A few years back, I posed my peers the question ""Will designers lose design strategy to business strategists learning design thinking". Some said "Yes!" blaming complacency of design firms and contemporary design education. Others said "No", believing that our discipline is so unique that it can never be usurped. The answer probably lies somewhere in between. One way we can ensure the answer is "No!" is to develop strategic design techniques that provide value to business and bridge the often-wide communication gap between business and design professionals. I will share several that have been successful in my experience over the past few years at Isobar and Continuum.
Eye-Catching Web Design Crafting User Interfaces .docx
UX STRAT 2014: Brian Gillespie, "How to Avoid Losing Design Strategy to Business Strategists"
1. UX STRAT 2014
The UX Strategy Conference
Boulder, Colorado, Sept. 7-9
How to avoid losing
design strategy to
business strategists
Brian Gillespie, Independent Consultant, Strategic Design
Boston, MA
8. 8
Strategic design is…
"
The use of design processes to foster
innovation and grow business
"
9. 9
Strategic design is…
"
An integrated and holistic approach to
the design of how a company does
business
• through customer-facing touch-points
• driven by strategic business intelligence
• supporting diverse strategic goals."
"
15. Goal: White space
Critique the customer experience offered by leading competitors to gain
insights and feed design recommendations
Parity
Differentiation
Satisfaction
Advantage
Competitor Customer Experience Audit
16. Competitor Customer Experience Audit
Approach: Empathy
Customer Experience
Lifecycle
Awareness
Evaluation
Decision
Delivery
Use
Support
Loyalty
Re-purchase
Cross-sell
Competitor 1
Competitor 3
Prospective
Customer
New
Customer
Long-term
Customer Competitor 2
Customer
Persona
Persona
Goals and
Needs
Tasks &
Heuristics
Key
Competitors
17. Methodology
1! 2! 3! 4! 5!
Determine* !
key competitor !
sites** for review!
Develop !
combination !
active trader !
persona!
Model a !
customer !
experience !
lifecycle!
Identify!
strengths, !
weaknesses, !
and !
opportunities!
Simulate !
and rate !
experience !
from active !
trader !
mindset!
• Fidelity
• Ameritrade
• Schwab
• Scottrade
• E*Trade
• OptionsXpress
NOTES:
*Choices were principally
based on two sources:
-Industry research
(Corporate Insight,
JD Powers etc)
-Internal research
(June 2004)
**Only web-based, not
software-based
trading platforms
audited
Stats
• Average annual
income: $90,000
• Average assets:
$350,000
• Average trades/yr
- 120 stocks
- 72 options
- 1 mutual
funds
- 0 for bonds
• % trades with
margin: 73%
Expectations
• Execution quality
• Overall cost
• Looks for
trustworthiness,
reliability,
experience
Identified key
online
experiences
throughout the
customer
lifecycle
• Prospect
• Start of Day
• Research
• Trading
• Loyalty
Involved user
experience
design experts
and subject
matter experts
(Product
Management &
Experience Design,
Marketing, Trading,
and Customer
Experience)
Ratings and
observations
Qualitative
Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
18. Methodology
1! 2! 3! 4! 5!
Determine* !
key competitor !
sites** for review!
Develop !
combination !
active trader !
persona!
Model a !
customer !
experience !
lifecycle!
Identify!
strengths, !
weaknesses, !
and !
opportunities!
Simulate !
and rate !
experience !
from active !
trader !
mindset!
• Fidelity
• Ameritrade
• Schwab
• Scottrade
• E*Trade
• OptionsXpress
NOTES:
*Choices were principally
based on two sources:
-Industry research
(Corporate Insight,
JD Powers etc)
-Internal research
(June 2004)
**Only web-based,
not software-based
trading platforms
audited
Stats
• Average annual
income: $90,000
• Average assets:
$350,000
• Average trades/yr
- 120 stocks
- 72 options
- 1 mutual
funds
- 0 for bonds
• % trades with
margin: 73%
Expectations
• Execution quality
• Overall cost
• Looks for
trustworthiness,
reliability,
experience
Identified key
online
experiences
throughout the
customer
lifecycle
• Prospect
• Start of Day
• Research
• Trading
• Loyalty
Involved user
experience
design experts
and subject
matter experts
(Product
Management &
Experience Design,
Marketing, Trading,
and Customer
Experience)
Ratings and
observations
Qualitative
Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
19. Methodology
1! 2! 3! 4! 5!
Determine* !
key competitor !
sites** for review!
!
Develop !
combination !
active trader !
persona!
Model a !
customer !
experience !
lifecycle!
Identify!
strengths, !
weaknesses, !
and !
opportunities!
Simulate !
and rate !
experience !
from active !
trader !
mindset!
• Fidelity
• Ameritrade
• Schwab
• Scottrade
• E*Trade
• OptionsXpress
NOTES:
*Choices were principally
based on two sources:
-Industry research
(Corporate Insight,
JD Powers etc)
-Internal research
(June 2004)
**Only web-based,
not software-based
trading platforms
audited
Stats
• Average annual
income: $90,000
• Average assets:
$350,000
• Average trades/yr
- 120 stocks
- 72 options
- 1 mutual
funds
- 0 for bonds
• % trades with
margin: 73%
Expectations
• Execution quality
• Overall cost
• Looks for
trustworthiness,
reliability,
experience
Identified key
online
experiences
throughout the
customer
lifecycle
• Prospect
• Start of Day
• Research
• Trading
• Loyalty
Involved user
experience
design experts
and subject
matter experts
(Product
Management &
Experience Design,
Marketing, Trading,
and Customer
Experience)
Ratings and
observations
Qualitative
Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
20. Methodology
1! 2! 3! 4! 5!
Determine* !
key competitor !
sites** for review!
Develop !
combination !
active trader !
persona!
Model a !
customer !
experience !
lifecycle!
Identify!
strengths, !
weaknesses, !
and !
opportunities!
Simulate !
and rate !
experience !
from active !
trader !
mindset!
• Fidelity
• Ameritrade
• Schwab
• Scottrade
• E*Trade
• OptionsXpress
NOTES:
*Choices were principally
based on two sources:
-Industry research
(Corporate Insight,
JD Powers etc)
-Internal research
(June 2004)
**Only web-based,
not software-based
trading platforms
audited
Stats
• Average annual
income: $90,000
• Average assets:
$350,000
• Average trades/yr
- 120 stocks
- 72 options
- 1 mutual
funds
- 0 for bonds
• % trades with
margin: 73%
Expectations
• Execution quality
• Overall cost
• Looks for
trustworthiness,
reliability,
experience
Identified key
online
experiences
throughout the
customer
lifecycle
• Prospect
• Start of Day
• Research
• Trading
• Loyalty
Involved user
experience
design experts
and subject
matter experts
(Product
Management &
Experience Design,
Marketing, Trading,
and Customer
Experience)
Ratings and
observations
Qualitative
Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
21. Methodology
1! 2! 3! 4! 5!
Determine* !
key competitor !
sites** for review!
Develop !
combination !
active trader !
persona!
Model a !
customer !
experience !
lifecycle!
Identify!
strengths, !
weaknesses, !
and !
opportunities!
Simulate !
and rate !
experience !
from active !
trader !
mindset!
• Fidelity
• Ameritrade
• Schwab
• Scottrade
• E*Trade
• OptionsXpress
NOTES:
*Choices were principally
based on two sources:
-Industry research
(Corporate Insight,
JD Powers etc)
-Internal research
(June 2004)
**Only web-based,
not software-based
trading platforms
audited
Stats
• Average annual
income: $90,000
• Average assets:
$350,000
• Average trades/yr
- 120 stocks
- 72 options
- 1 mutual
funds
- 0 for bonds
• % trades with
margin: 73%
Expectations
• Execution quality
• Overall cost
• Looks for
trustworthiness,
reliability,
experience
Identified key
online
experiences
throughout the
customer
lifecycle
• Prospect
• Start of Day
• Research
• Trading
• Loyalty
Involved user
experience
design experts
and subject
matter experts
(Product
Management &
Experience Design,
Marketing, Trading,
and Customer
Experience)
Ratings and
observations
Qualitative
Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
23. Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Audit Artifacts
Preparation
• Instructions/Guidelines
• List of key competitors to
audit
• Definition of customer
segments articulated as a
single primary Persona or
set of Personas
• Customer Experience
Lifecycle
• Key Tasks and Task Flows
• Task Heuristics (Best
practices, best-of-breed,
industry-rated)
• Scripts
Execution
• Scores/Scorecards
• Evaluations
• Screen captures
• Raw notes
Analysis
• Strengths, Weaknesses, and
Opportunities
• Overall Opportunities –
competitive white space
• Results compilation/presentation
24. Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Preparation: Task list and flow
1. Prospect Experience!
Task 1: Assess the home page experience!
Task 2: Get information on pricing"
Task 3: Get Information on features and functionality"
Task 4: Services information"
Task 5: Trust and Reputation"
Task 6: Account application"
Declare Opportunities"
"
"
2. Loyalty Experience!
Task 1: Understand loyalty programs"
Declare Opportunities"
"
"
"
"
3. Customer Trading Experience
Part 1: Start of Trading Day
Task 1: Log in
Task 2: View account(s) summary
Task 3: Select an account/view account information
Task 4: Access money movement functionality
Task 5: View positions
Task 6: Get portfolio news
Task 7:Get portfolio alerts
Declare Opportunities
Part 2: General Research and Idea Generation
Task 1: Access the news and research
Task 2: Access research tools
Declare Opportunities
Part 3: Research to support a Strategy
Task 1: Conduct fundamental research
Task 2: Conduct technical research
Declare Opportunities
Part 4: Place a Trade
Task 1: Trade a stock
Task 2: Trade a mutual fund
Task 3: Trade an option
Task 4: Submit a trade and validate its execution
Task 5: View open orders and today’s executions page(s)
Declare Opportunities
"
Simulating
experience,
audit and
score active
trader tasks!
4!
25. Preparation: Task Heuristics
Prospect Experience
• Task 1: Assess the Home
Page Experience
– Mindset: Prospect is
considering either completely
switching brokers or adding a
secondary broker. Often the
reasons for this are
• Bad experience
• Pricing
• Website functionality doesn’t
meet AT investment strategy
needs
• Trust/Reputation
– Action: Go to Home Page
Home Page Experience
Yes
No
N/
A
Quality
Ranking/
Notes
Does the Home Page speak
principally to Active
Traders?
q q q
Is there extensive
messaging targeting the
various needs of active
traders?
q q q
Is the brand name
prominently associated with
active trading? (e.g with a
tag-line, leading line of
business)
q q q
Is there a clear call to
action to learn about your
needs?
q q q
Does the navigation
support the persona/user
needs?
q q q
Does the Home Page give
you a clear sense of the
overall contents of the site?
q q q
Do the contents appear to
focus on active traders?
q q q
Is Brokerage the principal
line of business
q q q
What other lines of
business are evident?
q q q
Category Score:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Any observations about the
strengths in this activity:
Any observations about the
weaknesses in this activity:
Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
26. Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Audit: Scoring Scheme
Score Card
Ratings are averaged and rounded into an overall score.
• 5 – The experience meets or exceeds all the criteria for best (active trader)
practices and the experience is excellent
• 4 - The experience meets or exceeds most of the criteria for best practices
and the experience is generally excellent
• 3 - The experience meets most of the criteria but there are notable
inadequacies throughout.
• 2 – The experience meets some of the criteria but the experience is not
satisfactory.
• 1 – The experience meets little, if any, of the set criteria for best practices.
27. Audit: Scorecard Capture
Total Experience OptionsX
press
Ameritrade
Basic
E-Trade
Fidelity
Schwab
Scottrade
Prospect Experience
3.6
3.7
3.7
4
2
2.1
Trading: Start
3.7
3.4
4.5
4.6
4
1.4
Trading: General
Research
4.25
3
4
5
4
3
Trading: Trade
Research
3.5
4
tba
4.5
na
na
Trading: Place Trade
4
4
tba
4.25
4.33
1.6
Loyalty
3
3.5
4
4.5
3
2
Overall Score
3.68
3.6
4.07
4.48
3.47
2.2
Prospect
Experience
Options
Xpress
Ameritrade
E-Trade
Fidelity
Schwab
Scottrade
Home Page
3
4
3
3
3
3.5
Pricing
3.5
3
3
4
2
3
Features & Functionality
4
4 4
4
1
1
Services
3
4
4
4
1
1
Trust & Reputation
3.5
3.5
4
4
2
3
Account Application
4
4
4
4.5
3
1
General Observations
4
3.5
4
4.5
-
-
Category Average
3.6
3.7
3.7
4
2
2.1
Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Comparative scorecard for each step of the lifecycle
Cumulative and comparative scorecard for combined total lifecycle experience
28. Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities
Prospect Experience: SWO’s from Ameritrade audit
"
Area
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Home Page Good call to action
Bland
"
Clean, easy to navigate
30 commission free ad jumps out
Has many advanced trading links
Little passion for trading
"
"
Ameritrade does a good job of speaking to the active trader (price and tools) and providing a call
to action.
The prospect site has its own navigation – separate from the logged in nav. If BrownCo wants to
keep the private site as exclusive, Ameritrade provides a good template – but it can be
implemented in a more engaging way with a focus on price and execution rather than on
tools.
Differentiator for BrownCo - Communicate how the tools are integrated into the active trader
experience.
Marketing is consistent throughout and with ad campaign.
Pricing Calculator is good but could be better
Lots of detail
Compelling
The headers are strong
Make me feel confident
Many options for levels of service and subscription based service
(but can be confusing)
Calculator is slow/not great
They offer good things but not in a good way
Too many clicks
The rates and fees are a link off Costs and Commission
Buried in Account Details
Scattered information
Not close at hand
Too complicated
Too much to wade through
Centralized, simplified info that’s easy to find and clearly presented.
Features &
Functionality
Lots of tools
It’s the Ameritrade strength/position
Impressive
Very focused
Demos of all tools
Almost overwhelming in
choice, but not quite
Demonstrate how the functionality integrates with
the active trader experience.
Services Our AT persona would be Apex
Good deals associated with that
A good overall value and feature pack for our man
Excellent detail on trade execution
Specific site dedicated to explaining the ins and outs
Good section explaining ways to trade at Ameritrade
Provide centralized Services information that clear and easy to understand.
Ameritrade has a great mini-site explaining the way trades get executed. BrownCo must learn
the lesson from Ameritrade. Do not focus on a guarantee, but focus on the nuts and bolts of
the execution.
Trust &
Reputation
From what I’ve read they seem trustworthy
But they are not selling trust or reputation
Not banking in that
Relying on features and functionality
Price is not a huge factor, probably because it is not super low-cost
Labeling is supportive.
Look and feel is square, stable. Most bank-like site.
No sense of actual people using the site or running the
company.
Opportunity is for BrownCo to provide more personality. To appeal to a more rounded active
trader (as opposed to someone only interested in tools).
Account
Application
Clear call to apply on every screen
Contextual help
Can go online and check the status of an application
BrownCo can learn from Ameritrade’s approach to labeling the steps of the application.
Overall
Opportunities
Lacks personality
Very tiring plowing through all of the information
A poor IA
Middle-of-of-the-road graphic design
Value prop is disjointed
It’s not the Anti-Fluff
I would walk away with some doubts
They have great tools
But maybe they’re overly focused on the tools
That active trading is about tools /It’s a Toyota
Additional Notes
29. Competitor Customer Experience Audit @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Key Findings: Prospect Experience
Fidelity
Strengths
• 2 home pages: one customer facing, one
prospect facing
• Clear, simple pricing tiers
• Easy to print and share information
• Wide range of products and features
• Events & newsletter for active traders
• Application process is easy, fast, immediate;
application can be saved
Weaknesses
• Doesn’t primarily speak to the active trader
• Margin rates are not easily obtained
• Assumes that active traders will use the
software-based trading platform
Opportunities
• Make the message all about active traders
• Tout BrownCo’s margin rates
• Provide a web-based trading platform that can
compete with software functionality
40. Strategy Visualization @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
40
A strategy visualization is a visual and verbal story that outlines the relationship between
the foundational elements of strategy and how they drive the rationale for design
Corporate
Strategy
Customer Segmentation
and Personification
Competitive
Analysis
Strategic Drivers
Brand Strategy
Product
Definition
Design
Principles
41. Strategy Visualization @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Approach: Curation
Asset collection
High-level structure schematic
Section by section
Ensure logic of content selection from one phase to the next
The right balance of visual and verbal information
42. Strategy Visualization @ BrownCo/JPMorganInvest
Goal: Communication
Belief in rationale for design
Trust in the process
Objective decision-making
Strategy socialization