Welcome to our monthly roundup of the best fonts we’ve found online in the last four weeks. This month, there are fewer sans serifs, and a lot more display faces. Retro is as popular as ever, and the recent trend for organic shapes continues. Enjoy!
As lavish influencer lifestyles, wealth flaunting, and hauls dominate social media feeds, we shouldn’t be surprised that excessive consumption has become the default way of living. We see closets filled to the brim with cheap, throw-away items and having the latest gadget arsenal as signifiers of an aspirational life.
Consumerism, however, is more than a cultural trend; it’s the backbone of our economic system. Companies eagerly drive excessive consumption as an increase in sales is directly connected to an increase in profit.
While we learned to accept this level of material consumption as normal, we need to be reminded of the massive environmental impact that comes along with it. As Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, writes in a New York Times article:
“Obsession with the latest tech gadgets drives open pit mining for precious minerals. Demand for rubber continues to decimate rainforests. Turning these and other raw materials into final products releases one-fifth of all carbon emissions.”
— Yvon Chouinard
In the paper, Scientists’ Warning on Affluence, a group of researchers concluded that reducing material consumption today is essential to avoid the worst of the looming climate change in the coming years. This need for lowering consumption is also reflected in the UN’s Sustainability goals, specifically Goal 17, “Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns”.
For a long time, design has been a tool for consumer engineering by for example, designing products with artificially limited useful life (planned obsolescence) to ensure continuous consumption. And if we want to understand specifically UX design’s role in influencing how much and what people buy, we have to take a deeper look at pushy online shopping experiences.
Design Shaping Shopping Habits: The Problem With Current E-commerce Design
Today, most online shopping experiences are designed with persuasion, gamification, nudging and even deception to get unsuspecting users to add more things to their basket.
There are “Hurry, only one item left in stock” type messages and countdown clocks that exploit well-known cognitive biases to nudge users to make impulse purchase decisions. As Michael Keenan explains,
“The scarcity bias says that humans place a higher value on items they believe to be rare and a lower value on things that seem abundant. Scarcity marketing harnesses this bias to make brands more desirable and increase product sales. Online stores use limited releases, flash sales, and countdown timers to induce FOMO — the fear of missing out — among shoppers.”
— Michael Keenan
To make buying things quick and effortless, we remove friction from the checkout process, for example, with the one-click-buy button. As practitioners of user-centered design, we might implement the button and say: thanks to this frictionless and easy checkout process, we improved the customer experience. Or did we just do a huge disservice to our users?
Gliding through the checkout process in seconds leaves no time for the user to ask, “Do I actually want this?” or “Do I have the money for this?”. Indeed, putting users on autopilot to make thoughtless decisions is the goal.
As a business.com article says: “Click to buy helps customers complete shopping within seconds and reduces the amount of time they have to reconsider their purchase.”
Amanda Mull writes from a user perspective about how it has become “too easy to buy stuff you don’t want”:
“The order took maybe 15 seconds. I selected my size and put the shoes in my cart, and my phone automatically filled in my login credentials and added my new credit card number. You can always return them, I thought to myself as I tapped the “Buy” button. […] I had completed some version of the online checkout process a million times before, but I never could remember it being quite so spontaneous and thoughtless. If it’s going to be that easy all the time, I thought to myself, I’m cooked.”
— Amanda Mull
This quote also highlights that this thoughtless consumption is not only harmful to the environment but also to the very same user we say we center our design process around. The rising popularity of buy-now-pay-later services, credit card debt, and personal finance gurus to help “Overcoming Overspending” are indicators that people are spending more than they can afford, a huge source of stress for many.
The one-click-buy button is not about improving user experience but building an environment where users are “more likely to buy more and buy often.” If we care to put this bluntly, frictionless and persuasive e-commerce design is not user-centered but business-centered design.
While it is not unusual for design to be a tool to achieve business goals, we, designers, should be clear about who we are serving and at what cost with the power of design. To reckon with our impact, first, we have to understand the source of power we yield — the power asymmetry between the designer and the user.
Power Asymmetry Between User And Designer
Imagine a scale: on one end sits the designer and the user on the other. Now, let’s take an inventory of the sources of power each party has in their hands in an online shopping situation and see how the scale balances.
Designers are equipped with knowledge about psychology, biases, nudging, and persuasion techniques. If we don’t have the time to learn all that, we can reach for an out-of-the-box solution that uses those exact psychological and behavioral insights. For example, Nudgify, a Woocommerce integration, promises to help “you get more sales and reduce shopping cart abandonment by creating Urgency and removing Friction.”
Erika Hall puts it this way: “When you are designing, you are making choices on behalf of other people.” We even have a word for this: choice architecture. Choice architecture refers to the deliberate crafting of decision-making environments. By subtly shaping how options are presented, choice architecture influences individual decision-making, often without their explicit awareness.
On top of this, we also collect funnel metrics, behavioral data, and A/B test things to make sure our designs work as intended. In other words, we control the environment where the user is going to make decisions, and we are knowledgeable about how to tweak it in a way to encourage the decisions we want the user to make. Or, as Vitaly Friedman says in one of his articles:
“We’ve learned how to craft truly beautiful interfaces and well-orchestrated interactions. And we’ve also learned how to encourage action to meet the project’s requirements and drive business metrics. In fact, we can make pretty much anything work, really.”
— Vitaly Friedman
On the other end of the scale, we have the user who is usually unaware of our persuasion efforts, oblivious about their own biases, let alone understanding when and how those are triggered.
Luckily, regulation around Deceptive Design on e-commerce is increasing. For example, companies are not allowed to use fake countdown timers. However, these regulations are not universal, and enforcement is lax, so often users are still not protected by law against pushy shopping experiences.
After this overview, let’s see how the scale balances:
When we understand this power asymmetry between designer and user, we need to ask ourselves:
If we look at e-commerce design today, more often than not, the unfortunate answer is mindless and excessive consumption.
This needs to change. We need to use the power of design to encourage sustainable user behavior and thus move us toward a sustainable future.
What Is Sustainable E-commerce?
The discussion about sustainable e-commerce usually revolves around recyclable packaging, green delivery, and making the site energy-efficient with sustainable UX. All these actions and angles are important and should be part of our design process, but can we build a truly sustainable e-commerce if we are still encouraging unsustainable user behavior by design?
To achieve truly sustainable e-commerce, designers must shift from encouraging impulse purchases to supporting thoughtful decisions. Instead of using persuasion, gamification, and deception to boost sales, we should use our design skills to provide users with the time, space, and information they need to make mindful purchase decisions. I call this approach Kind Commerce.
But The Business?!
While the intent of designing Kind Commerce is noble, we have a bitter reality to deal with: we live and work in an economic system based on perpetual growth. We are often measured on achieving KPIs like “increased conversion” or “reduced cart abandonment rate”. We are expected to use UX to achieve aggressive sales goals, and often, we are not in a position to change that.
It is a frustrating situation to be in because we can argue that the system needs to change, so it is possible for UXers to move away from persuasive e-commerce design. However, system change won’t happen unless we push for it. A catch-22 situation. So, what are the things we could do today?
“Add to basket” is beautifully highlighted in green, indicating a way forward, with insurance added in automatically. That’s a clear dark pattern, of course. The design, however, is likely to drive business KPIs, i.e., increase a spend per customer. But it will also generate a wrong purchase. The implications of it for businesses might be severe and irreversible — with plenty of complaints, customer support inquiries, and high costs of processing returns.”
— Vitaly Friedman
Helping users find the right products and make decisions they won’t regret can help the company save all the resources they would need to spend on dealing with complaints and returns. On top of this, the company can save millions of dollars by avoiding lawsuits for unfair commercial practices.
A Few Principles To Design Mindful E-commerce
I know, I know, it sounds like an insane proposition in a profession obsessed with eliminating friction, but hear me out. Instead of “helping” users glide through the checkout process with one-click buy buttons, adding a step to review their order and give them a pause could help reduce unnecessary purchases. A positive reframing for this technique could be helpful to express our true intentions.
Instead of saying “adding friction,” we could say “adding a protective step”. Another example of “adding a protective step” could be getting rid of the “Quick Add” buttons and making users go to the product page to take a look at what they are going to buy. For example, Organic Basics doesn’t have a “Quick Add” button; users can only add things to their cart from the product page.
Once we make sure users will visit product pages, we can help them make more informed decisions. We can be transparent about the social and environmental impact of an item or provide guidelines on how to care for the product to last a long time.
For example, Asket has a section called “Lifecycle” where they highlight how to care for, repair and recycle their products. There is also a “Full Transparency” section to inform about the cost and impact of the garment.
Aggressive landing pages where everything is moving, blinking, modals popping up, 10 different discounts are presented are overwhelming, confusing and distracting, a fertile environment for impulse decisions.
Respect your user’s attention by designing pages that don’t raise their blood pressure to 180 the second they open them. No modals automatically popping up, no flashing carousels, and no discount dumping. Aim for static banners and display offers in a clear and transparent way. For example, H&M shows only one banner highlighting a discount on their landing page, and that’s it. If a fast fashion brand like H&M can design calm pages, there is no excuse why others couldn’t.
Fake urgency and social proof can not only get you fined for millions of dollars but also can turn users away. So simply do not add urgency messages and countdown clocks where there is no real deadline behind an offer. Don’t use fake social proof messages. Don’t say something has a limited supply when it doesn’t.
I would even take this a step further and recommend using persuasion sparingly, even if they are honest. Instead of overloading the product page with every possible persuasion method (urgency, social proof, incentive, assuming they are all honest), choose one yet impactful persuasion point.
Disclaimer
To make it clear, I’m not advocating for designing bad or cumbersome user experiences to obstruct customers from buying things. Of course, I want a delightful and easy way to buy things we need.
I’m also well aware that design is never neutral. We need to present options and arrange user flows, and whichever way we choose to do that will influence user decisions and actions.
What I’m advocating for is at least putting the user back in the center of our design process. We read earlier that users think it is “too easy to buy things you don’t need” and feel that the current state of e-commerce design is contributing to their excessive spending. Understanding this and calling ourselves user-centered, we ought to change our approach significantly.
On top of this, I’m advocating for expanding our perspective to consider the wider environmental and social impact of our designs and align our work with the move toward a sustainable future.
Mindful Consumption Beyond E-commerce Design
E-commerce design is a practical example of how design is a part of encouraging excessive, unnecessary consumption today. In this article, we looked at what we can do on this practical level to help our users shop more mindfully. However, transforming online shopping experiences is only a part of a bigger mission: moving away from a culture where excessive consumption is the aspiration for customers and the ultimate goal of companies.
As Cliff Kuang says in his article,
“The designers of the coming era need to think of themselves as inventing a new way of living that doesn’t privilege consumption as the only expression of cultural value. At the very least, we need to start framing consumption differently.”
— Cliff Kuang
Or, as Manuel Lima puts in his book, The New Designer,
“We need the design to refocus its attention where it is needed — not in creating things that harm the environment for hundreds of years or in selling things we don’t need in a continuous push down the sales funnel but, instead, in helping people and the planet solve real problems. […] Designs’s ultimate project is to reimagine how we produce, deliver, consume products, physical or digital, to rethink the existing business models.”
— Manuel Lima
So buckle up, designers, we have work to do!
To Sum It Up
Today, design is part of the problem of encouraging and facilitating excessive consumption through persuasive e-commerce design and through designing for companies with linear and exploitative business models. For a liveable future, we need to change this. On a tactical level, we need to start advocating and designing mindful shopping experiences, and on a strategic level, we need to use our knowledge and skills to elevate sustainable businesses.
I’m not saying that it is going to be an easy or quick transition, but the best time to start is now. In a dire state of need for sustainable transformation, designers with power and agency can’t stay silent or continue proliferating the problem.
“As designers, we need to see ourselves as gatekeepers of what we are bringing into the world and what we choose not to bring into the world. Design is a craft with responsibility. The responsibility to help create a better world for all.”
— Mike Monteiro
First impressions online are made in just a few seconds, so nailing your web design is crucial. Among the many elements to play with, one stands out for its universal appeal and psychological impact: human faces.
Generative AI is generally referred to as the new and advanced application of artificial intelligence that can generate new content, responses, and much more in the blink of an eye simply by utilizing the grounds on which it has been trained.
In the case of call centers or contact centers, generative AI assists agents in improving customer support service and increasing customer satisfaction by helping agents resolve customer queries as quickly as possible.
In essence, Generative AI in call centers is not just about automating tasks; it’s about augmenting human capabilities, personalizing customer interactions, and continually enhancing service quality through intelligent, data-driven insights.
Generative AI in call centers is utilized through various innovative features such as automated agent coaching, conversation intelligence, and real-time agent assist platforms. These tools analyze conversations, offer real-time guidance, and provide actionable insights to improve agent performance and customer engagement.
1. Automated Agent Coaching
2. Conversation Intelligence
3. Real-Time Assistance
4. Automated Quality Management
By harnessing these capabilities, Generative AI enables call centers to operate more efficiently, deliver superior customer service, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.
In 2024, Generative AI is set to transform call center operations by significantly boosting agent performance. This advanced technology will empower agents with enhanced capabilities, enabling them to deliver superior customer service.
By leveraging Generative AI, call center agents will be better equipped to meet and exceed customers’ evolving expectations. This technology will not only enhance agents’ efficiency and effectiveness but also pave the way for more innovative and customer-centric service strategies in the future.
Implementing Generative AI in call centers involves selecting the right tools, training staff, and continuously monitoring and refining the AI systems. Success hinges on integrating AI seamlessly into existing workflows, ensuring staff are well-equipped to utilize the technology, and maintaining a focus on enhancing customer experience.
a. Assessment of Needs: Understand the specific challenges and opportunities within your call center to identify how Generative AI can best be applied. This might include enhancing customer interaction, automating routine tasks, or providing real-time support to agents.
b. Research and Selection: Evaluate different Generative AI tools and platforms, considering factors like compatibility with existing systems, scalability, and the specific features that align with your call center’s objectives.
c. Vendor Evaluation: Look for vendors with proven expertise in call center AI solutions, which offer a range of features designed to improve agent performance and customer satisfaction.
a. Agent Training: Provide comprehensive training to agents on how to use the AI tools effectively. This should include practical sessions where they can interact with the AI system and understand its capabilities and limitations.
b. Change Management: Implement change management strategies to help staff adapt to the new technologies. This could involve addressing concerns, showcasing benefits, and encouraging a culture that embraces innovation.
c. Role Redefinition: As AI takes over routine tasks, redefine agent roles to focus more on complex and value-added interactions. This shift can enhance job satisfaction and enable agents to develop more advanced skills.
a. Monitoring Performance: Regularly assess AI tools’ performance to ensure they meet expected outcomes. This involves analyzing metrics related to agent efficiency, customer satisfaction, and overall call center productivity.
b. Gathering Feedback: Collect feedback from agents and customers on their experiences with the AI system. This feedback is crucial for identifying areas for improvement and ensuring the technology positively impacts the call center.
c. Iterative Refinement: Use the insights gathered from performance data and feedback to refine the AI implementation continuously. This may include training the AI models with new data, adjusting settings, or even exploring additional AI features or tools.
By systematically addressing these key areas, call centers can maximize the benefits of Generative AI, driving significant improvements in agent performance, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
As the calendar flips to 2024, we await a transformative era for call centers. The advent of Generative AI is not just a technological evolution — it’s a revolution that promises to redefine the very essence of customer service. Today, many companies emerge as a beacon of innovation, guiding call centers into a future where technology and human expertise converge to create unparalleled service experiences.
Imagine a call center where every agent is empowered with insights and tools that amplify their abilities exponentially. Generative AI is making this a reality by automating mundane tasks, providing real-time assistance, and offering predictive insights allowing agents to proactively address customer needs. The result? A dramatic leap in efficiency that enables agents to focus on what truly matters—delivering exceptional customer experiences.
In the world of customer service, satisfaction is the ultimate currency. Generative AI is set to enrich this currency by offering personalized, context-aware interactions that resonate with customers. By understanding the nuances of customer needs and preferences, AI-driven call centers can tailor their responses, anticipate concerns, and resolve issues with an unprecedented level of precision and empathy.
The journey to integrate Generative AI into call centers is challenging. However, these challenges are stepping stones towards mastery and innovation. Call centers that navigate this path successfully will not only enhance their operational efficiency but also forge deeper connections with their customers, turning every interaction into an opportunity to delight and impress.
Featured Image by Austin Distel on Unsplash
The post What is Generative AI in Call Centers? appeared first on noupe.
Welcome to July’s round up of websites to inspire you. This month’s collection ranges from the most stripped-back design, to high-concept interactive motion graphics, with much more in between. Enjoy!
Understanding and optimizing sales performance is crucial for sustainable growth and profitability in today’s competitive business environment. Effective tracking and measurement of sales performance enable businesses to identify strengths, address weaknesses, and make informed strategic decisions. This article explores the essential sales performance metrics, their significance, and strategies to enhance sales outcomes.
Sales performance metrics are quantifiable indicators used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a sales team. These metrics provide insights into various aspects of the sales process, from lead generation to customer retention, helping businesses to assess and improve their sales strategies. Metrics vary widely depending on the industry, business model, and sales goals but generally encompass qualitative and quantitative elements.
Tracking sales performance metrics is vital for several reasons:
Sales performance metrics can be broadly categorized into qualitative and quantitative metrics. Each type provides unique insights and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of sales effectiveness. Let’s explore these categories in detail.
Qualitative metrics focus on the subjective and often intangible aspects of sales performance. These metrics are not directly measurable by numbers but provide crucial insights into customer perceptions and the overall health of the sales process. Qualitative metrics help understand the quantitative data’s reasons and offer a deeper, contextual analysis.
Quantitative metrics are numerical indicators used to measure specific aspects of sales performance. They provide objective, measurable data that can be tracked and analyzed in real-time. They offer a clear and precise picture of how well the sales team is performing, helping businesses make informed decisions and optimize their sales strategies. Quantitative metrics cover various areas, including financial performance, sales efficiency, customer acquisition, and retention.
The overall income generated from sales indicates the financial success of the sales strategies. It is a primary metric that reflects the effectiveness of the sales efforts over a specific period.
Analyzing revenue generated by individual products or services helps identify best sellers and areas for improvement. This metric enables businesses to focus on high-performing products and reconsider strategies for underperforming ones.
The extent to which a product or service is known and used in a market reflects the effectiveness of marketing and sales efforts. High market penetration indicates strong brand awareness and market dominance.
The average time taken to close a deal indicates the efficiency of the sales process. Shorter sales cycles generally mean a more efficient sales process and quicker revenue generation.
The speed at which sales teams respond to new leads is crucial for capturing potential customers. Faster response times often lead to higher conversion rates and improved customer satisfaction.
To calculate Lead Response Rate: Time taken to respond to all leads/ No. of leads
The percentage of leads that turn into paying customers shows the effectiveness of the sales process. A higher conversion rate indicates a well-optimized sales funnel and effective lead nurturing.
To calculate Conversion rate: No. Of leads converted into sales/total number of qualified leads
The average revenue generated per deal helps us understand the value of each sale. This metric is useful for setting revenue targets and understanding the impact of individual sales on overall revenue.
CLV is the total revenue a business can expect from a customer over the entire relationship, indicating long-term profitability. High CLV suggests strong customer loyalty and repeat business.
The cost associated with acquiring a new customer is crucial for assessing the efficiency of marketing and sales efforts. Lower CAC indicates more cost-effective customer acquisition strategies.
The annual predictable revenue generated from subscriptions or contracts is important for long-term financial planning. ARR is essential for businesses relying on recurring revenue models.
To calculate ARR= Total value of a contact/Number of contract years
The percentage of customers who make repeat purchases reflects customer satisfaction and loyalty. High repeat customer rates indicate strong brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.
The ability to retain customers over time indicates the success of customer relationship management. High retention rates suggest effective customer service and engagement strategies.
To enhance sales performance, consider the following strategies:
Effective tracking and measuring sales performance are essential for driving growth and achieving business objectives. By understanding and utilizing key sales performance metrics, businesses can identify opportunities for improvement, optimize their sales processes, and enhance overall performance. Implementing strategic improvements based on these metrics will increase revenue, improve customer relationships, and lead to long-term success. Through continuous monitoring, goal setting, and targeted strategies, businesses can achieve sustainable sales growth and maintain a competitive edge in their market.
Featured image by Ibrahim Rifath on Unsplash
The post How to Track and Measure Sales Performance Effectively appeared first on noupe.
Prestashop is undoubtedly a great platform until you want to scale up and grab a massive amount of traffic.
Both WooCommerce and Prestashop are free platforms to sell online. However, Prestashop is way too expensive when it comes to utilizing plugins. It has costly modules that can increase your business expenses.
On the other hand, WooCommerce performs great in scalability and improving features with a fixed budget.
You can use WooCommerce to manage all good things in the WordPress CMS to enable excellent selling features with WooCommerce features.
Moreover, WooCommerce also allows you to alter your online store by 360 degrees with its vast room for customization.
Moving from Prestashop to WooCommerce is a big decision that isn’t only about software but also opens new opportunities for your online business.
In this blog, we will discuss what the benefits of moving from Prestashop to WooCommerce are.
Keep reading and let’s discuss in detail.
Indeed Prestashop is a well-known platform but it has some drawbacks that can be an obstacle to successful online business.
Firstly, when it comes to scalability, Prestashop can’t keep up to manage a large store. It makes it difficult for businesses to grow smoothly and swiftly.
Secondly, customization also requires a lot of coding skills to build a store based on your preferences. It can be tough to change even a small thing if you are not tech-savvy. As a result, it leads to hiring expensive developers to get it done.
Thirdly, the Prestashop modules are tricky and don’t play well with others leading to compatibility issues. It creates a messed up situation and creates a headache for the support team.
Finally, Prestashop is hard to rank because of the extra effort and additional modules that could be time-consuming and expensive.
Therefore, you need to migrate from Prestashop to WooCommerce to create a better option for your online business.
There are hundreds of benefits that WooCommerce has to offer for online business owners. We will discuss various benefits to explain how Prestashop to WooCommerce Migration could be a game-changing decision for your business. Let’s discuss it:
One of the key advantages of WooCommerce is how easy it is to set up. Right from the start. Therefore, WooCommerce guides you through the setup process with a simple and thorough step-by-step wizard.
You can have your online store up and running quickly, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
WooCommerce has an intuitive dashboard and navigation system to make it easy for you once your online store is live. You can see everything is organized and easy to find. It allows you to manage products, track sales, and answer your customers with prompt replies.
Unlike more complicated platforms, WooCommerce keeps things straightforward, giving you just the tools you need.
Store managers can spend less time trying to figure out how to use the system with more focus and growth on your business. The clean and simple design makes daily tasks smoother and less stressful.
Customers also benefit from WooCommerce’s user-friendly setup. The simple navigation makes it easy for them to browse products, add items to their cart, and make purchases without any confusion.
It keeps customers happy and more likely to come back.
Unlike any other platform out there, WooCommerce has a massive amount of themes and design options. It empowers the store owners to create a unique and beautiful website for their business.
You can choose from many options, whether you want to create a minimalist, elegant, bold, or eye-catching design.
There is a theme for every brand that wants to impress their customers with their unique aesthetics.
The strength of WooCommerce lies in the ability to extend the functionality of the website through plugins. The plugin ecosystem in WooCommerce is robust and evolving ranging from the checkout process to advanced analytics.
This adaptability allows business owners to create their online stores precisely according to their operational needs without any hurdles.
WooCommerce is great for creating a shopping experience that is beyond aesthetics and functionality. It has features like personalized product recommendations, seamless integration of customer reviews, and flexible shopping options for a customer-centric approach.
Such customization not only enhances customer satisfaction but also boosts conversions and customer loyalty.
Beyond aesthetics and functionality, WooCommerce excels in creating an extraordinary shopping experience.
It provides various features that make it a good decision to migrate to WooCommerce.
Features like personalized product recommendations, seamless integration of customer reviews, and flexible shipping options contribute to a user-centric approach.
Such a level of customization not only enhances user satisfaction but also boosts conversion rates and fosters customer loyalty.
Featured Image by KOBU Agency on Unsplash
The post Benefits of Migrating from PrestaShop to WooCommerce appeared first on noupe.
In an era where technology is rapidly advancing, it is tempting to view it as a universal remedy for a myriad of challenges. However, while technology has immense potential, it cannot solve problems by itself. The effectiveness of technology as a solution is influenced by several critical factors which could be overlooked by those adopting them. To harness the full potential of technology, it is crucial to consider these factors carefully. This article delves into these factors and examines how Design Thinking could serve as a better prerequisite than simply introducing technology.
Considerations for effective technology adoption:
Who are the users?
Understanding who the users are is fundamental to ensuring that technology solutions are effective. Users vary widely in their levels of tech-savviness and digital literacy. For instance, older adults often face significant barriers adopting new technologies due to limited exposure, physical limitations such as impaired vision or hearing loss, and sometimes a general reluctance to embrace new digital tools.
In an organisational setting, a technology that is suitable for one or two departments does not necessarily mean it should be adopted throughout the entire organisation. Different departments have unique functions, workflows and requirements. Technology solutions need to be customisable and flexible to meet the specific needs of different departments. A one-size-fits-all approach often falls short because it fails to address the unique challenges and workflows of each department.
Digital Maturity
Digital maturity refers to the level of understanding, integration and effective use of digital technologies by individuals and organisations. Organisations with low digital maturity can face extreme challenges if they attempt to leap from a low to an advanced digital maturity level without proper preparation. Such a drastic jump requires significant time for adaptation, integration of existing processes and systems, and extensive training for users.
A more pragmatic approach is to gradually transition from low to medium digital maturity, allowing users to adapt incrementally. Simplifying user interfaces and functionalities, offering comprehensive training programs, and providing continuous support and resources are essential steps in this journey.
Infrastructure and Environment
The effectiveness of technology also heavily depends on the surrounding infrastructure and environment. Robust infrastructure encompasses reliable electricity, high-speed internet, telecommunications networks, transportation systems, and space. Inadequate infrastructure can severely limit the deployment and utilisation of technology.
Large-scale technology installations, for example data centres, require significant physical space and specialised environments, including controlled temperatures and humidity levels to ensure optimal functioning of servers and other hardware. Additionally, the availability of necessary equipment and consistent maintenance is critical to sustaining the technological infrastructure.
Processes
Ideally, technology implementation should facilitate and streamline work processes without causing disruptions. However, this is often feasible only if the technology is fully customised to the specific needs of the respective processes. Given that many solution providers cater to a broad spectrum of products and clients, full customisation is rarely possible. As a result, organisations often need to redesign their processes to ensure that the technology adoption does not hinder the intended outcomes.
This process redesign requires a deep understanding of the technology’s capabilities and a strategic approach to ensure that the new process together with the technology is beneficial, enhancing productivity, saving time, and improving customer retention. The redesigned process also necessitates a period for users to adapt and familiarise themselves with the new workflows, which require the need for ongoing training and support.
How Design Thinking Can Help?
Design Thinking is a user-centred approach to problem-solving that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of technology solutions. It involves the users’ needs, ideating solutions, prototyping and iterating based on feedback.
Understanding users
Design Thinking starts with empathy, focusing on understanding the users’ experiences, challenges and needs. We conduct various activities such as interviews, surveys, and observations to collect qualitative data about how users interact. These findings will be key considerations in the development of the technology that truly addresses their specific requirements, leading to higher adoption rates and better user satisfaction.
Incremental adoption of technology
Design Thinking promotes iterative development, allowing organisations to gradually enhance their digital maturity. Prototypes and pilot programs can be tested with users, providing valuable feedback that can be used to make incremental improvements. This approach reduces risk associated with large-scale technology shifts and ensures a smoother transition for users.
In addition, comprehensive training programs are essential to ensure users understand and are comfortable with the new workflow. Change management strategies, such as clear communication, involvement of key stakeholders, and addressing resistance are crucial for successful adoption.
Infrastructure integration
By involving stakeholders from various sectors or departments (e.g. IT, facilities management, customer service, logistics, etc.) in the design process, Design Thinking ensures that all infrastructure and process needs are considered. This holistic approach can lead to more robust and resilient technology solutions that are well supported by the necessary infrastructure.
Process redesign
Process redesign sums up the previous considerations mentioned earlier, user understanding, incremental adoption and infrastructure integration. Design Thinking encourages a holistic view of the users, processes and the system, identifying all interactions, touchpoints, needs and challenges across the organisation. When redesigning processes, this methodology ensures that the new workflows are continuously tested and refined based on user feedback. This iterative process helps to create more efficient, effective and user-friendly processes that leverage technology to its fullest potential.
In conclusion, while technology has the potential to solve many problems, it cannot do so in isolation. The effectiveness of technology solutions depends on a thorough understanding of users, a gradual yet strategic approach to increasing digital maturity, robust infrastructure, and well-integrated processes. Design Thinking provides a valuable framework to address these considerations, ensuring that technology solutions are not only innovative but also practical and user-centred. By incorporating empathy, iterative development, and continuous feedback, Design Thinking can help develop and implement technology solutions that can truly impact the users and organisations positively.
The post Why Technology Alone Can’t Solve Problems: The Importance of Human-Centred Design appeared first on Design Sojourn. Please click above if you cannot see this post.
What do Design Thinking and boxing have in common? Surprisingly, more than you might think. As an Experience designer who has been boxing recreationally for the past two and a half years, I have discovered surprising parallels between these seemingly unrelated practices. In this article, I will share 3 key principles from boxing that have refined my approach to Design Thinking and my daily life.
Slow down to move fast
When watching boxing videos on social media, we usually see boxers executing long combinations with agility and fluidity. These videos are captivating to watch and sparked my interest in boxing. However, I learned that none of those boxers started out boxing this way. The key to being fast in your movements is slowing down each step to ensure the right technique. A boxer works on their speed only after perfecting their technique
This principle translated to the way I used Design Thinking. With pressure from tight deadlines, it is common to rush through the Design Thinking stages to arrive at solutions quickly. However, I have discovered that deliberately taking the time to go through each stage of the process thoroughly, results in better outcomes. Deliberately slowing down at certain checkpoints during a project allows me to reflect on the situation and ensures that I prioritise my time on needed steps effectively. This ultimately speeds up the overall design process as each stage is more thoughtfully executed.
Stay calm under uncertainty
Sparring with another boxer is inherently unpredictable. Each sparring partner is different, with different skill sets and fighting styles. Learning to stay calm under pressure from a barrage of punches and adapt to rapidly changing situations is crucial to being a good boxer. This ability to maintain composure and clarity in the face of uncertainty has been invaluable in my Design Thinking approach.
Design projects often involve navigating ambiguity and complex challenges. Staying calm under uncertainty allows me to approach these challenges with a clear mind, making thoughtful and informed decisions. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by the unknown, I focus on taking things one step at a time. This approach enables steady progress even when faced with uncertainty.
Trusting the process
Boxing training has its highs and lows. You will inevitably have challenging moments such as progressing slower than expected or having setbacks due to injuries. Trusting the training process, staying committed, and believing in incremental improvements have been essential to my growth. This mindset has greatly influenced how I approach Design Thinking.
Design Thinking requires patience and persistence, as the best solutions often emerge through continuous refinement. Trusting the design process means embracing each stage fully and understanding that every step, even setbacks, contributes to the outcome. This trust fosters resilience and perseverance which enables me to push through challenges and stay focused on the end goal.
Boxing has taught me many valuable lessons that have made me a better Design Thinker. Slowing down to move fast reflects the importance of intentionally going through each stage to achieve better quality outcomes. Staying calm under uncertainty allows for better decision-making and adaptability in the face of complex challenges. Trusting the process fosters the patience and perseverance needed to push through setbacks and stay committed to the journey.
These principles have not only made me a better boxer but also a more effective Design Thinker. Sometimes, the most unexpected activities can have more in common than you might think.
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