Just like there are a variety of ways to solve a problem, there a many was to get to that solution. This portion of my portion is dedicated to showing a few different ways that I followed process in order to create a solution that achieves user goals in an optimal way. I’ll start with a higher level process from the CVS Digital Innovation Lab. This poster was also created to share with external teams, so all parties involved could clearly understand the function of the lab.
One of the things that wasn’t included in the is process was a tradition we started as a team called the Innovator Award, which I was lucky enough to receive. The best part about this award is that is peer based. The receiver of the award that month gets to pick next month’s recipient. I find that these type of awards to be the highest honor. Not for the prestige or the hardware, but knowing that I have the respect of my teammates, makes me know I’ve been doing something right.
During my time at Arnold Worldwide, an ad agency in Boston, the role of XD (experience design) team had a lot do with advocacy. Since most of the project coming out of an ad agency were “one-and-done” with out much budget for research or user testing, it was our job to convince clients and stakeholders of the value in human centered design. There was a lot of card sorting and workshops with internal teams and clients that help greatly with this. The clients really appreciated the documentation we produced after each workshop, because it gave them a clear understanding of what was happening and also how some of the technology would work.
As Sr. UX Lead at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts there are many problems to solve big and small. We use a variety methods to come up with solutions, and have UX reviews twice a week to get feedback on whatever work is in progress. Sometimes we’ll have smaller sessions with only the UX team and other times we’ll include a SME(subject matter expert) or stakeholder. Most of this collaboration work we’ll do in the office (located in Quincy) with stickies, sketches and white boards.
When we have higher profile project or the support a the project sponsor, we’ll have larger workshops that will cross multiple teams and have a span of 2 days, using the Well-B center in Boston. These workshops are pretty intense for 2 days, in which we achieve almost a weeks worth of work. Although these workshops can be grueling, I thoroughly enjoy them. I love the feeling of getting closer and closer to a eureka moment. That is why I got into this line of work. I’m always chasing the “it makes so much sense” moment.
