A documentary photo of the team hard at work exploring wireframe options.
A documentary photo of the team hard at work exploring wireframe options.

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In UX, documentation is key

Take lots of pictures, save pdfs, do screen recordings, and don’t forget to back up your files

Eva Schicker
7 min readApr 20, 2023

Recently, I was approached by a client to put together a case study of the project we were working on. It came as a surprise. We never talked about composing a case study. But now, my client’s wish to showcase the project’s process was real.

It presented an amazing opportunity to dig into the library of all research and design papers.

The importance of documentation is often overlooked. Especially in UX, designers involved in the long process of research to ideation, designing to prototyping, testing and iterating, cannot find the time to document the collaborative and creative effort the whole team puts forth to make the project happen.

Time crunches, deadlines, stress, tiredness all contribute to forgo good documentation.

However, solid documentation of each phase is key when it comes time to showcasing the project. With a few easy-to-adapt habits, we can build a foundational document library throughout the project’s evolution.

Take lots of pictures of your team‘s progress

Use your phone and take pictures and videos. As often as possible.

A documentary photo of a team member hard at work outlining user tasks and flows on an app design in progress.
A documentary photo of a team member hard at work outlining user tasks and flows on an app design in progress.
A documentary photo of the team meeting in a design studio workshop. Everyone is participating in designing wireframes.
A documentary photo of the team meeting in a design studio workshop. Everyone is participating in designing wireframes.

Bonus: This type of documentary engagement applies to other project areas in life as well. Are you building something in your studio? Are you working out in the gym? Document your progress. It will help in the long-run.

The importance of a case study

Crafting a case study of a UX project is the ultimate presentation opportunity for your project. It’s the reason why the Initial Problem Statement (IPS) made it all the way to the…

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Eva Schicker
Eva Schicker

Written by Eva Schicker

Hello. I write about UX, UI, AI, animation, tech, fiction, art, & travel through the eyes of a designer & painter. I live in NYC. Author of Princess Lailya.

Responses (2)

Record your research

The designs