^ [[4 PM2-Agile Themes]] # 4.1 Lean UX The **Lean start-up model** described in section 2.3 “Continuous Improvement & Validated Learning” is a **key enabler of the continuous improvement and validated learning activities**. It strongly **influences Lean UX**, another cornerstone of PM2-Agile. The **Lean start-up model supports the Lean UX process in PM2-Agile** through: - removing development waste with UX design; - harmonising the relationships between the Agile Project Core Team (A-PCT) and the rest of the stakeholders; - shifting mindsets from assumption to experimentation. Lean UX helps all participating stakeholders to understand the process and the importance of involving everyone throughout all PM2 phases. It focuses on the principle that requirements are assumptions that the Agile Project Core Team (A-PCT) needs to validate before start developing. Development takes time and effort to reach the level of marketable product required to gain learning and bring business value. Therefore, rapid prototypes establish the appropriate learning that enables the team to move forward. The motto is that no-code prototypes foster a common understanding, continuous improvement and validated learning among team members and stakeholders. Design blocks provide the basis to challenge and validate assumptions as well as help developing MVPs. Lean UX ensures that all key elements described in section 2.3 ‘Continuous Improvement & Validated Learning’ are taken into consideration when building an MVP. The 4 steps of the Lean UX process have been adapted and integrated seamlessly in the PM2-Agile lifecycle, with a key focus on the Initiating and the Executing phases. This integration is further detailed in the following sections: ![[4.1 The PM2-Agile Lean UX process.png]] **Incept assumptions and research** This step plays a pivotal role both in the Initiating phase of PM2 (as the foundation to help defining requirements) and in the Executing phase (at operational level as Design Blocks). During the Initiating phase, co-creation sessions with the stakeholders will take place to give them the opportunity to ideate and express their expectations, organisational goals and create common understanding. This inception of ideas, assumptions, will drive the future requirements and consider several alternative solutions by analysing their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis), as described in the Business Case. The team can then visualise the solution's ecosystem and proceed to move forward with a first MVP if the project is approved. During the Executing phase, Design Blocks are also used in every iteration to revisit the hypotheses of the relevant features and (re)ensure common understanding. As changes in the solution context may occur and learning from previous iterations surfaces, this exercise plays a very important role in keeping the expectations aligned while ensuring common understanding. **Create a Validated Prototype** Lean UX suggests that rapid prototypes are essential because there is barely development effort that might delay validated learning, and thus, create waste. During the Executing phase (supported by the iterative nature of PM2-Agile), the Agile Project Core Team (A-PCT) reviews assumptions and hypotheses and then uses Design Blocks to develop and validate low-fidelity prototypes with the stakeholders. When the team and the stakeholders reach a common agreement, UI designers develop high-fidelity prototypes and take them back to the stakeholders and users for validation. Once this occurs, the prototype is ready to be deployed. **Deploy a Prototype** In this third step, and following the common understanding and agreement between the business stakeholders and the Agile Project Core Team (A-PCT), the prototyped experience is deployed. Note that the act of deploying doesn’t necessarily imply a technical deployment. The goal is to freeze an experiment that is ready to be taken to the next step and be used as a validated learning tool. **Evaluate and Learn** After deploying the high-fidelity prototype, real and objective evidence becomes available as a mean to assist the entire team validating the hypotheses that were formulated. This evidence generates objective learning that is used to support decision-making, including to pivot or persevere over a feature, a set of features or even the entire solution. When persevering, the preparatory work will allow Agile Team Members (ATeMs) to start building the specific elements of the solution as part of their work in the following iterations. Agile Team Members (ATeMs) facilitate usability testing, user and stakeholder interviews. These sessions are open to everyone and allow the team to test if the hypotheses assumed are aligned with business stakeholders and users' expectations. This activity can either be an informal feedback session or a key ceremony in PM2-Agile, such as an Iteration Review or a Release Planning meeting. The Lean UX mindset is focused on co-creation and supports the PM2-Agile Themes. By bringing together Agile teams and stakeholders, they continuously engage and progressively validate the digital solutions delivery in terms of planning, coordination and reporting, requirements, etc. `>`[[4.2 Planning]]