Zero-based Thinking: User Stories, Storyboarding, Wireframing, Paper Prototyping

Aug 3

by Marvin Cheung, Head of Research and Strategy

Zero-based thinking is when you start fresh: if you can start over, what would you do instead? Miniscule improvements upon competitor’s products will only get you so far. Maybe there is a radically different approach towards solving the problem.

This is when user stories, storyboarding, and paper prototyping can help.

Interview and talk to your users. Get to know as much as you can about their workflow. Are different Jobs to be Done emerging? What are your users' pain points? Post-it notes or a Miro Board can help.
Storyboard out the different contexts when the product will be used - stick figures work too!
Brainstorm solutions. One of the questions that always get the conversation moving is “What is the absolute worst way to solve the problem?”
With reference to the research you have done, use a thick marker to begin drawing up rough, possible solutions on paper. Go wild!
Iterate. Test different solutions with users, refine the product, and see the results.
Finally, once the dust settles, you want to arrive at a set of screens that flow well from one to another. This is when we can blu-tack it to a board neatly and use it as a basis for a digital mockup.

Zero-based Thinking: User Stories, Storyboarding, Wireframing, Paper Prototyping

Digital Mockups: Design Patterns, Accessibility, Responsive Design, Visual Design, UI

Know the field: Competitive Analysis, Mobile-first Approach, Information Architecture, and Jobs to be Done