Digital Consulting Archives

Exploring the Evolution of UI/UX Design

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting July 3, 2023

User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design are constantly evolving disciplines driven by the need to create engaging and user-friendly digital experiences. As technology advances and user expectations change, there are different approaches designers can take to refresh and improve interfaces. In this article, we will delve into the UI / UX design process and understand the concepts of re-imagining, re-skinning, and re-creating, and how they contribute to the evolution of digital products.

Re-imagining: Unleashing Innovation and User-Centric Design

Re-imagining in UI/UX design involves a holistic approach that goes beyond incremental changes. It is about rethinking and redefining the entire user experience to address pain points, introduce innovative solutions, and meet emerging user needs. Re-imagining encourages designers to think creatively, challenge assumptions, and re-imagine the possibilities.

When re-imagining an interface, designers conduct in-depth user research, identify user pain points, and define clear design objectives. They then explore new design concepts, create prototypes, and test innovative solutions. Re-imagining often leads to significant changes in an interface’s structure, layout, and functionality, resulting in a transformed user experience that better aligns with user expectations. Sometimes re-imagining involves changing the user interface, and sometimes it requires changing the entire process that the user follows.

Re-skinning: Refreshing the Visual Experience

Re-skinning, also known as a facelift or visual overhaul, focuses on updating the visual elements of an existing UI without making significant changes to the underlying functionality. It is often employed when an interface looks outdated or no longer aligns with current design trends.

During re-skinning, designers update the color schemes, typography, icons, and other visual elements to give the interface a fresh and modern look. Re-skinning helps maintain visual consistency, align the interface with brand guidelines, and enhance the overall aesthetics. It is a cost-effective approach that can breathe new life into an interface and improve user perception without requiring extensive development work.

Re-creating: Transforming for Optimal User Engagement

Re-creating involves a comprehensive redesign of the UI and UX, going beyond visual changes. It is employed when an interface requires significant improvements, such as addressing usability issues, rethinking the information architecture, or introducing new features. During the re-creating process, designers conduct user research, redefine the user flow, and create wireframes and prototypes to test and validate new design concepts. The goal is to optimize the user experience by improving usability, enhancing navigation, and introducing innovative solutions. Re-creating often requires a more significant investment of time and resources compared to re-imagining or re-skinning. It offers the opportunity to transform the interface into a more intuitive, user-friendly, and engaging experience, resulting in increased user satisfaction and improved business outcomes.

Understanding the Spectrum

Re-imagining, re-skinning, and re-creating represent different approaches on a spectrum of UI/UX design evolution. They cater to different needs and objectives, depending on the current state of the interface and the goals of the design project. Re-imagining is about embracing innovation, challenging conventions, and pushing boundaries to create transformative experiences. It is ideal when the existing UI requires a fundamental redesign to address user pain points and introduce cutting-edge solutions.

Re-skinning focuses on refreshing the visual elements of an interface to give it a modern and updated look. It is suitable when the existing UI is visually outdated but still functions well, and the primary objective is to enhance aesthetics and maintain consistency.

Re-creating involves a comprehensive redesign encompassing an interface’s visual and functional aspects. It is the right approach when the existing UI has significant usability issues or requires a complete overhaul to align with current user expectations and business objectives.

Choosing the Right Approach

When considering which approach to take in a UI/UX design project, it is essential to assess the current state of the interface, understand user needs and pain points, and define clear design objectives. Re-imagining is ideal when a radical transformation is needed to address user pain points, introduce innovation, and create a truly user-centric experience. It requires a deep understanding of users, careful analysis of data, and an open-minded approach to design thinking. Re-skinning is suitable when the existing UI still functions well but needs a visual facelift to align with current design trends and brand guidelines. It is a surface-level approach that focuses more on improving aesthetics and maintaining consistency. Re-creating is the right choice when the existing UI has significant usability issues, lacks scalability, or requires a complete redesign to meet evolving user needs. It involves a more extensive and time-consuming process but can result in a transformative user experience. In the end, the selection of a strategy relies on the goals, constraints, and context of the design project. UI/UX designers must carefully evaluate the needs and objectives and select the most appropriate approach to drive meaningful improvements and create exceptional digital experiences.

Conclusion

Re-imagining, re-skinning, and re-creating represent different approaches in the UI / UX design process, each with its unique focus and objectives. Re-imagining encourages innovation and user-centric design thinking, re-skinning refreshes the visual experience, and re-creating involves a comprehensive redesign to optimize user engagement. By understanding the spectrum of design evolution and selecting the appropriate approach based on the specific project requirements, designers can create interfaces that meet user needs, align with business objectives, and deliver exceptional user experiences.

Embracing Human Journeys for Lasting Customer Experiences

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting June 26, 2023

When it comes to human experience, businesses often prioritize progress and efficiency, striving to optimize processes and maximize outcomes. However, in this pursuit, there is a risk of losing sight of the human element—the intricate and often unpredictable journeys customers embark on. By shifting the focus from progress to embracing authenticity and genuine human connection, companies can create meaningful and lasting experiences that resonate with customers on a deeper level.

The Human Touch in Customer Experience

Embracing Emotional Connections

Customers are not just transactions but individuals with emotions, desires, and values. Recognizing and understanding the emotional aspects of their journeys allows businesses to connect with customers more profoundly. By fostering empathy, actively listening, and holistically addressing their customers’ needs, companies can create an emotional bond beyond mere transactions.

Authenticity and Trust

In a world saturated with marketing messages, customers crave authenticity. When businesses prioritize building genuine relationships over pushing sales, trust is established. By consistently delivering on promises, being transparent, and valuing open communication, companies can foster the trust that forms the foundation of long-term customer loyalty.

Empowering Customer Voice

Customers want to be heard and have their opinions valued. By actively seeking feedback, whether through surveys, reviews, or social media, businesses demonstrate their commitment to understanding and meeting customer expectations. Empowering customers to contribute to shaping products, services, and experiences creates a sense of ownership and strengthens the bond between the customer and the brand.

Nurturing Moments of Delight

Human journeys are filled with small moments that have the potential to create lasting memories. Businesses can create positive associations and leave a lasting impression by focusing on delighting customers at various touchpoints along their journey. It could be a personalized message, a surprise gift, or simply going the extra mile to exceed expectations. These small acts of thoughtfulness have the power to turn customers into brand advocates.

Resolving Issues with Empathy

No journey is without its challenges. When customers encounter issues or problems, how a company responds can make all the difference. By approaching these situations with empathy, actively listening, and working towards a satisfactory resolution, businesses can turn a negative experience into an opportunity to strengthen the customer relationship. Demonstrating a genuine concern for the customer’s well-being and taking responsibility for rectifying any issues builds trust and loyalty.

Conclusion

In a customer-centric world, businesses must shift their focus from internal processes to the journeys customers undertake. Companies can build deeper connections, deliver personalized experiences, and cultivate long-term loyalty by understanding and prioritizing human journeys. In a world where progress often overshadows the human touch, organizations prioritizing the authenticity of these journeys will succeed in building strong and loyal customer relationships. Ultimately, it is the human element that makes customer experiences genuinely remarkable and memorable. By placing the customer and their emotions at the forefront, organizations can differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace and build lasting relationships that drive success.

Mastering DesignOps: Roles and Partnerships for Success

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting June 19, 2023

The expression “DesignOps” originates from DevOps, a cooperative method in software development and systems management that focuses on automation, agility and efficiency. And DesignOps is a discipline that focuses on the operational aspects of design, aiming to improve the efficiency, collaboration, and overall effectiveness of design teams. DesignOps roles and partnerships in UI/UX can vary from organization to organziation, depending its specific needs. However, here are some typical roles and partnerships you may find in DesignOps:

DesignOps Manager / Lead

This role is responsible for overseeing the DesignOps function within an organization. They work closely with design teams, project managers, and other stakeholders to develop and implement efficient design processes, tools, and systems. They also ensure the design team has the necessary resources and support to deliver high-quality work on time.

Design Program Manager

A Design Program Manager works closely with cross-functional teams to manage and coordinate design initiatives and projects. They help define project goals, allocate resources, track progress, and ensure timely delivery of design outcomes. They also facilitate communication and collaboration between design teams and other departments, such as engineering, product management, and marketing.

Design Systems Manager

Design Systems Managers are responsible for developing and maintaining design systems, which are collections of reusable components, guidelines, and assets that ensure consistency and efficiency across different design projects. They collaborate with designers, developers, and other stakeholders to define design standards, create design libraries, and document guidelines for design implementation.

UX Research Operations

UX Research Operations professionals support the research efforts of the design team. They assist in organizing and managing user research studies, recruiting participants, coordinating research logistics, and analyzing & sharing research findings. They work closely with UX researchers and designers to ensure smooth and effective research processes.

Design Tooling Specialist

Design Tooling Specialists focus on selecting, implementing, and maintaining design tools and software that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of design workflows. They stay current with the latest design tools and technologies and work closely with designers to provide training, support, and guidance on tool usage.

Partnerships in DesignOps typically involve collaboration with other departments and roles, such as:

Product Managers

DesignOps professionals work closely with product managers to align design processes with product development goals, define design requirements, and ensure that design work supports the overall product strategy.

Engineering Teams

Collaboration with engineering teams is essential for integrating design workflows with the development process. DesignOps professionals partner with engineers to establish effective handoff processes, ensure smooth implementation of designs, and address any technical constraints or challenges.

Marketing and Branding Teams

DesignOps professionals collaborate with marketing and branding teams to align design efforts with the organization’s brand guidelines, messaging, and marketing strategies. They work together to ensure consistent visual identity and messaging across different touchpoints.

Project Managers

Project managers are crucial in coordinating design projects and managing timelines and resources. DesignOps professionals collaborate closely with project managers to define project goals, allocate design resources, track progress, and ensure successful project delivery.

It’s important to note that the specific roles and partnerships in DesignOps can vary depending on the organization’s size, structure, and industry. Some organizations may have dedicated DesignOps teams, while others may integrate DesignOps responsibilities within existing roles or departments.

Practical Human-Centered Design: The Evolution of the Designer’s Role

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting May 30, 2023

Traditionally, designers have been responsible for creating visually appealing products and experiences. However, the designer’s role has changed with the growing emphasis on human-centered design. Designers are now responsible for understanding the needs and behaviors of the user and using that understanding to create solutions that meet those needs. This means that designers must have a deep understanding of the user and be able to apply that understanding to the design process.

What is Human-Centered Design (HCD)?

It is an approach that solves problems by prioritizing the understanding of the needs, desires, and behaviors of the end-users who will utilize the product or service being designed. The goal of HCD is to create valuable and user-friendly things for the people who will interact with the users.

Benefits of Practical Human-Centered Design

The design has several benefits, including:

As a UI/UX designer, I have personally experienced a transformative journey by adopting practical HCD principles. By prioritizing user needs and preferences, I have been able to enhance my career and growth in the following ways:

Conclusion

The designer’s role is changing, and human-centered design is becoming essential to the design process. It involves putting the user at the center of the design process and using that understanding to create practical solutions that meet their needs. By understanding the needs and behaviors of the user, designers can generate innovative solutions that improve the user experience, increase customer satisfaction, and drive business success.

User Research Methods Within Constraints

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting May 22, 2023

User Research is done to inspire your design, evaluate your solutions, and measure the impact of your product/project. When working with limited resources, conducting user research can seem daunting. While it’s true that having more resources at your disposal makes the task easier, there are still plenty of ways to effectively do user research, even while working within constraints. In this blog, we will take you through some essential user research methods to do effective research without breaking the bank or feeling overwhelmed.

Dive in to find out what steps you can take today to gather meaningful user insights despite restrictions.

How to do User Research with Budget Constraints

Research can be established with a minimal budget using these innovative user research methods.

How to do User Research with Time Constraints

Using a framework for optimizing engagement and data

Time is always a constraint for many companies. Several frameworks are available online, depending on the outcome they want to achieve. A framework also allows us to prioritize our teams’ research efforts better.

Using impactful users

Choosing the right users for the research is essential. Every user has a different perspective based on his experiences and exposure. For example, if your research is about building a new experience for drivers, you need to ensure your users know how to drive. Otherwise, you will not get meaningful results. Sometimes we need users with domain experience or expertise.

Prior documentation

Documentation is often not given the importance it deserves. We need to make sure we capture the different stages of the research and design so that everyone can understand why certain design decisions were made and why.

Conclusion

There will always be constraints that we will have to work in. Keep refining your process, starting with these tips, until it works for you and your team. We will need to get creative with our ways to accomplish user research!

Uncovering User Need is 50% of Solving: ‘Define’ in Design Thinking

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting May 15, 2023

Are we trying to solve a customer’s problem? Do we know what exactly is our customer’s problem that we are trying to solve? The ‘Define’ stage in Design Thinking is dedicated to defining the problem. In this blog, we will discuss user needs statement, why they are essential, their format, and a few examples.

What is a user need statement?

A user need statement is an actionable problem statement that provides an overview of who a particular user is, what the user’s need is, and why that need is valuable to that user. It defines what we want to solve before we move on to generating possible solutions.

A problem statement identifies what needs to be changed, i.e., the gap between the current and desired state of the process or product.

How to build a good problem statement?

A good problem statement should always focus on the user. Here are some indicators that will help us create a good problem statement:

For example:

Suppose we have framed our problem statement as shown below, we will not be sure of exact user needs, what insights are required by the reporting manager, should the insights be based on the number of reportees, their roles, leaves they have availed, projects they are assigned to, or is it anything else?
As the reporting manager, I should have insights into the reportees’ reporting to me.
Instead, if we build our problem statement as below, we should know who the user is, their needs, and why it is important to them.

As the reporting manager, I should have insights into the total number of leaves applied by my reportees (yearly/half-yearly/quarterly/monthly/weekly/day-to-day basis). I should also be able to drill down and view the details to keep project managers informed and as well evaluate reportees’ KPIs.

Format

Traditionally, user need statements have 3 components:

These are then put together in the below pattern: User [the user persona] needs [the need] so that [the objective].

For example, [As a reporting manager, I] should be able [to approve leave requests applied by my reportee] so that [they can avail planned holiday(s)].

The user should refer to a specific persona or actual end-user we’ve conducted discovery on. It is helpful to include a catchline that helps to understand who the user is, whether the problem statement will be utilized by a group or an individual, what’s the user role is, etc.

The need should reflect the truth, should belong to users, should not be painted by the team, and should not be written as a solution. It should not include features, interface components, and specific technology. For example, possible goals may be:

We should recognize that users do not always know what they need, even if they may say so.

For example, the customer says that they copy content from a page in the application and paste it into Excel and try to do some calculations they are unable to do due to formatting issues and want us to fix them.

But the exact need is:
As the accountant, I need a copy of the figures/table that I see on the screen in Excel format so that I can make further calculations if required using the data and save it for auditing purposes.

For a successful outcome, the insight or goal should fulfill the user’s needs while incorporating empathy. Instead of focusing solely on the surface-level benefits, it’s essential to consider the user’s deeper desires, emotions, fears, and motivations:

Problem statements can also take these formats:

Benefits

The process of making a user need statement and the actual statement itself have many benefits for the team and organization, including:

Conclusion

User need statements help communicate the end user’s problem we are about to solve and what value we are bringing in. When done together and correctly, they can act as a single source of truth for what the team or organization is trying to achieve.

Customer Research Methods

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting February 27, 2023

Are you looking for ways to get insights from your customers? Customer research is a great way to learn about your customers’ needs, wants, and preferences. But what are the best methods for conducting customer research?

In this blog, we will discuss what customer research is, why it is essential, the types of customer research, how to create a customer research process, and the different methods used to conduct customer research. So, whether you’re just starting or you’ve been in the game for a while, there’s something here for you. Keep reading to learn more!

What is customer research?

“Whoever understands the customer best wins.” Customer research is a vital tool that helps businesses understand their customers’ needs and wants. It can be used to discover customer preferences, track customer satisfaction levels, fine-tune marketing strategies, and more. Customer research also helps organizations uncover new insights which can dramatically improve customer experience.

Companies that conduct customer research have access to valuable market information and are likely to see improved customer engagement, loyalty, and positive effect on brand awareness. Customer research is essential in helping companies connect with their customer base, make well-informed decisions, and ultimately create long-term customer relationships.

Why is customer research important?

Customer research is a critical component of any business, large or small. It allows companies to understand the preferences and values of their customers and use the insights from that research to adjust their business strategy and offerings accordingly. Learning about your customer helps to target promotions and products more effectively and gives an edge over the competition.

Understanding customer needs also allows companies to become more agile, adjust quickly as needed, and have an intimate understanding of their customers so that they can keep them loyal for as long as possible. In short, customer research is essential to having success in today’s market.

Types of customer research

Different types of customer research can provide invaluable insights for businesses. Here are the two main types of customer research to help understand your customers better:

Customer research process

Customer research can be time-consuming and complex, but it’s ultimately worth it. Before beginning any research, you must first develop the objectives and define the goals for the process. Then it is essential to formulate a plan. You can choose any one of the multiple customer research methods. Now it is time to conduct the research.

The customer research process does not end with collecting information. The main job is analyzing your collected data, deriving actionable insights, and making changes to your product, service, and marketing tactics. Knowing what makes your customers tick helps create content and products they want. Although a deep dive into understanding customers can provide many benefits, good customer research isn’t overnight work and requires effort upfront before reaping any rewards.

Customer research methods

There are a variety of methods to conduct customer research. Here are some of the most popular and effective ones:

Customer Research Application

Now that your research is done, it’s time to analyze and act. Customer research data can be used by different departments in a company to improve their business processes in the following ways:

Marketing

Customer research data can help the marketing department understand customer preferences, behaviors, and opinions about their brand, product, or service. This information can be used to develop more targeted marketing campaigns and improve customer engagement.

Sales

Customer research data can help the sales department identify customer needs, pain points, and buying behaviors. This information can be used to develop more effective sales strategies, improve customer relationships and close more deals.

Product Development

Customer research data can provide valuable insights into customer opinions about the company’s products. This information can inform product development and improve the overall customer experience.

Customer Service

Customer research data can help the customer service department understand customer needs and identify areas where the customer experience can be improved. This information can be used to develop more effective customer support strategies and improve customer satisfaction.

Operations

Customer research data can help the operations department understand customer needs and preferences and identify areas where business processes can be optimized to better meet customer requirements. This information can streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.

Different departments can work together to improve the overall customer experience and drive business growth by utilizing customer research data.

Conclusion

When it comes to customer research, there are a lot of different approaches you can take. But to maximize your chances for success, follow these five essential steps: define your goals, identify your target market, choose the suitable research method, collect and analyze your data, and use your findings to improve your business. By following these simple tips, you can set yourself up for success and ensure your customer research is as effective as possible.

Human Experience – Tapping into user psychology & behaviors

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting February 21, 2023

The human experience is a complex and multi-faceted concept that can be influenced by various cultural, social, psychological, and biological factors. How people experience things positively and negatively can significantly impact their behavior and decision-making. In this blog, we will explore how tapping into user psychology and behaviors can help to create better user experiences.

The field of psychology has long been interested in studying human experience and behavior. One of the main areas of focus is understanding how people perceive, process, and respond to information. By gaining insight into these processes, designers and product teams can create better user experiences that are more aligned with the needs and motivations of their users.

Attention

One way to tap into user psychology is by understanding the concept of attention. Attention is a limited resource, and people constantly decide what to pay attention to in their environment. For example, when reading a book, we must focus on the words on the page rather than the sounds around us. Similarly, when using a digital product, we must choose what to focus on and ignore.

Designers can use this understanding of attention to guide users through a product or website in a way that makes sense. This can be achieved through clear hierarchy and visual cues that help to direct users’ focus. For example, by using a bold font or bright color for the most essential information, designers can draw users’ attention to the most critical parts of a page. Additionally, by reducing clutter and distractions, designers can help users to focus on the task at hand, making the customer experience more enjoyable and efficient.

Motivation

Another area of psychology that can be applied to user experience is motivation. People are driven by various factors, such as the desire for achievement, recognition, social connection, and self-expression. By understanding what motivates users, designers can create experiences that tap into those needs and provide a more fulfilling experience.

For example, gamification is a popular technique for tapping into users’ motivations. By adding game-like elements to a product or website, such as points, badges, and leaderboards, designers can encourage users to engage with the product in a more fun and rewarding way. Gamification can also help users reach their goals and improve their skills. By setting up challenges and providing rewards for success, designers can encourage users to continue using the product and progress toward their goals.

Social Psychology

Social psychology is another area of psychology that can be applied to user experience. Humans are social creatures, and how people interact with others can significantly impact their experience. By understanding the dynamics of social interaction, designers can create products and websites that facilitate positive social interactions and build a sense of community.

For example, social media platforms are designed to facilitate social interaction by allowing users to connect with others, share content, and engage in conversations. The ability to like, comment, and share content on these platforms can also create a sense of community by providing users with a sense of connection and recognition. Additionally, social media platforms can also be used to build communities around specific interests or causes, providing users with a sense of belonging and a shared sense of purpose.

What we do at TVS Next to understand users

Conclusion

In conclusion, tapping into user psychology and behaviors can help designers to create better user experiences. By understanding how people perceive, process, and respond to information, designers can create products and websites that are more aligned with the needs and motivations of their users. By incorporating elements of attention, motivation, and social psychology, designers can create experiences that are enjoyable, efficient, and fulfilling. By doing so, they can help to create a more positive and meaningful human experience.

Creating and Executing an Actionable Digital Transformation Strategy in Healthcare

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting, Modernization July 14, 2022

Digital transformation is the process of adding the latest digital technologies to improve how a business works. Healthcare organizations will perform better by employing updated technology, and most of them are dealing with this shift by creating and implementing digital strategies. For healthcare leaders, this means creating a plan to update clinical workflows using technology, resulting in improved patient outcomes.

In this post, we will guide you in finding the right digital technology that best fits your organization’s vision and delivers better patient outcomes.

Going for Smart Digital System for the Future

Digital transformation is important for organizations. It helps them improve their services and meet the needs of their clients. But it is not always easy to find the right technology to meet your specific needs. That’s why it’s essential to understand your organization’s requirements before making the big move to a “digital first” model.

Healthcare organizations should regularly investigate how to deliver the best quality of care and be more efficient when it comes to customer experiences. Many times, this includes a review of the technology that is being used. Technology has revolutionized every industry, and healthcare is no different. By updating technology, you can simplify your organization’s workflows, leading to improved patient outcomes.

The first thing to develop is a clear understanding of what your organization wants to achieve. Are you looking to improve client engagement? Is there a loophole in your operations that’s draining your resources? Once you identify these problems, you will be better able to map out a plan for digital solutions.

If you plan to improve client engagement, you can start by implementing patient portals. It could be an all-in-one platform where patients can immediately access their health information. From here, they can contact their chosen healthcare professional when concerns arise.

Once you establish a clear direction, it’s time to search for reliable technology partners. This is crucial since you want to make sure you’re working with the right people and have the right team who can address the organization’s issues. Look for technologies that have a good track record of successful projects with other organizations.

Find Technology that Fits

Data-driven decisions will help in the organization’s sustainability. Access to data is essential to making informed decisions and investing in the right technology combined with strategy.

The use of data analytics will help your team understand how your patients use the portal and the features they find most notable. Then, your team pairs this with technology and works on areas needing improvement.

Using data gives you information about the clinical interventions that are most efficient. You will find other aspects of care across the board that technology can solve.

When you use this information to make sound decisions, the digital transformation can go smoothly and help your healthcare organization to reach its goals.

Bolder Vision with KPIs

Executive health leaders must anchor decisions based on the organization’s ‘North Star.’ By doing this, organizations work on establishing a sustainable case for their business. Without this, it would be challenging to stay committed because of leadership misalignment.

Establishing a clear vision for digital transformation is pivotal for your organization. Furthermore, it will help set goals and KPIs to check the business strategy.

KPIs or Key Performance Indicators are crucial tools any organization should employ. It further helps track your digital transformation strategy’s performance, progress, success, and loopholes.

To improve patient engagement, you can use KPIs showing the frequency of use, patient satisfaction, and the number of booked appointments online. KPIs also help track the technology’s performance and adjust strategies as needed.

Joining Strategy and Technology Together

In the early planning stages, your organization should have already identified the technology that best fits the plan to put in place. During this phase, having key personnel identify their goals with technology will help you to start planning.

Also, with KPIs, digital transformation will help create scalable but realistic outcomes. Each step of this strategy will need a technology perspective, from doing research to roadmap creation.

Put technology to the test

Having a plan beforehand will help make a smoother transition from traditional to digital.

Establishing clear guidelines and responsibilities will help guide the team in what needs to be done and where they need to go. It also allows them to move more in implementing new initiatives with less confusion. The goal is to ensure everyone is on the same page and working toward a shared goal.

Once strategies are already in place, it’s time to put technology to the test before rolling it out for public use. Have a plan to test the digital platform and check for the efficiency of its functions. A process should be in place to help collect feedback and make changes moving forward.

Ensure holistic and technology support

Improving strategies and processes is crucial to your organization’s success. But, pairing this with the right technology makes it easier to scale your business.

With new initiatives, healthcare organizations need suitable infrastructures to support these endeavors. Organizations thrive with the right software, hardware, and networking capacities.

Like infrastructures, having the right people will help your organization adapt to these changes. Working with a reliable team of IT professionals will help. They can provide tech help and assist with installation during your digital transformation that aligns with your organization’s goals.

Progress Shouldn’t Be Delayed

Delaying digital transformation for your business means losing to the competition. Creating a clear strategy and plan ensures your business is up to date in addressing modern healthcare needs.

Incorporating digital technology is essential. Why? It ensures interactions are kept afloat, especially in the healthcare system. Key persons need to prepare for the future by taking the time to create strategies to solve current issues facing healthcare. Leveraging digital strategies ensures exponential growth and better management of resources.

Conclusion

We know that the healthcare system is shifting with the times. And for healthcare systems to stay ahead of the curve, adapting technology is the key to sustainability. And with it, businesses can have more room for growth in the future.

Digital transformation is a journey, not a destination. As you embark on this journey, it’s essential to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

The key is to find what works best for your organization and your patients. Use technology as leverage and a means to help your organization achieve success faster with fewer downtimes and costs.

By pairing a clear strategy with technology in mind, you can ensure that your healthcare organization is prepared for the future.

Devising the Future with Speculative Design

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting June 14, 2022

Speculative design requires designers to tap into a deeper level of thinking that they’re used to, envisioning the future from a design perspective. Generally, there are three main components to design, including creating, solving problems with the creation, and the ability to take client revisions in stride.

However, sometimes design problems become so big that it becomes challenging to create a solution. The world is dealing with ongoing heavy issues, and designers are often at the center of bringing attention to said issues, which is a lot of responsibility.

It’s rare to create a solution for environmental disasters and political strife through design, but what about speculative design? This article will talk about speculative design and how it can make a difference in the future.

What is Speculative Design?

Speculative design addresses the big worldly problems and looks to the future concerning creating products and services for those problems. While the concept sounds relatively straightforward, speculative design is much more complex than it sounds. Still, there are some fantastic examples of how speculative design truly works and how designers can begin to apply the tactics.

Speculative design is all about stepping back from the project and asking how you can solve future problems. The concept thrives on new perspectives and imagination and looks to open the hard discussions and encourage creativity. In some cases, design speculations can help us redefine our relationship with the future.

Generally, design looks at more minor issues, such as how to raise conversion rates and how to encourage the neighborhood recycling rate. Speculative design widens the scope and looks at society’s most significant issues. When utilizing the theoretical design perspective, designers should ask themselves the following questions.

Speculative design is not for the faint of heart, and it allows designers to determine how they can make a difference through their personal creativity. Speculative design doesn’t focus on the current technology, culture, and political limitations.

Speculative Design and the Future

While speculative design has quite a bit to do with the future, it’s essential to understand the correlation between the two. Speculative design doesn’t revolve around predicting the future, and instead, it aims to imagine the possibilities.

The futures of speculative design can be probable, plausible, and preferable, and an excellent speculative design piece should fall into one of these future categories. To understand the present, it’s crucial to have some lens into the future, and speculative design can supply that, allowing designers to try and establish what humans do or don’t want to see in the future.

Speculative design does not mean the exploration of fantasy. Instead, it wants to focus on justifiable creation and explore the possible relationship society could have with that design or innovation.

Speculative Design Benefits

The progression of technology continues to move forward, and brands globally have to ensure that they’re on the right path to progress and grow with such advancements. Plain and simple, businesses cannot see growth when they lack innovation overall, primarily from development and design departments.

Innovating within the industry positions any company to gain in future markets. Speculative design isn’t abstract. Major organizations like Pepsi and Visa have hired teams to assist them in creating products and strategies that can make a real difference.

These companies are placing a great deal of importance on being ahead of the competition from the perspective of services and technology. When speculative design works with concrete (or traditional) design tactics, speculative design is valuable for organizations of every size and type, governments included.

Speculative design asks how things might be, opening the door for provoking debate, asking questions, and challenging preconceptions. These speculative design benefits are crucial to the success of its implementation. However, the best thing to come out of speculative design is focusing on the future.

Speculative Design Drawbacks

With every advancement in technology and ways of thinking comes a drawback or two. There’s no doubt that speculative design offers opportunities for designers to explore a creative push, but it’s a concept that’s notoriously difficult to sell.

Speculative design is all about pushing boundaries and taking risks. As a result, organizations are less likely to invest much money in the process. This hesitancy limits how designers make bolder choices because few companies are willing to focus on funding speculative projects.

History holds speculative design back from being everything it could be, making it difficult even to exist. For example, design has never been more commercial than it is now. It’s not uncommon for businesses to see speculative designers as unfocused on a design’s ability to generate revenue.

Also, society places a greater emphasis today on the accomplishments of individuals rather than entire communities. The overall demand to focus on and attempt to solve looming societal issues just isn’t present.

Pessimism is another drawback to speculative design, as younger generations have adopted (and rightfully so) a pessimistic attitude regarding the future. The consensus is that there’s no point in planning for something that might not happen. However, if we were to do away with speculative design completely, how can we change minds?

Major corporations are indeed taking the plunge and investing in speculative design. Still, changes in the design world and the economy tend to limit the ability of designers even to take part in speculative design. In many cases, speculative design doesn’t bring in money, or it’s near impossible to find an organization to provide funds.

How Speculative Design Works

If there’s no demand for speculative design, there’s no reason for designers to supply those services. However, many designers believe that ROI or the bottom line should not limit their creativity. Speculative design includes the ability to concoct ideas around things that don’t yet exist. Businesses that take risks on bolder ideas will find it incredibly beneficial.

Speculative design enables designers (and those who witness the design) to imagine a probable future and explore relevant questions regarding that future. Through processes of in-depth trend analysis and research, speculative design asks people to ponder what certain technological adoptions might bring or how humanity might deal with new trends. The questions asked can be as shallow or as deep as designers want, as long as they devise a viable future.

The speculative design process differs from traditional in that it uses outputs as inputs, meaning products and imagery can turn uncertain futures into present choices. The concept is genius with mass amounts of potential, and it will eventually become necessary for business leaders to experiment with imaginative thinking to generate discussions.

The Acceptance of Speculative Design as a Long-Term Solution

Because speculative design has its place in redefining and devising the way we look at the future, it’s worth looking at how designers and organizations can encourage people to accept and absorb speculative design. The problem is that many business leaders do not see speculative design to solve long-term issues.

Speculative design is meant to help humans consider future implications and assist in building successful services, products, and businesses overall. To work on the acceptance of speculative design within your company, you might want to start with bringing in stakeholders that offer diversity and varying viewpoints. The stakeholder path is one way to determine what concepts are desirable for the future.

In general, design is a process that isn’t linear. When we add speculation to the mix, we add a lot of complexity that businesses aren’t willing to take a chance on quite yet. There is no precise marketing science in speculative design. Various events and viewpoints will always get in the way of the desired future, and it’s near impossible for speculative design to make room for that.

Instead, speculative design needs to focus on asking questions, engaging the right people, and concentrate on shaping tomorrow through creativity and innovation. When companies can step back and consider the benefits of working with speculative designers to make real change or at least focus on making that change, a whole new world of design and potential clientele opens up.

Speculative design isn’t a trend so much as it’s becoming a must-have for companies that wish to evolve with their consumer base by imagining speculative futures.

Integrating Deep Design and Your Business

If you think speculative design could benefit your business, it’s encouraged to start incorporating it as soon as you’ve got a skilled designer and a plan in place. There are no limits to what speculative design can imagine, though it’s important for your team to remain grounded in reality and refuse to cross the tempting line into fantasy.

Speculative design can change lives and product outcomes, driving growth and innovation every step of the way. Good design is essential to business, but speculative design may prove priceless.

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Embracing Emotional Connections

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Empowering Customer Voice

Nurturing Moments of Delight

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Conclusion

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