User experience (UX) strategy, a careful blend of research, analysis, and UX design, is where a successful digital product begins. It bridges the gap between vision and execution. By determining tangible objectives, benchmarks, and a roadmap up front, you create the opportunity to solve real problems for real people. by Courtney Bradford for Circles Conference 2017

1. UX Strategy for Designers
A Primer
by Courtney Bradford
@courtney271

2. Introduction
Diagnose
Approach
Act
Measure

4. Before the how,
strategy must define
the why.

6. “The strategy you develop for your
product ought not evolve in
isolation. Even though the value of
user experience is clear, your over-
arching reasons for providing
something should be considered
with equal weight.”
– Indi Young

7. What is UX Strategy?
Strategy is about establishing intent first, not a
plan.
UX Strategy focuses on the intention of providing
the best user experience possible with your
product.

10. “The essence of strategy is choosing
what not to do. ”
― Michael E. Porter

11. Human Value
Desirability & Usability
Technology
Feasability
Business
Viability
UX Strategy

12. UX Strategy
Human Value
Desirability & Usability
Technology
Feasability
Business
Viability
Sweet
Spot

13. Should designers “UX
strategize”?
Do you design digital experiences and want to be
user-centric?

14. Should designers “UX
strategize”?
Do you design digital experiences and want to be
user-centric?
Then, yes.

15. “What is design thinking? It means stepping
back from the immediate issue and taking a
broader look. It requires systems thinking:
realizing that any problem is part of the larger
whole, and that the solution is likely to require
understanding the entire system. It requires
deep immersion into the topic, often
involving observation and analysis.”
― Don Norman

16. For a design to be successful, it must serve the
needs and desires of actual humans. Being
human is insufficient for understanding these
needs.
Reason
Why UX Strategy?

17. Improve your chances of building a product real
people will use and love.
And yes, pay for.
Objective
Why UX Strategy?

18. You don’t know
what you
don’t know.

19. “A good strategy does more than
urge us forward toward a goal or
vision; it honestly acknowledges the
challenges we face and provides an
approach to overcoming them.”
– Richard Rumelt

20. It seeks a diagnosis.
It defines an approach.
It takes coherent action.
It appropriately measures its findings.
Traits of a Good Strategy:

21. Success is the worst teacher.
Let’s start with looking back at a failed project to see the
tangible importance of UX Strategy.
Exhibit A: Failure

22. Southfork was a meal delivery service, providing healthy
lunches to people working in downtown Atlanta via their
application.
Southfork

25. It takes more than exceptional UX design and
engineering for a product to succeed. We need research
and strategic thinking.
Lesson:

26. Introduction
Diagnose
Approach
Act
Measure

27. Diagnose:
Look to the world around you to find opportunities
for solutions and innovation.
• Interview Real People
• Observe People in Context
• Identify Customer Segment
• Define Key Problems
• Create BS Personas

28. Fall in love
with the problem
and understand
the people who
experience it.

29. © Steve Rokks Media

31. Identify Customer Segment
People who want to rock climb outside.
• Professional climbers with gear
• Recreational climbers with gear
• Recreational climbers without gear
• Coaches and guides

32. Define Key Problems:
1. Finding current route conditions and detailed beta.
2. Obtaining “line overlays” of route’s path outlined on
a topo map or photo of the wall’s face.
3. Sharing current route conditions and detailed beta.

33. Create BS Personas
Create fake personas based on your “best guess” at the types
of people who will make up your target customer segment.
These are not backed by research.
Yet.

34. Teacher & Advocate
“More than climbing, I love
sharing the sport with the
next generation.”
Goals
• Ensure routes are in good shape for students
• Share route beta, help maintain routes
• Find new students
Experience
Frustrations
• Park sites with current conditions aren’t mobile
friendly
• Has to buy guidebook for overlays
• Potentially loses customers if trips go poorly
• Time-consuming to track down private land
owners for leases
Name: Mark Strand
Age: 37
Work: Climbing Instructor
Family: Married, 2 Kids
Location: Little Rock, AR
Personality: ESTP
Bio
Mark started climbing in college at a small rock gym on campus. After graduating he
moved from Atlanta, GA to Little Rock, AR to be closer to the mountains. That’s when he
started climbing trad outdoors with his friends.
After teaching kids classes at the local climbing gym and leading outdoor trips for years,
Mark founded his own company five years ago. He spends a lot of time outdoors training
kids ages 7-12. The safety of his students is a huge factor.
Now that he has a family, safety is a bigger factor than it used to be. He also has less free
time to dig around forums and old guidebooks for information, much less climb
recreationally as much as he’d like.
Motivation
Commitment
Digitally-Oriented
Detail Oriented Rational Outgoing Good Natured

35. Professional Climber
“If I’m not climbing, I’m
thinking about it.”
Goals
• See line overlays for more multi-pitch on big
walls
• Check route beta and current conditions
• Record accurate climb data
Experience
Frustrations
• Has to buy guidebook for every area
• Has to hire a guide or call local gear shops to
find current route conditions
• Can’t accurately capture climbing data
Name: David Graham
Age: 29
Work: Professional Rock Climber
Family: Single
Location: Sacramento, CA
Personality: ISTP
Bio
David has always been involved in adventure sports. He learned how to snowboard at age
7 and started outdoor climbing with his older brother’s buddies when he was nine.
From there he competed in both youth and professional competitions. He has been a
part of the USA climbing team for three years and placed 15th in the World Cup.
He prefers big wall multi-pitch climbing and has traveled extensively to climb throughout
California, Canada, France, and Spain.
Motivation
Commitment
Digitally-Oriented
Driven Technical Competitive Solo

36. Recreational Climber
“Climbing outside is one of
the most challenging and
rewarding experiences”
Goals
• Research climbing areas/routes
• Share route beta and photos
• Find new climbing friends and opportunities
Experience
Frustrations
• Has to download area data to view route beta
• Route beta is often outdated
• Hard to find new climbing friends of similar
skill-level and interest (takes months at gym)
Name: Abigail Harrison
Age: 22
Work: Camp Counselor
Family: Married
Location: Austin, TX
Personality: INFTJ
Bio
Motivation
Commitment
Digitally-Oriented
Adventurous Planner Friendly Motivated
Abigail has always been a driven, dedicated person. In high school, she graduated with a
3.9 GPA and was on an all-state tennis team. She received a partial scholarship to
University of Texas, where she’s currently a senior studying biomedical engineering. She
works summers as a camp counselor so she can fully devote herself to her studies during
the school semester.
She started climbing at her local gym and has been visiting on a weekly basis ever since.
She loves crags and has started climbing outdoors this year to focus on that style.
She’s planning to move to Boston or Philadelphia for work once she graduates. She'd like
help finding new routes and friends once she relocates.

37. • Opportunity to test hypothesis and assumptions about users.
• Narrow focus and define who product owners should identify
with.
• Ask “How much value would this persona have for this product?”
• Reveal what you don’t know you don’t know about users.
• As starting point for interviewing real people/defining real
personas.
Why create BS personas?

38. Ideas
CodeData
BuildLearn
Measure

39. “Research is a tool—a periscope
offering you a better view of your
surroundings. It can be very powerful
if applied thoughtfully. Rather than
piling on the costs, research can
save you and the rest of your team a
ton of time and effort.”
― Erika Hall

40. Interview Observe
Direct dialogue Observation in context
Understand people’s desires,
struggles, feelings, opinions.
Uncover people’s behaviors
and needs.

41. Validated User Research
Interviews
Feelings/Thoughts
Observations
Behaviors

42. Design happens in
context. Research is about
finding that context.

43. Interview Real People
Carefully select interview candidates and ask
specific questions about their desires and
behaviors.

44. Interview Real People
• Assume you know nothing
• Listen more than you talk
• Ask how, not what

45. How many people should I interview?
According to Nielsen, 5-15 users is the sweet spot
for usability testing (evaluative research). How many
interviews (generative research) you should
conduct is harder to answer.
At least five per user persona is a good start.

46. You’ll know you’ve
interviewed enough when
you stop hearing new
answers.

47. Who How
Current User In-person, quiet room
Potential User In-person, casual public venue
Expert Remotely, video or call

48. Participant Screener
Ask a few “screener” questions to ensure people
are in your customer segment.

49. Participant Screener
Ask a few “screener” questions to ensure people
are in your customer segment.
• Industry/Occupation
• Limiting Factors
• Experience Level
• Frequency of Use

50. Finding Participants
• Current Users
• Social Media (organic and paid)
• Where Target Users Go
• Hire Third-Party

51. “The first rule of user research: never
ask anyone what they want.”
― Erika Hall

53. Good Bad
What are you trying to get done?
(Gather context)
Why doesn’t this work for you?
How do you currently do this?
(Analyze workflow)
How would you rather do this?
What could be better about how
you do this? (Find opportunities)
What features do you want?

54. Evolve Your
Questions
You can start with a script, but
your questions should evolve over the
sessions as you learn.
Focus on
Recent Events
Only ask participants about things that
happened very recently so it’s fresh in their
minds.
Find the Average
Ask questions that identify outliers, unique
instances, but you also need to find the
routine behavior.

55. Observe People in Context
Carefully select participants and directly observe
their behavior in context.

56. Observe People in Context
Carefully select participants and directly observe
their behavior in context.
• Gather task information
• Watch interactions
• Discover common workarounds

57. You’re there to test
existing systems under
realistic conditions.

58. Communicate
Expectations
No surprises. Being observed is very
personal, be upfront about all aspects of the
study.
Seek Authentic
Environment
Get as close to the “real deal” as you can,
where people actually do what you’re there
to observe.
Be Encouraging
Your participant won’t want to sound or look
silly in front of you, be professional but also
friendly.

59. Analysis + Synthesis
Gather insights from your research notes (the data).
• Collect and map the data
• Organize the data

60. We’re looking
for patterns.

61. 7 min
coffee
break
• Use 1 post-it note per concept
• Keep concept summary brief!
• Add note’s origin (interviewee
name & type of user)
Map the Notes

62. 7 min
coffee
break
Organize the Notes
1. Group post-its by theme
2. Name the groups
3. Vote on which groups are
important
4. Prioritize the groups

63. • Most choose climbing region based on where they want to travel, area
by word of mouth, route by the style
• Most use internet for initial research (route beta & hardware status)
• Most buy physical guidebooks for detailed beta and line overlays for a
specific area. Don’t want to waste phone battery.
• To obtain a license for private land use, tracking down and
communicating with the land owner is a difficult, manual process.
Initial Findings
Current Workflows:

64. • Engineer device and application that records climb data and allows
climber to ID bolt location while on the wall, share stats, see other
climber’s stats, etc.
• Improved, digital guidebooks (software and durable hardware) to
replace clunky printed ones.
• Application to connect private landowners with climbing guides and
educators.
Initial Findings
Opportunity:

65. Conclusion
Ultimately, climbers need improved software and
hardware. Accessible, real-time route beta and line
overlays are the most important.

66. 5 min
coffee
break

67. Introduction
Diagnose
Approach
Act
Measure

68. Approach:
Analyze what you’ve learned and adjust
accordingly, survey the territory, set your target.
• Collective Analysis
• Storyboard MVEs
• Adjust Value Proposition
• Competitive Research

72. New Model
• Website with Store/Affiliate Links
• Printed Catalog/Magazine

73. Modern Huntsman
Restore the conversation around the pure
& authentic lifestyle of the modern
huntsman.
Vision

74. Modern Huntsman
Be a purveyor of the hunting industry's
essential goods, locations, and resources,
sourced with the highest level integrity, and
displayed in a way that magnifies the beauty
of this extraordinary lifestyle.
Value
Proposition

75. Competitive Research
Identify and research your competitors. Find out
what’s worked and what hasn’t to identify your
competitive advantage.

76. Direct Competitor
Products that compete head-to-head with
your value proposition.
Indirect Competitor
Products that aren’t the same as yours, but
that could satisfy the same consumer need.
Influencer
Products outside your competitive
landscape that offer insight into your
product’s value innovation.

77. Direct Competitor
Indirect Competitor
Influencer

78. Huckberry
Online shop and journal that inspires more active, adventurous, and stylish
lives through members-only sales, original story-telling, and unique
products.
Content Curator
Informational
Commodity
Affiliate Links
Revenue Streams:
• Full e-Commerce Shop
• Flint & Tinder Brand
• Affiliate Program
Creator
Inspirational
Luxury
E-Commerce
Channels:
• Full e-Commerce Shop
• Affiliate Program
Types of Content:
• Journal
• Sponsored Stories
• Influencer Interviews
Add’l Notes:
• Approachable, but cultured.
• Emphasis on quality goods &
responsible sourcing
Established: 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Company Size: 51 - 100

79. Digital and print magazine for men with a full online shop, offering
inspiration and resources on everything from tech news and adventure gear
to travel guides and cocktail recipes.
Content Curator
Informational
Commodity
Affiliate Links
Revenue Streams:
• Affiliate Links
• Magazine Subscription
• e-Commerce Shop
• Ads
Creator
Inspirational
Luxury
E-Commerce
Gear Patrol
Channels:
• Website
• Printed Catalog
Types of Content:
• Gear Lists & Reviews
• Sponsored Stories
• Food & Travel Guides
Add’l Notes:
• Informative, well-written
articles
• Affluent reader base
Established: 2007
Location: New York, NY
Company Size: 11 - 50

80. Adventure and workwear outfitter with a full online shop and international
locations offering rugged goods for outdoor enthusiasts.
Content Curator
Informational
Commodity
Affiliate Links
Revenue Streams:
• Full e-Commerce Shop
• Brick & Mortar Shops
Creator
Inspirational
Luxury
E-Commerce
Filson
Channels:
• Website
• Printed Catalog
Types of Content:
• Journal
• Influencer Interviews
Add’l Notes:
• All American Made
• Heritage Inspired
• Conservation Focused
Established: 1897
Location: Seattle, WA
Company Size: 251 - 500

82. Competitive Analysis
Formulate a recommendation based on your
findings.

83. Current Marketplace
There are retail brands like Huckberry and affiliate models like Gearmoose, and Gear
Patrol that create Gear Guides and sell quality goods for outdoor activities. There are
institutions like Field and Stream with brick and mortar stores, a TV show, and
exhaustive catalog.
There are publications like Collective Quarterly that take the modern, urban dweller
into the woods. Project Upland creates videos, but it’s for a specific niche. Yeti and
Filson team up with influencers to tell stories to an audience that’s already outside.
As a whole, women, conservationists, and ‘watchers’ are a real demographic that’s
underserved by current products.

84. Opportunity
Americans spend a lot of money on their hobbies, especially hunting. It’s a big, broad
group of people (~12.5 million) who spend billions (~$22.9 billion) annually on the sport.
Not unlike backpacking, canoeing, and fishing, hunting is a retreat from civilization and
it’s pressures.
There isn't a concept like Modern Huntsman that serves the industry and unites it
around the banner of ‘hunting’ and ‘stewardship’.
Women, conservationist, and ‘watchers’ are a huge share of the market and
underserved.
As Hunting Declines, Conservation Efforts Suffer
Americans Spent a Lot of Money on Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife Watching in 2011

85. Recommendation
Don’t focus on stocking a big inventory with competitive pricing as your model.
Provide an outlet for industry content creators, film-makers, brands, and conservation
organizations to have a home for their content and influence to live.
Focus on curated goods, but within the context of authentic story-telling. Take cues
from Yeti and Filson (they understand the culture). Interview influencers, publish co-
sponsored content, and gear guides. Create a unique on-boarding experience to show
customers products, locations, events, and stories unique to their interests. Consider
creating ways to engage with conservation efforts.

86. Storyboard MVEs
What are the key product experiences that deliver
your value proposition?
These are you Most Valuable Experiences.

87. Identifying Your MVEs
1. What would make users love it?
2. What moment in the joinery makes this product unique?
3. Based on your competitive research, what feature resolves
the big shortfall?
4. Based on your user research, what kind of workarounds are
potential customers using now to accomplish their goals?

89. Prototype It!

90. Bottle MVE
Interactive Prototype
Live Demo
👉
👉

91. Introduction
Diagnose
Approach
Act
Measure

92. Act:
Implement your findings into something you can
put into real people’s hands.
• Prototype MVP
• Observe Users with MVP

93. What is an MVP?
“MVP” is the process of creating a version of the product
that allows you to collect the maximum amount of validated
learning about customers with the least amount of effort.

94. MVP is not the
“first version” of your
product.

95. MVP is a
way to test your
hypothesis & learn.

96. Ideas
CodeData
BuildLearn
Measure

97. Wizard of Oz
Simulation of the intended product, but with
humans doing all the work.
Conceierge A completely manual, hands-on service.
Fake Doors
An imaginary product that you market as real
or forthcoming.

99. Introduction
Diagnose
Approach
Act
Measure

100. Measure:
Measure product concept and performance using
qualitative and quantitative methods.

101. Qualitative Quantitative
Ethnographic Field Studies Usability Benchmarking
Moderated Usability Testing A/B Testing
Participatory Design / Focus Group Online Assessments
Customer Interviews Customer Surveys

102. Ideas
CodeData
BuildLearn
Measure

103. Q & A

104. Thank you!
You are awesome.
“UX Strategy for Designers” by Courtney Bradford
@courtney271

105. Resources
Books:
UX Strategy by Jaime Levy
The Lean Startup by Eric Reis
UX Research by David Farkas
The User's Journey: Storymapping Products That People Love by Donna Lichaw
Validating Product Ideas: Through Lean User Research by Tomer Sharon
Mental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior by Indi Young
Just Enough Research by Erika Hall
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Articles:
The Perils of Bad Strategy
Design Thinking by Don Norman
What Is Strategy? by Michael J. Porter
How DropBox Started As A Minimal Viable Product by Eric Reis
Prototyping Tools:
InVision
Figma
Principle
Framer
Marvel
Research Tools:
Xtensio
Similar Web
User Testing
Reframer