UX strategy is the foundation of good UX. It maps out a pathway to success for the product you\u2019re designing, fosters internal alignment and a shared vision and helps to create a consistent, cohesive experience for your users.<\/p>\n
But what exactly is a UX strategy and how can you go about defining yours? We\u2019ll show you.<\/p>\n
Read this guide to discover everything you need to know about UX strategy, including:<\/p>\n
[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/h2>\n UX strategy is a key component of UX design<\/a>. So, before we define what UX strategy is, it makes sense to first set out a definition of UX.<\/p>\n UX design is the process of designing solutions to specific user problems. These solutions usually take the form of products (such as websites, apps, cosmetics, smartphones and so on) or services (such as banking, healthcare, airline check-in etc).<\/p>\n However, UX design isn\u2019t just about creating the solutions themselves. It\u2019s about ensuring that the entire experience the user has in relation to that product or service is positive. UX stands for \u201cuser experience\u201d<\/a>, so it\u2019s essential to consider all the different factors (or touchpoints) that shape this overall experience.<\/p>\n The goal of UX is to meet the end user\u2019s needs but it\u2019s necessary to balance those with the needs of the business<\/a>. The product or service you\u2019re building should also contribute to the achievement of business goals and it should evolve in a way that\u2019s consistent with the overall brand.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where UX strategy comes in. UX strategy sets out the big-picture vision for the product or service you\u2019re designing. It incorporates business objectives and end user needs to guide the work of the UX team towards the fulfilment of both.<\/p>\n A UX strategy essentially asks:<\/p>\n A UX strategy is a vision, a plan of action and a set of guidelines all in one. It acts as a guiding star for the UX team, making sure they consider both the business goals and the end users in every design decision they make.<\/p>\n A UX strategy is beneficial for everyone: the end user, the UX team and the business. Without it, you\u2019re basically travelling aimlessly with no real idea of where you\u2019re going, how you\u2019ll get there or whether or not you\u2019re making good progress.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s why a UX strategy is so important:<\/p>\n If you weren\u2019t convinced about the importance of UX strategy before, you should be now. Next, let\u2019s consider the core components that make up an effective UX strategy.<\/p>\n [GET CERTIFIED IN UI DESIGN]<\/p>\n Take our Professional Certificate in UI Design course<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n The Nielsen Norman Group<\/a> identifies three core elements that make up a UX strategy: vision<\/strong>, goals<\/strong> and a plan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The \u2018vision\u2019 part of your UX strategy defines where you want to go and why<\/strong>. It\u2019s the ideal end state of your product or service and it\u2019s the destination you\u2019ll always be working towards.<\/p>\n The \u2018goals\u2019 component outlines how you will benchmark and measure your progress towards the overarching vision.<\/strong> Goals should be more specific than the vision itself and they should be actionable and measurable. So, when defining your goals, you\u2019ll also attach key results and metrics to them. Goals should be framed in relation to both the end users and the business.<\/p>\n The final element, your \u2018plan\u2019, sets out the actions you\u2019ll take to achieve each of your goals.<\/strong> It may also include estimated timeframes and dependencies. Bear in mind that the plan included in your UX strategy shouldn\u2019t be overly specific, nor should it be seen as set in stone. Rather, it gives a broad overview of what needs to be done, with exact tasks and action points to be figured out by the UX team along the way.<\/p>\n Based on the framework set out by the NNG, let\u2019s consider a hypothetical example of how a UX strategy might look. We\u2019ll pretend we\u2019re defining the UX strategy for a startup which provides a platform to connect parents\/carers of primary school age children with local tutors.<\/p>\n Vision:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Goals:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n User goal1 :<\/strong> Increase parents\u2019\/carers\u2019 access to tutoring support<\/p>\n User goal 2:<\/strong> Improve the quality of tutor\/pupil pairings<\/p>\n Plan:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s just a hypothetical example of a UX strategy. How will your UX strategy take shape? Follow our guide in the next section and you\u2019ll soon find out.,<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to come up with, and articulate, your own UX strategy.<\/p>\n 1. Identify the business goals<\/strong> Speak to stakeholders from different departments (including the leadership team) to understand the overarching company mission and values, as well as how different teams are defining and measuring the success of the product.<\/p>\n At this stage, it\u2019s also worth conducting competitor research (or going over any existing research data you\u2019ve got). This will help you to better understand the market you\u2019re competing in and spark ideas for how you\u2019ll differentiate.<\/p>\n 2. Identify the end user\u2019s needs and goals<\/strong> And, with your strategic hat on, start thinking about ways you might evolve your product to satisfy both user needs and business goals.<\/p>\n For the next three steps, refer back to the framework we laid out previously (in the section titled \u201cWhat are the elements of a UX strategy?\u201d) and use our UX strategy example for inspiration.<\/em><\/p>\n 3. Craft your vision<\/strong> Remember: Your vision defines where you want to go and why. You can use the following formula to guide you:<\/p>\n We want to provide [X type of experience] for [target user group].<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n 4. Break your vision down into goals<\/strong> Frame each goal in the context of both a user goal and a business goal (as we did in our UX strategy example). A good way to think about it is: What does the business get out of it and what does the user get out of it?<\/p>\n Next, determine how you\u2019ll measure the success of each goal and assign a key metric you\u2019ll be aiming for. For example, if your goal is to make it easier for users to complete the checkout process on your ecommerce website (user goal) and, in doing so, to reduce the number of abandoned cart incidences (business goal), you might aim for a key result of 65% reduction in abandoned cart incidences \/ a 65% increase in purchase completions.<\/p>\n 5. Write your plan<\/strong> When writing your plan, remember that it\u2019s not necessary to drill right down to the finer details. At this stage, you\u2019re just outlining broader initiatives you can take to move towards your objectives.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also important to think about a timeline. This will largely depend on how the company operates in terms of goal-setting and reviewing progress. Some companies take a quarterly approach (in which case, you can break your UX strategy plan down in terms of Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4) while others work in shorter cycles.<\/p>\n And remember: Just like UX itself, your UX strategy will require adjustments and iterations. Don\u2019t get too caught up on setting specific goals and timelines in stone. The most important thing is that you have a clear vision that everybody\u2019s aligned on and a plan of action for how to get there. You\u2019ll work out the finer details along the way.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve defined and finalised your UX strategy, make sure it\u2019s presented clearly and accessibly in a document (or on a shared space) that everybody can view. The goal of your UX strategy is to foster company-wide alignment, so it\u2019s important that everybody knows what it is and where to find it.<\/p>\n Your UX strategy should act as your north star, pointing you in the right direction and keeping you on track as you move through the UX process. Refer back to it regularly and use it to guide \u2014 and justify \u2014 your design decisions.<\/p>\nWhat is UX strategy?<\/h2>\n
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Why do you need a UX strategy?<\/h2>\n
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What are the elements of a UX strategy?<\/h2>\n
A UX strategy example<\/h2>\n
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How to define your UX strategy and put it into words<\/h2>\n
\nYour UX strategy will make sure that you\u2019re designing with both the end users\u2019 needs and the business goals in mind. So, the first step is to get familiar with what the goals of the business are.<\/p>\n
\nThe next step is to bring in the end user\u2019s needs. You\u2019ll already be doing user research<\/a> as part of your usual UX process<\/a>\u00a0and it\u2019s essential to lean into those insights (and deepen them, if necessary, with further research) as you define your UX strategy.<\/p>\n
\nYou\u2019ve laid the groundwork and now have both business goals and end user needs fresh in your mind. Now it\u2019s time to start actually putting your UX strategy into words \u2014 starting with the vision.<\/p>\n
\nWith your big-picture vision in place, you\u2019re now going to break it down into smaller, more manageable goals.<\/p>\n
\nFinally, come up with a plan: the actions and steps you\u2019ll take to achieve your goals.<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s next? Putting your UX strategy to work<\/h2>\n