Research & Personas
Some companies are reluctant to conduct user research. They feel certain they know their users already, but too often this is not the case. Usually they know their market very well but – you and I know — that’s not the same thing. Below are examples of a couple of times when doing the research paid off.
PROJECT
CSM corporate website redesign
Industry: Corporate real estate
My role
I wore a lot of hats on this project:
User research & stakeholder interviews
Persona development
UX design
UI design & art direction
Manage offshore development team
Research findings
Some of the most illuminating data came from the entry-level jobseekers. We found the security questions within the client’s online jobs app betrayed a lack of cultural and socioeconomic awareness. For instance, not all cultures keep pets, and thus asking someone their “favorite pet’s name” is meaningless. Likewise, requiring an entry-level candidate to provide a salary history is an insurmountable barrier. Conversely, upper management candidates are unwilling to fill out long online job forms.
User personas based on research and interviews. Click to enlarge.
“This stuff is as much brain as it is heart. It’s data + empathy.”
PROJECT
Resideo IPO
Industry: Consumer/Industrial Electronics and Manufacturing
When you’re doing an IPO, the pressure is on. Big time. Keep your eye on the ball, especially when you’re playing a whole new game with all new players.
A different user base
The client team was very well accustomed to producing consumer-facing digital. So was our agency. But when this team had to pivot to a completely different – and very specific – audience, we all needed reminders of whose interests we were bound to serve, i.e. investors and the media.
Broad scope personas
These personas were composed as broad strokes to keep content and design teams – as well as product owners – focused on which audiences mattered. “Joanne” and “Robert” settled a lot of internal arguments. They also functioned as general epics.