Process: Development Process

In Part 1 of this three-part series, I described some problems with the software-development lifecycle (SDLC). Then, in Part 2, I shared some of the key lessons I’ve learned during my more than 30 years of experience in IT. For the last 25 years, I’ve focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the SDLC, considering the key role UX professionals have to play in making such improvements.

Over the last five years, these learnings have led to a new method that we have been honing at my company Ax-Stream. I believe that this new method is now at the cutting edge of software-engineering methodology. Naturally, this method incorporates all of the key lessons I discussed in Part 2. In doing so, it integrates aspects of Lean, user-centered design (UCD), agile, and waterfall, along with some novel thinking and highly advanced use of our modeling tool of choice, Axure. As Figure 1 shows, this new method comprises just three key stages: Inception, Design and Build. Read More

This is Part 1 of a three-part series in which I’ll ultimately present some radical thinking about how we could improve the software-development lifecycle (SDLC) and the key role that UX professionals can play in achieving this improvement.

Those of you who are familiar with my other UXmatters articles—such as “Are You Still Using Earlier-Generation Prototyping Tools?”—are aware that I’ve given a great deal of thought to making the UX function more effective and efficient. If you’re familiar with some of my other articles—such as “Agile Problems, UX Solutions, Part 1: The Big Picture and Prototyping”—you’ll also understand that I’ve given even more thought to making the entire SDLC more effective and efficient, and the key role that User Experience plays in this important goal. Read More

“Innovation happens when people are given the freedom to ask questions and the resources and power to find the answers.”—Richard Branson

While Gartner coined the concept of a citizen developer about a dozen years ago now, this past year has accelerated the maturation of that term and clarified its meaning. The global pandemic has really forced organizations to become very specific and mindful about their business goals, as well as the outcomes that are necessary to meet those goals, which have become both more acute and less specific.

Individual groups within an organization might feel a deep pull to take greater control of the achievement of business goals. Organizations are increasingly seeing citizen development as a fundamental way of enabling the realization of their business goals, while enabling and motivating their workforce during very challenging times. However, citizen development is not without its own set of struggles, nor is it a magic bullet. The no-code platforms that enable citizen development have become easier to use and more prevalent. Plus, their ease of use has actually brought citizen development—as well as what it is and what it is not—into sharper focus. If anything, it has become even clearer that citizen development is more of a mindset than an actual role or tool. Read More