Actions Taken

Shifting from Software Features to User-Centric Workflows

Redefining the UX Research Approach

I communicated the need for the team to pivot from identifying individual use cases to defining complete user workflows based on research insights. This involved analyzing how users interact with their systems and identifying their broader goals, tasks, and pain points throughout the interaction with the product. By taking a high-level view we ensured our research was scalable and aligned with long-term objectives of hardware platform development.

We identified key jobs-to-be-done by the product, maintaining a high-level focus to capture the overarching intent behind system use or purchase.

These jobs were then translated into visual workflows, detailing user sub-goals, tasks, environments, configurations, and pain points. These user workflows became a blueprint for platform architects, enabling them to understand how users engaged with their systems holistically.

Aligning Research with Key Satisfaction Drivers

To ensure the shift was effective, I guided the team in identifying the core drivers of user satisfaction within each workflow. By moving away from homegrown software solutions, we focused on how hardware architecture could influence user satisfaction, allowing our technical partners to make informed decisions based on user experience needs.

Focusing on Future User Needs

With hardware platforms taking years to reach the market, it was critical to future-proof our recommendations. I coached the team to look beyond present day needs by considering ecosystem directions shaping tomorrow’s user experiences. Team members expanded their toolkit to include desk research on industry trends and expert interviews to ground our user workflows in emerging directions. This ensured the hardware architecture changes would not only address current satisfaction drivers, but also anticipate future user demands.