TRANSFORMING HOME IMPROVEMENT
End client: Kingfisher | Consultancy: FJORD (Accenture Interactive) | Role: Lead UX Researcher & Service Designer
The Challenge
How can we help people become self sufficient with their home and provide them with all the tools and knowledge to master their DIY craft.
Summary
As a UX researcher and service designer embedded within Kingfisher's agile squads, I played a crucial role in their efforts for a holistic digital transformation. I conducted a plethora of in-person user interviews, contextual studies, and prototype testing to deeply understand customer needs and behaviors in the home improvement ecosystem. I built a comprehensive research database and conducted playback sessions after each research sprints, fostering a user-centric culture within the agile teams. Also promoted UX best practices across Kingfisher through workshops and translated research insights into strategic recommendations.
Process & Results
Immersive user research: I facilitated 70+ in depth user interviews, testing our products, concepts and ideas. Organised contextual studies including home & store visits reviewing first hand customers’ and employees behaviour. I created numerous research artefacts and design prototypes when needed to drive more interactive and engaging research sessions.
Management of research findings: Collected and organised all user research’s raw data into themes and discoverable content in a nuanced research database.
Effective research findings communication: I collated all findings under each research objective for a more focused analysis and direction. I established a culture of having quick playbacks after each research round to the whole of the agile team, so they can quickly start ideating on identified themes in each sprint. The end goal was to create empathy between our product team and the user.
Education of the internal team and wider organisation: I organised team meet up on best practices and wider relevant subjects such as “Let’s talk usability”, “Gardening & Bots”, Video content strategy for DIY” and more.
Facilitation of innovation workshops: Followed by research insights I organised team wide innovation workshops in order to create new ideas and services. I adopted UCD tools such as crazy 8’s , How Might We, and Problem Statements to promote empathy and create a more engaging sessions
Strategic and service design thinking: Reflecting on innovation practices and research findings, I offered strategic recommendations through relevant visuals for effective communication.
UX audit and QA: Reviewed the quality of finalised products from a UX and service requirements perpective, before public release.
Successful products launch: Proud to see two of our proposed product services going live. The home improvement platform named “Plan my Bathroom” that helped customers design and complete any bathroom related renovation project, and the native iOS/Android application “B&Q Gardens: Outdoor Assistant”. that worked as a companion app for any gardening task, including recognising plants by taking a photo, suggesting relevant actions and products, and much more.
