Getting early iterations of a digital product or service into users' hands is essential for gathering insights. The level of fidelity used in testing impacts efficiency and value.
Many designers, including myself, initially relied too much on high-fidelity prototypes, which required significant time investment. A blend of mid- and high-fidelity prototypes offers better ROI, allowing for faster iterations while still capturing user behavior.
How I
Facilitate Usability
Research
Challenges
Whilst working with a Scottish Government organisation on the launch of two digital registers we needed to:
🔶 Work through a large backlog of features with changing requirements from Policy updates
🔶 Understand rapidly evolving user behavior as user understanding of the services and legislation grew.
Low-Fidelity Prototypes
Agile testing during Beta
🛜 Shifted to Miro flat-screen prototypes for faster iteration.
🛜 Tested concepts early before committing to interactive designs.
🛜 Leveraged users’ familiarity with GDS services, focusing on:
💎 Understanding requirements rather than interface navigation.
🛜 Conducted remote walkthrough sessions, making:
💎 Real-time changes based on user feedback.
🛜 Fortnightly open testing sessions with a growing user panel.
Whiteboard wireframes
Recreation of a screen in a whiteboard platform used to quickly test concepts
High-Fidelity Prototypes
Finalising Alpha & Beta phases
🧲 Used Axure interactive prototypes (Government-preferred software).
🧲 Sessions were:
⛽️ Remote, hosted on MS Teams.
⛽️ Focused on core journeys like registration, search, and record changes.
🧲 Key insights:
⛽️ Changed team’s perspective on search and record updates.
⛽️ Exposed gaps in policy understanding, requiring consultation with Scottish Government.
🧲 High-fidelity prototypes were also used for Private Beta testing of:
⛽️ Search, correction, amendment.
⛽️ Full & partial discharge.
⛽️ Purchasing an extract of a live record.
Axure wireframes
Due to privacy I cannot show high fidelity wireframes from the project.
Below is a screengrab from non-gated part of the live service
Screengrab from the search page
Outcomes
🎱 Delivered research-informed, GOV.UK-compliant designs for two register services
🎱 Reduced complexity and clarified language based on real user feedback
🎱 Supported stakeholder confidence by grounding design choices in evidence from research and personas.
Lessons learned
☄️ Start interactive workshops earlier and introduce the approach at all levels of the business.
☄️ Spend time with Housing Officers to learn from their frontline experience and position them as key voices for customer needs.