Blink uses a user-centered design process that focuses on an upfront understanding of user needs (which may include user research) and obtaining user feedback early in the design process.
Regardless of your development methodology (Agile, RUP, unstructured) we can tailor a project that fits into your current processes, budget, and timeframe. We design for any project phase including:
Our approach with every design project is to work closely with your project team to create the most useful and usable system possible. Although each project has unique needs, we typically create three main deliverables: high-level architecture maps, screen flow diagrams and wireframe prototypes. Methods we use for arriving at these deliverables include mental modeling, objects and actions mapping, and user scenarios.
With our understanding of your users' needs and your business goals, we address the high level architecture with the following considerations:
Goals of your target users:
Blink communicates the architecture through large-scale navigation maps which illustrate the information hierarchy and the grouping of content and functions. These "blueprints" introduce the recommended system vocabulary—terms to be used consistently throughout the site.
Screen flow diagrams are more in-depth blueprints that show how the user will experience content and functions of a particular section or flow. These define, for example, the flow of a search functionality, registration, or document download. In creating screen flow diagrams, the system vocabulary is typically expanded to include a greater level of detail. These diagrams provide a visual representation of functionality, which is a highly effective communication tool throughout the development process.
A key element of every design project is wireframes: grayscale page layouts that illustrate the key components of each screen or page. Early in a project, wireframes help project teams visualize and refine requirements. Later in a project, wireframes serve as the basis for prototype testing. This testing—done before the design goes into development—allows for changes to the design while it’s still easy and inexpensive to make modifications.