PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: DIGITAL BETTY

An improved, feature-rich home page for mid-sized customers, known as Digital Betty. (Design Credit: N. Norman, K. Taylor.)

An improved, feature-rich home page for mid-sized customers, known as Digital Betty. (Design Credit: N. Norman, K. Taylor.)

Prior to writing user stories, we validated the concept with customers to ensure our MVP solution captured the highest value items.

Prior to writing user stories, we validated the concept with customers to ensure our MVP solution captured the highest value items.

Redefining the Value of a Home Page

I led a team that set the product strategy and tested product ideas to re-engage a particular customer segment. For this project, known internally as Digital Betty, I came up with the concept and then had to sell it to leaders across multiple teams within my organization. Once they were bought in, I had to get my peers within the product and technical teams on board. Ultimately, portions of my idea were built and released to production in October 2017.

I developed a one-page summary of my idea to present along with the design concepts to ensure timelines and success measures were thought through and communicated.

I developed a one-page summary of my idea to present along with the design concepts to ensure timelines and success measures were thought through and communicated.

Prior to concept development, I ran a workshop with a cross-functional team to share knowledge of this customer segment and invite them into the design process.

Prior to concept development, I ran a workshop with a cross-functional team to share knowledge of this customer segment and invite them into the design process.

BuildINg Consensus Along the Way

Ideas are much easier to sell back to leaders, stakeholders and peers if you take them along for the ride with you and show your work along the way. If a team member feels a part of the process and can see their fingerprints on the idea, they are less likely to challenge it later.