Behavior-led Design Approach
Align your product experience to your customers’ buying and usage journeys for consistent growth
Innovations are a given...
but how we adapt to them are not..
Online (nascent)
Mobile (Nascent) Online (Integrated)
Mobile (Integrated)
Digital-First
Platform-less
Changing customer journeys
Some behaviors change with technology
Aisle-browsing
Aisle-browsing
Download Music
Stream Music
Social Connection
Social Validation
Webinars
Podcasts
Summarize
Edit AI-summaries
Others don’t change at all
Low Rates/Prices
Same
Instant Gratification
Same
Self-expression
Same
Convenience (Desire)
Same
FOMO driven Curiosity
Same
Most customer journeys are irrational but...
but how we adapt to them are not..
..predictably irrational
At work or play, we chase fads, shiny objects and always-elusive silver bullets – with the same goal. Achieving our goals faster so we can do what we really enjoy.
But our irrationality is quite predictable.
We all leave the office at 2 on Friday to beat the weekend traffic.
We hunt for hours trying to find a CD with a higher rate that will net us an extra hundred. Only to then spend more on a phone upgrade we don’t need.
Understanding the hidden motivations
By understanding underlying motivations and triggers, you can build high-performing user experiences
For example you might not have the best CD rate, but highlighting your no-penalty withdrawal – directed at our job insecurity – might tip the scales.
My approach to User Experience Design
1. Clarify the Business Why & Why Now
Key Goals
- Identify the gap between ‘what it is’ and ‘what could be’.
- Define a north star for big decisions that follow
Key Activities
- Understand goals, business processes, team culture, skillsets and constraints
- Analyze data and competitors for gaps and opportunities
- Map current user – and employee – journeys
- Uncover opportunities hidden from our competitors
2. Uncover the User ‘Why’ and ‘Why Not’
Key Goals
- Uncover hidden frustrations, desires and irrational behaviors behind buying and usage journeys
- Share insights that shifts mindsets and gives us a competitive edge
Key Activities
- Conduct in-depth user research and surveys to understand behaviors
- Map patterns to uncover triggers and barriers
- Create simple yin-yang personas to overcome biases, create curiosity and simplify decision-making
3. Create Behavioral UX Concepts & Strategy
Key Goals
- Understand the gap between ‘what it is’ and ‘what could be’.
- Understand business processes, skillsets, team culture and mindsets
Key Activities
- Understand goals, business processes, team culture, skillsets and constraints
- Analyze data and competitors for gaps and opportunities
- Map current user – and employee – journeys
- Uncover opportunities hidden from our competitors
Get in Touch
Decision-making insights. No strings attached.
4. Design the User Experience
Key Goals
- Understand the gap between ‘what it is’ and ‘what could be’.
- Understand business processes, skillsets, team culture and mindsets
Key Activities
- Understand goals, business processes, team culture, skillsets and constraints
- Analyze data and competitors for gaps and opportunities
- Map current user – and employee – journeys
- Uncover opportunities hidden from our competitors
5. Validate and Refine
Key Goals
- Understand the gap between ‘what it is’ and ‘what could be’.
- Understand business processes, skillsets, team culture and mindsets
Key Activities
- Understand goals, business processes, team culture, skillsets and constraints
- Analyze data and competitors for gaps and opportunities
- Map current user – and employee – journeys
- Uncover opportunities hidden from our competitors
AI < > UX Integration
I experiment and refine workflows and artifacts. My goal is to find hidden gems, insights and efficiencies.
The models are getting better. Sometimes the results astound me.
Here’s what I’ve dabbled in so far:
Onboarding
- Industry Reports, Trends – discovery, analysis
- Refine domain-specific stakeholder questions
Behavior
- Industry Reports, Trends – discovery, analysis
- Refine domain-specific stakeholder questions
Strategy & Design
- Review Strategy, positioning for gaps, unexpected insights
- Test content organization
- Card sorts (Navigation)
- Upcoming: Figma > Fully Interactive prototypes
User Testing
- Participant selection from candidates
- Script analysis
- Interview summaries with quotes, key insights and anecdotes
- Secondary analysis: Sentiment, Quotes, Free text, Contrarian
- Findings <> Summaries (Bias elimination)
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