Rich UX Documentation

Note: If you are attending this session, please visit the following page for important downloads before the workshop: http://www.yesko.com/web2expo

As web sites are moving further away from the “page” metaphor and toward more interactive 2.0 experiences, designers are faced with moving beyond the wireframe and site map. We need to be able to communicate more fluid interfaces and interactions. Sometimes this means documenting very detailed functionality and almost infinite “states,” or representing motion in a static medium. But it can also mean stepping back to paint a broader picture—establishing and communicating the fundamental approach for a site’s interactions—to build consensus before the detailed work begins.

This presentation will take a tour through several highly visual documentation techniques that attempt to communicate the exact right amount of information, to the right stakeholders, at the right points in the project. From presenting a high-level interaction concept for an executive, to producing a usable functional spec for visual designers and developers, we will cover a wide range of deliverables.

Some of the documents we will explore are:

• User experience brief

• Personas and scenarios

• Concept model

• Site map

• Annotated wireframes

• Lo-fi and hi-fi prototypes

• Functional specification

• Visual design comps

Attendees will walk away with a thorough understanding of a wide range of user experience documentation. Each method will be presented in detail, including:

• When to use a particular method (type of project, phase of project, audience, etc.)

• Best practices in designing the documents

• How to present the document

Time will be allowed during each section for questions and discussion. Each attendee will be given access to download electronic samples of each document type.

This presentation is targeted toward:

• Information architects

• Interaction designers

• User experience architects

While a UX professional of any level will find value in this workshop, it will likely be most valuable to intermediate level designers. The workshop will assume at least a general level of understanding and experience with basic user experience deliverables (e.g., site maps and wireframes)—and serve as a launching point to more in-depth documentation.