To Show the Value of UX, We Must Show the Work of UX

I was once again in a design presentation meeting. The team, which had worked hard for weeks on their new user experience design, was introducing the new look and feel to their peers and stakeholders. It was good, solid work.

Their peers and stakeholders were not impressed. They weren’t disappointed either, just not wowed. There was an atmosphere in the room, almost saying, “You worked on this for months and this is all you have to show us?”

As the presentation fell flat, I couldn’t help but think about the final scene in the first Star Wars movie (A New Hope, Episode IV). You’ve probably seen this scene. It’s where the movie’s heroes, Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie, along with droids C3PO and R2D2, are all standing on a big stage receiving medals and awards for saving the rebellion and destroying the Empire’s Death Star.

I’m pretty sure George Lucas, the movie’s director, never tried to explain the story of Star Wars by just showing that scene. Sure, that moment is where the characters’ efforts lead to. But, it’s not a good way to understand the importance of the work they put in to get there.

The ‘big reveal’ rarely works.

There’s a romantic idea that we can make a show of our finished work. We gather the team in the room, build up…