DesignMap Inc.

Wells Fargo Bank

Organizations often consider the user last, a result of the challenges of technology, business requirements and a lack of true user experience designers. Recognizing the importance of a customer-centric development environment, Wells Fargo brought us in to create a strategy for a best-in-class integrated user experience based on a user -centered design process (UCD).

The strategy identified tools, included guidelines and provided the direction needed for future development. Elements of the strategy include analyzing and modeling qualitative and quantitative customer data inputs, developing UCD methods and tools, and identifying the different skills of a multi-disciplinary team.

Tools and Diagrams

A suite of user-centered design tools was created for use by the internal design
team of the Wells Fargo Online division.

High-level Design Process

A UCD process was instituted in the "Ideate" phase of the Wells Fargo RUP process.

Conceptual Models

A conceptual model of the user provides an understanding of how your product or service is perceived by the user. Creating this model is important as it provides a common model for the entire design team.

Task Models

The task model is the next step, expanding on the conceptual model. Detailed, specific tasks the user performs to successfully accomplish the purpose of the application.

User Profiles

User profiles represent a group of users with similar goals, needs, and behavior patterns. Built from user research, they are detailed enough to represent a typical user. Grounded in reality, they help create a disciplined approach to decisions that affect the user as they keep the user in the forefront of every design decision.

Scenarios

Scenarios are narrative descriptions of tasks a typical user would complete. They often change depending on the situation, but the profiles do not. Detailed scenarios provide the necessary detail to understand the users goals, understand the user's intentions and often provide direction for the product's functionality.

Trigger Tables

A trigger table helps translate the user research, profiles and scenarios into specific design directions. From this a fully organized and reasonable guideline, backed up by detailed analysis of the user is created.

User Flows

The ability to visualize, in one place, and walk through the complete user experience is critical to flushing out incomplete and often problematic application designs. They also provide the focal point of the design itself, facilitating the communication across all team members. They also help define the scope and the impact of the recommendations.