website easy-to-read, uncluttered and simplistic, allowing for a productive and positive user experience.
5. Clients will find the information asked in the contact form will help better convey their needs as they seek legal council.
Recruiting participants through a Google Survey, we sourced, identified, then conducted interviews with five individuals, carefully observing their interactions with our prototype.
Results:
Success Metrics
Our success metrics focused on validating hypotheses and obtaining user feedback. The research provided valuable insights that shaped the implementation of key features in our actual project, ensuring that we designed the new website based on user expectations.
Lessons Learned
1. Research is not easy. (More specifically: It is not easy to find people to research that fit who you need (with limited resources/reach like we had).)
2. There is truly so much that goes into the behind-the-scenes aspects of projects, even digital products. The fact that all of this spanned almost two months of work for us to just get started on a first version of a website (spoiler alert: went through many, many, many versions before reaching our first official releasable/published version) highlights the extensive effort involved in the process.
3. Anything is possible (especially with a great team)! As complicated as this was, working with an effective and reliable team (shoutout Molly and Olivia) to knock these tasks out and navigate this research made it so much easier.
Next Steps for Future Iterations
In the upcoming semester, our focus will shift to continued research based on our live website. The methods and tools acquired during this strategic process will guide us in refining and enhancing the user experience for visitors to our clients website.
Conclusion:
The implementation of the UX Strategy Toolkit significantly impacted the success of our capstone project. By embracing the UX Strategy Toolkit and all it taught, we navigated challenges, validated design decisions, and delivered a user-centric website. The journey equipped us with valuable lessons and methodologies that will continue to shape our approach to UX design in future endeavors.
Learn more about our capstone project’s details and outcomes, heavily shaped by the data collected through the journey described in this article, at the link below:
