Tools for exceptional Executive Assistants

Multiple Projects

I was the lead researcher and designer within the Executive Assistant Domain. In this role, I strategized on product cohesion and vision. Led and implemented the research at the domain level and designed the flow of products, interactions, and integrations.

 

MY ROLE
Lead Researcher
Lead Designer

COLLABORATION
Client SMEs, Software Architect, Designers, Developers, Business strategists,

TOOLS
Optimal Workshop
Figma
Dovetail
Qualtrics
Heap
Excel

DURATION
1yr 4 months

UNDERSTANDING THE DOMAIN

The role of the Executive Assistant has evolved and changed in the last several years. Gone are the days of shorthand written notes and lots of paper for tracking. In today’s world, where the supported person is almost exclusively digital, Executive Assistants (EAs) have needed different tools to continue providing support.

How does a team provide products for highly detailed multitaskers constantly working against the clock? What does a dashboard look like when all information is essential and information retrieval is at a moment’s glance? How do you empower EAs to steward and care for the sensitive and private information of those they support? How do you design products to be used globally with different digital policies and regulations?

01 Methods

  1. Data review and analysis

  2. Stakeholder Interviews

  3. Competitive analysis

  4. Surveys

  5. Usability Testing

  6. Co-Design Facilitation

02 Domain Challenges

 

02 User Needs

 

03 Goals

  1. Existing products were not adequately meeting customers’ needs

  2. The user research process was not part of the product development

  3. Product development strategy constrained to short-term reaction versus long-term proactiveness towards productivity

  4. Ambiguity into what the domain requirements and needs were


  1. Users had developed multiple workarounds that did not align with the processes and protocols governing them.

  2. Users were missing in design decisions that impacted them, leading to redesigns.

  3. Users were surprised by the new tools and changes they needed to adopt and reacted in resistance.

  4. Users were using legacy tools that did not match the changes in their workflows.

 

  1. Establish a user-centered research design process in product development

  2. Streamline development work to enhance product quality through usability testing

  3. Foster and facilitate collaboration in information sharing and product development

  4. Design and establish metric success measures on the user experience across a suite of products

 

04 Outcomes

 

  1. Established a user-centered research and design process in product development, increasing efficiency to good product development and adoption

  2. Streamlined development work to enhance product quality through usability testing and better-matching solutions to business and user needs

  3. Fostered and facilitated collaboration across teams, increasing the cohesion of product development into a holistic and connected experience for direct end users and other users across the firm

  4. Designed and established metric success measures on the user experience across a suite of products, providing product managers with the ability to create roadmaps for their teams with precision

Impact

Reduced task time by 1/2 increasing efficiency of users and delivery of support to business

About 2000 visitors on product launch, adoption numbers sustained in first 3 months

Launch 3 products that replaced legacy tools increasing collaboration and efficiency