M&T Bank Case Study, Continued

I’ve really enjoyed being involved & experiencing the research process and learning about different methods to collect data. I’ve seen product flows transform as a result of the research and the iteration of test & learn phases. 

In my past job experiences I was just fed data from my researchers, which did support me in making design decisions, but I felt like something was missing. 

During the last two years of my recent experiences as a UI/ Visual Designer, I took any opportunity to participate & support the research and testing phases of projects. I heard feedback first hand, rather than it being a game of telephone and having it passed down to me. 

Hearing feedback first hand has empowered me as a designer to play with ideas, and bend or enhance the product. I feel more invested and excited about the next iteration of the design. 

I've learned it’s all an iterative process, and it's fun to look back at where the product was when I first started two years ago vs. what it looks like today. They may have been small changes, but testing helped me to create a better experience for users. 

Something I would like to explore in the near future is heat-map testing for digital products. This kind of testing allows you to ask different kinds of questions. But some projects move slower or don't have the budget and resources to do these kinds of testing.

I've really enjoyed my recent experience with research and testing. I've been exposed to different forms of testing methods and learned tips and tricks along the way. I've learned there is no "one way" to do testing, and to try different methods to discover if it works for the problem or question at hand. With UX Design & Research there’s an importance in balancing the needs of the users, the business, & technology. 

And, in general, whatever project I’m on, the process is always iterative and has room for improvement. 

Data is king! Without data, I'm just designing off of my own assumptions and bias. 

Data influences business decisions. I can use data to set up fast-fail test & learn experiences, where the client isn’t losing a lot of money because I'm testing small things, before going into larger test phases. I quickly discover where the users are struggling, and the opportunities to make their experience better.

Something that happened for me over time is the ability to recognize if the data is biased. Where did it come from? Is it as neutral? Or was it influenced in some way? 

I allow time for conversations with the client about opinion vs data, and support them in understanding we can't just design off of what they think or their own bias and assumptions.

In my experience, the lack of data makes things go wrong within a project. Working on a client like M&T Bank has helped me realize that data & complex systems are fun to work with.

Through research, I've often discovered that the client is withholding their data. It can be scary for clients because they don’t know what the research is going to find or reveal — it can feel like the research is digging the skeletons out of their closet. Sometimes I'm exploring places the client doesn't want to go or look into — but really I need to look at the data from all angles. 

During research & data collection it’s important I assure the client, “We're going through this phase together” and I let them know, “I'm here for you, and whatever we find is going to matter and support the project. We're going to understand the user's pain points, and we're going to get to the root cause of the problem.” I’m thankful to have a very curious, supportive, and flexible personality.