Formative Testing
A type of usability testing conducted during the design process to identify issues and improve the design iteratively. Crucial for refining designs and ensuring usability before final release.
A type of usability testing conducted during the design process to identify issues and improve the design iteratively. Crucial for refining designs and ensuring usability before final release.
Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a method used to transform customer needs into engineering characteristics for a product or service. Essential for ensuring that customer requirements are systematically incorporated into the design and development process.
A strategic approach where multiple potential solutions are tested to identify the most promising one. Crucial for innovation and reducing risk in decision-making.
A structured routine for continuous improvement based on a scientific approach to problem-solving and process optimization. Crucial for fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within product design teams.
A structured communication technique originally developed as a systematic, interactive forecasting method which relies on a panel of experts. Important for gathering expert opinions and making informed decisions.
Also known as feature creep, the continuous addition of new features to a product, often beyond the original scope, leading to project delays and resource strain. Important for managing project scope and ensuring timely delivery.
A fictional character created to represent a user type that might use a site, brand, or product in a similar way, guiding design decisions. Essential for user-centered design, ensuring that products meet the needs of target users.
Detailed, Estimated, Emergent, and Prioritized (DEEP) is an agile project management framework for a well-maintained product backlog. Important for maintaining a clear and actionable backlog in agile methodologies.
A method used to create detailed narratives of potential future events to explore and understand possible outcomes and inform decision-making. Essential for strategic planning and anticipating the impact of different decisions or changes.
An experimental design where subjects are paired based on certain characteristics, and then one is assigned to the treatment and the other to the control group. Important for reducing variability and improving the accuracy of experimental results.
The strategic objectives that an organization aims to achieve, guiding its operations and decision-making processes. Important for aligning digital product development with the broader mission and objectives of the organization.
A Lean methodology concept identifying seven types of waste in processes to improve efficiency. Valuable for product managers and engineers to optimize processes and eliminate inefficiencies.
A tendency for respondents to answer questions in a manner that is not truthful or accurate, often influenced by social desirability or survey design. Important for understanding and mitigating biases in survey and research data.
A type of bias that occurs when the observer's expectations or beliefs influence their interpretation of what they are observing, including experimental outcomes. Essential for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of research and data collection.
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) Goals are a framework for setting and achieving clear objectives. Essential for setting clear and actionable objectives in personal and professional contexts.
The systematic investigation of competitor activities, products, and strategies to gain insights and inform decision-making. Crucial for staying competitive and improving product and service offerings.
Project Management Professional (PMP) is a globally recognized certification for project managers, awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Essential for validating project management expertise and enhancing career prospects.
The study of architectural concepts, including the principles and methodologies used in the design and construction of buildings and structures. Useful for understanding spatial design and applying architectural principles to digital interfaces.
A hybrid Agile project management framework that combines elements of Scrum and Kanban to improve flexibility and workflow management. Useful for teams seeking to blend the structured approach of Scrum with the visual workflow of Kanban.
A research approach that starts with a theory or hypothesis and uses data to test it, often moving from general to specific. Essential for validating theories and making informed decisions based on data.
A principle that states tasks always take longer than expected, even when considering Hofstadter's Law itself. Important for setting realistic project timelines and managing expectations in digital product development.
A meeting where the Agile team discusses and decides what tasks will be completed in the upcoming sprint, establishing a clear plan for the sprint's duration. Crucial for ensuring the team is aligned and has a clear understanding of the work to be done in the sprint.
The process of identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential threats that could impact the success of a digital product, including usability issues, technical failures, and user data security. Essential for maintaining product reliability, user satisfaction, and data protection, while minimizing the impact of potential design and development challenges.
A list of tasks and deliverables that a team commits to completing during a sprint, providing a clear focus and scope for the sprint's duration. Essential for organizing and prioritizing work within an Agile sprint.
An experimental design where different groups of participants are exposed to different conditions, allowing for comparison between groups. Important for understanding and applying different experimental designs in user research.
Designing products that leverage behavioral science to influence user behavior in positive ways. Crucial for creating products that are effective in shaping user behavior and improving engagement.
A visual workflow management method used to visualize work, limit work-in-progress, and maximize efficiency. Crucial for improving workflow and productivity in various processes.
The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a comprehensive set of guidelines, best practices, and standards for project management. Essential for ensuring consistency and excellence in managing projects across various industries.
The process of making small, continuous improvements to products, services, or processes over time. Important for sustaining growth and maintaining competitiveness through ongoing improvements.
Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) is an iterative four-step management method used for continuous improvement of processes and products. Essential for quality control and operational efficiency.
Also known as "Maslow's Hammer," a cognitive bias where people rely too heavily on a familiar tool or method, often summarized as "if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.". Important for designers to recognize and avoid over-reliance on familiar methods in problem-solving and design.
An ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes over time through incremental and breakthrough improvements. Crucial for fostering a culture of constant enhancement and adaptation.
Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) is a four-step management method used for continuous improvement of processes and products. Essential for implementing and maintaining continuous improvement in business and design processes.
A statistical phenomenon where a large number of hypotheses are tested, increasing the chance of a rare event being observed. Crucial for understanding and avoiding false positives in data analysis.
Product Development is the process of bringing a new product to market or improving an existing one. Crucial for innovation, meeting customer needs, and maintaining a competitive edge.
Proof of Concept (PoC) is a demonstration, usually in the form of a prototype or pilot project, to verify that a concept or theory has practical potential. Crucial for validating ideas, demonstrating feasibility, and securing support for further development in product design and innovation processes.
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) is the process of managing an application's development, maintenance, and eventual retirement throughout its lifecycle. Important for ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of digital products over time.
Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is an agile project delivery framework focused on delivering business value early and continuously. Essential for ensuring that projects align with business goals and user needs through iterative processes.
Software Requirements Specification (SRS) is a detailed document that outlines the functional and non-functional requirements of a software system. Crucial for ensuring clear communication and understanding between stakeholders and the development team.
Minimum Viable Experience (MVE) is the simplest version of a product that delivers a complete and satisfying user experience while meeting core user needs. Essential for rapidly validating product concepts and user experience designs while ensuring that even early versions of a product provide value and a positive impression to users.
A preliminary testing phase conducted by internal staff to identify bugs before releasing the product to external testers or customers. Crucial for ensuring product quality and functionality before broader release.
A detailed description of a system's behavior as it responds to a request from one of its stakeholders, often used to capture functional requirements. Essential for understanding and documenting how users will interact with a system to achieve their goals.
A common solution to a recurring problem that is ineffective and counterproductive, often resulting in negative consequences. Important for recognizing and avoiding poor design practices and improving overall design quality.
A team structure focused on delivering value streams, often organized around a specific business capability or customer need. Crucial for enhancing delivery efficiency and aligning with business goals.
Specific conditions that must be met for a product or feature to be considered complete and satisfactory. Essential for product managers and developers to ensure clarity and alignment on what constitutes "done".
The process of identifying user needs and market opportunities to inform the development of new products or features. Crucial for ensuring that products are user-centered and meet real market demands.
A testing methodology that verifies the complete workflow of an application from start to finish, ensuring all components work together as expected. Important for ensuring the reliability and performance of digital products, leading to better user satisfaction and fewer post-launch issues.
A software development practice where code changes are automatically deployed to production without manual intervention. Important for maintaining a high level of productivity and quality in software development.
An estimation technique used in Agile software development where team members assign story points to tasks through consensus-based discussion. Essential for collaborative and accurate project planning and estimation.
A preliminary version of a project or system used to test and validate its feasibility before full-scale implementation. Crucial for identifying potential issues and making necessary adjustments to improve the final product.
The core values outlined in the Agile Manifesto, including individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change. Fundamental for guiding agile practices and fostering an agile mindset.
A user experience design methodology focused on rapid iteration, collaboration, and learning through experimentation. Essential for creating user-centered designs efficiently and effectively.
A prioritization framework used in product management to evaluate features based on Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort. Crucial for making informed decisions about which product features to prioritize and develop.
A method of splitting a dataset into two subsets: one for training a model and another for testing its performance. Fundamental for developing and evaluating machine learning models in digital product design.
A strategic approach where decisions and direction are set by top-level management and flow down through the organization, often aligned with overarching business goals. Crucial for ensuring strategic alignment and coherence across all levels of an organization.
A detailed strategy outlining the timeline, milestones, and deliverables for a product release, ensuring that all activities are aligned and completed on schedule. Essential for coordinating efforts and ensuring a successful product launch.
A clear, concise description of the issue(s) that need to be addressed, focusing on the specific challenge and its impact. Essential for guiding problem-solving efforts and ensuring a clear understanding of the issue at hand.
The context and set of conditions surrounding a problem that needs to be solved. Essential for understanding the full scope of a problem and identifying potential solutions.
A problem-solving approach that involves breaking down complex problems into their most basic, foundational elements. Crucial for developing innovative solutions by understanding and addressing core issues.
The design of interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services. Crucial for creating engaging and user-friendly digital experiences.