STUDIO
A practical, evidence-first loop I created for myself and have used for about a year to align, design, test, and ship meaningful product outcomes.
Created in 2024 · In active use for ~12 months
What it is (and why I use it)
I designed STUDIO to be a lightweight, repeatable UX framework that keeps teams aligned on outcomes while moving fast. It works for B2B/B2C apps, internal tools, and marketing touchpoints. Unlike heavyweight processes or one-off workshops, STUDIO is a closed loop—each pass strengthens the next.
Outcome-first
Define success metrics early and review them at every gate
Evidence-driven
Every decision links to a quote, metric, or test result
Bias-to-prototype
Express ideas at the right fidelity and test early
The 6 Phases
Align purpose, people, and proof of success
Problem framing, audience & goals, risks/assumptions, scope, success metrics (e.g., HEART).
Outputs: One-page Brief, Success Metrics, Assumptions & Decisions log
Gate: Brief signed; outcomes + 'done' criteria defined
Get evidence fast
Stakeholder interviews, user interviews, context inquiry, quick quant (search logs/funnels), competitive scan.
Outputs: Insights Map, Jobs/Personas, Current Journey & red routes, Top Opportunities
Gate: 3–5 opportunity statements with testable hypotheses
Turn insight into direction
Storymapping, IA sketch, state inventory, design principles, concept options.
Outputs: Experience Principles, Key Flows, Content/State matrix, Concept shortlist
Gate: Direction chosen (trade-offs captured)
Express the idea at the right fidelity
Sketches → wires → hi-fi, interactive prototypes, tokens/components, microcopy, i18n hooks.
Outputs: Clickable prototype(s), Component specs, Copy deck, Accessibility pre-check
Gate: Design review passes; critical states covered
Reduce risk before build
Task-based tests (5–7 users), concept/preference tests, heuristic review, prototype analytics.
Outputs: Test report (issues by severity), Prioritized fixes, Updated prototype
Gate: Severity-1 issues resolved or time-boxed
Ship & learn
Dev handoff (tickets + AC), design QA, launch checklist, post-launch readout vs metrics, retro.
Outputs: Release notes, QA checklist, Live metrics snapshot, 'What we learned' log
Gate: Learning captured; backlog updated; next loop scheduled
Two overlays that make STUDIO "stick"
Evidence Board
A living index: every decision links to a quote, metric, or test. (Keeps debates short.)
Narrative Thread
A single evolving slide: brief → storyboard → launch notes. (Keeps storytelling tight.)
Example 3–4 week cadence
Set the Stage → Truth-find (5–7 user/stakeholder convos + quick quant)
Unpack → Design (prototype v1)
Iterate (usability tests) → Design (v2)
Orchestrate (tickets, design QA) → post-launch readout
Tight deadline? Compress by reducing research breadth and testing rounds, not by skipping gates.
STUDIO aligns teams early, gathers evidence quickly, turns insights into focused flows and principles, designs and tests what matters, then ships and learns. Each phase has explicit gates, a living Evidence Board, and attention to states and accessibility—so decisions are traceable and results compound every loop.