Today, User Experience (UX) design is no longer viewed as merely user interface sketching related to usability and technology, but as an integral part of the entire business strategy and project lifecycle. In this article, I will share my UX presale guide which I named a Faster & Smarter approach focused on how to add more value to your business – in less time, with maximum effect.

UX Design as a Product Conceptualization

The first thing to remember is that you do not design a single product – you have to design a full-fledged concept. A user experience is a dialogue between technology and people, so a UX designer role is to make sure this communication is clear and concise. In order to build successful communication and to accomplish your business goals, UX design should be based on what an end user really needs. I suggest the following hierarchy of user experience needs, proposed by Wouter de Bres:

Day 1. A pre-sales verbal questionnaire is completed with the client to establish a clear vision of their needs, requirements, and limitations.
Day 2. A UX presales brief is completed based on client’s answers, and the results are delivered to the UX team.< /li>
Day 3. Features are defined (a UX expert creates a list of useful features to be presented through UI design).
Day 4. A UX expert presents a list of suitable features to the Sales team, verbally or through sketches. The selected features should be delivered through wireframes before the next meeting with a client.
Days 4-5. Sketching/Wireframing is completed.
Day 6. The main functions are presented through wireframes to the Sales team enabling them to begin working on the final presentation.
Day 7. The Sales team works on the presentation.
Day 8. Visual design is delivered (PNG-files of device screens are delivered to the Sales team).
Day 9. The Sales team reviews the design for approval.
Day 10. The Client presentation is delivered.

Even though the deliverables for the Sales team are key for presales, the role of a UX team shouldn`t be overlooked as they are responsible for:

UI/UX development estimates
Concept explanation
Visual design, mock-up or wireframes (depending on the project)

The collaboration timeline above includes the tasks of Sales and UX teams`, as well as the client`s needs, as the client is a cornerstone of the entire process.

Conclusions

A well-thought UX presale process should consist of three mail stages:

Conceptualization, based on defining the client’s needs, goals and scenarios, as well as suitable features
An Overview of relevant trends and technologies
Implementation accomplished through the wireframing process, feature prioritization and visual design.

All stages are equally important, and the key point to remember is: UX design is not about h ow the product looks, but about how it works.

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Add More Value: UX Presale Guide