Skill development
UX direction, research lead
Ops · KPIs
2023
The challenge
An airline's digital transformation unit ran multiple value streams in a scrum model, each with its own service designers and researchers. User research was in high demand, but the methods in use rarely delivered the actionable, data-driven insight needed to move customer satisfaction.
I was brought in to scale and structure their user research practice and operations, and to embed research methods into the product design process that would reliably improve the customer experience.
The approach
I began by studying how the teams worked to pinpoint what, when and where research was needed, then mapped requirements across the value streams so every study stayed relevant to its work stream and customers.
I established new methods for designing and improving services around customer needs and stood up a KPI measurement system linked to the organisation's top-level KPIs to prove research's impact on customer satisfaction.
To make it last, I built a structured learning programme with hands-on training so researchers could grow the skills that drive both business performance and user satisfaction.
The outcome
Under my leadership the team embedded research far more effectively in the design process, giving product development the evidence it needed to raise customer satisfaction.
Research became core to the business: the airline began recruiting researchers to build activity into every value stream.
The KPI system I put in place gave senior management clear visibility into which investments produced the most impactful results.