Initially, the team was given approximately one month to develop a new design. As the lead researcher, my role was to provide the product and design teams with actionable insights that informed the design process.

Both the design and architecture were influenced by their future integration with Salesforce CRM and ongoing team restructuring. To establish a solid plan moving forward, the first step was to leverage existing resources and knowledge. I organized kickoff meetings and conducted a series of individual stakeholder interviews as needed.

The research journey began with stakeholder meetings to understand:

• Stakeholder Expectations
• Target users
• Business and Technical Context – What technical constraints or dependencies should we be aware of?
• How the notification system fits into the roadmap of the new ecosystem?

Although I was new to working with the three groups (VDI, notification app, and HR), who were already familiar with each other, I brought a fresh perspective. I connected the dots between them by bringing all the key players together in one room and gathering the following insights.

1. Target Users: Align on who they are and outline a plan for reaching out to them.
2. Technical: Weight in on UX patterns and design systems and the resources for implementation
3. Time: Understand the current state and the roadmap of each project and ensuring we stay in sync with each other on timelines.

Due to the constraints that were identified, I got the green light for an additional two months for the UX team to deliver the project. I also defined the criteria for our target user groups and gathered the necessary information to start drafting a discussion guide for research.

Key research goals include:

• Identify target user groups and their work habits from the resource allocation change.
• Understand the nuances and scenarios of the notification system within the CRM ecosystem.
• Gather attitudinal feedback and pain points regarding the existing application, as well as preferences for potential changes.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of prototypes.

Focus Group:

Even with the extended timeline,  the process of vetting the core users in our case was challenging. I set out to recruit mainly two core user groups with a few additional roles to make sure I have all my bases covered.

For the qualitative and attitudinal research, I conducted four focus groups with a mix of these user groups. This approach saved time and allowed for dynamic interactions among multiple roles, providing well-rounded insights. Some of the key takeaways from the focus group include:

1. Overcoming Tool-Specific Ecosystem Challenges and Desired Workarounds:
   • The new ecosystem posed significant challenges, with the amount of information shared across multiple apps creating inefficiencies. This highlighted the need for versatile product options and a seamless user journey.
   • Current workarounds revealed a desire for features that prioritize work effectively.
2. Addressing Product Knowledge and Communication Gaps:
   • Users facing the most challenges with the tool often lacked product knowledge, leading to user errors.
   • Different from what we expected, the users’ team structure rather than user role significantly influenced how they use the notification system.
   • The new team structures demand extensive communication on roles and responsibilities.

Focus group discussions revealed that the enterprise tool was seen as part of a larger user journey rather than a standalone tool. The introduction of the new ecosystem added complexity, with teams seeking solutions to simplify their workflows and prioritize tasks effectively. 

With the two firm priorities underway, users utilized the notification system differently based on their roles and team structures, resulting in varying preferences for the prototypes. The focus groups helped us narrow down from four prototypes to two. We identified patterns of user preference based on the team structure scenarios and the teams they support.

The insights led us to usability studies. Once we gathered the qualitative information, we were one step closer to the final prototype. Although we were on track with the research plan, it didn’t justify conducting 1-on-1 usability sessions. Instead, I decided to continue with a click test on UserZoom, accompanied by after-test questionnaires.

Click-Test Usability Study goals:

• Cross-check the preferences expressed by users in the focus groups with their actual behavior in the click test.
• Measure user success rate and time to click.
• Evaluate user perceived success and satisfaction.
• Assesse the design’s effectiveness.

This method is quick, concrete, and provides quantitative data on user behaviors. I administered the test for about two weeks, achieving a response rate of approximately 15% (40 users).

The result indicated a significant design opportunity.

In one of the prototypes, we observed a 90% failure rate in user clicks, highlighting significant challenges in locating or interacting with the intended elements and emphasizing the need for substantial usability improvements. Interestingly, an unintended area on the same prototype attracted nearly 100% user engagement, reflecting its perceived efficiency and user preference. Additionally, we captured valuable insights into users’ preferences for secondary features. These findings provided the product and design team with the confidence to finalize the prototype, which was subsequently handed off to the development team.

Beyond the notification app, the findings revealed broader insights into how team structures influence member behavior and the workarounds they create. We also identified that the new ecosystem introduced additional challenges in tool usability, underscoring the importance of offering versatile product options and ensuring a seamless user journey across platforms.

We had a final demo with the executive division leaders, and they were pleased with the insights and how we brought to the table.

Strategic Impact​s

• By gaining a deeper understanding of the firm-wide priorities through actual stakeholder engagement, we comprehended the ripple effects of their roadmap and became more proactive in our UX and product roadmaps and priorities. 
• These also efforts established a solid foundation and provided a detailed playbook for the portfolio to reference in the future.

Stakeholder collaboration Impacts

• Focused on working smarter, not harder! Along the way, we met with other UX teams and Design Thinking teams to leverage existing knowledge and form a communication channel for a better, more cohesive user experience across different platforms. 
• Demonstrated that UX research is a strategic partner to product and business units.

Product/Team Impacts

• Invited collaboration with different UX and product teams to keep work honest and flexible for any expected changes
• Exceeded the original request by providing high-level direction for new features.
• Supported the ongoing development and adaptation of products for the months and years to come.

• Collaborate with Product Teams and SMEs: Teaming up with product teams and SMEs really helped us get up to speed with domain knowledge and find the right users. What seemed like an overwhelmingly daunting request became possible with their support.
• Secure Buy-In: Individual discussions with team leads before broader presentations help secure buy-in.

• Trust Your Gut: Trust your instincts about the amount of time needed for research. Share the research plan with your team to avoid surprises, always buffer time for unforeseen challenges but stay flexible for what makes sense.
• Leverage Existing Knowledge: Don’t reinvent the wheel! Design patterns and prior knowledge often exist, and someone can provide insights on how users feel about them. Emphasize synergy and leverage existing knowledge and resources for collective success.

As a UX researcher supporting the Pendo Center of Excellence (COE) team and other product teams, I noticed recurring pain points during agile retrospectives: the team’s bandwidth was stretched thin when simple requests turned into urgent fires.

The SharePoint intake form captured only surface-level details, often leading to misaligned expectations and last-minute adjustments.

To address this, I proposed a UX discovery exercise to better understand project requests, clarify technical and UX requirements, and assess urgency and impact. The goal was to foster a shared understanding among teams, boost engagement, and support intentional, data-driven decision-making.

The visuals on this page were tweaked due to confidentiality.

• Identify and articulate the key problems and needs behind project requests.
• Improve the effectiveness and intentionality of Pendo implementations.
• Foster data-driven decision-making for both Pendo and requesting teams.
• Enhance team engagement and ownership of projects.

Problem Statement Discovery

Leveraging Nielsen Norman Group’s problem statement discovery framework, I expanded on the initial intake form with more questions, similar to the 5Ws, to dig deeper into the request’s context. Some questions included:

• What is the current strategy(UX, Pendo, etc)?
• What assumptions are we making?
• What are the key impacts and problems?

The team may have one or more topics. Once we gather most of the answers to the questions, or the team feels they have a solid understanding of the background, current state, and impact of the problem, it’s time to construct the problem statement.

Goal Setting

To help teams set measurable goals, I included questions aimed at defining OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and related metrics. This ensured both the Pendo COE team and product teams could gauge the success of the implementation and make necessary adjustments.

Brainstorming

The final part of the exercise involved brainstorming solutions for identified problems or opportunities. This collaborative approach helped uncover user segments, needs, pain points, and success measures.

Taking a Step Back to Move Forward

With the interest gathered, I identified three product teams within the Pendo partnership that were eager to try out the discovery excercise. Each team set up sessions to complete the exercise or planned to revisit it when starting new projects. One product team, undergoing revolutionary changes, served as the first “beta user.” The PM, UX, and technical leads participated the workshop to share their roadmap, objectives, and stakeholders. At the end of the exercise, both Pendo and the product teams were pleased with presenting everything in an accessible format that allowed everyone involved to strategize solutions without any blind spots. By reflecting on the bigger picture, both teams decided that progress is best achieved by taking a step back to review their OKRs and roadmap before making additional requests to the Pendo team. This helped the Pendo COE team to have a more realistic timeline of the requests, enabling them to allocate resources for this product in future PI planning more effectively.

An unexpected use for the Content Strategy Team
The content strategy team also showed interest for UX discovery exercise as well. After a content strategist advocated for its use, the Content Strategy Director reached out personally to leverage the board for their team. Given their limited number of strategists and the overwhelming volume of requests, the team often struggled to manage resources effectively. I walked them through the board, suggesting adaptations for their specific use case. 

Enhanced Team Engagement and Strategic Decision-Making

The Mural Board significantly boosted team engagement and ownership of project requests by involving members in the detailed discovery process. This approach ensured that Pendo requests were intentional, preventing the misuse of guides as quick fixes and promoting thoughtful, strategic implementations. Additionally, the comprehensive information gathered empowered both the Pendo team and requesters to make data-driven decisions, ensuring a clear understanding of the project’s urgency and impact for more informed actions.

Feedback from beta groups led to several enhancements, including:

• Adding optional questions to cater to different use cases.
• Establishing ground rules for initial questions to maintain focus.
• Introducing an opportunity statement option.

Product-Level Improvements
By ensuring alignment and a clear understanding of the project’s urgency and requirements, the UX Discovery board and workshop helped the product team solve the right problems at the right time. This alignment was key to avoiding blind spots and ensuring strategic focus.

Process Improvements
Streamlined the project intake process for the Pendo COE team and proved adaptable for various other teams. It polished our resource allocation process and demonstrated its value across different use cases, encouraging broader adoption.

Strategic Alignment
The exercise promoted setting measurable goals and tracking progress, which was crucial for maintaining agility amidst overwhelming requests. This strategic alignment ensured that projects were continuously evaluated and adjusted, leading to more effective and intentional outcomes.

When proposing new processes or initiatives, share your work with a small group of trusted allies to gather genuine feedback and extend its impact. Treat your research methods like a product by testing them with different teams to accommodate varying needs, ensuring flexibility and respecting their timeline. Remember, even a great process may not work if the team isn’t ready to engage openly.

The rollout of a wealth management tool was a significant initiative for the client. The product team wanted to ensure that new users could adopt the product effortlessly. They aimed to integrate tutorials and in-context guides throughout the content to assist users, but they wanted to avoid creating too much clutter or adding to the cognitive load. Since traditional call support was expensive, the Pendo Center of Excellence(COE) team and I collaborated with the product team to update the existing guides, making the product more user-friendly while reducing support call volume.

The visuals on this page were tweaked due to confidentiality.

Our mission was to find the most user-friendly way to present these educational resources. We had a few key questions in mind:

• Were existing text links guides being used effectively? 
• Which option best balanced discovery and cognitive load?
• Which format would boost engagement?

The setup required collaboration between our team and other product and UX teams. We segmented the right users using insights from participatory science and some creative experimentation with Pendo, as there wasn’t an off-the-shelf solution for testing multiple resources.

Using Pendo’s in-context guides, we conducted an A/B test across over 20 educational resources with about 2,500 new users. Divided into two groups over a three-week period, we analyzed the top five key resources to compare results.

The analysis revealed some interesting patterns. Icons initially drew more attention, but text links led to higher engagement levels. This suggested that while icons might attract users, text links provide clearer information about the content, resulting in deeper interaction. Given that our educational resources were part of a cost that adds up to over $x00,000/ annually, optimizing their effectiveness directly impacts the bottom line.

The potential cost savings of keeping the text link outweigh the benefits of switching to icon-only resources. However, considering the number of resources being added and the recent launch of the wealth management platform, we collectively decided to take a balanced approach, using a mix of text and icon resources where appropriate.

Research Impact​s

Setting a Precedent with Innovative Testing Approach:  This project was the first to use Pendo for extensive A/B testing, overcoming technology constraints. The approach enhanced our research and set a new standard for future projects, demonstrating an advanced methodology in UX research and the use of Pendo.

Strategic Impact

The success of this testing strategy has paved the way for new collaborations and use cases between product teams, UX, and the Pendo COE, promoting data-driven, evidence-based design and decision-making processes.

Product and Financial Impacts

The insights from the A/B test revealed valuable information on how design could impact the bottom line, directly influencing the product’s success and operational costs.

• Collaborative Approach: While operational costs alone might seem sufficient to make a decision, it’s essential to consider the overall impact by inviting stakeholders for feedback. This approach is crucial for gaining broader support and fostering creative solutions.
• Effective Solution: You will always capture attention and develop effective recommendations when you tie your results to numbers and the bottom line.

• Embracing Experimentation: Initially, this project seemed like it wouldn’t be worth the time to engineer the testing. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the team and I learned from using Pendo, collaborating, and analyzing the results. These insights led to valuable follow-up conversations.

Key goals include:

• Identify target user groups and their work habits from the resource allocation change.
• Understand the nuances and scenarios of the notification system within the CRM ecosystem.
• Gather attitudinal feedback and pain points regarding the existing application, as well as preferences for potential changes.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of prototypes.

When the request landed on my virtual desk, the team was given less than one month to deliver the solution. Initial research had been done, and the product team believed that suggestions from a few users would be sufficient for decision-making.

I obtained a list of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from a few initial kickoff meetings and quickly scheduled stakeholder meetings. Because the notification system is part of a complicated ecosystem, stakeholders were spread across several different teams, including other product teams and several business units.

Stakeholder Meetings:

The technical change was inevitable, but how to implement it would have a ripple effect on the users’ success in transitioning to the firm-wide priorities. Our research journey began with stakeholder meetings to understand:

• How the notification system fits into the roadmap of the new ecosystem.
• The team member role structure from the resource allocation project and how it affects users’ ways of working.

Really, just trying to sort through a plate of spaghetti 

Through rounds of discussions (some ongoing during the research period), we distinguished facts from assumptions. I realigned with my product team to plan the research activities for the next 2-3 months. We established three main constraints:

1. Access to Users: Due to the dynamic nature of the firm’s priorities and numerous dependencies, identifying users with the key attributes was challenging. Learning about the role structure and recruiting real users proved more difficult than anticipated.
2. Time: The technical change was part of a larger ecosystem roadmap, and we were initially given a very tight timeline to support the change.
3. Technical: The design pattern could either follow the current low-risk design or adopt forward-looking design patterns matching other applications, risking a high learning curve for users.

Collaborating closely with stakeholders, we were able to pinpoint our target user group and craft a discussion guide that addressed the right questions.

Focus Group:

Even with the extended timeline,  the process of vetting the core users in our case was challenging. I set out to recruit mainly two core user groups with a few additional roles to make sure I have all my bases covered.

For the qualitative and attitudinal research, I conducted four focus groups with a mix of these user groups. This approach saved time and allowed for dynamic interactions among multiple roles, providing well-rounded insights. Some of the key takeaways from the focus group include:

1. Overcoming Tool-Specific Ecosystem Challenges and Desired Workarounds:
   • The new ecosystem posed significant challenges, with the amount of information shared across multiple apps creating inefficiencies. This highlighted the need for versatile product options and a seamless user journey.
   • Current workarounds revealed a desire for features that prioritize work effectively.
2. Addressing Product Knowledge and Communication Gaps:
   • Users facing the most challenges with the tool often lacked product knowledge, leading to user errors.
   • Different from what we expected, the users’ team structure rather than user role significantly influenced how they use the notification system.
   • The new team structures demand extensive communication on roles and responsibilities.

The insights led us to usability studies. Once we gathered the qualitative information, we were one step closer to the final prototype. Although we were on track with the research plan, it didn’t justify conducting 1-on-1 usability interviews. Instead, I decided to continue with a click test on UserZoom, accompanied by after-test questionnaires.

Click-Test Usability Study goals:

• Cross-check the preferences expressed by users in the focus groups with their actual behavior in the click test.
• Measure user success rate and time to click.
• Evaluate user perceived success and satisfaction.
• Assesse the design’s effectiveness.

This method is quick, concrete, and provides quantitative data on user behaviors. I administered the test for about two weeks, achieving a response rate of approximately 15% (40 users).

The result indicated a significant design opportunity.

In one of the prototypes, we observed a 90% failure rate in user clicks, indicating significant challenges in finding or interacting with the intended elements and underscoring the need for substantial usability improvements. Conversely, another area received overwhelming user engagement, demonstrating its preference and perceived efficiency. Additionally, we captured users’ preferences for secondary features. These findings were instrumental in giving the design team confidence in the final prototype, which was then handed off to the development team.

Overall, the findings went beyond the notification app, shedding light on how team structures influence member behavior and the workarounds they devise. We discovered that the new ecosystem posed additional challenges in using the tool, emphasizing the need for versatile product options and a seamless user journey across different platforms.

We had a final demo with the executive division leaders, and they were pleased with the insights and how we brought to the table.

Strategic Impact​s

• By gaining a deeper understanding of the firm-wide priorities through actual stakeholder engagement, we comprehended the ripple effects of their roadmap and became more proactive in our UX and product roadmaps and priorities. 
• These also efforts established a solid foundation and provided a detailed playbook for the portfolio to reference in the future.

Stakeholder collaboration Impacts

• Focused on working smarter, not harder! Along the way, we met with other UX teams and Design Thinking teams to leverage existing knowledge and form a communication channel for a better, more cohesive user experience across different platforms. 
• Demonstrated that UX research is a strategic partner to product and business units.

Product/Team Impacts

• Invited collaboration with different UX and product teams to keep work honest and flexible for any expected changes
• Exceeded the original request by providing high-level direction for new features.
• Supported the ongoing development and adaptation of products for the months and years to come.

• Collaborate with Product Teams and SMEs: Teaming up with product teams and SMEs really helped us get up to speed with domain knowledge and find the right users. What seemed like an overwhelmingly daunting request became possible with their support.
• Secure Buy-In: Individual discussions with team leads before broader presentations help secure buy-in.

• Trust Your Gut: Trust your instincts about the amount of time needed for research. Share the research plan with your team to avoid surprises, always buffer time for unforeseen challenges but stay flexible for what makes sense.
• Leverage Existing Knowledge: Don’t reinvent the wheel! Design patterns and prior knowledge often exist, and someone can provide insights on how users feel about them. Emphasize synergy and leverage existing knowledge and resources for collective success.