WEBVTT 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:07.551 When we hear the term 'user experience', we tend to  think in terms of screens, 00:00:07.551 --> 00:00:11.400 websites, mobile apps or other smart technology. 00:00:11.694 --> 00:00:14.000 But that's just the tip of the iceberg. 00:00:14.883 --> 00:00:17.060 The Elements of User Experience 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:21.615 In the book *The Elements of User Experience:  User-Centered Design for the Web*, 00:00:21.615 --> 00:00:25.723 Jesse James Garrett outlines five elements of user experience: 00:00:25.723 --> 00:00:30.166 strategy, scope, structure, skeleton and surface. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:37.947 Before beginning any work, product teams conduct  user research to understand who their target users are 00:00:37.947 --> 00:00:40.268 and what the users' needs are. 00:00:40.268 --> 00:00:44.268 It's important for teams to be aware of the business's goals and objectives 00:00:44.268 --> 00:00:48.714 because if the product does not return  a profit, the business will not be sustainable. 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:56.400 The strategy helps you identify *who you are designing for and why*. 00:00:56.603 --> 00:00:59.794 The scope defines *what you will be designing*. 00:00:59.794 --> 00:01:03.627 Designers work collaboratively with all stakeholders to identify 00:01:03.627 --> 00:01:07.118 what features and functionality will help address user needs. 00:01:07.520 --> 00:01:10.216 While the *scope defines what a solution does*, 00:01:10.216 --> 00:01:13.963 the *structure defines how the product or solution works*. 00:01:13.963 --> 00:01:21.215 You create the blueprint of how the system works behind the scenes and how people, the users, interact with it. 00:01:21.215 --> 00:01:26.482 You then create the *skeleton*, laying out the first interfaces of the solution and creating 00:01:26.482 --> 00:01:30.000 the first tangible elements of user experience. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:35.034 And, finally, you flesh out the skeleton to create  the most visible element 00:01:35.034 --> 00:01:38.704 – the *surface* that your users see and interact with. 00:01:38.704 --> 00:01:42.937 Much like an iceberg, there is so much more to UX than meets the eye. 00:01:42.937 --> 00:01:49.788 And, just as in the case of an iceberg, each element of UX above and below the surface affects the other. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.000 Decisions taken at one plane can cascade up or  down the layers. 00:01:55.460 --> 00:02:02.164 For example, if you introduce a new feature, a change in the scope, it will impact all the elements above. 00:02:02.164 --> 00:02:06.969 You might even find users interacting with your product in unexpected ways, 00:02:06.969 --> 00:02:09.905 prompting you to rethink your strategy. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:16.409 There will likely be unknown considerations that  emerge later, which might impact the experience. 00:02:16.640 --> 00:02:21.388 For example, if the team encounters technical  challenges or budgetary constraints 00:02:21.388 --> 00:02:25.859 during development, they might have to revisit some design  decisions. 00:02:26.125 --> 00:02:30.929 User experience design is concerned with *all* the decisions leading up to the surface, 00:02:30.929 --> 00:02:33.928 from the most abstract to the most concrete, 00:02:33.928 --> 00:02:40.160 from the known to the unknown, and continues  to evolve throughout the life of the product.