What is Iterative Design?
Iterative Design is a design methodology where the digital experience is treated as an ever-evolving product. This process involves several stages allowing tweaks and refinements to achieve an optimal experience.
The first stage in this process is Research and Discovery. In this stage, the team looks at user research and performs a competitor analysis. This step aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the product before initiating design.
The second stage is Prototyping. At this point, two subsequent stages occur low-fidelity prototypes and high-fidelity prototypes. Low-fidelity prototypes include sketches and wireframes, while high-fidelity prototypes include interactive digital prototypes.
The next stage is User Testing and A/B Testing. This stage allows for feedback from real users and testing different variations of the experience. At Page One, we offer various methods of testing pre- and post-launch with our Conversion Rate Optimization Team to ensure your site meets or exceeds KPIs.
The second to last stage is Analysis, and we open the floor to Feedback from team members and stakeholders. While analyzing, we look at the results from any testing done and interpret that data to apply to the experience. Additionally, we meet with the internal team and client stakeholders to get feedback on the design.
The final stage in this process is Refinement. This is where our team takes all of the data and feedback from previous steps and then implements informed changes to the prototype. Once this is completed, we will start the process again.
Benefits of Iterative Design
User-Centered: This process allows our team to ensure the design meets user needs and expectations while keeping users at the forefront of our minds.
Flexibility: An incredibly important aspect of UX design is the ability to adapt as data, feedback, and trends evolve daily. Visualizing data and implementing informed design changes get the experience and team one step closer to a high-performing product.
Risk Mitigation: Following this iterative process allows the team to be thorough and identify possible issues early on, reducing the risk of any major experience flaws.
Continuous Improvement: This process reinforces an environment where the design is regularly evaluated and updated to align with user needs.