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user experience as a strategic function

Zia Rahman
Principal Consultant - User Experience 12th Oct 2011

Objectives to redefine UX as Strategic function

User-centered product planning informs all aspects of product direction

Essential to product development can not be done without UX

Key contributions throughout the development cycle

Business value is large, wide ranging, and demonstrable

Quantifiable, reproducible, high quality process

UX is business

Key Reasons behind (Internal)


Being non strategic, targeted for downsizing UX role is not clear to many key decision makers Absence of vision and focus results in high attrition and slow growth Decentralized team has limited association with practice, hence poor support in presales and marketing Methodologies are not practiced or not even been communicated . Myths like UX is all about aesthetics, UX can be handled at testing strongly exists Its done or considered only when demanded Not a core competency. Even practitioners dont have sense of business issues

Key Reasons behind (External)


UX has become differentiating factor
Competitors have developed comparable offerings Technology is matured and become mainstream

Effective UX organizations lower cost and reduce risks Global, offshore and outsourced production models UX opportunities growing high in Mobilty and RIA space

Manage Service line and Competency

Growth Strategy & Positioning

Delivery Assurance

Business Development

Measuring & Reporting

Methodology Development

UX Heads
Talent Management

Lookout

Promotion & Penetration

Recruitment & Retention

IP & Framework Development

Utilization Management

Sales & Marketing Support

Presales & Solution Development

Financial Management

UX as Strategic Function
Operational Alignment Organizational Alignment Strategic Alignment

Structure work processes which leads to a expected set of outputs.

Building cohesive team that provide focus of specialized expertise, work experience and skills.

A structure plan for achieving success in situations such as business acquisition, operations , delivery, conflicts and retention.

Operational Alignment
Delivery Assurance Operation Management Methodology & IPs Presales Support Recruitment & Sourcing
Manage the day-to-day operations of engagements who are using UX services, support the engagement mangers in executing their tasks Manage Utilization, Allocation, Appraisal, licenses, Escalations , Communication and Handling People Issues etc. Documentation, Rollouts Sessions, Cost & Benefits models, Templates & Toolkits, Knowledge Management, Reusable Assets, Innovation Lab, Process Automation RFP /RFI Response, Solution, Estimation, POCs, Presentations, Demos, Pricing, coordination with other stakeholders etc. Leverage partner and social media network, Train & Support Recruitment Engine, Campus Hunt, Develop delivery partners & channels

Organizational Alignment
Collaboration
Effective and efficient cross organizational collaboration through interacting with team and other groups, Drive UX initiatives and take key stakeholders buy in, Conduct awareness sessions about UX value adds & Benefits Connect with workforce across location, Mentoring & Coaching, Conduct Events, Communication transparency, Knowledge Sharing, Build Conducive & Pleasant Culture. Training Calendar, Skill Gap Assessment, Career Growth Plan, KRA settings, Knowledge Transfer, Certifications, Skill Database, Mentoring & Coaching, Train the Trainer Organize Periodic Sales and Delivery Update Meet, Weekly and Bimonthly Meeting with Team, Use Intranet and other channels to communicate everybody about UX Plans and progress

Retention Plan

Talent Development

Communication

Strategic Alignment
Thinking Strategic
Visioning, Aligning UX with Strategic Corporate Initiatives, Business Acquisition Strategy & Growth plan, Initiatives, Partnering, Engage Upper Management to ensure success Design, Rollouts, Retire Services/products. Business Value Identification and mapping. Aligning with emerging technologies and trends. Service Integration. Budgeting, Investment, Expenditure, Pricing, Revenue growth planning etc. Sales Rollout, Marketing Collaterals, Packaging, Cross Selling, Web presence, Road shows, Newsletters, Whitepapers, Social media & web marketing

Service Line Management Financial Management Marketing (Internal/External)

Step 1

Step 2 & 3

Step 4

Roadmap
Operational Alignment
Understand operational challenges, customer and their requirments, Project challenges & other issues Support RFP response through solutioning, POCs, estimations Talent hunt through personal network Evaluate existing methodologies and plan to enhance Understand Delivery Structure, Team Structure , Role & Responsibility, People and Structural Issues Skill Gap Assessment Training Plan Awareness session with stakeholders Seek Management support Understand business lines, corporate strategy and vision, UX offerings, customers, domain and market Meetings with management and BU heads to understand their business plans and strategy Take stock of existing numbers Start managing the day-to-day operations of engagements reviews, directions, escalations, team, recruitment etc. Manage utilization and allocation Rollout Methodology, Template and Toolkits Expectation settings Train recruitment team and hunt talent Build rapport with account managers, delivery managers and team across location Periodic updates & Review Meetings with team, delivery, sales and management Team KRA & role setting Spread change agents Knowledge Sharing and Training Service offerings finalization and build marketing collaterals Sales rollout and support presales Plan travel and meet key customers and sales folks Finalize budgets, revenue numbers, market and required skills and resources Penetrate existing account to extend opportunities Rollout framework based solution Reusable asset library Setup Usability Testing & Innovation Lab Campus hunt and train fresher's

Organizational Alignment

Conduct team building, knowledge sharing and goal settings sessions Build community around initiatives Fix cultural issues Set collaboration platform Career planning and growth of UX team

Strategic Alignment

UX visioning, strategy and plan New business acquisition Establish partner eco-system to support delivery Build a cohesive team of consultants to support business across geography

user experience redefined

Thanks
Zia Rahman
Principal Consultant - User Experience zia.rahman@gmail.com

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