Strategy and planning

Strategy and planning need to take place before visual design can begin.

Task	Owned by
Facilitate regular check-ins Bring the team together, discuss progress, plan for work ahead and help to remove any blockers.	DM* / PD
Maintain the risk register The risk register is a living document and it must be updated at the start and end of each phase of the project. Updates should be communicated to the team and the client.	DM* / PD
Maintain the high level project plan Give the team an outline of the key milestones, client deadlines and dependencies based on the big picture refinement and planning sessions.	DM* / PD
Update the forecast sheet Ensure we have an accurate view of the budget spend by regularly updating the forecast sheet with actuals from Harvest and any updates to the team’s scheduled time.	DM* / PD
Share deliverables with the team and client Ensure the team and client have easy access to documents and deliverables, showing that we are meeting expectations and delivering what was agreed by the team.	DM* / PD
Nurture the client relationship Ensure there is good communication and transparency with the client throughout the project. Agree on a regular cadence to check in on the client outside of team ceremonies.	DM / PD*
Update the roadmap Regularly revisit the roadmap as the team learns more. Ensure it reflects our current understanding of users, needs and priorities. Identify, challenge and remove anything in the roadmap that does not add value.	DM / PD*
Provide clear scope for areas of lower risk and higher confidence Understand which areas have the lowest risk and highest confidence and help the team benefit from existing patterns and prior art, allowing them to focus on areas where new insight will have the most impact.	DM / PD*
Build alignment between the client and the team Ask questions to help build alignment, probe findings, explore the impact of new insights and clarify problems to solve. Encourage collaboration and help to facilitate effective communication between the client and the team.	DM / PD*
Highlight new strategic opportunities to explore Help clients think about their next steps after the current project is completed, ensuring they build on their progress in a user centred way. Advocate for the wider strategy by highlighting insights that show where there are relevant new opportunities. Input from a Service Designer can be valuable here.	PD / HCD Lead*
Plan further research and experimentation Understand areas of higher risk and lower confidence, and focus further research on these areas. This ensures research and design effort is deployed where it will have the greatest impact on the end product.	User Researcher
Integrate discovery insights Ensure the insights and understanding learned from discovery are well integrated into strategy, content and planning outcomes.	Information Architect
Create a shared understanding Ensure the whole team and the client have a shared understanding of the client’s domain, the terminology used and the conceptual scope of the project.	Information Architect
Define how content will be organised, structured and labelled Help users find information and complete tasks by ensuring content is organised and labelled in a logical and easy to understand way.	Content Designer
Test information architecture ideas and proposals Learn how users interact with and understand the proposed site organisation, structure and labelling. Use these insights to inform further iterations.	Content Designer
Develop content best practices Understand how target audiences engage with content and how to best tailor content to meet their needs. Document findings as a set of content guidelines or best practices.	Content Designer
Create exemplar content Draft exemplar content for key page or content types, showing best practices and the proposed approach to structure and language. These pieces can be used by Interaction Designers to help inform initial designs, and for testing designs and content with users.	Content Strategist
Understand the organization's business strategy Gain a clear understanding of the organisation’s overarching business strategy by reading documentation and speaking to key stakeholders.	Content Strategist
Propose a strategic direction for content Turn user research, insights and stakeholder input into a strategic direction for content.	Content Strategist
Develop a content strategy Work with the client and wider team to develop and refine a clearly documented content strategy.	Content Strategist
Define technologies and map out the system architecture Capture and convey the significant architectural decisions which are being proposed to ensure we are making the right choices. Tasks may include: draft system architecture diagram.	Tech Lead
Investigate third party integrations and their readiness Check that we have the appropriate level of access, documentation and awareness around any constraints and associated risks ahead of implementation. Tasks may include: looking into spikes into documentation, API's and access.	Tech Lead
Formulate a content migration plan Understand the complexities of the data and content to be migrated, including how much work is required and what the potential complications are. If needed, investigate the feasibility of alternative (non code) solutions that might be more cost effective.	Tech Lead
Complete a DPIA Ensure that individuals' data is stored and processed in accordance with the GDPR and data security.	Tech Lead
Share the technical solution with the client Ensure the client has a shared understanding of the technical solution and is happy to progress.	Tech Lead
Explore technical feasibility and validate outputs Check the proposed solution is balanced against both user and business needs. This ensures we responsibly spend the client budget, and on outcomes that deliver the biggest return. Tasks may include: producing technical design.	Tech Lead
Define and document the hosting infrastructure Document the hosting infrastructure and supporting services. Evaluate budget for set up and the ongoing support of the infrastructure.	Tech Lead
Set measurable goals Work with the client team to create and implement a meaningful measurement plan. This enables us to spot areas which aren't performing as expected, or where there is a need for further investigation and research to achieve the impact the client is looking for.	DM / PD*

Task

Owned by

Facilitate regular check-ins

Bring the team together, discuss progress, plan for work ahead and help to remove any blockers.

DM* / PD

Maintain the risk register

The risk register is a living document and it must be updated at the start and end of each phase of the project. Updates should be communicated to the team and the client.

DM* / PD

Maintain the high level project plan

Give the team an outline of the key milestones, client deadlines and dependencies based on the big picture refinement and planning sessions.

DM* / PD

Update the forecast sheet

Ensure we have an accurate view of the budget spend by regularly updating the forecast sheet with actuals from Harvest and any updates to the team’s scheduled time.

DM* / PD

Share deliverables with the team and client

Ensure the team and client have easy access to documents and deliverables, showing that we are meeting expectations and delivering what was agreed by the team.

DM* / PD

Nurture the client relationship

Ensure there is good communication and transparency with the client throughout the project. Agree on a regular cadence to check in on the client outside of team ceremonies.

DM / PD*

Update the roadmap

Regularly revisit the roadmap as the team learns more. Ensure it reflects our current understanding of users, needs and priorities. Identify, challenge and remove anything in the roadmap that does not add value.

DM / PD*

Provide clear scope for areas of lower risk and higher confidence Understand which areas have the lowest risk and highest confidence and help the team benefit from existing patterns and prior art, allowing them to focus on areas where new insight will have the most impact.

DM / PD*

Build alignment between the client and the team

Ask questions to help build alignment, probe findings, explore the impact of new insights and clarify problems to solve. Encourage collaboration and help to facilitate effective communication between the client and the team.

DM / PD*

Highlight new strategic opportunities to explore

Help clients think about their next steps after the current project is completed, ensuring they build on their progress in a user centred way. Advocate for the wider strategy by highlighting insights that show where there are relevant new opportunities.

Input from a Service Designer can be valuable here.

PD / HCD Lead*

Plan further research and experimentation

Understand areas of higher risk and lower confidence, and focus further research on these areas.

This ensures research and design effort is deployed where it will have the greatest impact on the end product.

User Researcher

Integrate discovery insights

Ensure the insights and understanding learned from discovery are well integrated into strategy, content and planning outcomes.

Information Architect

Create a shared understanding Ensure the whole team and the client have a shared understanding of the client’s domain, the terminology used and the conceptual scope of the project.

Information Architect

Define how content will be organised, structured and labelled

Help users find information and complete tasks by ensuring content is organised and labelled in a logical and easy to understand way.

Content Designer

Test information architecture ideas and proposals

Learn how users interact with and understand the proposed site organisation, structure and labelling. Use these insights to inform further iterations.

Content Designer

Develop content best practices Understand how target audiences engage with content and how to best tailor content to meet their needs. Document findings as a set of content guidelines or best practices.

Content Designer

Create exemplar content

Draft exemplar content for key page or content types, showing best practices and the proposed approach to structure and language.

These pieces can be used by Interaction Designers to help inform initial designs, and for testing designs and content with users.

Content Strategist

Understand the organization's business strategy

Gain a clear understanding of the organisation’s overarching business strategy by reading documentation and speaking to key stakeholders.

Content Strategist

Propose a strategic direction for content

Turn user research, insights and stakeholder input into a strategic direction for content.

Content Strategist

Develop a content strategy

Work with the client and wider team to develop and refine a clearly documented content strategy.

Content Strategist

Define technologies and map out the system architecture

Capture and convey the significant architectural decisions which are being proposed to ensure we are making the right choices.

Tasks may include: draft system architecture diagram.

Tech Lead

Investigate third party integrations and their readiness

Check that we have the appropriate level of access, documentation and awareness around any constraints and associated risks ahead of implementation.

Tasks may include: looking into spikes into documentation, API's and access.

Tech Lead

Formulate a content migration plan

Understand the complexities of the data and content to be migrated, including how much work is required and what the potential complications are. If needed, investigate the feasibility of alternative (non code) solutions that might be more cost effective.

Tech Lead

Complete a DPIA

Ensure that individuals' data is stored and processed in accordance with the GDPR and data security.

Tech Lead

Share the technical solution with the client

Ensure the client has a shared understanding of the technical solution and is happy to progress.

Tech Lead

Explore technical feasibility and validate outputs

Check the proposed solution is balanced against both user and business needs. This ensures we responsibly spend the client budget, and on outcomes that deliver the biggest return.

Tasks may include: producing technical design.

Tech Lead

Define and document the hosting infrastructure

Document the hosting infrastructure and supporting services. Evaluate budget for set up and the ongoing support of the infrastructure.

Tech Lead

Set measurable goals

Work with the client team to create and implement a meaningful measurement plan.

This enables us to spot areas which aren't performing as expected, or where there is a need for further investigation and research to achieve the impact the client is looking for.

DM / PD*

Recommended