46. The key is the question

Achieving a good User Experience (UX) is highly unlikely in a poorly managed project.

In this installment, we delve into the array of questions we typically pose at the start of each project. This approach helps us better contextualize the environment in which the UX will be designed, developed, and eventually performed.

Questions related to purpose:

• What is the project’s goal?
• Why are we pursuing this objective?
• Were there any previous projects that contribute to this goal?
• What is the project’s timeline?

Important: The goal must always be clear, unambiguous, quantifiable, and set within a specific timeframe. Examples: “We aim to increase our customer base by 15% in the next year” or “We seek to comply with industry regulations before the next fiscal year.”

Questions related to project success:

• How will we define and measure the project’s success?
• What are the expected deliverables of the project?
• What are the critical indicators of the project?

Questions related to the user:

• Who are the users of what we want to build?
• What problem are we looking to solve for these users?
• Why would they use our product?

Corollary: Don’t expect a successful project without having, at least, the answers to these questions. Therefore, do not feel ashamed to ask the obvious.