ISG Playbook
APIs
Key Tip #3 for UX success from Agile Practitioners
Soft skills can hold the keys to success in Agile projects. The respondents identified healthy collaboration as a main factor in success. This finding is not surprising; after all, in the Agile Manifesto, individuals and interactions are valued over processes and tools. Good communication is essential in any software-development organization, whatever its process methodology. However, collaboration is even more important in Agile settings, where delivery times are short and time-boxed.
Some organizations chose design-thinking techniques such as ideation and brainstorming to encourage discussion and tear down silos that often block effective communication and teamwork.
“Collaboration has been critical.”
“Close collaboration with other roles in the team has [helped us] arrive at agreements sooner in the process.”
“Constant ongoing collaboration with all team members. We use sketching and whiteboard sessions; journey-experience maps help capture the omnichannel experience.”
“Share info together in cross-functional teams. Communicate more with developer and designers.”
“No putdowns and no dismissal of ideas in early stages.”
“Involve everyone on the team and welcome everyone's suggestions and ideas.”
“Keep the relationship between the business analyst, designer, and engineer close.”
“Meet regularly once a week to update and know the progress. Focus on things to help one another accomplish the work.”
“Daily standups, iteration demos, biweekly pulse meetings, and interaction with management.”
In modern software-development environments, UX is heavily involved in defining how online products and services are developed. As such, the role of UX has expanded to include communication. UX can be the catalyst for good collaboration by involving team members in activities such as usability testing, and field studies, but also group design ideation and brainstorming.
Source: NN/g