Refresh Conference 2024

In my conference talk at the Refresh Conference 2024, I shared a reflective case study on the tools and methods we used to guide the UX team through breaking points. The key takeaway was the importance of communicating the actual value that design creates for our customers and business. This talk was specifically designed for design and product leads who are interested in integrating design work with business metrics.

UX maturity

Once again, I will return to the benefits of evaluating and using UX maturity within your organization. And especially how to use Awareness, Processes, and Outcomes to drive your team’s efforts and growth.

Awareness is essential but passive and low in value without appreciation and support.

Value chain

Let’s delve into the strategic role of UX design in the value chain. While the beautifully crafted UI components, screens, and prototypes are the visible outputs of the design team, they are just a part of the story. The value chain begins with a strategic business decision that guides all product development and culminates in a product that is delivered and recognized by the customer. UX design, a pivotal link in this chain, directly shapes the product’s success, customer satisfaction, and business outcomes. This underscores the strategic importance of your work as design and product leads.

Process model

Driven by the insights from UX maturity, we documented the design team’s process at a nuanced level. This systematic approach allowed us to evaluate each action’s value, dependencies, and measurements. The immediate benefit of this model was finally understanding the causes of wasteful delays. We also have easy-to-follow “recipes” for new design projects’ setup in project management software. This documentation is not just a formality but a strategic tool that helps us improve and deliver valuable outcomes.

Metrics

Without a mature enough UX team and organization-wide support, your efforts are limited in setting up processes and delivering valuable outcomes. It’s an egg and chicken situation where you must drive, lead, and show the future. Identify the most strategic metrics that illustrate the influence of the UX team. These metrics should not be mere numbers, but strategic indicators connected with organizational goals, financial outcomes, customer satisfaction, and meaningful analytical data. Be cautious not to introduce vanity metrics. This reiterates the importance of your role as design and product leads in driving meaningful outcomes.

For example, we are currently exploring customer journeys sliced into distinct phases. Each phase has a set of metrics to collect customers’ satisfaction, business outcomes, and technical performance.

In a conversation with Rene Rumberg, I covered some more ground about value and metrics Shifting From Pixels to Experience: Esko Lehtme’s Strategic Approach to Evaluating UX-Design and Customer Experience at SEB Baltics.

This presentation was a sequel to a presentation at Refresh 2023.