User Experience Strategy Course - July 2013

COURSE: User Experience Strategy for Innovative Digital Products
for Designers, Developers, Entreprenuers, Marketers, and Students

This is a four-week course starting July 10, 2013 on Wednesday evenings from 7pm - 9pm. It will be held in a brand spanking new classroom at The Hub Los Angeles, which is located in the Arts District, Downtown Los Angeles. If you are unfamiliar with Lean Startup principles, please read or listen to "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries to prep for class. If you are not a designer, don't panic. But be prepared to think like one.

Required: All attendees MUST BRING a laptop or tablet device to each class to do the work and access the Cloud-based Google spreadsheet tools.

Class Syllabus

Class 1 - July 10, 2013 @ 7pm
What is UX Strategy and Why is it Crucial

In the first class, you learn the basic framework of UX strategy. The class calls out, clarifies and shows how a variety of definitions and related business approaches (i.e. Design Thinking, Lean UX, Discovery Phase, Blue Ocean Strategy, Lean Startup) affect how online/interactive products are created. Topics also include how to conduct a Competitive Analysis in order to determine your product’s real competitors

Class 2 - July 17, 2013 @ 7pm
Gap Analysis, Value Innovation, and Product Definition

Too often, UX designers are handed an insane wishlist created by a startup founder or client who doesn’t understand the cost of development or what is truly essential to the product. In this class, you'll learn how to take your survey of the current marketplace and identify opportunities for differentiation and innovating value. Topics include how to create a Feature Value Matrix by weighing business goals, user goals and design/dev costs in order to identiy your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and future phase releases.

Class 3 - July 24, 2013 @ 7pm
Guerilla User Research

Getting face to face with potential users/customers is core to UX Strategy not only to validate a solution but to also gain insights on your customer segment. In this class, you'll learn how to embark on customer discovery by conducting inexpensive Guerilla User Research. Topics include how to recruit and screen participants, how to script and conduct both problem and solution interviews with a prototype MVP, and how to analyze findings into pivots or tweaks for your product concept.

Class 4 - July 31, 2013 @ 7 PM
The Funnel Matrix and Conversion Design

The purpose of a Funnel Matrix is to represent each level of engagement a customer has while interacting with your online product. Because you've conducted user research, you can now think about how the Funnel Matrix can inform your customer acquisition strategy. Topics include how to define success based on quantitative metrics (which ones to measure) and how to design for conversion.

Networking to follow after each class.