At The Dock, I worked mainly in the realms of generative research and concept testing of digital products and tools. I leverage both a macro view of market trends with a micro view of user and business insights. Using this mixed-method, I identify and develop new concepts that address both business and user needs.
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I conducted most of the user research remotely utilizing video calls for interviews. My projects featured a global team of executive sponsors, product teams, engineers, data scientists, designers, and business experts. I worked on projects across multiple industries and business areas, quickly adapting and upskilling to understand and address the needs of each unique problem area.
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Below is a selection of my projects. They cover research, product design, business strategy, and more. Please reach out to learn more, and we can discuss these and other projects in greater detail.
INNOVATION PROJECTS
Project 1: Security Tool
Project Brief:
How might we help cybersecurity analysts to be more efficient in their role?
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Methods:
Market Research
Competitor Research
12 expert interviews
5 user interviews
1 Strategy Alignment Workshop
Product Roadmap and Strategy
Business and Operation Model
Sales Strategy
Insights and Recommendations:
Many cybersecurity analysts manually review numerous security reports, despite advancements in cybersecurity tools. Meanwhile, the number and sophistication of security threats outpace the cybersecurity industry's capability to address them. However, a tool that can process heterogeneous data sets can improve workflow efficiencies and reduce future security threats.
Designed the product roadmap and strategy, business and operation mode, and sales strategy that is forecasted to help the business achieve $300M+ in sales over 4-years.
Achieved $2M+ in funding for the development of the solution from a chief executive.
Project 2: Algorithmic Fairness Tool
Project Brief:
How might we make an algorithmic fairness tool prototype into a working solution?
You can see the original Fairness Tool here.
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Methods:
2 User interviews
11 Expert and Stakeholder interviews
2 Client interviews
Product roadmap and strategy
Sales Strategy
Insights and Recommendations:
Algorithmic fairness is a budding industry with numerous applications yet passive client interest. Still, demonstrating success in a single-use case can show a tangible impact that inspires tangential industries and business areas. I advised that the tool first be developed to the point of high functionality in a limited use case. It can then be a working solution for sales enablement before pursuing further development resulting in reduced development risk while improving brand recognition.
Identified the first use cases and created a product roadmap and strategy
Developed a sales strategy enabling $50M+ sales pipeline in 1 year
Project 3: Internal Services Team Design
Project Brief:
How might we create a corporate services team for external collaboration?
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The project focused on creating a new corporate service team for external collaboration opportunities. Previously, two individuals were handling this type of work in addition to other responses. A forecasted increase in support services spurred investment in creating a formal team.
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Methods:
2 Focus Groups
4 User Interviews
Weekly Stakeholder Reviews
User Journey Mapping
Insights and Recommendations:
The purpose and services of the former team were unclear to their customers. The original team members often faced policy and legal roadblocks when connecting customers with start-up ecosystems. I worked with the team to establish a working relationship with Accenture’s Venture and Ecosystems group reducing policy and legal roadblocks.
Created a service catalog listing the services provided, a service requests brief template, and a service flow chart improving clarity and expectations of the team’s services.
Office leadership approved the new team, and the service catalog was shared globally to help other offices looking to set up an external collaboration support team.
Project 4: Sales and Marketing Data Solution
Project Brief:
How might the proposed solution connect sales and marketing data?
A project idea brought into the Innovation Center by two Accenture executives for viability and feasibility investigation.
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Methods:
Market Research
13 Expert Interviews
Competitor Analysis
1 Strategy and Alignment workshop
Insights and Recommendation:
There is industry need to connect sales and market data siloes. However, competing internal interests and large technology infrastructure overhauls make clients wary of investing in a new solution. Suggestion to sponsors was to narrow the scope of the solution and target industry they want to initially work with.
Saved $100K+ in additional research and development costs.
Saved 6-8 weeks of time.
Project 5: Worker Safety Device
Project Brief:
How might we commercialize this worker safety device?
Methods:
Market Research
Expert Interviews
User Interviews
Competitor Analysis
Insights and Recommendation:
The market is saturated with specialist companies, along with numerous alternatives for users. Additionally, the development costs and risks are too high for the firm’s appetite. Suggested to close the project and prevent physical development, but share use the project as a case study of creative user-centric design, cross-company collaboration, and storytelling.
Saved an estimated $1M+ in development costs.
REFLECTIONS
Most innovation projects are likely to fail like most start-ups fail. However, each failure comes with learnings that can improve the success of the next project.
It is easier to find a tech solution for a business problem than to find a problem for a piece of technology.
It is extremely difficult to achieve large scale success even if you have large enterprise Fortune 500 clients.
Set a grand vision for your innovation project, but start small. Find a problem that is similar across various industries or departments. Then, pick a specific use case to start with and achieve success there first.
It’s never too large to prototype and talk to users and experts. It helps to refine an idea and ensure you are on the right path. Do not worry about someone else taking your idea. If someone can easily copy it, then it was not the right idea. It will be very difficult for someone else to copy the right idea because you are providing a unique selling point that others cannot.