Why: Understanding a challenge from the point of view of the user, is the first step to solving it. And user research helps us get there!
This entails diving deep to understand the viewpoints, behaviors, motivations, and barriers of users, frontline staff as well as key stakeholders.
How: I use a range of research methods, such as:
Ethnographic research
Observations
Interviews
Surveys
Research workshops
Oftentimes, rather than sticking to a template or a tool, which is not quite right for the job, it is better to ask: “What do we want to learn from this?” and then design custom research tools for the specific project.
Outcome: My research helps identify pain points and problems, as well as moments of delight and areas of opportunity.
This enables a deep and well-rounded customer understanding. This is a solid basis - evidence, really - to confidently make strategic decisions.
Why: 300 research findings on post-it notes are not actionable. But, one key opportunity area is!
That’s why connecting dots, spotting patterns and finding nuggets of insight are the essential next steps.
How: I crystalize the unfiltered research findings into more visual representations, such as:
User journeys
Personas
Stakeholder maps
Design principles
Service blueprints
Outcome: These visualizations help identify the most critical pieces of information and are powerful tools when it comes to communicating insights to the wider organization.
They are key in aligning stakeholders and making sure the whole team understands where action needs to be taken.
Why: I help my clients imagine and map out what alternative futures and scenarios could look like.
I use the insights from the research phase to guide my designs.
In addition to that, I work closely with stakeholders, users, and frontline staff by frequently collecting their feedback and creating with them.
This helps me to ensure that the designs and prototypes not only work for customers but are also realistic and sustainable to deliver.
How: I use a variety of design and co-creation methods. Among them are:
Storyboards
UX Mockups
Flow charts
Co-creation workshops
Usability testing
Interactive prototypes
Outcome: By creating and testing concepts, value propositions, and designs, I help my clients create products and services that put a smile on their users’ faces.