Our methods
The Namahn approach to Human-Centered Design is state-of-the-art. We apply best practices from our industry and are keen to find out how we can pragmatically apply new and upcoming techniques to our clients' challenges.
We conduct our work in three mindsets (or frames of mind). Within each mindset we conduct a number of activities (see the table below). Within each activity, we deploy selected techniques. The choice of activities and techniques is highly dependent on the particular challenges posed in a project.
| Understand | Explore | Define |
UNDERSTAND
During 'understand' we get to know the client, the user, and the key issues and challenges to address. Understanding why we design, who we design for and what the user's needs are, is crucial for developing successful products.
We do this by performing the following activities:
Framing
'Framing' is aimed at getting to understand context of the assignment: we unravel current problems and opportunities, come to a common understanding (among all stakeholders) of the design challenge.
The framing activities result in a strategy brief: a clear, mutually agreed upon description of the assignment.
Techniques used:
- Portfolio analysis
- Tinkering
- Strategy brief
Field study
During the field study we immerse ourselves in the user's world and their activities in an effort to understand their true habits, needs and fears. By observing what people do, we uncover more and richer information than during a simple interview. What people say may very well differ from what they actually do, and it's what they do that inspires good design.
All material gathered is interpreted and structured to communicate the findings. This communication can take the form of a project room (with pictures, notes, reactions on the wall), a study report (which may contain movie or audio fragments) or inspiration cards (with learning and ideas, or new questions). This forms the basis for any next steps in the project, and helps to make the project's focus explicit to the different stakeholders.
Techniques used:
- Participant observation
- User panel
- Cultural probe
- Link analysis
Assessment
An assessment consists of evaluating the current situation, product or service in a formal way, based on predefined hypotheses and by means of assessment frameworks or checklists. Any design effort that aims at an improvement starts by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the current situation. This applies to the available content, the existing product and the organization that will endorse the new design.
There are different dimensions for assessment: normative, qualitative or quantitative. The output of an assessment depends on the chosen dimension and tools. The conclusions are clearly stated, either as recommendations (normative or qualitative assessment) or as factual information (quantitative assessment) that might help in taking design decisions later in the design process.
Techniques used:
- Content analysis
- Benchmarking
- Maturity model
- Usability test (summative)
- Design critique
- Expert review
Task analysis
Through a task analysis we reach a deep and formal understanding of how work gets done, particularly in the mind of the user. This understanding, gained more from the field studies than from procedure documentation, enables the designer to (re)design tasks in conformance with the user goals. It also uncovers what information is required to sufficiently support people in their decision making and actions.
Depending on the focus of the task analysis and the complexity of the task, the output can be a mere inventory of tasks and task relationships, or a detailed description of tasks, including the required information, subsumed knowledge or cognitive demands.
Techniques used:
- Hierarchical task analysis
- Goal-directed task analysis
- Cognitive task analysis
Requirements analysis
The aim of requirements analysis is to specify what the product should do, and which constraints should be considered. At this point we move from user and task needs to requirements and constraints of the system. This last step in understanding what to design will deliver very concrete input for the proper design activities. It is a crucial step in the design process, as it crystallizes the agreement on what should be designed.
The output will be more or less formal and extensive depending on the project methodology (waterfall or agile). The resulting document can be structured as a narrative on system usage (cases and stories) or as an account of envisaged functionalities.
Techniques used:
- Design brief
- Use case
- Agile user story
- Requirements specification
EXPLORE
Explore is an innovative mindset of creativity, collaboration and iteration. We explore design possibilities, conceptualize and visualize. All parties concerned are dedicated to experimenting and looking in different directions for a variety of concepts, after which ideas are converged into concrete, innovative solutions.
Namahn performs the following activities:
Ideation
An innovative design process takes off with ideation: generating as many ideas as possible by means of associative and blue-sky thinking. Out of the resulting multitude of ideas a selection of the best and most usable ideas is made and prioritized for design.
Ideation typically results in an idea inventory, or showcases of the innovation concepts on mood boards or a 'concept car'.
Techniques used:
- Brainstorm
- Role play
- Post-it session
Storytelling
Storytelling is about creating true-to-life descriptions of people and the way they interact. We describe real-life situations in concrete and tangible stories, to get a common understanding and consensus between all stakeholders about the envisioned users and user experience.
Storytelling results in descriptions of the user - persona - or a situation of use, written either textually - scenario of use - or visually - storyboard.
Techniques used:
- Scenario of use
- Storyboard
- Persona
Mental modeling
The mental model represents information concepts and expectations users have in their mind about how a product or service works. People are constantly building, reusing and refining their mental models. To be able to align the design with the user's mental model, we visualize a target mental model people should have in their mind to make successful use of the product or service (see picture).
The main concepts, relations and processes are made explicit by means of a diagram or a glossary. The mental model informs the design, in particular the conceptual design.
Techniques used:
- Diagram
- Glossary
- Semantic net
Classification
A classification structures information and tasks in a meaningful and efficient way; content is organized into meaningful classes of information that are put in a clear structure and given comprehensible labels. Whilst the classification is derived from the content's nature as well as the user's needs, we actively involve stakeholders and users. In a collaborative effort, the content is organized to increase efficiency of finding information and executing tasks.
The classification results in an information structure of information groups and topics.
Techniques used:
- Collaborative classification
- Card sorting
- Mind map
Conceptual design
The conceptual design outlines the basic ideas of a product or service. It explores alternative solutions and determines what major concepts are applicable, e.g. which are the various application screen types and screen architecture. The conceptual design consists of sketches and models, leaving room for experiment and lateral thinking.
The conceptual design can result in:
- a navigation model presenting how the user would navigate through the application,
- an interaction architecture: sketches and wireframes of various screens, presenting the main interaction structure and basic layout of the screens.
Techniques used:
- Interaction architecture
- Wireframe
- Navigation model
- Service blueprint
Prototyping
The prototype is a refinement of the conceptual design and results in a more or less realistic, possibly working, simulation of the user interface. The design ideas and concepts are made more concrete, visible and tangible, resulting in low-fidelity or high-fidelity simulations of the future experience, in order to evaluate, review and refine them.
A prototype can take various forms, from a refined, detailed, though static drawing to a dynamic prototype illustrating, or animating, the behavior of (a part of) the user interface. The prototype is ideal for conducting (formative) usability tests and can be used to derive service assets.
Techniques used:
- Mock-up
- Dynamic prototype
- Service assets
- Animation
- Usability test (formative)
Visual design
During the visual design the look of the interface, as well as its particular feel is determined. A successful visual design is an extension of the conceptual design on which it is founded: it enhances the design, reinforces the designer’s message and therefore contributes to the user experience and appropriately corresponds to the corporate identity.
The visual design is represented in a selection of screens, a mood board or may result in visually finalized digital assets.
Techniques used:
- Mood board
- Digital assets
DEFINE
During 'define' we describe the decisions and roadmap for the final design. We hand these over to the client, in a way that they can be implemented and actually lead to a valuable product for the user. While defining, the focus lies on clear, efficient communication and on collaboration with the development team.
We perform the following activities:
Roadmap
We provide a management-level overview of how the product or service can be brought to life.
Indeed, when the project is finished for Namahn, the client usually still has a long way to go. The final outcome of the project depends not only on technical aspects of the implementation phase, but also on the collaboration between many people inside the company, to provide the content for the new product, to introduce the new product in the least possible disruptive way for the user and to keep the product alive. These activities need to be empowered by the management of the company.
The result is a document that sets out what needs to be done, when, how and by whom.
Techniques used:
- Strategy
- Governance
- Roll-out plan
- Migration path
Engineering specification
The engineering specifications specify the final design in detail in order to brief other people about how it should be implemented. This detailed information will enable the development team to realize the design as it is intended and will ensure that future enhancements of the product follow the same lines. It will coordinate the efforts of a team of developers to create and maintain a consistent product.
The specification can take the form of a well-structured and detailed text, graphically illustrated with screens and screen elements. It may also consist of graphical screen representations, annotated with text or of a collection of guidelines or patterns. Some projects require an account of why design decisions have been taken or of which measures ensure the system's overall safety.
Techniques used:
- Style guide
- Annotated drawing
- Safety case
- Formal specification
- Pattern library
- Service ecology map
- Design rationale
Follow-up
During follow-up, Namahn supports engineering and development teams in creating a high-quality experience. We assist the analysts, developers, technical architects and testers by making clear in a more or less interactive way what the future product should look like and how they go about refining the design. Indeed, a truly human-centered product will keep evolving. Hence, the main objective of this activity is to hand-over our expertise so that the design can be kept alive without Namahn's continued intervention.
Follow-up takes the form of meetings, hands-on sessions, training material, design advice and support. The project is wrapped up by a debriefing, where we solicit the client's feedback on our contribution to the project.
Techniques used:
- Walkthrough
- Coaching
- Training
- Debriefing
- Obtain a printed copy of the Namahn poster, with a representation of the mindsets, activities and techniques that we apply to the "Human-Centered Design of Digital Interactions"
- Download the poster (PDF 1.5Mb)