An ever expanding list of concepts, tools and resources for simplifying experiences.
Problem statement
A concise explanation of the real problem to be solved and the desired outcome. Problem statements set the boundaries to focus discovery activities and the search for solutions.
Stakeholder mapping
An approach for figuring out the different groups of people who will be involved or impacted by the piece of work you are doing to inform how and when you will engage with them throughout your project.
Stakeholder workshops
Facilitated sessions focused on a specific task (such as identifying the key steps in the customer journey or eliciting subject-matter expertise) to build context, empathy and understanding of the problem-to-be-solved.
Interviews
Semi-structured interviews held with stakeholders or people who represent the target audience. Used to build understanding of their needs and develop empathy with the way they see and live in the world.
Focus groups
Facilitated discussions held amongst groups of people representative of your target audience to explore their aspirations, motivations, perceptions and views around a subject area to help build empathy and understanding.
User shadowing
Accompanying users over a period of time to observe them in their own day-to-day environments to see how they carry out their tasks or interact with a product or service.
Service safari
Where team members use the existing service and immerse themselves in the experience to understand and build empathy with users.
Jobs to be done (JTBD)
Also known as ‘Customer Jobs’, JTBD describe the outcomes that users want to reach. To achieve their outcome, a users will have specific tasks or ‘jobs’ and they will often make use of products or services to help them complete them.
Usability testing
Testing carried out with users to identify barriers and issues that prevent them from easily completing their journey through a product or service.
Personas
Used to describe your target audience (normally in terms of demographic details such as age, gender, location, occupation, etc), so that teams can begin to relate to the people they are building a service for.
Customer lifecycle mapping
A way of showing the different points where a customer will engage, use and eventually churn from the products and services you offer.
Surveys and questionnaires
A relatively quick way to capture feedback and insights about your target users.
Data analysis
Querying and modelling data (including web analytics, CRM, procured third party data, market research) to gain insights and improve decision making.
Customer journey map
A way to visualise the entire journey your customers or users will go through to reach their desired outcomes. Using a customer journey map enables you to see where your product or service fits into the overall journey to ensure a smooth connection. A journey map can also be used to identify problem areas that are impacting the user experience.