The Fiverr way to prioritize UX research projects with product and design teams: 5 steps worth trying
As we all know, UX research teams always have more on their plate than they can chew. That’s where prioritization comes in. Recently, Fiverr’s UX research team began to implement a new prioritization and planning process. In this article, we’ll explore the five steps we take to prioritize UX research projects with product and design teams, aiming to make informed decisions about where to focus the most effort so we can meet our business goals and create a great user experience.
Here are the five steps (and also a few pro tips):
Step 1 — Round up the Research Requests: To kick off our UX research prioritization process, we reached out to all the product managers asking them to take a few minutes to fill out a short table we’ve created. Using this table we ask for some key details like the project’s name, what they hope to gain from the study, where the product stands (is it in the testing phase? Or maybe just a twinkle in the eye?), and who the target audience is. We ask for this prioritization file as soon as possible after the company’s planning phase for the upcoming half year, so we can get the ball rolling and ensure our UX research projects are aligned with the product and design teams’ most pressing needs and the company’s overall vision.
Step 2 — Feedback loop with the product group managers: The next step in our Fiverr-inspired process for prioritizing UX research projects is about potential collaborations and alignment with product group managers (who manage the product managers (PM)). During this phase, we schedule a 30-minute meeting with each product group manager to discuss their research project prioritization, through which we can ensure the UX research projects align with the company’s broader goals. These meetings are a valuable opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the place and prioritization of each project within the product teams’ vision. In addition, by having these conversations, we can identify multiple projects that might be related to each other and could be combined into a single research project to gain a more holistic understanding of the user experience. We even have a designated column on the table where we take notes to clarify the product group managers’ perspective and prioritization of each project.
Step 3 — First prioritization with VP Product: After gathering and discussing inputs from the product group managers, we compile all the requests and present them to the two VPs of Product at Fiverr. The VPs then need to select about 15 projects of the highest priority. This helps us to focus on those projects that will have the greatest impact on our users and align with the company’s vision. From the list of around 35 projects, the VPs shortlist 15 that will move forward in the prioritization process.
Step 4 — Speed-dating with relevant PMs: Now that we have our list of prioritized projects, it’s time for some “speed-dating” with the product managers! As the UX Lead, I schedule short (~15 minutes) “mini kickoff” meetings with the 15 product managers whose projects made the cut.
During these meetings, we use a handy “mini kickoff” template to gather all the basic information we need to understand the project’s background and main purpose, as well as the necessary study requirements. We’re able to knock out these meetings in just a couple of days, which keeps the process moving quickly.
The “mini kickoff” template is designed to make the meetings clear and effective. It includes a few essential questions that we need to ask at this stage, but can easily be transformed into a more detailed project kickoff document and research plan later on.
It’s also worth noting, sharing this template in advance with the PMs (especially those who are new to the company or haven’t worked with the UX research team before) can be incredibly useful for everyone involved. It sets expectations and ensures that everyone is on the same page from the very beginning of the project.
Step 5 — Final Decision Regarding the Prioritized Projects: With all the necessary information gathered, the UX research team can now evaluate each of the prioritized projects. We consider the expected effort and timeline of each project, as well as the potential impact of UX research, and use this to create a final prioritization and roadmap for the first few research projects we plan to tackle.
Once we have this list, we share it with both of the Product VPs to ensure alignment and make any necessary adjustments. We then share the final list with all product managers and the product design team through a dedicated Slack channel. This ensures everyone is aligned and sets expectations for what’s to come. We provide a clear and organized message along with the list to facilitate communication and answer any questions that may arise.
After completing the prioritization process and planning with our relevant teams, we’re thrilled to raise a glass and kick off the next phase of our UX research projects. We’re armed with a well-crafted roadmap and product prioritization that builds upon our previous research and insights. With these new steps in place, we’re confident that we can continue to achieve our business goals and deliver exceptional user experiences that drive our company forward
Two pro tips:
- Document the prioritization process and files: Throughout the prioritization process, we maintain a file with all the necessary information so that we can refer to it later on to understand why we chose certain projects and which projects are next in line.
- Prioritize support for all projects: While some projects may not make it to the top of the list, we ensure that a few still get a chance to receive a “UX consultation time.” This approach is especially useful when you have limited UXR resources and are looking to scale your company’s UX research efforts. By training PMs and product designers to conduct basic UX research studies, teams can gather user feedback, with the UXR team providing a few hours of consultation.
In summary, Fiverr’s approach to UX research prioritization and planning is an ongoing experiment, but one that we believe has great potential. Using this process we aim to ensure that the UX research efforts are aligned with business goals as well as product and design decisions. We believe that such prioritization and planning processes can create a strong foundation for UX research, establish a collaborative culture and a shared vision with product and design teams. While we are still testing and adjusting our 5-steps-process, we believe it is worth sharing with others as a model for how to better integrate UX research into their design and product development strategy.
