Axure Planning and Logistics

Axure Planning and Logistics
Axure Users Meetup, Chicago May 2, 2013
Ezra Schwartz
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ezraschwartz

Axure Users Meetup, Chicago May 2, 2013 | Axure Planning & Logistics
Introductions
Attendee responses to a pre-session survey – Q1

Introductions

Working (with Elizabeth Srail) on the book:
‘Prototyping Essentials with Axure 7’
1 thing about me
(The rest you can find on the web)

1.5 more things about me
(you will not find on the web):
Thing 1:
Working on a large
‘responsive’ project

Thing 1/2
Axure is NOT being used.
1.5 more things about me
(you will not find on the web):

So, what gives?

Mobile First changes how
organizations drive their
UX needs.
UX Risk: Axure prototypes are getting
more complex because we need to optimize
UX for 3+ delivery layouts .
1. Times They Are a-Changin’
what, again?!

New and emerging interaction models for
touch, speech, display, body & brain. The
meaning of UX changes radically.
UX Risk: Axure prototypes are limited to
when it comes to simulating experiences
across multitude of interaction styles.
2. Anything Goes

Axure implementation is a risk for UX
teams, especially on complex projects:
• Skill levels
• Keeping team in sync
• Consistency of construction
• Generating Specs
• Quality and coverage of annotations
3. Axure Scalability

Axure Planning & Logistics
Session Objective:
Learn how to operate
Axure with your brain*.
* = Not included with purchase.
Think first, Axure next.

• For Success
• For Sanity &
Profit
1. Align 2. Estimate
UX Project
*= But that’s for another meetup.
• For
Controlled
Chaos*
3. Construct

Tonight:
Xtremly-Rapid Axure UX…

The Simulation:
iPetChicken.Com
Friendship is Better than Soup.™

What is it?
Client
iPetChicken.com:
“A marketplace for pet chickens”
• Local framers offer live pet chickens.
• People choose & purchase live pet.
• Vets offer chick care.
• Up-sale market for accessories.
• Cleaning and sanitation services.
• Many more features…

Pay Attention to Details
Client
iPetChicken.com:
• New brand, well established company.
• Must to be up in 3 months.
• We kinda know what we want.
• CAN YOU DO IT?
You
O. K…
Underlined text signs of potential trouble.

• For Success
• For Sanity &
Profit
• For
Controlled
Chaos*
1. Align 2. Estimate 3. Construct
UX Project

Task: Take it or leave it?
1. Come up with as many questions that would
inform your thoughts about:
1. Accepting the project
2. Maximizing Axure.
Activity: Align Expectations

Activity Align Expectations
15
Min
Task: Take it or leave it?
What is it? Gray Matter (warning signs)
• Local framers offer live pet chickens.
• People choose & purchase live pet.
• Vets offer chick care.
• Up-sale market for accessories.
• Cleaning and sanitation services.
• New brand, well established company.
• Must to be up in 3 months.
• We kinda know what we want.
• We want to add many more features…
Come up with as many questions that would
inform your thoughts about:
1. Accepting the project
2. Maximizing Axure.

Discussion

Questions, Answers and Implications
Question Answer Implications
Do you have business
requirements?
Not really Scope creep, constant change,
What about mobile? Must!!! Triple design effort upfront
Branding and visual Design? Need to do that Build in extra time for approval
of visual
Usability testing? Sure! Is there enough time?
What fidelity the prototype? ? Educate – Hi-lo fid prototypes
What about Specifications? Must! Is there a sample? What level of
detail?
Where is Development done? Overseas Signoffs, Change Controls,
Traceability
Can I/we use Axure Yes You want to know this as soon
as possible…

Questions, Answers and Axure
Question Answer Axure Impact
Do you have business
requirements?
Not really Flexibility in construction.
Minimize complex coding
What about mobile? Must!!! Construction strategy
Branding and visual Design? Need to do that Refactor prototype to include
Usability testing? Sure! What flows to prototype
What fidelity the prototype? ? Think about managing change
What about Specifications? Must! Impact on wireframes
construction
Where is Development done? Overseas Impact on construction to insure
highly consumable (detailed)
documentation.
Can I/we use Axure Yes You want to know this as soon
as possible…

• For Success
✓
• For Sanity &
Profit
• For
Controlled
Chaos*
1. Align 2. Estimate 3. Construct
UX Project

Activity: Planning Fallacies Avoidance
iPetChicken.Com
Friendship is Better than Soup.™

• Q1: How many working days in a
month (Say, May 2013)?
A. 31
B. 23
C. 22
D. 20
Planning Fallacies Avoidance Quiz:

• Q1: How many working days in a
month (Say, May 2013)?
A. 31 (I am a machine)
B. 23 (I love my weekends)
C. 22 (Weekends + Monday Memorial day)
D. 20 (The above + I’m human, I get sick, PTO, etc.)
Diff from Hi2Lo = ~30% > Great buffer for death march!

• Q2: How many working hours in a
an average working day ?
A. 24
B. 16
C. 12
D. 8
E. 3

• Q2: How many working hours in a
an average working day ?
A. 24 (I was cloned)
B. 16 (I don’t have a life)
C. 12 (I’m dedicated)
D. 8 (I have a life outside of work)
E. 3 (What is ‘work’? + I have a life outside of work)

The Schedule Planning Paradox
Item Project Plan You
Hours in May ‘13 8x22=176 (100%) 3x20=60 (30%)
Time to think 0 20%
Time allocated for
stakeholder post
review impact
0 10%
Time allocated for
dealing with snugs
0 20%
Time allocated to
goofing off
0 10%
Time allocated to
PTO/Illness
0 10%
Total 100% 100%
The project plan accounts 100% of hours
towards ‘work’ while you can only put 30%.

All Kinds of Inputs
Biz
Reqs
Constraints
User
Roles
Axure
Many
Other
User
Tasks UI
Axure
Proto
UI Specs
Deliverables
Traceability
Matrix
Other
Reports
Work Products/Deliverables
Progress
Reports
UT &
Analysis
Basic Axure Workflow

Task: Devise A 3 Months Plan
Realistic & Profitable, Accounts for Axure Bottlenecks
Discovery
Analysis
High-Level Concept
Detailed Design
Specifications
Wires,
Branding,
Prototype
Models,
Wires,
Prototype
Models,
Flows,
Strategy
Business &
Users
Research
Meaningfully
Consumable
annotations
+UT
+UT
Requirements
15
min

Activity Axure Impact
Requirements Massive to Crazy
Responsive Considerable to Massive
Visual Design Considerable to Massive
Usability Testing Considerable to Massive
Axure Prototype Considerable to Massive
Specs Document/s Considerable to Crazy
Generic Flux & Churn Clusters

A Few Axure Time Hogs Hedges
Highly-nested Dynamic Panels Avoid nesting over 3 layers deep
Refactor prototype to incorporate
visual design
Create and use custom widget styles
Masters
Complex interactions involving
variables and logic.
Document what is going on,
especially variables. Create
Use prototype for UT Determine agreed scenarios FIRST,
prototype to these.
Generate consumable specifications
out of a highly interactive prototype
used for presentations and UT
Consider prototype for UT and one
for Specs.
Axure Flavored Flux & Churn Clusters

• Reality Checks
• Pushback on unrealistic timelines
• 9 women can not deliver a baby in 1 months – insist on
time to THINK, REVIEW and REFACTOR AXURE
• Change Management
• Insist on formal process for signoffs on requirements,
• Formal process for Change Control
• Traceability
• Referential integrity – Implement naming convention
project-wide and at least in Axure.
Summary – Avoid Muddy Waters

• Improve Communication with stakeholders:
• Show samples before you begin.
• Collaborate with consumers of deliverables
in developing their format.
• Pushback on making the entire prototype Hi-
Def – Just because you can does not mean it
makes sense
• Prototype towards agreed core scenarios
• Make the annotated prototype available
online
• Create short videos demonstrating the UX
Summary – Communicate and Align Expectations

Example:
sample to gain artifact acceptance before starting

• Capture business and functional requirements in a shared
requirements management tool instead of Word and Excel
(the traditional method).
• Implement a naming convention scheme in Axure to
associate requirements with a corresponding UI element in
the specification.
• Plan the Axure file so you can generate just-in-time sets of
release requirements to support UI updates and accurate
traceability.
Summary

Release n
Release 1
Build, QA, UATStart
Release Management with Axure & Release Version Control
Requirements
Add
Modify
Defer
Delete
UI Spec
Change
Request,
Defect
RequirementsUI Spec
Summary (Extra)

Just because with Axure
you can, does not mean
you should.
Word of Advice

Axure Planning and Logistics

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