The process of inclusion.
It's an approach based on experience - we know that the best solution design starts with all the key people's involvement.
So when initial concepts are developed, requirements defined, when solutions are modeled, tested and refined, it all happens with the input of several key team members:
- Client stakeholders
- End user representatives
- Tridion technical owner responsible for build
- Creative resource
- User experience/information architects
- Programme/project managers
Evolving requirements
We're steeped in content management. That's why we gather all the solution's requirements - those which comprise the website available to your customers and users, plus the processes and workflows needed by your internal teams. Both aspects are equally crucial to creating a successful content managed web presence.
End user definition
We like to know precisely who we're designing for, so we adhere to user centred design principles. We'll work closely with you to agree user personas, scenarios and goals. These are benchmarks of a sound design process, and we place a lot of emphasis on getting the information feeds right:
- Data analysis for customer and administrator profiling
- Interviews and usability testing - for insight into user motivations and behaviours
- Task based analysis
- Fictional personas - a good way for design teams to 'sanity check' ideas
- Scenario and customer journey development for testing internally and with real users
User interface design
It makes sense to us to emulate as closely as possible the interaction and functionality of the proposed solution.
Click through wireframes help a great deal in achieving this, as they allow stakeholders to experience 'hands on' how the final system can work. Wireframes also often highlight extra requirements, and allow early usability testing.
Content Management Organisation Definitions
Once we have a full understanding of how you want to manage your website, we plan the elements in SDL Tridion to match your management needs. Blueprints, security models and workflows are carefully considered, to make sure the implementation will be workable and the website easily updated. And all this will be handled within your required governance framework.
Technical solution architecture
The SDL Tridion structure that will support the solution's functions and features is developed by a Building Blocks SDL Tridion consultant, in parallel with the interface design.
The consultant will identify and document the underlying schemas, page and component templates and taxonomy structures that need to be created.
This 'nut and bolts' work will also include design of integration with external applications, deployment processes, solution support, scalability, performance and future proofing.
Creative design
Only when we're satisfied that the solution's structure is sound do we apply the creative. It's not that we see the look as less of a priority, we just want to be certain that the design works and is scalable before the creative design is included.
Prototyping and usability testing
For realism in testing's sake, prototypes are often fully rendered, in line with the solution's defined persona scenarios. We action usability sessions using techniques such as 'Think Aloud Protocol' and eye tracking. This really helps us see and analyse user reaction as it happens in a realistic setting.
Build team handover
Handing over the design to the build team can be a critical time. To mitigate any risk at this point, we will have already involved build team people in the design process, so they're up to speed with the solution when they take on its ownership.