User-Centered Agile Methods (Synthesis Lectures on Human-Centered Informatics) - Softcover

Beyer, Hugh

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3032039738 ISBN 13: 9783032039736

Publisher: Springer, 2025

Synopsis

This book is an up-to-date exploration of the relationship between user-centered design and Agile development. It offers readers a framework for understanding how user-centered design fits into the overall structure of an Agile project, from deciding what to build through delivery. While the dust may have settled somewhat in the 10 years since the first edition examined the impact of Agile methods on user-centered design, the proper relationship between user research, UX design, specification, and development continues to be a matter of debate. Readers unfamiliar with Agile development will find an orientation to the Agile approach, providing insight into how Agile can both hinder and invite more in-depth user involvement. The book also briefly considers the other side of the equation—the current state of the UX field, the challenges UX designers face, and how UX is working to improve product design. This book is particularly written for the UX practitioners who find themselves struggling to use their unique insights to transform the product and delight the customer, given the constraints of Agile development. It will also benefit the developers, product managers, and other stakeholders who work with such UX teams and have an interest in getting the most out of them.

About this title

About the Author

Hugh Beyer has been one of the pioneers of the user experience (UX) field since 1990. He is the co-author of Contextual Design, a foundational text in UX research and practice. Prior to his work in UX, he was a developer at Digital Equipment Corporation, where he gained experience that has informed his work with UX ever since. Since 2004, he has pioneered the integration of UX with Agile methods through writing, consulting, and direct participation. He is now the chief product officer of Cohealo, Inc., where he continues to advance the strategic alignment of UX, Agile development, and product management.

From the Back Cover

This book is an up-to-date exploration of the relationship between user-centered design and Agile development. It offers readers a framework for understanding how user-centered design fits into the overall structure of an Agile project, from deciding what to build through delivery. While the dust may have settled somewhat in the 10 years since the first edition examined the impact of Agile methods on user-centered design, the proper relationship between user research, UX design, specification, and development continues to be a matter of debate. Readers unfamiliar with Agile development will find an orientation to the Agile approach, providing insight into how Agile can both hinder and invite more in-depth user involvement. The book also briefly considers the other side of the equation—the current state of the UX field, the challenges UX designers face, and how UX is working to improve product design. This book is particularly written for the UX practitioners who find themselves struggling to use their unique insights to transform the product and delight the customer, given the constraints of Agile development. It will also benefit the developers, product managers, and other stakeholders who work with such UX teams and have an interest in getting the most out of them.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3032039738
• ISBN 13: 9783032039736
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 104