How I can help your organization make an impact
Design research
The key to new design opportunities is identifying unmet needs through careful observation. Scope can range from national or international studies to spending a couple of days going deep with a handful of thoughtfully selected participants.
Activities often include:
Define what we want to learn
Decide who we will learn from, and what methods we will use
Develop recruiting screener describing the participants we want to recruit
Create a plan for transfer of existing client knowledge, and for tapping into inspiration from parallel spaces
Coordinate efforts of regional recruiting agencies to line up research participants
Coordinate additional human factors researchers from network of IDEO alumni, for coverage in essentially all markets as needed
Develop a discussion guide to provoke inspiring conversations
Conduct user observation/interview sessions, gather learnings
If desired, photograph and/or film sessions for later use in communication deliverables
Strategy + ideation
I’m interested in making information actionable, and have worked on methods and tools for making this transparent, collaborative, and effective. This can involve client collaboration in the form of a one or two-day synthesis and ideation workshop. We can even stand 6 feet apart.
Activities often include:
Synthesize observations/learnings (also integrating existing client research) into design opportunities and topics for ideation — can be highly collaborative with client if desired
Initial ideation — can be highly collaborative with client if desired
Develop communication piece communicating opportunities, insights and initial ideas
Protoyping + storytelling, detailed UX design
Ideas live or die by the strength of the stories surrounding them. At this stage, strategy is brought to life with images, storyboards, and/or films depicting key moments in the future user experience. These are useful for internal communication, sharing with partners, and for user feedback.
Example prototyping/storytelling approaches can include:
Rapidly generated user scenario storyboards
Rapid screen-based prototypes, which can be shown to internal stakeholders and users for feedback/testing to inform iteration. Sophistication can range from simple and quick to fully functional.
One or more short films that simulate the future user experiences we are envisioning. These can be produced surprisingly efficiently and they can make a real impact. I have produced short films for clients including Instagram, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, City of Santa Monica and more.
Small film production and photography capabilities include:
Script and storyboard development
Casting
Custom models/props/practical effects development
Location scouting and access
Suitable cameras/lenses/motion control equipment
1080p or 4k workflow/deliverables
Editing and color grading
Audio engineering
Access to additional resources as needed (additional writers, producers, 3D modelling/animation, motion graphics, etc)
Detailed UX design deliverables can include:
Detailed looks-like/works-like prototypes
User testing
Assistance accessing technology partners and technical resources
Design specification documentation
Collaboration/consultation with engineering team during implementation
Design reviews as offering is implemented
