Biggest Challenges Faced by a Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Marketing at Sports Thread
Keenan's biggest challenge as Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Marketing at Sports Thread Inc. is developing user-friendly software for hundreds of thousands of people with varying needs, balancing "complicated things" like event support and ticketing with intuitive design to minimize user frustration and support requests. The dual responsibility of product development and customer experience management presents a significant hurdle in ensuring widespread accessibility and usability of the software.
Software Development, Product Management, User Experience (UX) Design, Customer Support, Project Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Keenan
Chief information Officer and Vice President of Marketing
Sports Thread Inc
University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
Marketing
Sports & Fitness
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Balancing user experience with complex functionality: Creating intuitive software for a large user base with diverse needs and preferences while incorporating complex features is a significant challenge.
2. Bridging the gap between product development and customer understanding: The need to develop a product that meets user needs and expectations effectively while minimizing the need for customer support is highlighted.
3. The importance of clear communication and accessible product information: Effectively communicating product information and support to a broad audience to enhance understanding and reduce confusion is crucial.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
The biggest challenge in my current role is the development of our product, Sports Thread. I oversee our development team and help work on all the designs and various other aspects.
The main challenge is creating software that can be used by hundreds of thousands of people. Everyone has different ideas about how things should be done, so something intuitive to one person might not be to another.
We have some fairly complicated features to implement, especially for event support, age-verified rosters, ticketing, and assigned seating. Users have to make many complex decisions.
Empowering users to make these decisions without needing to contact us or experiencing frustration with the product is a significant challenge. Additionally, explaining our product to customers in a clear, understandable way is crucial.
We aim to ensure everyone can get the help they need while simultaneously reducing the volume of incoming questions. I would say this is by far the most challenging part of what I do.