User Experience Design Goes Agile in Lean Transformation -- A Case Study

This paper describes the results of a single-case case study, exploring the role of user experience (UX) work in agile software development. The case study company is a large multinational telecommunication company undergoing a lean transformation process. In this case, lean transformation includes the adoption of agile software development practices. Transformation to agile practices had taken place one year prior to the analysis. The analysis is based on documentation analysis and semi-structured interviews of seven software development professionals. The results show that there were difficulties integrating UX design and software engineering work in an agile and iterative manner. The transition process succeeded in shifting UX and related documentation to a central planning role. The roles of the UX designers in the teams were still under re-definition. There was also a clear need to establish new ways of collaboration between UX professionals and software designers.