SAFe Knowledge Base » Lean UX
Lean UX
What if we found ourselves building something that nobody wanted? In that case, what did it matter if we did it on time and on budget?
—Eric Ries
Definition: Lean User Experience (Lean UX) is a team-based approach to building better products by focusing less on theoretically ideal design and more on iterative learning, overall user experience, and customer outcomes.
Lean UX design extends the traditional UX role beyond merely executing design elements and anticipating how users might interact with a system. Instead, it encourages a far more comprehensive view of why a Feature exists, the functionality required to implement it, and the benefits it delivers. By getting immediate feedback to understand if the system will meet the fundamental business objectives, Lean UX provides a closed-loop method for defining and measuring value.
Details
Generally, UX represents a user’s perceptions of a system—ease of use, utility, and the user interface’s (UI) effectiveness. UX design focuses on building systems that demonstrate a deep understanding of end users. It considers users' needs and wants while making allowances for their context and limitations.
When using Agile methods, a common problem is how best to incorporate UX design into a rapid Iteration cycle, resulting in a full-stack implementation of the new functionality. When teams attempt to resolve complex and seemingly subjective user interactions while simultaneously trying to develop incremental deliverables, they can often churn through many designs, creating frustration with Agile.
Fortunately, the Lean UX movement addresses this using Agile development with Lean Startup implementation approaches. The mindset, principles, and practices of SAFe reflect this thinking. This process often begins with the SAFe Lean Startup Cycle described in the Epic article. It continues developing Features and Capabilities using the Lean UX process described here.
As a result, Agile Teams and Agile Release Trains (ARTs) can leverage a common strategy to generate rapid development, fast feedback, and a holistic user experience that delights users.