Aligning Teams for Effective Collaboration
Aligning Teams for Effective Collaboration
UX Guide for Stakeholders
UX Guide for Stakeholders
Sometimes, UX can feel like a mysterious process, but it doesn’t have to be. This guide breaks everything down into plain language, with real examples and practical tips. By the end, you’ll know exactly how UX supports your work and how we can achieve great things together.
This guide is for you, the stakeholders who work with UX teams. We’re here to help you understand what UX is, why it matters to your work, and how we can work together to make your goals a reality. Let’s make it simple, clear, and relatable, so you can see how UX makes life easier for you and your team.
Sometimes, UX can feel like a mysterious process, but it doesn’t have to be. This guide breaks everything down into plain language, with real examples and practical tips. By the end, you’ll know exactly how UX supports your work and how we can achieve great things together.
This guide is for you, the stakeholders who work with UX teams. We’re here to help you understand what UX is, why it matters to your work, and how we can work together to make your goals a reality. Let’s make it simple, clear, and relatable, so you can see how UX makes life easier for you and your team.
The ability to confidently navigate UX discussions and apply best practices in real projects.
Overview of UX process and when to engage with UX teams.to
Practical collaboration tips to enhance teamwork and minimize workflow friction.
Insights into how UX supports your team’s work to improve efficiency and outcomes
CHAPTER 1
What is UX?
What is UX?
Create a UX team roles overview: User Researchers – Conduct user testing, collect insights, and provide data to inform UX decisions.
4. UI Designers & Visual Designers – Focus on layout, branding, accessibility, and overall product aesthetics.
5. Content Designers (UX Writers) – Shape microcopy, in-app messaging, and overall content strategy to enhance user understanding.
Create a UX team roles overview: User Researchers – Conduct user testing, collect insights, and provide data to inform UX decisions.
4. UI Designers & Visual Designers – Focus on layout, branding, accessibility, and overall product aesthetics.
5. Content Designers (UX Writers) – Shape microcopy, in-app messaging, and overall content strategy to enhance user understanding.
Core Prunciples
UX Skillsets
Great UX design is not just about making things look good, it’s about ensuring they work well, are intuitive, and provide value. Core UX principles act as guiding foundations that help create seamless and meaningful experiences for users. These principles shape how we design, iterate, and collaborate across teams to produce products that are both functional and delightful.
Start with the User: Understand their needs, goals, and frustrations. Everything begins here.
Keep It Simple: Make designs easy and intuitive. No one likes unnecessary complexity.
Ensure Accessibility: Design for everyone, including people with disabilities. Inclusivity is key.
Be Consistent: Familiar patterns build trust and make interactions effortless.
Iterate and Improve: Test, learn from feedback, and refine. No design is perfect on the first try.
Clarity is Key: Provide clear instructions and navigation to guide users confidently.c
Collaborate Across Teams: Great UX happens when we work together, blending diverse skills and perspectives.
Think Holistically: Design for the entire user experience, from start to finish, not just isolated parts.
Let’s break down what UX delivers and why it matters for your work:
Useful: We create original designs that solve real problems. For Product Managers, this means prioritizing features users actually need, so your roadmap delivers real value.
Usable: Easy-to-use designs mean less frustration for users. For Developers, that means fewer bugs and clearer specs, making your job smoother.
Desirable: A product that looks and feels great builds emotional connections. For Marketing, this is your sweet spot that people love give you the stories you need to attract and keep customers.
Findable: Good UX ensures users can find what they need, easily. For Executives, this translates to better retention and satisfied users who stick around.
Accessible: We design for everyone, including people with disabilities. For Legal Teams, this ensures compliance, protects the company, and expands our reach to more users.
Credible: Trust is everything. For Customer Support, fewer complaints mean your team can focus on adding value instead of putting out fires.
Core Prunciples
UX Skillsets
Great UX design is not just about making things look good, it’s about ensuring they work well, are intuitive, and provide value. Core UX principles act as guiding foundations that help create seamless and meaningful experiences for users. These principles shape how we design, iterate, and collaborate across teams to produce products that are both functional and delightful.
Start with the User: Understand their needs, goals, and frustrations. Everything begins here.
Keep It Simple: Make designs easy and intuitive. No one likes unnecessary complexity.
Ensure Accessibility: Design for everyone, including people with disabilities. Inclusivity is key.
Be Consistent: Familiar patterns build trust and make interactions effortless.
Iterate and Improve: Test, learn from feedback, and refine. No design is perfect on the first try.
Clarity is Key: Provide clear instructions and navigation to guide users confidently.c
Collaborate Across Teams: Great UX happens when we work together, blending diverse skills and perspectives.
Think Holistically: Design for the entire user experience, from start to finish, not just isolated parts.
Let’s break down what UX delivers and why it matters for your work:
Useful: We create original designs that solve real problems. For Product Managers, this means prioritizing features users actually need, so your roadmap delivers real value.
Usable: Easy-to-use designs mean less frustration for users. For Developers, that means fewer bugs and clearer specs, making your job smoother.
Desirable: A product that looks and feels great builds emotional connections. For Marketing, this is your sweet spot that people love give you the stories you need to attract and keep customers.
Findable: Good UX ensures users can find what they need, easily. For Executives, this translates to better retention and satisfied users who stick around.
Accessible: We design for everyone, including people with disabilities. For Legal Teams, this ensures compliance, protects the company, and expands our reach to more users.
Credible: Trust is everything. For Customer Support, fewer complaints mean your team can focus on adding value instead of putting out fires.
Core Prunciples
UX Skillsets
Great UX design is not just about making things look good, it’s about ensuring they work well, are intuitive, and provide value. Core UX principles act as guiding foundations that help create seamless and meaningful experiences for users. These principles shape how we design, iterate, and collaborate across teams to produce products that are both functional and delightful.
Start with the User: Understand their needs, goals, and frustrations. Everything begins here.
Keep It Simple: Make designs easy and intuitive. No one likes unnecessary complexity.
Ensure Accessibility: Design for everyone, including people with disabilities. Inclusivity is key.
Be Consistent: Familiar patterns build trust and make interactions effortless.
Iterate and Improve: Test, learn from feedback, and refine. No design is perfect on the first try.
Clarity is Key: Provide clear instructions and navigation to guide users confidently.c
Collaborate Across Teams: Great UX happens when we work together, blending diverse skills and perspectives.
Think Holistically: Design for the entire user experience, from start to finish, not just isolated parts.
Let’s break down what UX delivers and why it matters for your work:
Useful: We create original designs that solve real problems. For Product Managers, this means prioritizing features users actually need, so your roadmap delivers real value.
Usable: Easy-to-use designs mean less frustration for users. For Developers, that means fewer bugs and clearer specs, making your job smoother.
Desirable: A product that looks and feels great builds emotional connections. For Marketing, this is your sweet spot that people love give you the stories you need to attract and keep customers.
Findable: Good UX ensures users can find what they need, easily. For Executives, this translates to better retention and satisfied users who stick around.
Accessible: We design for everyone, including people with disabilities. For Legal Teams, this ensures compliance, protects the company, and expands our reach to more users.
Credible: Trust is everything. For Customer Support, fewer complaints mean your team can focus on adding value instead of putting out fires.
How UX Integrates with Agile & Scrum
How UX Integrates with Agile & Scrum
UX fits into Agile development cycles by working ahead of sprints to ensure design readiness. Here’s example of how UX integrates with a cross functional team.
UX fits into Agile development cycles by working ahead of sprints to ensure design readiness. Here’s example of how UX integrates with a cross functional team.
Chapter 2
Our Partners
Our Partners
Building a successful product requires close collaboration between core teams and collaborative teams, each bringing unique expertise to the process. The core team consists of the Product Team, Engineering Team, Leadership Team, and UX Team. Like a successful restaurant, these teams must work together to deliver excellent experiences for customers.
Building a successful product requires close collaboration between core teams and collaborative teams, each bringing unique expertise to the process. The core team consists of the Product Team, Engineering Team, Leadership Team, and UX Team. Like a successful restaurant, these teams must work together to deliver excellent experiences for customers.
Leadership Team
Leadership Team
The Leadership team provides strategic direction, makes key decisions, and ensures alignment with company goals. Throughout the product development process, they play an informed role by making key decisions and staying updated on progress.
They acts as the restaurant owner, setting overall direction, allocating resources, and ensuring the restaurant's success in the market.
The Leadership team provides strategic direction, makes key decisions, and ensures alignment with company goals. Throughout the product development process, they play an informed role by making key decisions and staying updated on progress.
They acts as the restaurant owner, setting overall direction, allocating resources, and ensuring the restaurant's success in the market.
Product Team
Product Team
The Product team defines the vision, roadmap, and priorities, ensuring features align with both business goals and user needs.
They acts as the head chef, defining the menu (vision), planning service timing (roadmap), and ensuring each dish (feature) meets both restaurant standards and diner preferences.
The Product team defines the vision, roadmap, and priorities, ensuring features align with both business goals and user needs.
They acts as the head chef, defining the menu (vision), planning service timing (roadmap), and ensuring each dish (feature) meets both restaurant standards and diner preferences.
Engineering Team
Engineering Team
The Engineering team is the technical backbone—they focus on developing robust, scalable solutions while maintaining high code quality and system performance. Through their expertise in system architecture and implementation, they create solutions that effectively balance user needs with technical constraints.
Like line cooks in a kitchen, they handle the technical execution with precision, crafting solutions that meet both user requirements and technical limitations.
The Engineering team is the technical backbone—they focus on developing robust, scalable solutions while maintaining high code quality and system performance. Through their expertise in system architecture and implementation, they create solutions that effectively balance user needs with technical constraints.
Like line cooks in a kitchen, they handle the technical execution with precision, crafting solutions that meet both user requirements and technical limitations.
UX Team
UX Team
The UX team serves as the bridge between users and the product, conducting research, designing intuitive interfaces, and validating solutions through testing.
Like a sous chef and taste testers, bridging the gap between the kitchen and diners by gathering feedback, refining recipes, and ensuring each dish is not only delicious but also presented intuitively.
The UX team serves as the bridge between users and the product, conducting research, designing intuitive interfaces, and validating solutions through testing.
Like a sous chef and taste testers, bridging the gap between the kitchen and diners by gathering feedback, refining recipes, and ensuring each dish is not only delicious but also presented intuitively.
core team
pain points and frictions
pain points and frictions
Building a successful product requires close collaboration between key teams, each bringing unique expertise to the process. The Core team consists of the Product Team, Engineering Team, Leadership Team, and UX Team. Just like a successful restaurant needs a team working together to deliver pleasant experiences and delicious dishes for customers.
Building a successful product requires close collaboration between key teams, each bringing unique expertise to the process. The Core team consists of the Product Team, Engineering Team, Leadership Team, and UX Team. Just like a successful restaurant needs a team working together to deliver pleasant experiences and delicious dishes for customers.
Leadership Team
While the Leadership Team provides vision and strategic direction, aligning high-level business goals with day-to-day product execution can be challenging. Just like restaurant owners who set the concept and financial goals but rely on chefs and staff to deliver great meals, executives depend on teams to translate vision into reality. However, gaps in communication, shifting priorities, and misalignment with user needs can create friction.
The table below outlines common pain points, sources of friction, and real-world examples to illustrate challenges and opportunities for improvement.
While the Leadership Team provides vision and strategic direction, aligning high-level business goals with day-to-day product execution can be challenging. Just like restaurant owners who set the concept and financial goals but rely on chefs and staff to deliver great meals, executives depend on teams to translate vision into reality. However, gaps in communication, shifting priorities, and misalignment with user needs can create friction.
The table below outlines common pain points, sources of friction, and real-world examples to illustrate challenges and opportunities for improvement.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: The Challenge of Balancing Business Goals and User Experience
Executives focus on big-picture strategy, but without UX collaboration, they risk misalignment between business objectives and user needs. This gap can lead to missed opportunities, lower engagement, and ineffective product decisions.
• Decisions Based on Assumptions – Without direct user insights, decisions may rely on market trends and internal projections rather than real customer behavior.
• Tension Between Growth and Usability – A strong push for expansion can deprioritize user experience, leading to products that drive revenue but frustrate users.
• Unclear ROI for UX Investments – Without clear UX metrics tied to business performance, it can be difficult to justify allocating resources to UX initiatives.
• Scaling UX Across Teams – Embedding user-centered thinking into company culture requires more than just advocacy; it needs structure and measurable impact.
Tips:Involve UX in early strategic planning, use UX research to validate business decisions, and establish UX success metrics that directly align with business objectives.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: The Challenge of Balancing Business Goals and User Experience
Executives focus on big-picture strategy, but without UX collaboration, they risk misalignment between business objectives and user needs. This gap can lead to missed opportunities, lower engagement, and ineffective product decisions.
• Decisions Based on Assumptions – Without direct user insights, decisions may rely on market trends and internal projections rather than real customer behavior.
• Tension Between Growth and Usability – A strong push for expansion can deprioritize user experience, leading to products that drive revenue but frustrate users.
• Unclear ROI for UX Investments – Without clear UX metrics tied to business performance, it can be difficult to justify allocating resources to UX initiatives.
• Scaling UX Across Teams – Embedding user-centered thinking into company culture requires more than just advocacy; it needs structure and measurable impact.
Tips:Involve UX in early strategic planning, use UX research to validate business decisions, and establish UX success metrics that directly align with business objectives.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: The Challenge of Balancing Business Goals and User Experience
Executives focus on big-picture strategy, but without UX collaboration, they risk misalignment between business objectives and user needs. This gap can lead to missed opportunities, lower engagement, and ineffective product decisions.
• Decisions Based on Assumptions – Without direct user insights, decisions may rely on market trends and internal projections rather than real customer behavior.
• Tension Between Growth and Usability – A strong push for expansion can deprioritize user experience, leading to products that drive revenue but frustrate users.
• Unclear ROI for UX Investments – Without clear UX metrics tied to business performance, it can be difficult to justify allocating resources to UX initiatives.
• Scaling UX Across Teams – Embedding user-centered thinking into company culture requires more than just advocacy; it needs structure and measurable impact.
Tips:Involve UX in early strategic planning, use UX research to validate business decisions, and establish UX success metrics that directly align with business objectives.
Product Team
The Product Team bridges business objectives, user needs, and technical feasibility, ensuring the right features are built at the right time. Like a restaurant’s head chef, they translate the owners (Leadership's) vision into an actionable plan for the kitchen (engineering and UX teams). However, balancing stakeholder demands, user needs, and development constraints can be a constant challenge.When priorities shift, research is skipped, or UX is overlooked, product decisions may lean too heavily on business goals at the expense of usability.
The table below highlights common pain points, friction points, and examples, providing insights on how Product Teams and UX can work together more effectively.
The Product Team bridges business objectives, user needs, and technical feasibility, ensuring the right features are built at the right time. Like a restaurant’s head chef, they translate the owners (Leadership's) vision into an actionable plan for the kitchen (engineering and UX teams). However, balancing stakeholder demands, user needs, and development constraints can be a constant challenge.When priorities shift, research is skipped, or UX is overlooked, product decisions may lean too heavily on business goals at the expense of usability.
The table below highlights common pain points, friction points, and examples, providing insights on how Product Teams and UX can work together more effectively.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: Balancing Business Strategy and Usability
PMs focus on delivering business value through product development, but without UX collaboration, they risk creating features that miss user needs or overcomplicating experiences.
• Conflicting Priorities:Business demands may push for features that do not enhance the user experience.
• Unclear When to Involve UX: Lack of early UX involvement leads to design rework and wasted development efforts.
• Feature Overload: Prioritizing quantity over quality can result in cluttered interfaces and lower usability.
• Data vs. Intuition Conflicts: Business and UX may rely on different decision-making models, leading to misalignment.
Tips: Integrate UX into roadmap planning, use research insights to validate features before development, and align priorities to ensure a balance between business impact and usability.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: The Challenge of Balancing Business Goals and User Experience
Executives focus on big-picture strategy, but without UX collaboration, they risk misalignment between business objectives and user needs. This gap can lead to missed opportunities, lower engagement, and ineffective product decisions.
• Decisions Based on Assumptions – Without direct user insights, decisions may rely on market trends and internal projections rather than real customer behavior.
• Tension Between Growth and Usability – A strong push for expansion can deprioritize user experience, leading to products that drive revenue but frustrate users.
• Unclear ROI for UX Investments – Without clear UX metrics tied to business performance, it can be difficult to justify allocating resources to UX initiatives.
• Scaling UX Across Teams – Embedding user-centered thinking into company culture requires more than just advocacy; it needs structure and measurable impact.
Tips:Involve UX in early strategic planning, use UX research to validate business decisions, and establish UX success metrics that directly align with business objectives.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: Balancing Business Strategy and Usability
PMs focus on delivering business value through product development, but without UX collaboration, they risk creating features that miss user needs or overcomplicating experiences.
• Conflicting Priorities:Business demands may push for features that do not enhance the user experience.
• Unclear When to Involve UX: Lack of early UX involvement leads to design rework and wasted development efforts.
• Feature Overload: Prioritizing quantity over quality can result in cluttered interfaces and lower usability.
• Data vs. Intuition Conflicts: Business and UX may rely on different decision-making models, leading to misalignment.
Tips: Integrate UX into roadmap planning, use research insights to validate features before development, and align priorities to ensure a balance between business impact and usability.
Engineering Team
The Engineering Team brings designs to life, ensuring products are scalable, secure, and functional. Just like line cooks in a kitchen, they execute the recipes (product requirements) to deliver a great final dish (user experience). However, when specifications are unclear, last-minute changes occur, or feasibility isn’t considered early, it disrupts development efficiency.
By fostering continuous collaboration between Engineering, UX, and Product teams, development cycles become smoother, reducing wasted effort and ensuring a high-quality user experience. The table below outlines key engineering pain points, friction sources, and examples to illustrate challenges and solutions.
The Engineering Team brings designs to life, ensuring products are scalable, secure, and functional. Just like line cooks in a kitchen, they execute the recipes (product requirements) to deliver a great final dish (user experience). However, when specifications are unclear, last-minute changes occur, or feasibility isn’t considered early, it disrupts development efficiency.
By fostering continuous collaboration between Engineering, UX, and Product teams, development cycles become smoother, reducing wasted effort and ensuring a high-quality user experience. The table below outlines key engineering pain points, friction sources, and examples to illustrate challenges and solutions.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: Challenges in Aligning UX and Development
Developers rely on clear specifications and structured collaboration, but gaps in UX alignment can lead to wasted effort and rework.
• Unclear or Changing Requirements: Lack of detailed specs results in misinterpretations and last-minute adjustments.
• Technical Constraints Overlooked in Design:UX teams may propose solutions that are difficult or time-consuming to implement.
• Late UX Involvement Causes Rework: If designs are not finalized before development starts, developers must backtrack.
• Limited UX Understanding: Without a strong UX mindset, engineering decisions may prioritize efficiency over usability.
Tips: Establish a structured handoff process, ensure UX and development collaborate early, and use annotated design documentation for clarity.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: The Challenge of Balancing Business Goals and User Experience
Executives focus on big-picture strategy, but without UX collaboration, they risk misalignment between business objectives and user needs. This gap can lead to missed opportunities, lower engagement, and ineffective product decisions.
• Decisions Based on Assumptions – Without direct user insights, decisions may rely on market trends and internal projections rather than real customer behavior.
• Tension Between Growth and Usability – A strong push for expansion can deprioritize user experience, leading to products that drive revenue but frustrate users.
• Unclear ROI for UX Investments – Without clear UX metrics tied to business performance, it can be difficult to justify allocating resources to UX initiatives.
• Scaling UX Across Teams – Embedding user-centered thinking into company culture requires more than just advocacy; it needs structure and measurable impact.
Tips:Involve UX in early strategic planning, use UX research to validate business decisions, and establish UX success metrics that directly align with business objectives.
Pain Points
Frictions
Example
Pain Points: Challenges in Aligning UX and Development
Developers rely on clear specifications and structured collaboration, but gaps in UX alignment can lead to wasted effort and rework.
• Unclear or Changing Requirements: Lack of detailed specs results in misinterpretations and last-minute adjustments.
• Technical Constraints Overlooked in Design:UX teams may propose solutions that are difficult or time-consuming to implement.
• Late UX Involvement Causes Rework: If designs are not finalized before development starts, developers must backtrack.
• Limited UX Understanding: Without a strong UX mindset, engineering decisions may prioritize efficiency over usability.
Tips: Establish a structured handoff process, ensure UX and development collaborate early, and use annotated design documentation for clarity.
Leadership Team
Our Partners
Collaborative Teams
While the Product, Engineering, and UX teams drive the core product development process, they rely on collaborative teams to provide expertise at key moments. These stakeholders may not be involved throughout the entire UX lifecycle, but their contributions help ensure that products are strategically aligned, legally compliant, and optimized for both business and user needs.
While the Product, Engineering, and UX teams drive the core product development process, they rely on collaborative teams to provide expertise at key moments. These stakeholders may not be involved throughout the entire UX lifecycle, but their contributions help ensure that products are strategically aligned, legally compliant, and optimized for both business and user needs.
UX & Support Teams: Roles, Touchpoints, and Collaboration
Customer Support
Legal Team
Finance Team
Marketing Team
Opertional Team
Role & Responsibilities
Handle user inquiries and complaints.
Identify recurring pain points affecting user satisfaction.
Provide feedback to UX and product teams to drive improvements.
Key UX Touchpoints
Share customer feedback loops with UX for issue resolution.
Provide insights into usability issues based on real user complaints.
Collaborate on improving self-service solutions and FAQs.
How UX Supports This Team
Reduces common complaints by improving usability and accessibility.
Designs better self-service tools to reduce support tickets.
Conducts research to address friction points in the user journey.
UX & Support Teams: Roles, Touchpoints, and Collaboration
Customer Support
Legal Team
Finance Team
Marketing Team
Opertional Team
Role & Responsibilities
Handle user inquiries and complaints.
Identify recurring pain points affecting user satisfaction.
Provide feedback to UX and product teams to drive improvements.
Key UX Touchpoints
Share customer feedback loops with UX for issue resolution.
Provide insights into usability issues based on real user complaints.
Collaborate on improving self-service solutions and FAQs.
How UX Supports This Team
Reduces common complaints by improving usability and accessibility.
Designs better self-service tools to reduce support tickets.
Conducts research to address friction points in the user journey.
UX & Support Teams: Roles, Touchpoints, and Collaboration
Customer Support
Legal Team
Finance Team
Marketing Team
Opertional Team
Role & Responsibilities
Handle user inquiries and complaints.
Identify recurring pain points affecting user satisfaction.
Provide feedback to UX and product teams to drive improvements.
Key UX Touchpoints
Share customer feedback loops with UX for issue resolution.
Provide insights into usability issues based on real user complaints.
Collaborate on improving self-service solutions and FAQs.
How UX Supports This Team
Reduces common complaints by improving usability and accessibility.
Designs better self-service tools to reduce support tickets.
Conducts research to address friction points in the user journey.
Being It All Together
A Restaurant Story of Teamwork and UX
Imagine running a restaurant where things are starting to slip. Some dishes rarely get ordered, regular customers are not coming back, and service feels slow and disorganized. Before making any changes, the team needs to step back and figure out what’s really going on. Is the menu confusing? Are wait times too long? Are diners struggling to find what they need?
This is exactly how UX teams and stakeholders work together. A great product, like a great restaurant, is not just about what’s served—it is about the entire experience. It requires research, collaboration, and thoughtful strategy. One day, you notice fewer customers returning. The regulars who used to linger now leave after one drink. Complaints pile up: crowded spaces, slow service, and confusing menus. Sales start to drop. It becomes clear — something needs to change.
To turn things around, the team must understand the real problems, brainstorm solutions, and make improvements that satisfy both customers and the business. This restaurant story reflects the heart of UX: identifying pain points, exploring ideas, and creating better experiences through teamwork.
Imagine running a restaurant where things are starting to slip. Some dishes rarely get ordered, regular customers are not coming back, and service feels slow and disorganized. Before making any changes, the team needs to step back and figure out what’s really going on. Is the menu confusing? Are wait times too long? Are diners struggling to find what they need?
This is exactly how UX teams and stakeholders work together. A great product, like a great restaurant, is not just about what’s served—it is about the entire experience. It requires research, collaboration, and thoughtful strategy. One day, you notice fewer customers returning. The regulars who used to linger now leave after one drink. Complaints pile up: crowded spaces, slow service, and confusing menus. Sales start to drop. It becomes clear — something needs to change.
To turn things around, the team must understand the real problems, brainstorm solutions, and make improvements that satisfy both customers and the business. This restaurant story reflects the heart of UX: identifying pain points, exploring ideas, and creating better experiences through teamwork.
Meet the Team: How Each Role Fits into Our Restaurant Story
Before we dive into the story, let’s meet the team behind this restaurant—and how each role maps to our product development process. Just like running a successful restaurant requires everyone to play their part, building great user experiences depends on every team working together.
Before we dive into the story, let’s meet the team behind this restaurant—and how each role maps to our product development process. Just like running a successful restaurant requires everyone to play their part, building great user experiences depends on every team working together.
Executives (Restaurant Owner)
Set the big vision, decide on investments, and ensure the restaurant grows in the right direction.
UX Team (Servers and Experience Designers)
Gather diner feedback, ensure the menu is clear, and help the team understand what makes customers happy.
Finance Team (Business Manager)
Monitor costs, track revenue, and make sure every decision helps the business stay profitable.
Product Managers (Kitchen Manager)
Decide what goes on the menu, balance business goals with customer needs, and prioritize improvements.
Marketing Team (Restaurant Promoters)
Spread the word, attract new customers, and communicate changes and new offerings.
Legal Team (Health and Safety Inspectors)
Ensure everything is compliant, safe, and up to standard before anything goes out to customers.
Developers (Chefs)
Developers (Chefs)
Bring the recipes to life, prepare dishes efficiently, and handle the technical challenges in the kitchen.
Customer Support Team (Front Desk and Hosts)
Hear customer complaints firsthand, help smooth over problems, and bring important feedback to the team.
Operations Team (Restaurant Operations Lead)
Make sure everything behind the scenes runs smoothly—from staff schedules to supply management.
01
Research & Define
01
Research & Define
1. Understanding the Problem (Research & Define)
Before making any changes, the team must first identify the root challenges—just like a restaurant diagnosing why customers are unhappy. The UX team plays the role of head chefs, gathering insights from diners (users), reviewing kitchen operations (platform usability), and pinpointing why certain dishes (features) are not satisfying customers. If too many meals are being sent back or diners are leaving without ordering dessert, something needs to change.
Similarly, UX designers audit the platform to identify usability issues, much like a chef refining recipes to enhance flavors and presentation. Content designers ensure mortgage instructions and property descriptions are clear and digestible, just as a restaurant menu must be simple and informative. Product managers, like restaurant managers, prioritize key improvements to keep both customers and business stakeholders happy. Developers act as the kitchen staff, ensuring the menu (features) can be executed efficiently, while executives, like restaurant owners, set overarching business goals such as increasing customer retention and boosting revenue.
Directly Involved Teams:
• UX Team – Conducts research, audits usability, and refines content clarity.
• Product Management – Defines priorities and aligns efforts with business strategy.
• Engineering – Evaluates feasibility and technical constraints.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Monitor high-level business goals and strategy.
• Customer Support – Shares recurring user complaints and feedback.
• Marketing – Provides survey insights on trust signals and transparency.
2. Crafting the Right Solutions (Ideation & Concept Development)
Once the problem is understood, the team must brainstorm and refine solutions—just as chefs experiment with new recipes before adding them to the menu. If customers frequently complain about a dish being too salty or difficult to eat, the kitchen tests adjustments before rolling out a final version.
In UX, this phase involves sketching new user flows, testing wireframes, and validating concepts before committing to major changes. Just as a chef does not serve an untested dish, UX teams rely on early prototypes and feedback loops to ensure a seamless experience. Collaboration is key—customer support shares common complaints (like servers noting which dishes are not selling well), marketing ensures messaging aligns with expectations (like a restaurant’s promotions matching the dining experience), and finance evaluates cost-effectiveness, ensuring the business can sustain changes.
Teams Directly Involved:
• UX Team – Develops wireframes, prototypes, and validates concepts through testing.
• Product Managers – Align solutions with business strategy and oversee execution.
• Customer Support – Provides real-world user feedback and recurring pain points.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Ensure the proposed solutions align with company vision.
• Developers – Offer technical insights and feasibility considerations.
• Marketing – Assesses how changes impact user perception and communication.
• Finance – Evaluates cost implications and potential return on investment.
• Legal – Reviews proposed solutions for compliance and risk management.
3. Prototyping & Testing (Refining Ideas)
Just like a restaurant conducts taste tests before adding a new dish to the menu, the UX team refines ideas through prototyping and usability testing. Instead of launching untested designs, they create interactive models, allowing real users to experience and provide feedback before full development. This process helps prevent costly mistakes and ensures solutions actually solve user problems.
Customer support, like restaurant servers, plays a key role by relaying user reactions and common frustrations, while developers, like kitchen staff, ensure that the proposed improvements can be executed efficiently. Marketing ensures the messaging remains aligned with user expectations, much like a restaurant menu reflecting the dishes accurately. Testing allows teams to refine navigation, accessibility, and usability—just as a chef adjusts a dish based on taste-test feedback before finalizing it.
Teams Directly Involved:
• UX Team – Creates prototypes, conducts usability testing, and iterates based on user feedback.
• Developers – Review technical feasibility and provide input on system constraints.
• Customer Support – Shares recurring user challenges and participates in testing validation.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Stay updated on test results and ensure alignment with company goals.
• Product Managers – Evaluate insights and refine product roadmaps based on testing feedback.
• Marketing – Aligns messaging with UX improvements to maintain consistency.
• Finance – Assesses the cost-effectiveness of implementing proposed changes.
• Legal – Ensures compliance with regulations before implementation.
4. Design & Handoff (Finalizing the Solution)
Once a dish has been perfected through testing, it’s time to train the kitchen staff, print the new menu, and launch it to customers—this is the equivalent of the design handoff in UX. After validating designs, the UX team finalizes visual elements, accessibility requirements, and interaction flows, ensuring that developers have everything they need for a smooth implementation.
Clear documentation, well-annotated designs, and direct collaboration between UX and development reduce miscommunication, preventing last-minute adjustments that can disrupt workflows. Meanwhile, marketing ensures that the new features are communicated effectively, customer support prepares for potential user questions, and finance evaluates potential ROI. Just like launching a new seasonal dish, teams must be prepared for feedback and post-launch refinements.
Teams Directly Involved:
• UX Team – Finalizes visual and interaction designs, ensuring clarity for development.
• Developers – Begin implementation and provide feedback on edge cases or technical challenges.
• Product Managers – Ensure the design aligns with business strategy and user needs.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Stay updated on feature rollout and business impact.
• Customer Support – Prepares for potential questions and user concerns.
• Marketing – Crafts communication strategies to introduce new features effectively.
• Finance – Monitors projected impact on key business metrics.
• Legal – Ensures all updates comply with industry and regulatory requirements.
5. Launch & Measure (Evaluating Success)
Once a new dish is added to a restaurant’s menu, the work is not over—customer reactions, sales, and feedback must be monitored to determine if it’s a success. In UX, launching a new feature or design is just the beginning. The team must track key performance metrics, gather user feedback, and refine the experience based on real-world usage.
Just as a restaurant listens to customer reviews, tracks which dishes are ordered most, and adjusts recipes accordingly, UX teams rely on analytics, user feedback, and A/B testing to measure impact. If users are struggling to navigate the new design or abandoning a process midway, adjustments must be made quickly to improve the experience. Product managers ensure business objectives are met, while finance evaluates how the changes affect revenue. Customer support plays a crucial role, flagging any new pain points or unexpected friction reported by users.
Teams Directly Involved:
• UX Team – Monitors usability metrics, gathers user feedback, and suggests refinements.
• Developers – Address post-launch issues, bug fixes, and performance optimization.
• Product Managers – Analyze success metrics and align future iterations with business goals.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Review feature impact on company objectives and user engagement.
• Customer Support – Collects user feedback and reports recurring issues.
• Marketing – Assesses engagement levels and refines messaging as needed.
• Finance – Evaluates cost-effectiveness and ROI of the new feature.
• Legal – Ensures continued compliance with industry regulations.
6. Iteration & Continuous Improvement
A great restaurant never stops refining its menu—customer preferences evolve, new trends emerge, and quality must be maintained. In UX, design is never “done.” Continuous monitoring, iteration, and improvements ensure the product stays relevant, user-friendly, and aligned with business needs.
The UX team revisits usability data, analyzing pain points and success areas to guide future updates. Just as a chef experiments with ingredient substitutions or improves plating based on customer feedback, UX designers refine interactions, accessibility, and overall usability based on real-world data. Collaboration across teams ensures that adjustments are prioritized effectively, balancing user needs, technical feasibility, and business objectives.
Teams Directly Involved:
• UX Team – Iterates on designs based on real-world usage and feedback.
• Developers – Implement refinements and optimizations to enhance the user experience.
• Product Managers – Align future improvements with business strategy and user needs.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Review iteration impact on company goals and performance metrics.
• Customer Support – Shares ongoing user feedback and recurring issues.
• Marketing – Ensures product messaging reflects iterative improvements.
• Finance – Assesses long-term value and cost implications of changes.
• Legal – Confirms that any adjustments remain compliant with regulations.
01
Research & Define
02
Ideation & Concept Development
03
Refining Ideas
04
Finalizing the Solution
05
Evaluating Success
06
Iteration & Continuous Improvement
1. Understanding the Problem (Research & Define)
Before making any changes, the team must first identify the root challenges—just like a restaurant diagnosing why customers are unhappy. The UX team plays the role of head chefs, gathering insights from diners (users), reviewing kitchen operations (platform usability), and pinpointing why certain dishes (features) are not satisfying customers. If too many meals are being sent back or diners are leaving without ordering dessert, something needs to change.
Similarly, UX designers audit the platform to identify usability issues, much like a chef refining recipes to enhance flavors and presentation. Content designers ensure mortgage instructions and property descriptions are clear and digestible, just as a restaurant menu must be simple and informative. Product managers, like restaurant managers, prioritize key improvements to keep both customers and business stakeholders happy. Developers act as the kitchen staff, ensuring the menu (features) can be executed efficiently, while executives, like restaurant owners, set overarching business goals such as increasing customer retention and boosting revenue.
Directly Involved Teams:
• UX Team – Conducts research, audits usability, and refines content clarity.
• Product Management – Defines priorities and aligns efforts with business strategy.
• Engineering – Evaluates feasibility and technical constraints.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Monitor high-level business goals and strategy.
• Customer Support – Shares recurring user complaints and feedback.
• Marketing – Provides survey insights on trust signals and transparency.
01
Research & Define
02
Ideation & Concept Development
03
Refining Ideas
04
Finalizing the Solution
05
Evaluating Success
06
Iteration & Continuous Improvement
1. Understanding the Problem (Research & Define)
Before making any changes, the team must first identify the root challenges—just like a restaurant diagnosing why customers are unhappy. The UX team plays the role of head chefs, gathering insights from diners (users), reviewing kitchen operations (platform usability), and pinpointing why certain dishes (features) are not satisfying customers. If too many meals are being sent back or diners are leaving without ordering dessert, something needs to change.
Similarly, UX designers audit the platform to identify usability issues, much like a chef refining recipes to enhance flavors and presentation. Content designers ensure mortgage instructions and property descriptions are clear and digestible, just as a restaurant menu must be simple and informative. Product managers, like restaurant managers, prioritize key improvements to keep both customers and business stakeholders happy. Developers act as the kitchen staff, ensuring the menu (features) can be executed efficiently, while executives, like restaurant owners, set overarching business goals such as increasing customer retention and boosting revenue.
Directly Involved Teams:
• UX Team – Conducts research, audits usability, and refines content clarity.
• Product Management – Defines priorities and aligns efforts with business strategy.
• Engineering – Evaluates feasibility and technical constraints.
Teams Kept Informed:
• Executives – Monitor high-level business goals and strategy.
• Customer Support – Shares recurring user complaints and feedback.
• Marketing – Provides survey insights on trust signals and transparency.
Wrapping It Up: What We Learned and How We Move Forward
Bringing a great product to life just like running a successful restaurant, takes more than good ideas. It requires teamwork, communication, and constant learning. Every team member, from leadership to developers to support teams, plays a part in shaping the customer experience. When we work together with shared goals, we create something that not only meets business needs but makes users come back for more.Throughout this guide, we explored how UX fits into your work and why collaboration across teams is essential. From understanding user needs to aligning with business goals, delivering great products requires everyone’s input and shared responsibility. Just like running a successful restaurant, great outcomes happen when every team member plays their part and works together with purpose.
Bringing a great product to life just like running a successful restaurant, takes more than good ideas. It requires teamwork, communication, and constant learning. Every team member, from leadership to developers to support teams, plays a part in shaping the customer experience. When we work together with shared goals, we create something that not only meets business needs but makes users come back for more.Throughout this guide, we explored how UX fits into your work and why collaboration across teams is essential. From understanding user needs to aligning with business goals, delivering great products requires everyone’s input and shared responsibility. Just like running a successful restaurant, great outcomes happen when every team member plays their part and works together with purpose.
01
01
UX is a Shared Responsibility
UX is a Shared Responsibility
UX is not just the designer’s job. It comes to life when product managers, developers, marketing, legal, finance, and leadership teams work together. Early involvement, clear communication, and continuous collaboration help turn ideas into meaningful experiences that support both business and user goals.
UX is not just the designer’s job. It comes to life when product managers, developers, marketing, legal, finance, and leadership teams work together. Early involvement, clear communication, and continuous collaboration help turn ideas into meaningful experiences that support both business and user goals.
02
02
Clear Communication Reduces Friction
Clear Communication Reduces Friction
Misalignment slows projects down. Knowing when to involve UX, asking questions early, and staying connected through research, planning, and execution make teamwork smoother. Open communication helps avoid rework and keeps delivery on track.
Misalignment slows projects down. Knowing when to involve UX, asking questions early, and staying connected through research, planning, and execution make teamwork smoother. Open communication helps avoid rework and keeps delivery on track.
03
03
Business Success is Built on User Understanding
Business Success is Built on User Understanding
Every successful product balances business objectives with real user needs. Research-backed decisions, testing before launch, and measuring outcomes after release help teams make smart choices that drive growth and build customer loyalty.
Every successful product balances business objectives with real user needs. Research-backed decisions, testing before launch, and measuring outcomes after release help teams make smart choices that drive growth and build customer loyalty.
Hello!
Thanks for sticking around! If you’re curious to know more about me or want to see what I’m up to use the link on the right to connect with me!
Or, if you’re into the classic approach, feel free to check out my fancy paper resume.
@2025 jin, All Rights Reserved
Hello!
Thanks for sticking around! If you’re curious to know more about me or want to see what I’m up to use the link on the right to connect with me!
Or, if you’re into the classic approach, feel free to check out my fancy paper resume.
@2025 jin, All Rights Reserved
Hello!
Thanks for sticking around! If you’re curious to know more about me or want to see what I’m up to use the link on the right to connect with me!
Or, if you’re into the classic approach, feel free to check out my fancy paper resume.
@2025 jin, All Rights Reserved