What are the most common challenges when collaborating with stakeholders outside of UX?

We know everyone has a defined role in the team with their objectives in place and often see people placing them above everything else. I mean it's good that someone is focused on delivering something but this often results in neglecting the collective goal that the team is trying to achieve. I have seen people viewing UX as just lip gloss and code delivery to be the actual end goal. I have seen people ticking their delivery goals rather than the quality of what they delivered. And this happens when people focus more on what they need to finish for work rather than what impact that work would create. We can align the team with the shared objectives through advocacy of UX and their work as a collective output.

When I work with people outside of User Experience (UX), I face challenges. They may not understand design well, causing misunderstandings. Different departments have conflicting goals, making it hard to agree on designs. Coordinating timelines with other departments can lead to rushed designs or delays. Some prioritize business goals over user needs, resulting in less effective designs. People often resist trying new design methods. Clear communication is key to overcoming these challenges. We need to find common goals and prioritize what users need. Successful collaboration depends on understanding each other and focusing on user experience ;)

The way non-UX stakeholders understand UX and its impact defines how the product would turn out to be. A team that clearly understands the impact of picking the right UX methods and processes always builds an edge on what they deliver. For example, in the hurry to deliver more software modules, project managers often overlook the importance of usability testing and different levels of analytics that can make products better through feedback. Even during the research phase, many project managers do not opt for an iterative model of research. It is felt that one round would serve for years to come. We can fix that by bridging the knowledge gap of UX impact and the impact of diminishing UX processes in the long run.

When giving feedback on work or design: ✅Give feedback promptly. ✅ Use concrete examples. ✅ Focus on the work, not the person. ✅ Use descriptive language. ✅ Balance feedback with positive comments. ✅ Encourage dialogue and collaboration.

Well, when we design for the masses we often get feedback that is conflicting and many times quite vague. Stakeholders can just say they don't like it or the design doesn't pop enough. And as a UX designer, you would face it, a lot. Now such vague feedback often comes from a lack of understanding of the core objectives and more from personal bias. But as a designer we always need to be open and all ears. Sometimes vague or conflicting feedback may indicate a different mental model of the users or stakeholders. But we can tackle these by reflecting on the design with its objectives and through data that we get from user testing and analytics. We as a designer should strive to craft data-backed designs yet be open to new avenues.

In my experience, the challenges of conflicting or ambiguous feedback from non-UX stakeholders can be effectively overcome by Define Roles and Responsibilities: Clarify that while all feedback is valuable, the UX team will make final design decisions based on expertise and best practices. Stakeholders provide input, but the UX team integrates this input into a cohesive design strategy. Seek Specific and Constructive Feedback: For example, ask the marketing team what they mean by "striking design" and request examples. Ask the sales team to specify which features they think are unnecessary. Use Data and Evidence: Present user research, analytics, and case studies to support your design decisions.

One of the main obstacles I face is resistance to change or trying to do something differently. Client often assume that good UX means keeping things as-is because users are used to it, they just assume that change is bad because there is a learning curve involved. The solution to this is to refer to data rather than opinions or expertise until you build a trusting relationship. Data and examples are hard to dispute but opinions are debatable, especially if you have a client that does not grasp UX or has a biased business perspective, or simply believe in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - show them the value of change, and take it step by step, don't try to fix all at once, start with the small, easy steps and gain trust along the way.

➡️➡️➡️ Collaborating with stakeholders can affect a project in different ways, such as reducing the quality of the design output and user satisfaction, increasing costs and risks, and delaying delivery and launch. Stakeholders outside UX who need help understanding or appreciating the value of UX design can cause poor design decisions, unrealistic requirements, and conflicting goals. Competing priorities or resource constraints can cause delays or disruptions in the design process, leading to additional costs and risks. Communication breakdowns or reluctance to share information can hinder progress and collaboration, leading to delays, confusion, and missed opportunities.