This article explores the fundamental elements of UX strategy, demonstrating how it aligns with product and business strategies to deliver user value and achieve organizational objectives.
For a long time, the term ‘UX strategy’ often seemed confusing and ill-defined, sometimes perceived as merely a roadmap or a grand vision with some business decisions. However, this understanding is incomplete.
UX Strategy is not an end goal itself, but rather a journey towards achieving a goal. It bridges the current state of UX with a desired future state, guiding actions and decisions. Its primary purpose is to maximize the likelihood of success by accounting for risks, bottlenecks, and potential project threats.
This discussion will delve into the components of UX strategy and its interplay with product and business strategies to provide user value and fulfill business objectives.
Strategy vs. Goals vs. Plans
Discussions about strategy often involve planning and goals, though these concepts differ significantly. Strategy addresses ‘what’ is being done and ‘why’, while planning focuses on ‘how’ and ‘when’ tasks will be accomplished. A goal represents the desired outcome of the entire process.
- Goals establish a desired future outcome,
- That outcome typically represents a problem to solve,
- Strategy shows a high-level solution for that problem,
- Plan is a detailed set of low-level steps for getting the solution done.
A good strategy is not merely a goal or a broad objective; it provides a solution to a problem defined by a goal. (Image source: Alex H Smith)
Effective strategy necessitates deliberate, often difficult, decisions regarding actions to take and, critically, actions to avoid, along with their justifications.
Business Strategy
UX strategy operates within a larger context; it must inform and support product strategy while aligning with overall business strategy. These terms can often be confusing, so clarification is beneficial.
Fundamentally, business strategy involves the specific decisions made by executives to differentiate a company from its rivals. These decisions define the company’s market positioning, objectives, and, crucially, its competitive advantage.
The impact of UX should not be underestimated, as it influences various aspects of the Business Model Canvas, including user segments, relationships, channels, activities, and revenue streams.
This competitive advantage is typically gained in two primary ways: through offering lower prices (cost leadership) or through differentiation. Differentiation is not about simply being unique, but about being perceived distinctly by the target audience. This is precisely where UX makes a significant impact.
In short, business strategy is:
- A top-line vision, basis for core offers,
- Shapes positioning, goals, competitive advantage,
- Must always adapt to the market to keep a competitive advantage.
Product Strategy
Product strategy translates high-level business direction into a product’s unique market positioning. It clarifies what the product is, its target users, and its contribution to business objectives. This strategy also outlines how a product is introduced to the market, fosters growth, and achieves product-market fit.
In short, product strategy is:
- Unique positioning and value of a product,
- How to establish and keep a product in the marketplace,
- How to keep competitive advantage of the product.
UX Strategy
UX strategy focuses on shaping and delivering product value through user experience. An effective UX strategy is always rooted in UX research and addresses business requirements. It defines areas of focus, high-value actions, success metrics, and, significantly, the risks that require mitigation.
Projects inherently carry numerous risks, with unknown dependencies being a common example.
Crucially, UX strategy is not a rigid plan or a fixed set of deliverables; instead, it serves as a flexible guide that informs actions and must adapt as circumstances evolve.
UX Strategy comprises Vision, Goals, and a Plan, with tactical steps forming part of the execution. (Image source: nngroup.com)
In summary, UX strategy encompasses:
- How product value is shaped and delivered via UX,
- Defined priorities, focus with rationale, actions, metrics, and risks,
- It is not a roadmap, an intention, or a list of deliverables.
Six Key Components of UX Strategy
The influence of effective UX often lies in differentiation. This refers not to how inherently ‘different’ an experience is, but to the unique perceived value users associate with it. This value is derived from a clear, frictionless, accessible, fast, and reliable product experience.
UX strategy is most effective during discovery phases and when facing high levels of risk and uncertainty.
To ensure strategic UX work yields impact and avoids incorrect assumptions, it is beneficial to incorporate six key components:
- Target goalThe desired, improved future state of UX.
- User segmentsPrimary users that are being considered.
- PrioritiesWhat will and, crucially, what will not be done, and why.
- High-value actionsHow value is driven and user and business needs are met.
- FeasibilityRealistic assessment of people, processes, and resources.
- RisksBottlenecks, blockers, legacy constraints, big unknowns.
It is important to recognize the danger of designing a product for everyone. As Jamie Levy observed, an overly broad approach too early can diminish the impact of design and messaging. A more effective strategy typically involves starting with a specific, well-defined user segment and then expanding, rather than the reverse.
Practical Example (by Alin Buda)
A UX strategy does not necessarily require a lengthy 40-page PDF report or a detailed presentation. Alin Buda once provided an excellent example of a concise UX strategy in a LinkedIn comment:
UX Strategy (for Q4)
This UX strategy focuses on high-friction workflows for expert users, rather than casual usability improvements. This is because retention in this area is driven by power-user efficiency, which aligns with the growth model.
To achieve this, workflow accelerators and decision-support tools will be designed to reduce time-on-task, including a redesign of legacy flows in the Crux system. UI refinements or onboarding tours will not be prioritized, as they do not significantly impact this context.
An example of a concise UX strategy, demonstrating it does not require a lengthy PDF report.
UX strategy is most effective during discovery phases and when facing high levels of risk and uncertainty.
This example highlights the value of conciseness and clarity. Achieving such precision requires considerable effort but provides a very clear overview of actions, non-actions, focus areas, and how to drive value.
Wrapping Up
To effectively advocate for UX work with senior leadership, it is best presented as a direct contributor to differentiation. This involves more than just aesthetic changes; it’s about elevating perceived value.
The Elements of Product Design begin with mapping reality into the problem space, a critical aspect and a cornerstone of UX Strategy. (Image source: Jamie Mill)
An effective strategy connects UX improvements to measurable business outcomes. It avoids discussions of design patterns, consistency, or component organization, instead focusing on the language of product and business strategy: OKRs, costs, revenue, business metrics, and objectives.
Design can succeed without a strategy. As Sun Tzu wisely stated, strategy without tactics is the slowest path to victory, while tactics without strategy lead to defeat.
Useful Resources
- “UX Strategy: Definition and Components”, Sarah Gibbons, Anna Kaley
- “UX Strategy: Study Guide”, Sarah Gibbons, Anna Kaley
-
(video), Jared Spool
- “How To Develop An Effective UX Strategy”, Chloé Garnham
- The Little Book Of Strategy (free PDF), Peter Bihr
- “Enterprise UX Strategy”, Cassandra Naji
- “UX Strategy Guide” + Blueprint (Template), Alex Souza
- Product Strategy Playbooks
- UX Strategy, Jaime Levy
