User Experience professionals have a plethora of knowledge from a variety of disciplines: psychology, human-computer interaction, graphic design and cognitive science. However, one essential area is often overlooked - business. In this presentation, Ashley will outline how to integrate business thinking into your UX work in order to influence decision makers and be seen as a thought leader at your company.

1. The Business of UX
Ashley Wrobel, MBA
Senior UX Manager, Manifest Digital
10.24.2014

2. MY STORY

3. QUESTIONS
WHAT HAS LED TO THE BUSINESS
PROBLEMS TODAY?
HOW CAN WE FIX THE UX –
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP ON OUR
TEAMS?
HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY WORK ON A
DAILY BASIS?

4. WH AT H A S L E D TO T H E B U S I N E S S
P R O B L EMS O F TO D AY ?

5. 6 ERAS OF
BUSINESS
1776 1777 1851 1891 1921 1990
COLONIAL
PERIOD
INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
AGE OF
INDUSTRIAL
ENTREPRENEURS
PRODUCTION
ERA
MARKETING
ERA
RELATIONSHIP
ERA

6. STARBUCKS

7. ROLE OF THE
MAKER
1776 1777 1851 1891 1921 1990
BUSINESS
=
DESIGNER
MAKER
=
DESIGNER
=
BUSINESS
BUSINESS BUSINESS
?
Supporting Decision-Maker
DESIGNER
MAKER
DESIGNER
- MAKER
- - -
MAKER
BUSINESS
=
DESIGNER
MAKER
-
ROLE

8. DESIGN ROI
http://www.dmi.org/blogpost/1093220/dmi-Dialog?tag=design+valuation
8

9. SATISFACTION
ROI
http://www.theacsi.org/national-economic-indicator/financial-indicator
9

10. BUSINESS
CHANGE
EXAMPLE
Large Company
Mid-Sized Company
Start Up

11. DISCONNECT
ONLY 3% OF COMPANIES SUCCEED IN
DELIVERING AN EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE –
ONE THAT WOULD SET THEM APART FROM
COMPETITORS.
FORRESTER REPORTS

12. H OW C A N WE F I X T H E U X -
B U S I N E S S R E L AT I O N S H I P O N O U R
T E AMS ?

13. USER-CENTERED
DESIGN
THE BEST DESIGNED
PRODUCTS AND
SERVICES RESULT FROM
UNDERSTANDING THE
NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE
WHO WILL USE THEM
DESIGN COUNCIL

14. BUSINESS
CENTERED
APPROACH
DESIGNING USER
INTERFACES WITH A
FOCUS OF CREATING
THE HIGHEST
BUSINESS-UX
ALIGNMENT
POSSIBLE.

15. WHY PROJECTS
FAIL
• UNREALISTIC OR UNARTICULATED PROJECT GOALS
• BADLY DEFINED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
• UNMANAGED RISKS
• POOR COMMUNICATION AMONG CUSTOMERS,
2005 http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/why-software-fails
DEVELOPERS, AND USERS

16. POINTS FOR
CHANGE
1. Explaining the value of UX
2. Presenting clear project ROI
3. Incorporating rationale that
supports business goals
4. Addressing reasons for
change
5. Collaborating with business

17. H OW C A N I F I X T H E U X - B U S I N E S S
R E L AT I O N S H I P A S A N I N D I V I D U A L ?

18. A PROJECT
STARBUCKS.COM
HOLIDAY DRINKS PROJECT
A new specialty coffee & tea for the
holidays to be sold online only

19. PROJECT PATH
DISCOVERY DESIGN BUILD
Area of
focus

20. UNDERSTAND
BUSINESS
GOALS
Business Goal:
Create $X Revenue on Holiday Coffee & Tea
Items during 2014 Holiday Season
UX Goals:
• Items should be easily discoverable
• Purchasing process must be simple
• Product benefits and limitations must be
clear

21. ASK THE RIGHT
QUESTIONS
Business Goal:
Create $X Revenue on Holiday Coffee & Tea
Items during 2014 Holiday Season
UX Questions:
• What was was the revenue from similar
projects?
• How long did they run for?
• Where did they go wrong?
• Where did they go right?

22. MAP
DELIVERABLES
Business Goal:
Create $X Revenue on Holiday Coffee & Tea
Items during 2014 Holiday Season

23. DETERMINE THE
IMPACT
Business Goal:
Create $X Revenue on Holiday Coffee & Tea
Items during 2014 Holiday Season
What pages have historically impacted
revenue of new items the most?
• Home - 60%
• Product Description Page – 28%
• Product Matrix Page – 10%
• Shopping Cart – 2%

24. MEASURE &
MAP
OBJBuEsinessC Goal: TIVES
Create $X Revenue on Holiday Coffee & Tea
Items during 2014 Holiday Season
Poor Average Excellent
Current State Future State
Measurements
• Increased revenue on new holiday items
• Increased Customer Satisfaction
http://uxmag.com/articles/communicating-the-ux-value-proposition

25. ADD
OBJECTIVES TO
WIREFRAMES
Business Goal:
Create $X Revenue on Holiday Coffee & Tea
Items during 2014 Holiday Season
Page: Homepage
Project Impact: 60%
Page Goal(s):
• Items should be easily
discoverable
• Product benefits and limitations
must be clear

26. SHOW RESULTS
Business Goal:
Create $X Revenue on Holiday Coffee & Tea
Items during 2014 Holiday Season
Business Measurements
• Increased revenue: 15%
• Increased Customer
Satisfaction: 10%
Poor Average Excellent
current
state
future
state
Proposed Change in Revenue
UX Goals
• Items are easily discoverable
• Product benefits and
limitations are clear

27. S TA R T IMP R O V I N G N OW

28. RESOURCES
• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/09/
13/the-s-m-a-r-t-user-experience-strategy/
• http://disciullodesign.wordpress.com/2011/12
/08/6-steps-for-measuring-success-on-ux-projects/
• http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/
2011/11/22/how-to-boost-your-credibility-at-work/
• http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/esta
blishing-credibility.html
• http://uxmag.com/articles/communicating-the-
ux-value-proposition
• http://furniturehistory.wikispaces.com/Home+
Furnishings+Industry+Timeline
• Experience Design: A Framework for Integrating
Brand, Experience, and Value (Book)
• Communicating the UX Value Proposition
http://uxmag.com/articles/communicating-the-ux-value-proposition
• Design is a Job (Book)
http://www.abookapart.com/products/design-is-a-job
• Mapping Business Value to UX
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/11/mappin g-business-
value-to-ux-part-2.php
• How Design & UX Translate to the Bottom Line
http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/11/23/ho
w-design-and-user-experience-translates-to-the-bottom-line/

29. Questions
Ashley.Wrobel@manifestdigital.com
Twitter: ActuallyW