Iterating on Products

The iterative design process is a method for deciding what aspects of a product to iterate on, identifying possible solutions, and evaluating whether the changes are successful. This process usually includes research, ideating, prototyping, and testing.

Value proposition is the unique services or features that a product offers its customers. When considering how to improve a product, design teams may prioritize changes that directly correlate with its value proposition.

When iterating on a product, design teams will use prioritization to determine which research insights to address and which solutions to pursue.

One prioritization strategy is to consider how much effort is needed to solve a problem and how much impact this may have on the user experience.

Rapid prototyping is an iterative method for quickly visualizing, testing, and improving designs. The goal is to optimize a design before it is developed and launched.

Designers will move through a cycle that involves making MVP prototypes, evaluating them through testing, and refining prototypes based on the results.

The iterative process, which is used across many disciplines, is a general approach to making strategic improvements. Product designers use an iterative process to systematically optimize a product.

Beta testing is the process of releasing a product or feature to some or all users. During this trial period, the team gathers analytics and user feedback. The results of this trial are used to refine the design before it is officially launched.

Synthesis is the process of using different pieces of information to draw a conclusion. Synthesizing multiple data points and referencing different types of data (such as qualitative and quantitative + behavioral and attitudinal) leads to stronger conclusions about user needs.

In product design, an iterative framework is a flexible approach that anticipates the need for iteration. Common iterative frameworks include Agile, Lean UX, and Design Thinking.