At Humix, we take pride in our “tile culture.” Whenever someone shares a piece of wisdom, has an amazing experience, or learns a valuable lesson, we try to encapsulate it into an easily memorable catchphrase. A (digital) wall tile, hence the name.
Step beyond ‘paint it green’ to improve your user experience
The latest tile “Paint it green…” is authored by our UX Strategist Tommy De Kimpe. It addresses concerns from development teams about our willingness to go beyond the initial scope during UX workshops.
And so, you ask, how does it relate to green paint? Hold on, it’s coming up…
In the world of IT projects where we as a UX design agency are involved, we typically kick off with a UX workshop—a step we consider crucial. Before diving into these workshops, we ensure to align with our development counterparts. At this point, it’s common to encounter concerns about us stepping beyond the predefined scope. And they’re right; we do. Deliberately. This boundary-pushing is a critical part of our UX process.
Think of us not just as designers but as problem solvers and experience enhancers. We delve deep to unearth the core of the client’s issue and create the best possible user experience for their end users. It’s an integral part of what ‘experience’ design truly is.
Let’s draw a parallel to a quality paint store. When you walk in asking for green paint, a skilled shop assistant doesn’t stop at the color selection. They dive deeper, asking about the surface you’ll paint, the room’s function, and the paint’s durability. Technically, they’re stepping beyond the “green paint” request, but this is how they ensure you leave not just satisfied but delighted with your purchase.
In the same vein, as experience designers, we’re tasked with the entire ‘experience’. And yes, that sometimes means venturing briefly beyond the initial scope. But fear not; we’re committed to getting to the essence of the problem. Our process is focused on definitively determining what is within and outside the scope to avoid any mismatch in expectations and to allow for potential budget adjustments in time.
To our developer friends, we say this: trust in our expertise as experience designers, just as we trust in yours. Together, we’ll make sure not just to hand over the green paint but to ensure it’s the right shade, the right finish, and the perfect fit for the space it’s intended to fill.
