SX Offers
SX Offers aim to facilitate transitions from one state of development to another (concept to alpha, alpha to beta ..). Beyond isolated experimentations, SX offers a continuous support through various techniques, analysis and recommendations.
The SX offers vary in their methodologies, constraints, and prices, according to the development phases of the project, as well as to the nature of the projects. For each project, SX offers a support that is tailored to its needs and its resources.
For each experiment, SX is committed to identify needs, design the experimental protocols, organize experiments, recruit experimenters, communicate, facilitate, moderate, analyze feedback, make recommendations for improvements, and track.
According to the development phases
All methods and techniques are used transversely. However, some are more suitable than others, to the needs identified for each development phase of n innovative project, including ideas, alpha, beta versions, as well as already marketed product.
Concepts & Ideas
Needs: For a company that is in the design phase of a new service, the main need is to test the degree of innovation (innovativeness) of the solution with a panel of experts and to profile its users to better understand the services they need.
Here, we test the ideas of innovation.
Alternative formats:
o Rapid conceptual Prototyping : co-build your idea
o Déprototypage conceptual Shortcuts: deconstruct your idea by listing all potential problems
o Field survey: surveying existing practices and question, as well as the + or - reactions of potential users to your concept
o Co-creation
Alpha versions
Needs: For a company that has already identified a specific market, the key needs are to mobilize beta testers with specific profiles and present the service with a twofold objective: to analyze their return and gain visibility with customers and potential users. The product is not yet really visible: there is still no user interface.
Here we test the functionalities.
Alternative formats:
o Rapid Coneptual Prototyping : co-build the action plan / envisioninf implementation for your project
o Déprototypage conceptual Shortcuts: deconstruct your idea by listing all potential problems
o Field survey (qualitative and / or quantitative) test existing practices and question, as well as + or - reactions of potential users to your concept
o Brainstorming with experts: "live" benchmarks on specific points, a sort of express coaching with recognized experts / / Warning: setting conditions of sufficient interest for the experts
o Mock-up: Prepare the organization of your project by translating your ideas into functional interface models
o Storyboard: A combination of mock-ups organized in case of use (use case storyboard = stereotype)
o Rapid prototyping: the design and features, based on mock-ups already made
o Card Sorting: identify the most important features
o Co-Creation
Beta Versions
Needs: For a company that already has a prototype with a user interface or would like to develop a new version of an existing interface, the main need is to test the user experience of its solution (usability, ergonomics, experience of use in broad sense) and to harvest rapidly feedbacks. In some cases, the goal is to obtain the information necessary to decide which design and functional solutions to implement primarily into a newer version of the service.
Here we test the interfaces.
Alternative formats:
|
IN VIVO |
REMOTE |
|
- Practical Workshops - Think Aloud - Observation - Role Playing - User Experience - Rapid design prototyping - Rapid déprototypage - Questionnaire - Ergonomics Tests - Usability Testing - Panels of Experts / Express Coaching |
- Remote Beta-testing - Questionnaire - Rapid design prototyping - User Experience - Remote tracking tools - Usability Testing |
Products
Needs: Companies that have already commercialized their solutions would be able to see the uses made of their service (expected uses, misappropriated, digging new uses). Their main needs would be to identify strengths and areas for improvement or new features to implement.
Here you can test everything: ideas (concepts), the features, practices and customs in a situation (see experimentation formats). Formats are chosen according to the specific needs of projects.
Alternative formats:
o Challenges : use the features of the product as the stated needs
o Simulation of uses: artificial reproduction of use conditions
Accompanying a full cycle: from alpha to the product
The complete support to a project is the application of several techniques combined in order to support the transition from the concept to alpha and beta versions.
Example of possible combinations, on a startup, within 6 months:
- Brainstorming In Vivo - alpha phase of the project;
- Organisation of a workshop in vivo (Usability Testing, Security & Advertising Storytelling, Observation) in (private) beta version of the project,
- Organization of a remote Beta Test between the phase of Public Beta and comercialization.
Throughout this process, SX documents and analyze the content of the workshops, and returns to the project owners some recommendations for improvong their services according to users feedbacks. Above all, the continuum is provided by regular contact with the project owners.
For this example of complete cycle, the idea is then to organize a "User Day" with all the testers who have been participated in the experiments.
According to projects nature
SX offers also varies according to projects nature. SX prioritize certain projects and applies, according to various criteria, pricing called "contributing". However, an estimate can be made according to the main types of players: independent communities, startups, SMEs, SoHos, large companies, NGOs, public institutions. etc..
