Key Problem:

The existing team was comprised of a Voice of the Consumer Analyst, UX designers and researchers, and site taxonomists. The organization was collecting behavioral and qualitative data in the form of web analytics, VOC listening posts and support logs. This data was having little impact on improving the experience for the consumer. Though the team was reporting NPS (Net Promotor Score) - there was not a clear connection between consumer experience and business success so it was difficult to demonstrate the value of CX and UX work.

Work:

During my 30 day onboarding process, I evaluated the team using a survey mechanism that gathered feedback from stakeholders as well as team members. Additionally I conducted interviews with major stakeholders and all the team members. The output articulated the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities for improvement and threats to the team.

Evaluate team effectiveness

This analysis was not surprising, but provided a framework for improvement. We got to work.

Team Vision

As a result of the evaluation analysis the team came together in workshops to establish a mission statement and a vision for how they would accomplish their mission. This document became the framework for me to manage up to executive stakeholders - communicating what we do and how we ladder up to the goals of the organization. It also served as a framework for the team to decide how to work with the development team and the site operations team.

Communication

I got to work on communicating what the team does, how they work and how to engage.

What competencies do we use to do our work?

Measurement is strategy

An important part of our work was to establish a framework for measurements. The executive team was already using NPS as a way to measure consumer satisfaction - we added metrics to complete the story and tie to hard business goals - such as revenue.

Research follows a process

Most importantly, I established a rigor and practice for UX Research and VOC analysis. Educating leadership on the process helped me obtain budget for tools and headcount.

We use different methods

Mixed method approach allows us to atomize insights to have impact

As we developed a competency with tools and mixed method research, we started to atomize insights using a research repository tool. That allowed us to demonstrate insight traceability to multiple methods and experiments, driving prioritization for focused improvements.

How to work with us

We also established a way to conduct research within a framework that aligned with the development team’s work stream approach. We established a set of Research Sagas and Epics that were strategically aligned with corporate goals and allowed space for longer generative research projects while containing more tactical studies that support designers and solution engineers.

The team, now comprised of 3 UX Researchers (design / qualitative), 2 Voice of the Consumer Analysts (quantitative), 4 UX designers began integrating their work into value streams that allowed for a discovery or POC work stream while design and delivery of feature requests and experience optimization is happening.

I communicated to the organization how to engage with the team so that we could be involved and provide value to the organization. Once we aligned to the ticketing system, we began to get requests.

Impact:

We have a correlation between NPS and business impact. 

• Rolling launches of onsite improvements to the consumers’ experience are starting to show a positive impact that can be measured as UX metrics and business results.

• Product manufacturing is engaging UX Research to help to understand specific product experiences for consumers who have returned items.

• After the first 6 months of the program, the team was given budget to add remote usability testing capabilities, consumer panel management, and stipends for participants.   

• Site operations has asked UX Research to do concept testing and develop requirements around “virtual try-on” capabilities that were approved in the LRP budget for 2023