Designing simple, robust & elegant human experiences


By Senior User Experience Designer - Natalie O'Rourke




My design process

Discovering the "Job to be done"

The "Job to be done" (JTBD) Theory of Innovation is a revolutionary concept developed by Clayton Christensen (One of my professors at Harvard Business School Online). It guides toward innovation and helps to move beyond the norm. A JTBD is not a product, service, or a specific solution; it's the higher purpose for which customers buy products, services, and solutions. It's based on an emotional goal of an individual.

Any project is a journey. It begins with discovering, reframing the problem our customers have and turning it into an opportunity to improve their product. Empathising with the customer, clearly identifying the "Job to be done" and providing the right solution for the right problem defines success of any product.

Design process

Empathise


Step number one and the goal of my UX research is to gain as much information as possible about the customer and the problem we can solve for them. Design is problem solving. I usually combine qualitative and quantitative methods to identify or confirm a problem. From standard usability metrics (Effectiveness, Task completion, Error rate, Efficiency and Satisfaction) to Google's HEART metrics frame work (Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, and Task success.)

Define


Based on field studies, interviewing or observing customers running their day, I record what software they use on the job and after work. It helps in identifying behavioural patterns, mental models of the customer and what interactional conventions and information density they are comfortable with (Jacob's law). This information is used to increase learnability of the future product or a feature. Analytics data, help desk records, stakeholders interviews and market research are also helpful in building the full picture.

Ideate


When customer input is available from the day one, it makes research easier. I get everyone in one room or on the phone and run workshops. The goal is to establish UX personas, emphasy maps (do, say, think, feel), pain points, emotional gains, touch points/customer interactions with the product, business blue print, customer journeys, scenarios and card sorting activities. First sketches, napkin drawings, paper prototypes are created and ideated, based on customer's and stakeholder's feedback.

Prototype and Test


Based on the ideas and flows, discovered earlier simple low-fidelity prototypes are created. The goal to weigh the impact vs. feasibility of your ideas through feedback. A/B Testing and 3-5 questions survey is a great way to compare flows and collect feedback. Does this idea meet customer needs? If no, continue iterating and testing ideas. If yes, progress to high fidelity mockups.

Implement


I work closely with development team. I walk them through proposed design concepts, making sure there are no limitation or constrains for the design concept implementation. My skill base includes front-end development knowledge. It helps me to design addressing developer's concerns in advance. Any possible iterations to the designs can be very quickly addressed, preparing them for the development.

User feedback


Developed features are tested by real-world customers. This is my favourite step. The materialisation of ideas generated during first workshops that made their way to the final product. Seeing customers smiles while interacting with the product is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.


Case studies

CITI BANK
Leading the Evolution of banking
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HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Simplifying education
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COMMONWEALTH BANK & AGORA
Opening share trading markets
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WESTPACK BANK
Skyrocketing careers
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Other projects of interest

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