work/experience definition

defining experiences from a concept

this messy sketch was the earliest iteration of a concept that eventually went on to define a player voting experience designed to engage with millions of basketball fans over the course of three months, increasing engagement by over 70%.

customer journey maps in a workshop state

mapping the journey

a project playbook guides where to focus creative efforts in the definition of a concept. if a playbook isn't available, or user flow doesn't exist, a customer journey of some sort must be mapped out in order to understand and visualize touchpoints that will make up an experience. a map like this also helps to zero in on areas most lucrative to rapidly prototype and test.

two lo-fi prototypes of product detail web pages

prototyping & testing

parts of the customer journey that need insights from users are created to a level of believability so that they can be brought before an audience for observation. results are recorded and documented so the findings can be absorbed into the concept moving forward.

information architecture

site maps are the lifeblood of visualizing all the details of an experience, and how it will be navigated by its users. it's a technical drawing not unlike a building's blueprint that is used to plan how information is organized, the size of what's being made, and where things live so that not everything needs to be sketched or prototyped to answer these questions.

wireframes for a lululemon experience in various formats © engine digital

sketching & wireframing

with test results and a prototype in hand, the larger pieces of the puzzle continue to be fleshed out with rough sketches or detailed wireframes until the full inventory of expressions outlined in the sitemap are created. these items can be delivered at any level of fidelity. it's up to a visual designer to bring them to life.

getting to the finish line

although the role of creative strategy will have mostly slowed by this stage, there is still an effort needed to constantly tinker with or go back to resketch or rethink items as issues come up. more often than not though, the creative strategist will mainly be tasked with authoring or mentoring the creation of content until the final concept is deployed.

next: content strategy

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