Object-oriented UX
Timeline: 2022 - 2026
Product designer
Everything begins with a clearly defined design process. Given the complexity I see today, reflected in every aspect of my work, I have always intended to deepen my understanding of the field throughout my UX journey. This desire has led me to follow many subject matter experts along the way. As a result, I decided to revise my personal design process, which I have used in my projects, by incorporating the principles of Object-Oriented UX (OOUX by Sophia V Prater) to more smoothly manage design complexity.
Searching a Process Optimization
Based on my learning, my very first thinking model of how to structure any design work, which I decided to apply in my projects was the Double-Diamond Design process framework.
Basically, this model expressed to me a synchronized working model throughout the whole project, which went principally well at the beginning. However, as the project complexity started to grow, I happened to spot a few white spots along the way. What was difficult for me at that time was actually to find out and describe what was missing ... Couldn't see anything else but complexity.
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Don't misunderstand me, I gave up on that ... Not at all. However, as an analytical thinker and detail watcher, this made me focus on deciding what must go first, following the users' pain points all the way through, in order not to get lost. This just meant for me an 'Aha moment' which I shifted to my mental notes to take and clarify later. Still, I covered all the key aspects of my project's concept scope successfully, which brought me the joy of fulfillment and the feeling of accomplishment at the end of my day.
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My very first question, looking back at my accomplished projects, which popped out in my mind, was: 'So if I managed to finalize them according to specs, what made me feel incomplete about it, and what was that missing part(s)?'
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To be honest with you, I began digging all around with firm determination to figure it out soon. Well, I realized in those early stages of my projects, or increasingly with having progressed throughout them, that smart & sustainable design should look/be simple for the users, but is created within a wide, often unseen complexity by a level of expertise. That was crystal clear to me from the early experience with it. Well, just to make it happen ;). Easy to say, harder to implement?
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Okay, back to my point ... This happened some years ago when I was browsing on the internet on my quest for expert sources. And as the solution always finds the way to the one looking for it, I came randomly across one UI Breakfast podcast episode with Sophie V. Prater, who presented there her UX approach. And at this moment, I got introduced to the Object-Oriented User Experience model.
Figure out what's missing & how to facilitate complexity
At the moment of podcast listening, I simply knew that I had discovered what I was seeking ... This short half-hour talk showed me that there is really a very smart solution in the air. Of course, this was just the beginning of verifying whether this model really makes sense to me, whether it resonates with my attitude and design approach... I have started to look at further details as well as follow OOUX footprints virtually.
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My first steps taken this way, I addressed by asking certain questions about this concept. It sounds very familiar to me at first hearing, but is it also to cover my gaps? Well, as I was listening a little longer to the discussion in other OOUX episodes since that time, I have realized that this thinking model is really close to my own personal approach too.
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Very well, thanks to Sophie, I have understood and spotted that what I was striving for in the past intuitively, was exactly what she teaches in her OOUX. This just simply gave it names and structure which I couldn't describe before ... I observed backward myself intuitively grasping the very essence of her learning that people used to think around key objects of their experience as a complex matrix giving them the wished outcome they looked for.
Object-Oriented UX offers a better way to break up complexity, allowing us to work iteratively and holistically. Instead of slicing up a system by verbs, OOUXers slice by nouns.
Sophia says.
Furthermore, Sophia also refers to Everyl Yankee, who wrote a post entitled Object-Focused Design in 2012, where she postured these very relevant recognitions too:
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Navigation is centered around objects — nouns, not verbs.
Objects are always the primary representations in the UI.
Actions (verbs) performed on the objects comprise the tasks.
Tasks are secondarily represented by actions on objects.
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Source: The Object-Oriented User. An updated, expanded, roughed-up… | by Sophia V Prater | Prototypr
This approach takes its practitioners through the additional activities helping clean up and prioritizes key elements and user flows across complex design problems by offering strong tools for collaboration. So, how this all works? Well, this doesn't mean you must forget other design rules or put them upside down. Not at all. This as I have learned, helps me recognize and also plan upfront clearer design work.
Source: Our Process (rewiredux.com)
Normally designers conduct foundational research to figure out the pointed problems and to empathize with users. This goes perfectly here too. However, the complexity usually breaks up after the own research ...
The breaking question always is: Having that much input & pain points, how to start with the best prioritization, and where to focus first to elaborate about critical features solving the pain points?
At this point, I have seen the gaps emerging to me and needed some help. This perfectly puzzled with the ORCA process tools offered by OOUX. It happened that once I discovered this, I couldn't wait to try it. Based on simple exercises by Sophia during her podcast and based on her materials, I could pair this with any design problem easily. This finding made this process the heart of my design work since that moment. So, this means generally, that once the research is done ORCA helps tremendously detect inner complexity and determines the way to follow with the better-informed Problem statement and feasible User Priorities towards product solutions. After that, the own appropriately defined design concept can be implemented in the design work to produce that solution appropriately in the end.
Model Implementation & Key Takeaways
Upon my experience with the ORCA process I have adopted OOUX into my daily design work. Indeed, this was surprisingly intuitive and well fitted to what I intended to cover. Mostly, I am challenged by the middle part where it suitable comes to the conclusion. I called it UserComplexPrio concept, which I divided in two core parts helping me stayed focus on what matters upon effective order.
Key takeaways
ORCA process - from Discovery to Representation
Having implemented the ORCA process means to me:
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at first discovering & inspecting all domain & process objects as well as their inner content structure related to the user's goals & experience to achieve their goals = Object + Attributes,
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secondly, to evaluate all interconnections & implications stated in the business brief, or if not covered by the existing design solution = Relationships to others,
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also followed by the object connections with the core user's activity & intentions towards the anticipated outcome = CTAs.
Only afterwards, I would be carrying on with the requirements revisit and prioritization with my business partners, which determines what viable paths & directions to follow into the representation rounds in the form of design suggestions.
User experience - User flow prioritization
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In this second part, coming after detailed object mapping, I pay significant attention to evaluating another aspect of user experience built up with objects in mind. It comes logically to the conclusion that upon reviewing objects, I continue with user flow prioritization that leads to feasible production to ensure high usability & viability of the design solution for both users and business. This way, the product would be scalable over time, running simultaneous inspection loops for each user flow, informing further design steps..
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This conceptual model allows me to get well prepared for the very next design work on the projects. ORCA plus user journey prioritization enables me to build up a strong information architecture within its last steps before handing over to design ideation with first sketching in order to visualize in design solutions perfectly what was seeded beforehand.
