UX Design And Business Strategy

🐑 Business Language vs. UX Language. How to present design work, explain design decisions and get stakeholders on your side ↓ 🤔 Businesses rarely understand the impact of UX work. 🤔 UX language is overloaded with ambiguous terms/labels. 🤔 Business can’t support initiatives it doesn’t understand. ✅ Leave UX language and UX abbreviations at the door. ✅ Explain design work through the lens of business goals. 🚫 Avoid “consistency”, “empathy”, “simplicity”, “affordance”. 🚫 Avoid “design thinking”, “cognitive load”, “universal design”. 🚫 Avoid “lean UX”, “agile”, “archetypes”, “Jobs-To-Be-Done”. 🚫 Avoid “stakeholder management” and “design validation”. 🚫 Avoid abbreviations: WIP, POC, HMW, IxD, PDP, PLP, WCAG. ✅ Explain how you’ll measure success of your design work. ✅ Speak of business value, loyalty, abandonment, churn. ✅ Show risk management, compliance, governance, evidence. ✅ Refer to cost reduction, efficiency, growth, success, Design KPIs. ✅ Present inclusive design as an industry-wide way of working. As designers, we often use design terms, such as consistency, friction and empathy. Yet to many managers, these attributes don’t map to any business objectives at all, often leaving them baffled and utterly confused about the actual real-life impact of our UX work. One way out that changed everything for me is to leave UX vocabulary at the door when entering a business meeting. Instead, I try to explain design work through the lens of the business, often rehearsing and testing the script ahead of time. When presenting design work in a big meeting, I try to be very deliberate and strategic in the choice of words. I won’t be speaking about attracting “eye-balls” or getting users “hooked”. It’s just not me. But I won’t be speaking about reducing “friction” or improving “consistency” either. Instead, I tell a story. A story that visualizes how our work helps the business. How design team has translated business goals into specific design initiatives. How UX can reduce costs. Increase revenue. Grow business. Open new opportunities. New markets. Increase efficiency. Extend reach. Mitigate risk. Amplify word of mouth. And how we’ll measure all that huge impact of our work. Typically, it’s broken down into 8 sections: 🎯 Goals ← Business targets, KRs we aim to achieve. 💥 Translation ← Design initiatives, iterations, tests. 🕵️ Evidence ← Data from UX research, pain points. 🧠 Ideas ← Prioritized by an impact/effort-matrix. 🕹 Design work ← Flows, features, user journeys. 📈 Design KPIs ← How we’ll measure/report success. 🐑 Shepherding ← Risk management, governance. 🔮 Future ← What we believe are good next steps. Next time you walk in a meeting, pay attention to your words. Translate UX terms in a language that other departments understand. It might not take long until you’ll see support coming from everywhere — just because everyone can now clearly see how your work helps them do their work better. [continues in the comments]

Good news for UX Research hiring: the recent Section 174 R&D tax code just changed the math. For the past two years, companies had to amortize R&D expenses over 5 years - a policy shift that quietly punished experimentation and slowed down early-stage research hiring. Even core UX investments like usability studies and field research got more expensive on paper, especially at the startup and growth stage. That just changed. With the recent tax policy reversal, U.S. companies can once again fully expense R&D in the year it’s incurred. That includes much of what UX researchers and design strategists do to inform new product development. What this means: - Research = financially smarter again - The “why now” for hiring UXRs just got stronger - Teams that paused discovery work have a chance to restart it with better financial backing We already know research saves money, reduces waste, and improves product-market fit. Now it’s aligned with tax incentives again. If you’re leading product, finance, or research, and have been under pressure to cut “nonessential” work, this is the moment to rebuild your insights capacity. If you’re looking for UXR work get after it. Focus on startups in series A,B,C funding rounds. Nobody hires like the newly funded + tax incentive! Work and learn with me - Consulting: www.HXRlabs.com Courses: https://lnkd.in/gaNDBRTc Scholarships: https://lnkd.in/gv73kWfW

Every few years, it feels like the CX industry latches onto a new acronym (CX+BX=TX anyone?), yet most “next big things” are just incremental builds on what's already there. Innovation is lacking, but the notion of UX 3.0 feels different. A recent arXiv paper, “UX 3.0: Experience as Interface,” posits the customer journey is a living system rather than a set of screens, proposing products should read what people are doing, sense how they feel, and reshape themselves in real time. A companion study, “Multi-Layered Human-Centered AI,” explains how to wire three layers together: the model that does the work, an explanation layer that chooses how to talk about it, and a feedback loop that learns from every interaction. Why is this a big deal? Because most of today’s “personalization” is really a flowchart diguised as a personalized experience. Like a chatbot greeting you with the same menu at 11 p.m. that it shows at noon; it's a polite automation that shouldn't be considered personalization. With UX 3.0, the system recognizes intent and emotion, picks the next best step, and adjusts response tone and depth for whoever is on the other side. Picture a service app that senses rising frustration and surfaces a human back channel without being asked. Or a mortgage portal that notices a customer is on a slow mobile connection and removes heavyweight content until the signal improves. That is the sort of moment-to-moment orchestration the new research is pushing toward. The implications for CX teams are practical and, frankly, within reach. First, design reviews can no longer focus only on the screen. They must map the invisible flows: what data feeds the model, how explanations adapt to a new versus a power user, and what signals trigger a course correction. Second, explainability is a product feature. A customer should be able to ask, “Why did you recommend this?” and receive an answer specific to them. So plain language for most of us, but deeper logic for an auditor or a regulator. Third, iteration cycles need to tighten. A product that learns live can't wait for UX research; it needs in-context telemetry and a governance plan that keeps those changes and the teams that deliver them on a tight leash. For large platforms like Qualtrics, PG Forsta, Medallia, UserTesting, or even Genesys, Verint, and NiCE, I think this shift threatens the comfort of dashboards. A true experience-led layer belongs closer to the data plane, with fast feedback and version control. Interestingly, the research community is already open-sourcing prototypes (check out the paper). So UX 3.0 is less about a new coat of paint and more about teaching our products to listen, explain themselves, and grow alongside the people they serve. My friend and colleague, Mike Debnar, and I have been talking about products talking to each other for years. Perhaps we will finally see it come together. Mike, what do you think? #customerexperience #design #ux #ai #future #technology

The best marketing doesn’t look like marketing—it looks like excitement. This ₹19 lakh crore retail brand’s Delhi launch proved that when you design for shareability, customers become your biggest promoters-for free. Here’s what they did         Marketing today isn’t just about showing up—it’s about creating an experience that people want to talk about, both offline and online. Some of the most impactful campaigns start in the physical world before making waves in the digital space. Take IKEA’s Delhi launch, for example. Instead of relying solely on online ads, they built anticipation through a well-thought-out offline strategy that naturally sparked online conversations. I've observed these key elements in IKEA's strategy: 📍 Billboards that made people stop and wonder: They billboards were placed in Connaught Place and Cyber Hub, Also, they were featured countdowns and cryptic teasers, which builds the curiosity and excitement before the launch. 📍 A store made for the ‘Gram: Also, they designed a Life-sized IKEA shopping bags, cozy room setups, and interactive spaces which changed the store into a photo-worthy experience, encouraging visitors to snap, share, and spread the buzz. 📍 Early access that sparked FOMO: Influencers, journalists, and early visitors got a first look, and they sharied their excitement online and making everyone else wish they were there. 📍 Experiences worth talking about: From a Swedish café to live product demos, every detail was designed to make customers the brand’s biggest promoters—naturally. 📍 A seamless offline-to-online journey: QR codes on billboards and in-store displays made it easy to explore products, shop online, and stay connected—blending the physical and digital experience effortlessly. I believe the most valuable insight from IKEA's approach is that effective marketing doesn't require choosing between traditional and digital channels. The magic happens when you understand how they complement each other. Which recent store opening in your city created genuine excitement both offline and online? 

Civil servants deserve good UX too. But most internal government tools treat users like an afterthought. We focus obsessively on citizen-facing services. GOV.UK is world-class. Digital services win awards for user experience. Then civil servants log into their internal systems and it's like stepping back 15 years. Clunky interfaces. Multi-step processes for simple tasks. Systems that fight users instead of helping them. We recently worked on a facilities management transformation where internal staff had to log maintenance jobs, manage third-party suppliers, and track finance across thousands of locations. The previous system made basic tasks needlessly complex. Staff spent more time wrestling with the tool than solving the actual problem. What good internal UX actually requires: → Design thinking applied to staff workflows, not just citizen journeys  → Understanding how people actually work, not how process maps say they should  → Making common tasks simple, even if it means more complexity behind the scenes The result was seamless processes for internal staff to log jobs, get suppliers paid efficiently, and manage complaints better. Good UX isn't just for citizens.  When internal tools are well-designed, staff work faster, make fewer errors, and focus on value instead of fighting systems. The best digital transformation improves life for everyone who touches the service, not just the end user. What's the worst internal tool you've had to use daily? #UserExperience #GovTech #DigitalTransformation

Multichannel ABX is harder than it sounds. It's not just about being everywhere; it's about being consistent EVERYWHERE. Think about it: your target accounts jump between your site, emails, and social media. A broken experience? That kills trust. I made a mistake in the past by creating an #ABM campaign that wasn't as coherent as it should have been. Long story short, on the whys and whats about this campaign, because the #ABX was messy. Our personalized emails, ads, and social media campaigns didn't go as planned, creating a confusing experience for our prospects. I learned from that experience that integration is key. Every step in the customer journey needs to connect seamlessly, with all components working together rather than as isolated pieces or processes. Deep account knowledge matters, too. 👉🏾Where do they live online? 👉🏾What content works? 👉🏾How do they see you? Tools like Terminus and Demandbase can help unify data. But tech isn't enough. You need a strategy. Shared goals. Aligned teams. Because consistency builds trust, and trust builds deals. #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #marketingstrategy

We built 170+ experience centres when everyone said "just sell online." Turns out, the biggest D2C winners followed the same playbook. When we built The Sleep Company, we wanted to change how the market thought of mattress stores. Despite the skepticism from investors and the demands from retailers, we chose to build 170+ experience centres ourselves. Not stores. Experience centres. Today, more than 80% of our revenue comes from these owned channels. Here's what surprised me. The brands winning in D2C aren't chasing digital-first anymore. They're building trust the old-fashioned way. Let’s take a look at what's actually working: 📍Nykaa understood that beauty needs touch-and-feel. They invested heavily in offline retail → Nykaa On Trend for bestsellers, Nykaa Luxe for premium. In-store trials, education, and events. Physical stores now contribute 8.2% of their beauty GMV and are growing. 📍Bombay Shaving Company turned unboxing into marketing. Free name engraving, thoughtful packaging, gifting experiences. Then went aggressively offline → 30% of sales now come from physical stores and mom-and-pop outlets. 📍BEWAKOOF® built cult status through social media. Recently? Four new stores in four weeks. 22 stores nationwide. Because digital discovery only goes so far. Here's the pattern that’s barely talked about: → All three started digital-first → All three are now betting big on physical → All three understood how to build trust through experience Marketplaces can give you reach, but they can't send one message and activate your customers tomorrow morning. The brands winning aren't choosing between online and offline. They're owning the entire customer journey. That's the real D2C playbook for India. Which D2C brand has impressed you with its customer experience?

Imagine a patient logging into a healthcare app and actually feeling relief. That’s the goal. In today’s healthcare technology era, the user starts their journey at a screen, a click, a question: ‘How do I get better?’ Every interface, every click counts. Too many systems still feel like mazes. The real opportunity is turning those digital touchpoints into smooth experiences that feel like help, not hassle. Below is a practical 5 step framework that I suggest to make technology human-friendly.” 1. Before any screen gets designed, map out what the patient really sees, feels and worries about. That’s the compass. 2. Make sure every click, tap, and choice takes the user forward. In healthcare tech, clunky interfaces cost time, trust and outcomes. 3. Users expect swift responses in lab results, appointment scheduling, and alerts. Build systems that respond promptly and without delay. 4. Small fonts, confusing icons, and hidden menus sabotage the accessibility. Systems must cater to older users, low-vision users, and non-tech users. 5. What looked great 2 years ago may feel dated today. Track usability, adoption, and error rates. Build a loop of feedback: improve it and repeat. Companies that tie design to actual user outcomes (ease of access, fewer errors, higher satisfaction) gain both patient trust and operational efficiency. For example, platforms that consolidate appointments, billing, results, and messaging in one place are excelling. Recent surveys show how user experience now sits at the core of their next-gen EHR strategy. If your healthcare tech still feels like a maze to patients or clinicians, let’s talk about running a UX audit and aligning design with real outcomes. #healthcare #hospitals #tech

Customers expect seamless interactions across every channel, whether they’re online, in-store, or on social media. While this is the backbone of customer satisfaction and loyalty, ensuring that every interaction feels seamless and personalized can often be a challenge. It’s not just about solving problems as they arise but also about truly understanding your customers' journeys, addressing their pain points, and creating a unified experience across all platforms. So, how do we make this happen? Here are five steps to delivering a consistent omnichannel experience: 1. Know Your Customer Understanding your customers’ preferences, behaviors, and challenges is the foundation of a great omnichannel strategy. Dive deep into your customer data to truly know who they are and what they need. 2. Integrate Your Systems Seamless integration between your systems ensures smooth communication and data sharing across all channels. This prevents disjointed experiences and empowers your team with the right insights at the right time. 3. Maintain a Consistent Brand Image Whether it’s a social media post, an in-store interaction, or an email campaign, your brand identity should remain consistent. A cohesive message builds trust and reinforces your brand’s promise. 4. Create Seamless Customer Journeys Transitions between channels should feel effortless. Customers shouldn’t feel like they’re jumping between disconnected silos but rather engaging with one cohesive system. 5. Implement Personalization Strategies Customers expect personalization. Tailor your offerings, interactions, and messaging to each customer to make them feel valued and understood. Are these steps easy to implement? Not always. I believe that just as empathy in customer service requires ongoing effort and training, delivering a consistent omnichannel experience demands constant evaluation, refinement, and investment. But the payoff is undeniable nevertheless – you realize that stronger customer loyalty, better brand reputation, and more meaningful connections with your audience. What’s your biggest challenge in creating a seamless omnichannel experience? Share your thoughts or insights in the comments. We’d love to learn from your journey! #CustomerExperience #Omnichannel #CustomerJourney #EmpathyInBusiness #CX #KSA

Don't reject unconventional use of your products. Embrace unanticipated ways that your customers use your products. 🚀 As product managers, we design, develop, and forecast how our products would be used by customers. But what happens when our customers surprise us by employing our products in entirely unexpected ways? Some examples 💡 Collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams were designed to facilitate team communication and project management. However, users have expanded their use cases by creating virtual communities, hosting webinars, or even organizing online events and conferences. 💡 Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft were originally created as an alternative to traditional taxis. However, users have found additional uses, such as using these services for deliveries, running errands, or even as a means of transportation for their pets. 💡 Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo were designed to help individuals raise funds for creative projects. Users have extended their use cases to include launching new product lines, funding charitable initiatives, or even validating market demand for new business ideas. Instead of resisting unexpected customer usage, product managers should eagerly embrace the unanticipated, reaping the rewards of uncharted territory. 1️⃣ Listen and Learn: Actively seek feedback from your customers and diligently monitor their usage patterns. Their unanticipated usage reveals new needs and pain points, allowing you to unlock innovation and tailor your product more effectively. 2️⃣ Adapt: Embrace the mantra of flexibility and adaptability. By tweaking your product roadmap to incorporate unexpected use cases, you can stay ahead of the curve and respond to emerging customer demands with agility. 3️⃣ Redefine User Research: Traditional user research focuses on expected use cases, but true insights lie in understanding the context and motivations behind unexpected usage. Dive deeper into your customers' experiences to unveil hidden opportunities and build stronger, more customer-centric products. #productmanagement #productleadership #productinnovation #productdesign