Biggest Challenges Faced By A Product Designer At A Non-Profit Education Company
The biggest challenge for Ashley as a Product Designer at a non-profit education company is getting "buy-in," especially from upper leadership, regarding the necessity of user research because they often believe "they know our users, so there's no reason to talk to 'em." Ashley believes direct user research is critical because while leaders might see what users *do*, they don't know *why*, and understanding the "why" is essential for truly improving the product and user experience.
User Research, Leadership Alignment, Product Improvement, Understanding User Needs, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ashley McWilliams
Product Designer
Non-profit education company
Arkansas State University
Engineering, IT, Math & Data
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Scholarship Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Challenge of getting buy-in for user research, especially from upper leadership who believe they already know the users.
2. Importance of understanding the 'why' behind user actions, not just observing what they do.
3. Potential for improving a product to the point where users genuinely love it, rather than using it out of necessity.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your role?
What is your biggest challenge in your role? Getting buy-in, especially when it comes to user research. This is particularly true with upper leadership.
A lot of leaders think they already know our users, so there's no reason to talk to them. They believe they know what users need because they've been working with them all this time.
While you see what users do, you don't understand why they do it. They may seem to love your product, but it could be because they have no other option. If you could improve the product, they might truly love it and it would become their only choice.