Small money & UX
Proposing a UX process to a smaller business can be tricky. Is the workflow compatible?
If you tried to explain the values of user experience to someone, they would probably think that the core concept makes sense.
But what if that person had limited time and money to invest? What if their day consisted of handling many responsibilities at once? What if the rest of their company didn’t see the same value as she did?
Small businesses are facing a difficult recovery from COVID-19. However, evidence suggests that focusing on customer experience can drive performance during a recession.
Are the characteristics of a small business (possibly amplified by the tough times we’re facing) compatible with the patience associated with a UX process?
I want to explore what can make it difficult for smaller businesses to prioritise UX and if we as designers can do anything differently.
Attitudes towards the UX process
To get us started, here are some common responses to UX proposals that I have heard from small business owners:
- A genuine interest but “It’s not for us right now”
- Dismissal “we already know our users”
- We’ve got a tiny budget, “make it happen”
- We like data but “I have a gut feeling our way is better”
Small business leaders are likely to be kings of their domain. They could have built their business from nothing, and should care about their bottom line more than anything. They thrive on networks and might know their local area inside out.
They could be asking; Why pay more to verify the hard earned knowledge from my years of experience?
What are they saying no to?
UX as a methodology can differ case to case but it is usually based on a structure of research, design, test, and build.
To a small business owner does this sound like a long drawn out process? We’re telling them that in order to deliver a website or app we need to first research who it is we’re building for and why. Then, after we’ve built it we need to run that process over and over again.
This may seem leaps and bounds over whatever template they thought would work on a drag-and-drop website builder.
Research as a word comes up a bunch of times with UX. It’s going to sound scary for someone in a small business to hear that word. It can be intimidating.
Solving friction between small and UX
Two factors can create a barrier for a UX workflow. That is poor data wealth and an incompatible culture / mindset.
If one factor is present, it can have an adverse effect on the other.
For instance, if there hasn’t been an effort to gather insights, the subjective mindset has an easier time of influencing decisions. On the flip side, if subjectivity rules the roost, there will be a lack of drive to invest in research.
I have found these factors are often present in businesses that don’t rely on high traffic volumes to turn a revenue (i.e. high margin, niche services or products), or those with smaller knit teams.
#1: Data wealth
We need to look at a different set of data, one that helps fuel decisions and that can be gathered without tones of investment. It will need to succeed in building an appreciation for research.
Let’s dissect what research should be looking for. It should identify our user’s behaviours, contexts, and goals. You may find that you don’t have to look too far to find a viable method that achieves this.
Smaller business owners could be making appearances front of house and talk directly to their customers. This is a valuable resource to tap into. We just need to remind them not to enforce any bias or intimidate their research participants.
Competitor conventions, stakeholder interviews, and surveys are examples of obtainable methods. There are a number of clever tactics that can suit time and budget constraints.
When it comes to validating our work, smaller volume apps or websites won’t have the luxury of being able to A/B test hypotheses. There simply won’t be the data to inform the outcome of the tests. This rules out the ability to back decisions with scientific evidence.
This is a disadvantage. It can be easier to justify an investment in UX by using statistical significance as an effective measure of benefit.
However, smaller projects will most likely benefit more without testing. We’re looking to get our product to a viable stage. Not everything needs to be tested to get up and running, especially if we’re more certain of the outcome.
#2: Mindset
We’re asking decision makers to pause before they act. If that person already has a conclusion or a clear idea of how they want to proceed, then UX professionals will have a hard time influencing the outcomes.
Half of our task is to counter this mindset. Without the right attitude we will not be able to prove the benefits of UX.
How can we counter? We can ask them to consider risk in their equation. The beauty of risk is that we can draw a number of potential outcomes associated with the decision at hand.
More often than not we can show a business case for not acting without considering the user.
These scenarios can help convince that the time is worth taking to ensure the best possible outcome.
Mindset as a barrier to progress is often apparent at sign off stage for a new design.
On its own, a design can tempt the audience into producing their own assumptions and critiques. A picture on it’s own is worth a thousand words.
Setting the scene and building an argument will help guide your audience on how they should view your final design¹. In the end, we want decision makers to be on our side, and not barriers to progress.
Creating a compatible proposal
I have found the following principles vital for establishing a UX delivery plan with smaller businesses:
#1 Plan
Consider the end product. Articulating the outcome can help your audience. It will set clear expectations and reduce the unknown.
#2 Educate
We don’t want to bore our audience with complexity. They don’t have time for that. But we do want to convince them on our values.
#3 Don’t undersell
2 days of work won’t be enough time to get to our objective. Be realistic and share your concerns.
#4 Set minimal standards
Ground rules can set the parameters of the workflow. From the outset, make it clear that we must:
- Spend time on understanding the user
- Not disrupt the process with subjectivity
Although these guidelines have proved useful to me, the work needs to suit all parties. If there is too much push back on the values of UX, then don’t let it lead you astray. We’re working to optimise UX — if it’s obvious that you won’t be able to do that it’s time to move on (in a kind and helpful manor). The most important value is partnership.
UX in the right form
Despite friction, small businesses can benefit just as much as larger firms from a UX workflow, if not more. With smaller teams you can get closer to the decision makers and bring the objectives of the business closer to your methodology.
Decision makers need to see through the noise and appreciate that knowing their audience and designing for their goals can be a game changer. With smart planning and smart research tactics it can be done on a smaller scale.
If their competitors aren’t so ready to adopt a UX process, then now is the time to gain the advantage.
Some planning is better than no planning. And we all know what poor planning leads to.
Offline references
[1] A book apart |Presenting Design Work, by Donna Spencer
