Concept development

A classic mistake is focusing on one solution too early in the process, before all possible options have been investigated. In the concept phase, we consider all the alternatives before we come to a final conclusion.

When formulating concepts, we always start with the user groups, user tasks and strategic objectives of the service. The deliverables from the concept phase vary from project to project, but typically include working drafts on paper, core webpages and other relevant items that will direct the path of future work.

The aim of the process is to come up with the best alternatives for:

• the nature of the system
• how the users will be able to find their way around it
• how the system will communicate
• how the most important elements will be structured
• how business objectives will be achieved

To come up with the best concept requires an active process involving all or some of the project group, the users, the designers and the developers, depending on the project. We have solid experience of working with creative processes and we know how to get management buy-in as the work progresses.

Our experienced concept developers will guarantee that the chosen concept is always:

• Task-focused – we always start with the most important user tasks
• Simple – with a firm handed approach, we discard unnecessary and distracting elements
• Measurable – we focus on conversion (for example, turning visitors into customers)

What is the core of the system?

The core model is one of our key tools in the concept phase. This thought tool helps the project group identify, prioritise and cultivate the most important elements of the system. It also ensures that the user can find their way and that business objectives are taken care of.

The questions we ask in the core model are:

• The core: what are the most important elements (pages, modules) in the system, that support both user objectives and business objectives? How can these be developed and refined?
• The way in: what are the most obvious ways that the user will search for the service?
• The way forward: how do we ensure that other business objectives and user objectives are achieved?

Why not give us a call on 22 42 46 42 for a chat with one of our experts about concept development, the core model and user focused design.