Chapter (2)
My Case Studies
Case study: Persuading stakeholders: Driving a strategic shift in user research approach
Background
A client tasked me with running usability testing on a newly developed journey. However, several challenges indicated that usability testing alone would not provide meaningful insights or solve core user problems.Challenges
- The last discovery was conducted eight years ago.
- User groups were poorly defined, and personas focused on job roles rather than behaviours.
- The system had been re-platformed twice without a solid understanding of how users’ working methods had evolved since the pandemic.
- The problem space remained inadequately defined.
- Broader stakeholders were not aligned on the strategic approach.
- There was a limited budget for research and a fully resourced team.
- Underdeveloped screens were being subjected to usability testing.
Impact
- Successfully persuaded stakeholders to shift from a business-led approach to a user-centred one.
- Facilitated strategic alignment among broader stakeholders through the creation of a well-defined problem statement.
- Gained stakeholder buy-in to expand the research scope from usability testing to discovery.
Approach
1. Understand stakeholders and their perspectives
- Conducted one-to-one stakeholder interviews to gather requirements.
- Mapped out stakeholders’ priorities and influence levels to identify key decision-makers.
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Discovered misalignment between stakeholders regarding the research approach (discovery vs. evaluative research)
- Identified gaps in stakeholders’ understanding of users.
2. Provide evidence to support a change in scope
- Reviewed existing research to highlight knowledge gaps.
- Analysed product usage data to challenge assumptions about the target audience.
- Assessed the existing approach against GOV.UK guidelines and highlighted inconsistencies.
- Convened wider stakeholders from different disciplines to discuss their views.
- Presented findings from preliminary research and gap analysis.
- Mapped out the assumed user landscape to refine user groups.
- Facilitated discussions to prioritise user problems based on impact.
- Developed an overarching problem statement reflecting both user and business needs.
- Documented key assumptions and defined success criteria.
Methods
- Workshop sessions designed and led using Lucid, a collaborative whiteboard tool.
Collaboration
- Engineers & developers,
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product managers,
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service owner,
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data analytics team,
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policy team,
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scrum master,
- UX designer.
Deliverables
- Overarching problem statement,
- map of unmet user needs,
- prioritisation of user needs,
- strategic research roadmap,
- workshop pack (ppt).