Get stakeholders’ input before design begins
Being able to provide evidence to everyone that your method for UX research and development is user-centered always goes a long way when you’re communicating UX plans to stakeholders.
Most stakeholders don’t speak the same visual language that experienced UX designers do. But they do have expectations. Apprehensions. And, more often than given credit for, inspired ideas.
So make time to hear what they have to say before launching full-on into your UX-design sprint.
Many stakeholders, especially those in leadership roles or the ones who interact with customers are likely to offer solutions for your UX plans and visual reasoning without truly defining what the actual problem is. And that’s okay. Even if the solutions they give don’t work or make sense in a design context, they can still help to define the real problem or justify why your UX solves it.
Letting stakeholders have their say before the UX-design work begins is also helpful for figuring out which elements of the UX they prioritize over others. Knowing if they favor impressions over conversions among other metrics lets you make smart design choices before enacting them.
Present the right UX plans to the right stakeholders
UX planning goes through many stages and iterations. Deciding on which UX plan to share with which stakeholder (and at which time) depends on the primary goal of your visual presentation.
Likely, you’ll find that the specific insights that stakeholders are capable of providing typically fall within categories closely related to their discipline or expertise. Keep this in mind as UX designs develop and you prepare for visual presentation and communicating UX plans to stakeholders.
For example, if you need feedback on visual style and how your UX plans might appeal to your intended audience, seek opinions from your marketing department. Sales executives might be better suited to guide choices for which UX features are must-haves to outdo the competition.
By breaking down your UX planning presentations into separate focused sessions, stakeholders gain a choice of options, like whether to weigh in on system design vs. the user flow of the UX.
In any case, stakeholders will be drawn to share their perspective on the things they’re good at.
Point out which obstacles the UX is expected to resolve
Whenever giving a visual presentation or communicating UX plans to stakeholders, do everyone a favor and tell them what problem you’re trying to solve and which ideas are being mulled over.
Most importantly, speak to the goal of the UX plan and not to any personal preferences you may have. Bringing stakeholders into your confidence not only builds trust and camaraderie between teams, it will also invite opportunities to discover (and correct) blind spots in your UX planning.
Incorporate organizational goals into UX design
This can best be accomplished with an alignment document that outlines any needs, problems, or objectives intended end-users may have, helping to inform and guide stakeholder feedback.
By sharing documentation in the beginning (for example, at a kick-off meeting), the UX design team will have a means to measure if the feedback being received serves the product’s primary audience and follows the outlined requirements. It also works as a gauge for your stakeholders.
When using the document for UX planning, everyone will have the same measure for prioritizing and deprioritizing feedback and changes, keeping things moving forward, and being consistent.
Approach design as a negotiation, not an ultimatum
Communicating UX plans to stakeholders is a business activity. Don’t get too defensive or argue for the sake of resisting change or compromise. Feedback isn’t meant to be taken so personally.
Whether you agree or disagree, remember that nothing is set in stone. UX plans should always be flexible and open to criticism early on. Rather than justify the initial visual reasoning of your UX plan, ask for further elaboration (or explanation) of the opinions being given by stakeholders.
After taking all viewpoints into consideration, make choices about what to change and what should be kept. Some elements of the UX plan will be worth conceding at the stakeholders’ request, while others will ultimately fall under the judgement of the UX designer’s expertise.
Above all, base your decisions on what’s best for the product and the people who will use it.
Communicating UX plans to stakeholders is an important, yet often overlooked aspect of the UX designer’s role. Rather than focusing on how stakeholder reactions (or resistance) might limit your creative freedom, look instead at how their shared feedback will improve the UX for end-users.
And if you’re collaborating and working closely with key stakeholders in marketing, engineering, product, and leadership, Lucidspark offers a better way to share ideas in a remote environment.
