245D Consulting
“Design is the beauty of turning constraints into advantages.” – Aza Raskin

Client

245D Consulting

The client is an early-idea-stage consulting business that is looking to help fill a gap by providing support to 245D applicants and license holders. The client’s goal is to streamline and demystify the confusing application and licensing process for providers serving people with disabilities. The client wants to leverage design and digital capabilities to make things approachable, accessible, and easy to understand for providers looking to apply for, or hold, a 245D license.

Project Overview

245D Consulting hired me as a UX Designer and Researcher, with support from the Prime Digital Academy's UX Design and Research program, to help 245D Consulting by offering a holistic design strategy that will consider many different points of interaction with the organization’s user, client, and customers. Part of the process includes proposing a system of touchpoints that engages their users in a meaningful way that also meets their organizational goals.

For a conclusion, I was asked to present my findings in the form of a final client presentation video and prototype package for 245D Consulting stakeholders.

Primary Audiences
Providers: As a Provider, I need help understanding and navigating the frustratingly complex process of becoming licensed (including 40+ forms required to apply for a license) and the difficult nature of staying compliant because my livelihood and the people I care for depend on it.

Secondary Audiences
DHS Staff: As a staff member of the Minnesota Department of Health (DHS), I need my license applicants and current licensees to have a firm understanding of the laws, regulations and processes required to obtain and hold a 245D license because I don’t have enough time to manage all the violations, license suspensions, and corrections currently happening.

Story of Approach

I was given the chance to work on a project with 245D Consulting, in collaboration with Prime Digital Academy's UX Design and Research program. In my UX role, I supported the research and design of new touchpoints that would aid the company's Holistic Design Strategy. To begin the process, I partnered with a stakeholder from 245D Consulting to develop a Client Overview that encompassed the group's history, present state, and future plans. This involved gaining an understanding of the organization's purpose, the project being worked on, its target audience, key user tasks, competition, and any relevant resources.

After obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the 245D landscape, I conducted a "Know, Don't Know, and Assume" documentation exercise to record all the information gathered, followed by a stakeholder interview. I then delved deeper into the competitive landscape to gain a more in-depth understanding of the problem space in which the client operates. The insights and data obtained during this exploration were used to create a Guiding Strategy Statement, which identified the touchpoints to concentrate on and develop into a Touchpoint Strategy Map.

The highlighted touchpoints discussed were then developed, and Touchpoint Prototypes were created and shared with stakeholders. The project culminated in a Client Presentation Video and a Final Prototype Package that included all the designed assets, which were presented to 245D Consulting's stakeholders.

My Role

As a designer & researcher for this project, professional goals were:

  • Conduct secondary research in order to understand pain points and opportunity areas

  • Present design documentation that illustrates interactions within a complex problem space

  • Create prototypes that address opportunity areas in a variety of mediums

  • Propose design solutions through rapid prototypes

  • Visually present design recommendations that support key goals

  • Follow up goal, to present a professional portfolio showcasing my UX process and resulting work.

Design Toolkit

Notion - Tracking Projects & Sharing Documents
Figma - Wireframing & Prototyping Web Layout
Adobe Creative Cloud - Photoshop, Premiere Pro Video Production, & Creating PDF’s
Apple MacBook Pro - Case Study Computer
Zoom - Online Meetings
Google Suite - Scheduling & Meeting Coordination, Internet Data Searching, File Collection, Text and Script origination, Emailing & Participant Communication
PowToons - Video Animation

“Know, Don’t Know
and Assume”

Know, Don’t Know, and Assume Figma Workspace

Approach:
To prepare for the stakeholder interview, a "Know, Don't Know and Assume" method was used to document the understanding of the client, their target audience, and the problem space. The team then examined the provided documentation, project summary, and gained an understanding of the competitors or comparators. A comprehensive list of what is known, unknown, and assumed about the project, including its goals, was created and consolidated by removing any duplicates. This step helped guide the questions posed during the upcoming stakeholder interview.

Outcome:
The "Know, Don't Know and Assume" method provided a clear structure for understanding the client, their target audience, and the problem space. By creating a comprehensive list of what was known, unknown, and assumed about the project, the team was able to gather more relevant information during the stakeholder interview. This approach resulted in a better understanding of the project's goals and helped guide the design and development of a successful product.

Deep Dive

Deep Dive Figjam Workspace

Approach:
For a comprehensive understanding of the problem space, a "deep dive" approach was adopted by the team. The engagement was strategically planned to cover relevant ground in a short time and utilize resources effectively. The research involved exploring the competitive landscape, existing documentation, and conducting secondary research to answer important questions such as "what exists in this space?" and "what's important to the audience?". Additionally, touchpoints familiar to the client's audience were identified, and data, surveys, or audience information shared by the client were incorporated into the research.

Outcome:
Our audit provided valuable insights that informed the design and development of the product under development. It enabled us to identify areas for improvement, which led to the creation of a standout product in the market.

Stakeholder Interview

Stakeholder interview conducted over Zoom

Approach:
To gather insights from key stakeholders, the UX case study utilized stakeholder interviews. This approach aimed to understand stakeholder needs, goals, and expectations and covered topics such as the target audience, current pain points, and project goals.

Outcome:
The insights collected from the stakeholder interview were instrumental in shaping the design and development of the recommended product features. This approach ensured that the final product met the expectations of the stakeholders and provided an effective and valuable solution. Additionally, the interview offered valuable insights into the project's organizational dynamics, enabling effective collaboration and navigating the project with ease. Conducting stakeholder interviews proved to be an invaluable method to collect crucial information and guide the design and development of a successful product.

Guiding Strategy Statement

Approach:
To guide the project direction, an initial strategy statement was developed based on insights gathered from a deep dive into the problem space. The statement included the brand, specific user groups, emotions, goals, themes or approaches, and metrics. The statement was a constant reminder of the project's direction and was subject to modification as the project evolved and the approach was refined.

Outcome:
The guiding strategy statement was critical to the success of the project. It provided a clear and concise direction for the team to follow, ensuring that everyone was aligned on the project's goals and objectives. Additionally, reflecting on the project allowed for valuable follow-up discussions, such as evaluating the approach taken and how success would be measured. Overall, the strategy statement served as a valuable tool throughout the project's lifecycle.

Guiding Strategy Statement:
“All user experience touch-points for 245D Consulting will help providers to feel support and enjoyment so that they are able to understand and navigate the frustratingly complex process of becoming licensed we will do this by focusing on education and empowerment.

Throughout the week:
As a result we hope to see a change in the number of licenses completed and maintained.”

Touchpoint Strategy Map

Touchpoint Strategy Map created on Figma

Approach:
A touchpoint strategy map was utilized as a visual tool to identify all touchpoints between the user and the product or service. The purpose of this map was to gain a better understanding of the user's experience and identify areas for improvement, ensuring that all touchpoints work seamlessly together. The touchpoint strategy map was specifically used to plot out the various points of interaction between the user, Sophie, and the service. This approach helped to gain insights into how touchpoints work together and how they impact the overall user experience.

Outcome:
Creating a touchpoint strategy map provided a better understanding of the user's experience and identified areas for improvement. It ensured that all touchpoints were aligned and worked together to create a cohesive and seamless user experience. This approach helped to create a product that meets the needs of the user and provides a positive experience.

Touchpoint Prototypes

Low Fidelity Touchpoint Prototypes created with Photoshop

Approach:
The touchpoint prototypes started out as an early-stage/low-fidelity visual tool that aimed to explore and test specific touchpoints in a user's journey. Starting with rough sketches enabled quick iteration and refinement of design ideas.

Outcome:
Creating and testing touchpoint prototypes provided insights into how the user would interact with the product or service at specific touchpoints. This approach allowed for evaluating effectiveness and making informed decisions about how to improve the user experience. It was relatively quick and inexpensive to create, which allowed for testing and refinement of ideas into higher fidelity prototypes without investing significant time and resources in building a more comprehensive product. This approach led to a product that meets user needs and provides a positive experience.

Higher Fidelity Touchpoint Prototypes created with Photoshop

Client Presentation Video
and Prototype Package

Approach:
To showcase our proposed touchpoints to the 245D Consulting stakeholders, we created a client presentation video and prototype package. The video included a prototype with clear annotations, highlighting the value of the touchpoints and their potential impact on the customer experience. The prototype package was easy to understand and provided a comprehensive understanding of our proposed solutions.

Outcome:
The client presentation video and prototype package proved to be an effective way to communicate our proposed solutions to the stakeholders at 245D Consulting. They were able to understand the potential impact of the touchpoints on the customer experience and were impressed with the clarity of the annotations in the prototype. This helped us gain their buy-in and approval for the proposed touchpoints, which ultimately led to the successful implementation of our solutions.

Click video above to watch 24D Consulting Client Presentation video

Prototype Package Highlights For 245D Consulting

245D Consulting Touchpoint Strategy Deck - Title Slide

245D Consulting Touchpoint Strategy Deck - Table of Contents

245D Consulting Touchpoint Strategy Deck - Executive Summary

245D Consulting Touchpoint Strategy Deck - Annotated Wireframe

Next Steps

Moving forward, my recommendation to 245D Consulting would be to take these prototypes and conduct user testing and collect feedback from their target audience through surveys to identify areas for improvement in how they introduce prospective service providers to their company.

It's also a good idea to figure out their strengths as leaders of the group and create a solid mission statement for the business. That way, they’ll have a clear idea of what they want to achieve and can use it to guide the planning process.

Lastly, If someone was thinking about applying for a 245D license for their small business, 245D Consulting could lend a hand by providing guidance on the business registration process. They could even help them create a plan for providers to make sure this is the right opportunity for them before they go ahead with the application.

Personal Growth

Creating my first animation was a valuable learning experience that deepened my understanding of communication and stakeholder engagement.

Animated client presentation videos benefit stakeholders by improving understanding, engagement, and retention, ensuring consistent messaging, and saving time and cost. They effectively convey complex information, capture attention, and promote information recall.

They can also be created once and reused, reducing the need for additional presentations.

Method Thoughts

By integrating diverse research methods, I gained a profound understanding of user behavior, which enabled me to make informed decisions that aligned the final product with users' actual needs, reducing the risk of developing something that didn't resonate with stakeholders. My UX research ensured a satisfying user experience in the final product.

Conclusion

245D Consulting is now in a position to provide positive support to providers in Minnesota for navigating the challenging world of 245D licensing. By assisting both applicants and license holders, they can bridge the gap and address the challenges faced by providers serving people with disabilities. The touchpoints and holistic design strategy addressed will aid them in simplifing and demystifing the licensing process and making it more accessible through their new design and digital capabilities. Overall, the goal is achieved in helping providers to easily apply for or hold a 245D license.

File Index

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