UX Design Discovery Meetings: Key Questions and Insights
As a UX designer, the initial discovery meetings with clients are crucial for gathering comprehensive information that will inform the UX design process. Beyond discussing business/user goals and vision, there are several important questions to consider. These questions help you understand the clients' needs, goals, and context, ultimately shaping a more effective UX strategy.
First Discovery Meeting
The first discovery meeting is an essential step in the UX design journey. During this meeting, you should explore the following aspects:
Target Audience
Who are your primary users? Can you describe their demographics, behaviors, and needs?Current Challenges
What specific problems are you facing with your current product or service?Competitors
Who are your main competitors? What do you think they do well or poorly in terms of user experience?Success Metrics
How do you define success for this project? What metrics will you use to measure it?Existing Research
Do you have any existing user research or data that we should consider?Brand Guidelines
Are there any specific brand guidelines, styles, or elements we need to adhere to?Second Discovery Meeting
The second discovery meeting is equally important as it delves deeper into the project requirements. Consider the following topics:
User Feedback
What feedback have you received from users about your current product or service?Stakeholder Input
Who are the key stakeholders involved in this project and what are their expectations or concerns?Schedule and Deliverables
What schedule do they want? At what times do they want specific deliverables, and when do they hope to have the project achieve release status?Scope and Constraints
Are there any budget, timeline, or technical constraints you should be aware of?Desired Features
What specific features or functionalities do you envision for the new product or redesign?User Journey
Can you describe the typical user journey? What are the key touchpoints and pain points?Future Vision
How do you see this product evolving in the next few years? What long-term goals do you have?The importance of a well-defined schedule cannot be overstated. The schedule acts as a framework that determines how the project will be executed and helps prevent the client from flooding you with daily inquiries.
Stakeholders often have high expectations and sometimes unrealistic timelines. Setting clear expectations and implementing a robust timeline at the outset of the project can help manage this. Over time, I have learned that poor scheduling at the beginning of a project can result in many more hours of work than billed, often due to partial project completion.
Defining how success is measured is equally important. Metrics should be clearly outlined in the contract. Are you targeting views, conversions, click reductions, engagement, or something else?
Finally, it is crucial to understand clearly where responsibility and authority lie. Do stakeholders retain the right to change anything without owning the metrics of success? Preventing potential conflicts before they arise can save a lot of time and effort.