Why Mid-Fi Matters
Get early feedback and make fact-based decisions by using mid-fidelity design techniques along the product development process
In the fast-paced world of design, striking the right balance between effort and speed is crucial. We often find ourselves walking a tightrope, rushing to create innovative designs while ensuring they’re intuitive and user-friendly. But how do we make sure we’re on the right track?
Enter mid-fi design — an often overlooked but incredibly powerful validation technique that bridges the gap between creative exploration and detailed refinement. By harnessing the potential of this underestimated approach, designers can unlock creativity and efficiency in their work. So let’s explore why it’s worth making mid-fi design part of your toolkit.
Understanding mid-fi design
At its core, mid-fi design captures the essence of a concept, focusing on structure, layout, and key design elements without getting bogged down in pixel-perfection. It allows designers to explore and refine their ideas with just enough visual fidelity to obtain feedback and make informed decisions — all while retaining the flexibility to iterate and quickly adapt. Some of the benefits of mid-fi design include:
- Getting early feedback for more informed decisions:
Ever present a design to a user and receive feedback on trivial elements such as button colors instead of on fundamental aspects like navigation and layout? Mid-fi designs let users focus on the core user experience, aiding you in gathering feedback on whether the design meets their needs. Swift iteration allows you to explore numerous versions. - Gaining flexibility:
How long would it take to make changes to your hi-fi design? While you might be a pro with your design tools, conveying a concept to stakeholders or validating ideas with end-users can be more efficient with mid-fi designs. - Saving time and effort:
Mid-fi designs are cost-effective on multiple fronts. They require less time and effort, accelerating the journey from idea to validation. Short create-test-iterate cycles minimize the risk of investing heavily in ideas that don’t resonate with your users. Additionally, it saves you time getting stakeholder buy-in for iterations, as hi-fis tend to solidify and anchor a specific layout and visual direction.
A case study in mid-fi design
For a recent healthcare project, I received detailed product requirements document (PRD) from the project lead, a renowned doctor in the field. It included a lengthy list of functionalities. From what we gathered, the app aimed to provide patients with a comprehensive overview of their diagnosis, including articles, study insights, and expert information. The doctor believed that a single source of in-depth information would reassure patients.
Before diving into the design, I mapped out the user journey to understand how patients would use the app. This helped me identify three major use cases: tracking, information retrieval, and seeking assistance. With this understanding, I quickly sketched the initial concept using the mockup tool Balsamiq, which only took about 30 minutes. My stakeholders were thrilled to see a visual representation in such a short amount of time and appreciated the “clean” UI.
Instead of immediately creating a high-fi version, I spent another 30 minutes talking to three patients to validate my assumptions and gather feedback. While we assumed that having a timeline and easy access to all the content would be beneficial, it turned out that patients felt overwhelmed by constantly seeing a list of events and the estimated duration of the process. They also struggled with the abundance of information — they were unsure what to read immediately and what could wait for later.
So, I went back to the drawing board and, within another 30 minutes, created the first iteration. This version focused on curated content, providing patients with a clear cognitive path and only relevant information. After validating it with three more patients, we found it was much better received. Additionally, we discovered that patients often turned to their family, friends, or online influencers who had experienced similar situations for advice. This shifted our design direction and broadened our perspective on what the app could and should be. After a few more iterations on mid-fi screens, we decided to introduce colors. When you think about your last healthcare experience, what color comes to mind? Blue? Teal? Green? These colors represent health, professionalism, and trustworthiness. What expressions should appear in the images? Smiles, carefreeness, positivity?
To save time, I quickly added colors to my wireframes in a rough manner. However, after one hour with six patients, I learned two important things: first, our patients didn’t feel represented by the cheerful, casual images, and second, they perceived the teal color as cold and clinical. While we aimed for the app to be a trusted advisor and a companion, the color choice gave off too much of a hospital-like vibe.
Imagine the significant amount of time I could have wasted on fully designing the app, only to find that users felt it was cold and replaceable. Instead, I was able to quickly arrive at a concept that was validated five times and highly accepted within two days. This approach saved me a lot of time and effort, allowing for quick experimentation, exploration of options, and ensuring that neither I nor my stakeholders became too attached to the initial, uninformed idea. As the icing on the cake, my stakeholders refined their unique selling proposition (USP) and product direction through these feedback cycles, making it a win-win for everyone.
Embrace the journey
While integrating mid-fi design into workflows might seem like an additional twist in your design journey, the rewards are worth it. Embrace the agility, speed, and collaborative opportunities it offers. As you navigate this uncharted territory, your design process will evolve, transforming the lives of stakeholders and end-users alike.
Experience matters. Follow our journey as we transform the way we build products for enterprise on www.sap.com/design.
