How to Stay Standing When the Client Keeps

How to Stay Standing When the Client Keeps Pushing Axure. World 2012

1. Reasons for scope creep 2. Techniques to avoid ‘the creep’ 3. Axure can help keep you nimble

1. Reasons for scope creep 2. Techniques to avoid ‘the creep’ 3. Axure can help keep you nimble

1. Reasons for scope creep 2. Techniques to avoid ‘the creep’ 3. Axure can help keep you nimble

Reasons for Scope Creep 1. Miscommunication between you and the client 2. Client most likely setting unrealistic expectations with their own management 3. Lack of understanding of UX tasks 4. Sometimes there truly are surprises on a project Axure. World 2012 5

What has your experience been? Axure. World 2012 6

Often, it is a miscommunication Miscommunication happens because either you are not listening, the client is not listening, or both. 1. Listen instead of waiting for the person to stop talking 2. Give the person the opportunity to express her expectations completely 3. Repeat what you think you heard to ensure you understand expectations 4. For important conversations, document what you heard and ask for confirmation 5. Hold reviews early and often Axure. World 2012 7

The Go-Between There are projects were you do not have access to speak to the person responsible for the overall project. 1. Politely insistent that you are present at any scope/planning meetings 2. If this cannot happen, document all of your assumptions & reasons for making the scope decisions that you did 3. Postively stand your ground Axure. World 2012 8

They Don’t Fully Understand What We Do! Thank goodness we are in a world now where people have a high level understanding what we do, but we all know the devil is in the details. 1. Create or provide the tasks and estimates involved to the project plan 2. Educate the client on each task and deliverables involved 3. If /when they try to cut corners, clearly explain the ramifications and document this. Have them acknowledge in email that they understand accept the risk Always plan for at three rounds of revisions. Don’t forget to put review days in the plan! Axure. World 2012 9

Whoa, there is a gap When is becomes apparent that each party is on a different page: 1. PAUSE 2. FOCUS ON NEXT STEPS 3. LISTEN 4. REFRAIN & RESEARCH Axure. World 2012 10

Stay Nimble Using Axure There are times when requests come up or you may find a better solution. In order to be able to accommodate, always build the file to make you efficient. 1. The ‘On Page Load’ feature is a great 2. ‘Page Notes’ is good for documenting design decisions to other team members 3. ‘The Style Editor’ can come in handy 4. Cutting corners normally ends up causing more work in the long run. Build as best as you can the first time around. If you are generating a specification document, number the screens and dynamic panels. Axure. World 2012 11

Thank you! elizabethsrail@gmail. com Axure. World 2012