When people think about user experience (UX)  they often think about big research studies or highly polished design systems. And sure, there’s a time and place for that. But in our experience, some of the best user experience work happens when we stay flexible and scrappy.

At Rocket55, we’ve seen over and over that rigid UX processes don’t always lead to the best outcomes. Clients have a wide variety of needs. It just doesn’t work to shoehorn a process to fit every client. Instead, we listen closely to clients and adapt to what we learn. This keeps things in motion and results in better outcomes for a client.

Break the Process

Every project starts with a plan and a process. That plan usually includes timelines, research goals and deliverables. But real UX work begins when you start asking questions like:

  • What do users actually need?
  • What’s frustrating them right now?
  • Where am I wrong in my assumptions?

When you let yourself follow the breadcrumbs you can home in on the work that actually needs to be done. What competitors should we look at in our competitor analysis? Do we need to deep dive on an interactive experience? Does the website currently have a content or design issue? Both?

By asking questions you avoid chasing the perfect process. You instead focus on finding the right answers and adapting your process to get you there.

Show Work Early and Often

Putting rough ideas in front of other team members or clients sparks way more useful feedback than waiting until something is fully baked. It might start as something rough or unfinished like a wireframe or a prototype. That’s okay! The point is to share it and learn from the response.

This approach not only helps the design evolve faster, it also makes clients feel part of the process. They can see the thinking and react to real ideas. When iterations improve over time, they can feel like a valuable part of the process. It’s more collaborative and often more effective.

Focus on Outcomes, Not Outputs

Not every client needs a six-week research phase or a multi-week UX audit. Being scrappy means we’re not locked into one way of working. We scale our approach to match the needs of the moment without losing sight of what really matters: solving problems for users and helping our clients grow.

At the end of the day, our job isn’t to produce the prettiest wireframes or the most detailed user flows. Our job is to make things work better for real people. That’s why we prioritize adaptability. If something isn’t working, we change it. If a new insight surfaces, we pivot. We don’t stick to a plan just because it’s written down. We follow the data, users and results.

Scrappy = Better

To be clear: being scrappy doesn’t mean cutting corners. It means being smart with your time and your energy. It’s about knowing when to dig deep and when to move fast. And it’s about keeping the focus on what matters most: building experiences that help users and drive business success.

So yes, do scrappy UX. But do it with intention and with a willingness to adjust as you learn. Because scrappy UX is better UX.

Curious how a more adaptive UX approach could work for you? Let’s talk.