How to write a UX proposal: UsabilityGeek guest post

Knowing how to write a UX proposal is a necessary skill for designers. Writing in UsabilityGeek, Justinmind gets you started with this simple how-to guide

Justinmind’s latest guest post for UsabilityGeek is a how to guide on writing your own UX proposal. A UX proposal is a plan of action for any user experience choices that you or your team want to implement for your client.

Your client can be the company you work for or an external party. UX proposals are beneficial in both instances.

A UX proposal allows designers to defend and advocate their own hypotheses, plans and suggestions in a concise way that’s easily understood by key stakeholders and other members of the team.

Writing a UX proposal takes time and skill but it’s easy to get the hang of when you know the important steps to take and follow our practical how to guide.

Why write a UX proposal

Designing isn’t about living on a prayer and hoping your efforts are successful. It takes a lot of meticulous planning and research.

That planning and research can then be put into a well-developed and clear UX proposal.

According to UX Consultant Harry Brignull “research is worth nothing if you don’t act on it properly. The leap between research insight and the design action is the most important part of a UX designer’s job.”

That’s where a UX proposal fits in. It helps you to make that important leap based on evidence and not on faith.

Getting the go-head from your manager or key stakeholders is important if you want to innovate and create awesome user experiences.

It is useful to articulate this in a proposal so you can explain your ideas in the best way possible.

Read the full post on UsabilityGeek now!

Benefits of writing a UX proposal

Getting sign off from key stakeholders is no easy task. Email chains, rescheduled meetings and poor communication can stifle even the most efficient workflow.

The beauty of a writing UX proposal is that you can get all the team on the same page (literally).

By setting out clear instructions and managing expectations early, your project is more likely to reach completion much more smoothly.

By creating a UX proposal, everyone will know what exactly is going to happen and when. This will lead to an improved workflow that is more streamlined.

Other benefits of a UX proposal are:

• Reduced risk during design-development
• Chance to discover new insights
• Improved products
• They outline which other teams need to be involved

How to write a UX proposal

UX designers will write countless UX proposals in their career. The first can often seem daunting, especially as you enter unknown territory. However, with practice it will get easier and quicker.

The main steps in writing a UX proposal are:

• Defining the problem
• Providing background information
• Understanding goals and expected outcomes
• Making assumptions
• Timeline and budget

For a more detailed how to guide on writing a UX proposal, head down to UsabilityGeek and start writing your own.