Working with Clients

How not to work with clients

  • Clients hand you a set of wireframes.
  • Together you create a schedule of deliverables.
  • Speed up if running over-schedule.

How to work with clients

The Vision

How to get the client's vision

TypeDefinitionPurpose
4-Panel Storyboard An illustrated example to articulate vision of app for developers and potential users Client creates to shows customers the idea, and developers where to start
User journey A visualization of the steps a user takes to accomplish a goal More detailed version of four-panel

Scenarios

  • Four-panels, demos, and user journeys are scenarios.
  • A scenario is a story about how a specific user in a specific situation accomplishes some goal, thanks to the new app
  • Key elements:
    • characters
    • conflict
    • plot
    • resolution

User Stories

User stories

User Story Examples

  • A shopper can add items to a list in order to know what to buy when at the grocery story
  • A parts vendor can upload a price list spreadsheet to update a catalog page in order to avoid entering data twice
  • Some nice examples emphasizing roles and goals

Backlogs

Backlog

  • A list of user stories
    • Not activities or tasks like coding or meetings
  • Prioritized.
    • Stories done in order given.
    • Avoid labels like "must have" vs "should have".

Example backlog

Family Checkin App

  • A parent can create links for family members to share locations.
  • A family member can see most recently logged locations of other family members.
  • A family member can log their current location with one click.
  • A family member can tap on a map to log where they’re going to.
  • A family member can label a location, like “Johny’s house”.
  • A family member can post a note to the family.
  • A family member can read posted notes, newest first.
  • A family member can push an urgent notification to the family.

Task Board

Task Board with Client Review

Ready to do: selected for this week's iteration
Ready to review: tested, pushed, waiting for client approval

Task Board with User Testing

A story is done until when it passes user testing.

Backlog to Task Board

  • User stories are tokens for conversation, not specifications.
  • When selected in planning, define new UI, test examples, and (ideally) user test scenarios.

Task Board Flow

  • Move stories move from left to right until completed
  • Clear board and start over on each iteration
  • Limit work in progress
    • If two stories in Doing, help a teammate finish one rather than start a new one

<More to come!>

Thanks to Hakim El Hattab for RevealJS