Why Projects Get Delayed? Neglecting UX in Development
Pablo Manzoni
March 5, 2024
In the busy world of software development, delays can be a big problem. Often, these delays happen because UX design isn’t properly included in the process.
This blog post looks at this common issue and shares how our team turned a problematic project around to become a success.
Featured image generated by DALL-E 2.
The Challenge: A Recurring Dilemma
Theproject manager’s struggle to deliver completed designs due to heavy demands from the project roadmap often led to a cycle of unrealistic deadlines and uneven workloads.
This resulted in significant hold-ups. Constantly changing designs during development sprints posed a challenge to the team, causing frustration, prolonged feedback loops, and eventual project delays.
⚠️ Key Problems We Noticed
The process begins with a plan that neglects the necessary effort from the UX team to clearly specify what the development team should implement.
The lack of visual definition leads to unclear project scope often results in uncertain estimates during project planning and refinement sessions.
When it’s time to implement a feature, two tho issues can arise:
Developers sometimes end up designing the visuals for the story, which might not result in a top-notch user experience.
During sprints, developers frequently voice concerns, leading to conversations with the Project Manager or UX team. While, sometimes these blockers are solved quickly, this can often result in hurdles, unequal task distribution, and unexpected team pressures.
👁️ Commonly Used but Less Effective Solutions
A solution we often see, but isn’t very effective, involves the Product Owner or Project Manager handling the design of features.
This method might give a wide view of the product, but it may ignore the UX team’s rules. These rules involve keeping a consistent platform, adhering to UX practices, and thinking about various user paths.
Another common solution is to have all screens fully designed before the project starts. While having all screens fully designed before the project starts provides design assets early, this approach can have drawbacks.
These designs may not account for alternative user flows and scenarios, which often become apparent during development.
Furthermore, this rigid approach can limit flexibility, making it difficult to adjust based on feedback or changing business priorities.
Implementing a Solution: Strategic Changes for Success
We made a significant change by incorporating UX design early on in our process. Our workflow was simplified using the Kanban system to reflect the progress of work done in UX, and we fostered regular discussions between the Project Manager and Development team.
Crucially, we established a clear gap between the design and development stages. As our Project Manager noted: “Ensuring a sufficient gap between design and development was crucial for our progress.”
👁️ Kaizen Mindset: Key Ingredients for Positive Change
Implementing new approaches seems easy in theory, but the real test is creating a team that can:
Openly examineas a team what’s working and what’s not, allowing everyone to recognize and address inefficiencies.
Take responsibility for the whole process, not just their individual tasks.
Create a culture that encourages trying new ways of doing things. Quick iterative cycles let the team see what works and what doesn’t.
Be willing to let go of old habits in favor of new ones, while keeping everyone focused on the same goal.
Start the necessary constructive discussions to make these changes happen.
Process Improvement that Brought Results
The changes brought about a remarkable effect. Projects that were previously delayed were now completed on schedule, and we managed to cut our design and development costs by half compared to our previous approach. One developer noted: “The smooth progress of the project, free from continuous alterations, was a relief for both our team and our clients.”
Conclusion: A Lesson in Integration
Including UX design early on is crucial to prevent project delays and ensure a smoother development process. This case study emphasizes that for successful outcomes in software development, it’s essential to coordinate UX and development from the start.
I’m Pablo, a UX enthusiast with over 20 years of industry experience. At Kaizen Softworks, I lead UX efforts, finding joy in every aspect of UX - from research and strategy to design.