Expanding Agency Capabilities

Role:

Senior Design Manager and Director

Objective:

Add key capabilities to deliver better user-centered solutions, upskill the team, and expand our client offerings.

These changes helped drive innovation, improve outcomes, and keep the agency competitive.

Overview of Capabilities Added

To enhance our expertise and deliver higher-quality work, we introduced UX research, accessibility, and utilizing AI in our design process and in our executions.

These capabilities allowed us to elevate project outcomes, meet new client needs, and establish leadership in digital innovation.

We made UX research a key offering to help clients gain valuable user insights, reduce risks, and create more effective digital solutions. By showcasing the impact of research on user satisfaction and business outcomes, we positioned it as an essential part of every project.

Giving Users a Voice: UX Research

  • Client Value Proposition: Demonstrated how research uncovers actionable insights to improve user satisfaction, engagement, and conversion rates, making it a critical component for project success.

  • Custom Methodologies: Developed tailored approaches using generative research (user interviews, surveys) to uncover opportunities and evaluative research (usability testing, heat mapping) to refine solutions.

  • Preferred Platforms: Leveraged tools like UserTesting.com for real-world feedback and Optimal Workshop for card sorting, tree testing, and task analysis, ensuring robust and reliable research outputs.

  • Collaborative Workshops: Hosted co-creation sessions with clients and users to generate ideas and validate solutions, fostering buy-in and alignment.

  • Scalable Insights: Delivered clear reports and recommendations that clients could act on immediately, whether for minor optimizations or large-scale redesigns.

Designing for Everyone: Accessibility

We positioned accessibility as a fundamental capability, educating clients on its benefits for user inclusivity, legal compliance, and enhanced brand reputation. By showing how accessible designs improve usability for all audiences, we made accessibility a key differentiator in our offerings.

  • Adding Value: Highlighted how accessibility broadens audience reach, improves engagement, and reduces legal risks, making it a smart business investment.

  • Certified Expertise: Achieved accessibility certification through the Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF), demonstrating our team’s deep knowledge of inclusive design principles and best practices.

  • Educational Workshops: Provided training sessions for clients to understand accessibility standards like WCAG 2.1 and their impact on digital products.

  • Dev Collaboration for Compliance: Partnered closely with development teams to ensure code met WCAG AA standards, bridging the gap between design intent and technical execution.

  • Scalable Solutions: Delivered accessibility strategies tailored to each client’s needs, offering clear guidance on inclusive design that aligns with their business goals.

Efficiency Meets Creativity: AI-Driven Design

We introduced AI as a transformative capability, educating clients on its potential to enhance efficiency, drive personalization, and unlock new creative opportunities. By integrating AI into workflows and user experiences, we helped clients stay ahead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

  • Workflow Automation: Used AI tools to speed up repetitive tasks like prototype generation, content tagging, and image optimization, delivering faster results.

  • Enhanced User Experiences: Integrated AI-driven features like chatbots, content recommendations, and dynamic interactions to improve engagement and usability.

  • Accessible AI: Leveraged AI to create accessibility tools, such as auto-generated alt text, captions, and transcripts, ensuring compliance and inclusivity

  • Client Value Proposition: Showed how AI improves efficiency, reduces costs, and creates dynamic, personalized digital experiences that engage users.

  • Educational Outreach: Held sessions to explain AI’s role in workflow automation, predictive analytics, and creative exploration, helping clients see its practical benefits.

Broadening Expertise, Driving Impact

These enhancements empowered our team to upskill, aligned our offerings with client needs, and positioned us as a leader in the competitive digital landscape.

Increased Revenue

New capabilities became key selling points, leading to additional projects and expanded client partnerships.

Team Growth

Upskilled existing team members while attracting new talent, doubling the size of our digital team over two years.

Stronger Outcomes

Improved user engagement and satisfaction across projects by implementing research-driven and accessible designs.

Industry Recognition

Accessibility-focused projects and AI-powered solutions helped secure industry awards, reinforcing our reputation as innovators.