UX/UI Design

Our process is based on 10 years of experience with various UX/UI design projects, ranging from interfaces of industrial machines to app interfaces to efficient and intuitive screen designs for complex technical software. All of these have one thing in common: the user, who is in the centre of our design process.

Every project starts with an introductory briefing to address initial questions and to gain a strong understanding of our client’s expectations, goals, processes, customers and potential challenges. If needed, our experienced service design team can also provide consultancy in the pre-project phase to e.g. analyse and renew the client’s work process or system to arrive at a solid concept.

Next we draw up a timeline, estimate costs based on the identified project goals and received information, provide a product strategy and clearly define the scope of the project.

A clear and mutual understanding from the very start, especially in regards to project goals and milestones, provides the right conditions for a successful collaboration and project execution.

The following steps each make up a third of the design process:

An all-encompassing market analysis as well as researching users and their needs are the be-all and end-all for defining essential functions and strategies for intuitive screen design. We look at the status quo, our client’s competition and the industry benchmark. Our insights allow us to position our client’s products and find the best ways to help them to the top.

Equally essential are our user research, interviews and customer journeys which provide us with knowledge about the reality, needs and pain points of a product’s users. Based on the outcomes, we identify personas, user stories and user benefits which generate further insights, identify problems and open up strategic possibilities.

Together with our clients, we work out all relevant information, e.g. about their products, and present our clients with all relevant aspects we have identified. Workshops then also provide the means for productive discussions and feedback loops with our project team.

Based on the outcomes, we arrive at the feature definition (the base for UX/UI development), provide a specifications sheet and get the client’s approval for the proposed features.

Only once we know everything there is to know about the end users, their realities and needs, we have a strong base to start creating sustainably.

This step is all about the structure of functions and content, logical and intuitive hierarchies, and about usability – or summed up: it’s all about the information architecture (IA).

We incorporate all function-relevant information into a prototype with wireframes that represent the functional design of the screens and processes. This prototype, or click dummy, provides the ability to test functionalities and to incorporate feedback very quickly.

Subsequent workshops are a helpful means to discuss and analyse the functionalities together with our client and the project team. After a few rounds of feedback from the client and representative user tests as well as expert reviews, we have the final check for functionality and intuitive usability.

The resulting click dummy is a realistic representation that makes reliable feedback and an overall assessment possible. We once again test with representative users and experts and evaluate our findings.

Of course, we test all our interfaces and software projects meticulously to ensure everything works as it is supposed to. However, we also offer optional testing with independent and unbiased users who are not yet familiar with the software or interface. This helps us to check workflows and features in real-world conditions to see if they are as intuitive and user-centred as they can be.

For unbiased user testing, we assign tasks to our users which the interface was designed to support. Tasks could be to complete an online purchase, to use an interactive element, to fill in a form, to find a specific bit of information on a page – or anything else that allows us to draw a conclusion on whether the target group’s needs have been fully met.

We then analyse how smoothly the tasks were carried out and if the required steps or element for completing the task were unclear for the user at any point. In case they were, we can then revise the functional setup for the relevant area before moving on to the visual interface design.

Starting alongside the functional design – and always with functionality as the main focus –, we work out visual design options via mood boards for target group- and product-relevant aesthetic positioning. Design concepts, which are always based on our client’s CI (corporate identity) » and CD (corporate design) » are then presented to our client; we typically develop several UI design lines based on 2-3 exemplary screens. This forms the base for feedback and the decision on which design to go for. Accompanying every step with several feedback rounds and a close exchange with the client guarantees that we are moving in the right direction – from the very beginning and for everyone involved.

A presentation then sums up the chosen design line including icons, and opens the doors for the visual design of the prototype – always in unison with the functional design and requirements. We are now able to present a realistic prototype / click dummy for evaluation and feedback. Once all feedback has been implemented, we present the final prototype for approval and have the basis for software development. You can choose to develop the software yourself or have it developed through us with our experienced software development partner. In the latter case, we are your direct point of contact for all development-related communication and management.

For the purpose of software development, we create a style guide and library for all required layouts, icons and further library elements (typically in Zeplin and Adobe Xd). Moreover, we support the software development process with several design checks and corrective interventions to ensure a high standard of UX/UI quality – which leaves you with an exceptional interface.

Our journey does not have to end here. Our project management and consulting team is experienced in software development projects, meaning that we can code your website, app or software in cooperation with our long-term software development partner.

This saves you effort and resources as digital product design and its development are taken care of by the same company.

Read more about our software development process