User Experience for Non-Technical Users

Most UX folks are missing the one skill that could save their careers. For a long time, many UXers have been laser-focused on the craft. Understanding users. Testing ideas. Perfecting pixels. But here’s the reality. Companies are cutting those folks everywhere, because they don’t connect their work to hard, actual, tangible $$$$$. So it’s viewed as a luxury. A nice-to-have. My 2 cents.. If you can’t tie your decisions to how it helps the business make or save money, you’re at risk. Full stop. But I have good news. You can quantify your $$ impact using basic financial modeling. Here’s a quick example.. Imagine you’re working on a tool that employees use every day. Let’s say the current experience requires 8 hours a week for each employee to complete a task. By improving the usability of the tool, you cut that time by three hours. Let’s break it down. If the average employee makes $100K annually (roughly $50/hr), and 100 employees use the tool, that’s $15K saved each week. Over a year, that’s $780K in savings.. just by shaving 3 hours off a process. Now take it a step further. What if those employees use those extra 3 hours to create more value for customers? What’s the potential revenue upside? This is the kind of thinking that sets a designer apart. It’s time for UXers to stop treating customer sentiment or usability test results as the final metric. Instea learn how your company makes or saves money and model the financial impact of your UX changes. Align your work with tangible metrics like operational efficiency, customer retention, or lifetime value. The best part? This isn’t hard. Basic math and a simple framework can help you communicate your value in ways the business understands. Your prototype or design file doesn’t need to be perfect. But your ability to show how it drives business outcomes? That does. — If you enjoyed this post, join hundreds of others and subscribe to my weekly newsletter — Building Great Experiences https://lnkd.in/edqxnPAY

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐞 Enterprise Architecture abhors a vacuum—it thrives on stakeholder engagement. Often, architects jump into collaboration without first assessing one critical factor: • 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐄𝐀? Before strategy, frameworks, or roadmaps, 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 and 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. This will shape how you approach, gain buy-in, and drive outcomes. Here are 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 for aligning EA with stakeholders: 𝟏 | 𝐆𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐀 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 EA means different things to people, how can you align? Approach: * 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞. What do leaders think EA does? What experiences shape their view? * 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐀 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞. If a product saw EA as 'overhead,’ shift the conversation to ‘rapid decision-making.’ * 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. Finance, operations, and IT leaders have different concerns. Meet them on their terms. 👉 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞: When you shape EA’s role based on their reality, it becomes relevant, not theoretical. 𝟐 | 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐄𝐀 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 EA isn’t all architecture, it’s solving business problems. Approach: * 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐊𝐏𝐈𝐬. Growth? Efficiency? Risk? Align EA contributions to what leadership interests. * 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭. Show architecture driving go-to-market, savings, or agility—over compliance. * 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞/𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬. If EA was a bottleneck, demonstrate accelerated decision-making instead. 👉 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞: EA is a strategic enabler, not afterthought. 𝟑 | 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐄𝐀 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 EA works best in collaboration, not isolation. Approach: * 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Decision-making improves when EA is a proactive presence. * 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 ‘𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐀’ 𝐭𝐨 ‘𝐜𝐨-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.’ Stakeholders engage when architecture is a tool for their success. * 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐨𝐟𝐟. EA isn’t a pitch—it’s a dialog evolving with business. 👉 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞: EA shaping decisions early rather than reacting later. 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. Before pushing frameworks or models, assess 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐀 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲—and how to reshape that narrative to unlock its full potential. How do align EA stakeholders? Let’s discuss.👇 --- ➕ 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 Kevin Donovan 🔔    👍 Like | ♻️ Repost | 💬 Comment    🚀 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬’ 𝐇𝐮𝐛 👉 https://lnkd.in/dgmQqfu2

I didn't turn up to my presentation for Deutsche Bank and AnitaB.org. I prepared the slides. I put a lot of thought into why each and every tip was important. Yet at the end of the day, I wasn't there... I was sick 🤢 Still, their loss is your gain, because I've turned everything from that presentation into a blog post for your convenience! 🥳 In it, I cover the core of presenting technical concepts and/or digitalisation proposals to non-technical stakeholders. SPOILER: it's more about listening and watching than it is about convincing! Here's the summary for those not wanting to read the whole thing: 🧐 Speak their language: ask about existing knowledge and establish what 'level' the stakeholder wants to speak at. No need to jump into architecture if they only want to know about personnel requirements. 😳 Cater to the lowest level in the room: Try to modify your explanations so that everyone gets it. Even those with more technical experience can learn from hearing a non-technical explanation. 🤩 Focus on collaboration and co-creation: Don't view it as a pitch, but rather as a chance to design a solution together. Be open to "teach don't preach" if they do look for more details. 👏 Be direct about resistance: Communicate options, and interpret resistance as an opportunity to put their minds at ease or to design a different solution together. 🤫 Practice active listening: 'Listening' sometimes happens with the eyes, not the ears. Look for moments when people tune out, change topics, or fidget more. You're losing your audience! 🚙 Use metaphors: Bridges, factories, post offices, architecture, and housing construction have all been metaphors I have used for explaining software engineering concepts to non-technical stakeholders. 🧙🏻♀️ Incorporate storytelling: Where possible, use real-world stories to illustrate processes, for example on how software engineering teams work using agile approaches, or versioning control. 😎 Be their resource: View these talks as the start of your relationship beyond this specific project. Position yourself to be their 'go to tech person' when they need something clarified. --- What do you think? #engineeringmanagement #technicalcommunication #strategiccommunication #pitching https://lnkd.in/eNQ5stUW

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 One of the most underappreciated challenges in leading data initiatives isn't the technology, it's effectively engaging with multiple stakeholder groups who each need different information, presented differently. Success can be best supported by tailoring your approach across three distinct audiences: 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞/𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 These stakeholders need the 30,000-foot view focused on: 🔹 Business impact and ROI 🔹 Risk mitigation strategies 🔹 Resource allocation justification 🔹 Clear timelines with defined milestones When presenting here, focus on outcomes rather than methods, using business metrics they already value and understand. 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 Department leaders and business partners require: 🔹 How the project will affect their operations 🔹 Specific benefits to their teams 🔹 Required involvement and resource commitments 🔹 Timeline of when they'll see tangible results Ensure you translate technical concepts into functional benefits, always answering their implicit question: "What's in it for my team?" 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐬 / 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐫𝐬 These specialists need: 🔹 Architectural decisions and their rationale 🔹 Technical dependencies and integration points 🔹 Clear technical requirements and acceptance criteria 🔹 Roadmaps for implementation and technical debt management With this group, go deeper into the "how" while still connecting it to the "why." The true art lies in maintaining consistency across these different views. The timeline shown to executives must align with what the technical team is building and what business stakeholders are expecting. The promised business outcomes must be technically feasible. Successful data leaders don't just understand data, they understand people and can adapt their communication to bring everyone along on the journey. What challenges have you faced when communicating complex data initiatives across different organisational levels? #DataLeadership #StakeholderManagement #DataStrategy #TechnicalLeadership

Stop sending surveys. Seriously. They're a bad habit that gives you polite, sanitized data, not real insights. I found a way to get a 78% response rate and honest feedback by doing the exact opposite of what every marketing book recommends. Here are 5 customer research methods that beat surveys every single time: 1) WhatsApp Voice Notes > Written Surveys: ↳ People speak faster than they type ↳ Emotion comes through in voice tone ↳ No survey fatigue Method: Send a voice note asking ONE specific question "Hey [Name], quick question - what made you choose us over [competitor]?" 2) Watch Usage > Ask About Usage: ↳ What people do ≠ what they say they do ↳ Behavior reveals truth, words reveal intentions Method: Screen recordings + heatmaps show reality Ask: "How often do you use feature X?" → They say "daily" Data shows: Last used 3 weeks ago 3) Churned Customer Calls > Happy Customer Testimonials: ↳ Satisfaction bias makes happy customers less honest ↳ Churned customers have nothing to lose Method: Call customers who cancelled in the last 30 days "What could we have done differently to keep you?" Most brutal, most valuable insights you'll get. 4) Social Media Stalking > Focus Groups: ↳ Real conversations happen on Twitter/LinkedIn ↳ Unfiltered opinions in natural settings Method: Search "[your brand] OR [competitor] OR [problem you solve]" People complaining/praising without knowing you're watching. 5) Customer Success Team Coffee Chats > Executive Surveys: ↳ Front-line teams hear the real feedback daily ↳ Filter gets removed when it's informal Method: Weekly coffee with CS/Sales teams "What are customers actually saying?" Not the sanitized feedback that reaches leadership. The Pattern I've Noticed: The closer you get to natural conversation, the better the insights. → Formal surveys = What customers think you want to hear → Informal chats = What customers actually think My personal favourite: Join Customer WhatsApp Groups/Communities- I have joined discord & reddit communities Don't moderate. Don't participate initially. Just observe. How they talk about problems. What words they use. Their real frustrations. Pure gold for messaging and positioning. The Reality:Most "customer insights" are actually "customer politeness." People won't tell you your product sucks on a formal survey. They will tell their friend on a WhatsApp call. Your job? Be the friend, not the survey. Which method are you going to try first?

Instead of saying "we improved the customer experience" to show your UX research impact, try this 👇👇 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 = 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 This might sound like: →We identified a crucial customer blocker our usability testing we hadn't considered before. →We will be able to address this prior to launch. →We estimate that catching this issue will save approximately $45,000 in costs through reduced customer support tickets. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 This might sound like: →The research insights lead to us improving 7 pieces of copy across the flow. →This increased customer comprehension and ultimately will improve task completion rate. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 This might sound like: →The insights we found in our research means we have identified the key customer problem to solve. →Our ideation workshop means we now have a strong hypothesis about how to solve it. →Without this research we would have missed focusing on what really matters to our customers and therefor hampered our growth and customer acquisition rate. To make your impact stand out: 👉 Be specific about what has changed based on the research 👉 Connect it to business metrics and outcomes 👉 Be short and punchy in your delivery Any other tips for communicating your UX research impact?

Here are some Do's and Don'ts for Business Analysts based on my past experiences and learnings from the projects that I have worked into. 𝐃𝐨: ✅ Do engage stakeholders early and often. Example: Schedule initial meetings with all project stakeholders, including tech teams and business units, to discuss their needs and expectations. ✅ Do validate and verify requirements. Example: After gathering initial requirements for a new CRM system, organize a validation workshop where stakeholders can review and adjust the requirements list to ensure alignment with business goals. ✅ Do use visual aids and models. Example: For a project improving an e-commerce checkout process, create process flow diagrams and interface mockups using tools like Lucidchart or Balsamiq to illustrate proposed changes and gather feedback effectively. ✅ Do prioritize requirements. Example: Use the MoSCoW method (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won’t have) to categorize requirements for a software upgrade project, ensuring that essential features are developed first. ✅ Do maintain flexibility. Example: When unexpected user feedback indicates a need for additional features in a mobile app, work with the development team to adjust the project scope and timelines accordingly. ✅ Do document processes meticulously. Example: Keep a detailed record of all business process discussions, decisions, and agreed-upon changes in a shared Google Doc or Microsoft OneNote that stakeholders can access and update as needed. 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭: ✅ Don't assume you understand stakeholder needs without confirmation. Example: Avoid deciding on the security features of a new application based solely on initial discussions. Instead, confirm specific needs such as two-factor authentication or data encryption through follow-up meetings or emails. ✅ Don't skip regular reviews. Example: Do not wait until the final stages of a project to review progress with stakeholders. Hold bi-weekly review meetings to discuss the development progress, issues, and get feedback. ✅ Don't overlook non-functional requirements. Example: When gathering requirements for a new database system, ensure to include performance requirements such as response time under peak load conditions, not just the functional specifications. ✅ Don't work in silos. Example: If you are redesigning a user interface, regularly consult with the UX team and the back-end developers to ensure that the new design is feasible and aligns with technical constraints. ✅ Don't resist changes to requirements. Example: If market conditions change during the development of a new product feature, be open to revising or adding requirements that respond to these new market needs. ✅ Don't neglect risk management. Example: For a project involving sensitive data, conduct a thorough risk analysis to identify potential security threats and develop a mitigation plan that includes regular security audits and updates. BA Helpline

I used to think strong technical skills were enough. But stepping deeper into data strategy roles taught me something important: Technical expertise gets you in the room. Communication and storytelling keep you there. Here are 3 lessons that change how I present: (Especially if you want to resonate with leadership) 𝟭/ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 Not all executives are non-technical. Some want to see the ERDs. Others only care about cost savings. Do your homework, meet them where they are, and always tie it back to business outcomes. 𝟮/ 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄, 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 Bulleted slides don’t stick... visuals do. Process flows, before-and-after architectures, or a dashboard with red/yellow/green indicators will land 10x better than paragraphs of text. 𝟯. 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 Leaders always want to know: When will this be done? What will it cost? Don’t overpromise. Outline risks, mitigation strategies, and alternative approaches. This builds trust far more than a hard deadline you can’t keep. 𝗧𝗟;𝗗𝗥: Your technical expertise isn’t enough on its own. Leadership wants to know how your work impacts revenue, costs, and outcomes. That shift (from showing what you built to showing what it delivers) is what makes a data leader. What’s one tip you’ve learned for presenting data strategies to executives? P.S. I wrote a full article breaking this down in detail. 🔗: https://lnkd.in/gJ_c685N

You might as well be speaking “Klingon” Just dropped from a meeting where the IT Director provided his update to the leadership team. The c-level folks and non-technical leaders had no clue what he was talking about… From my experience this is the #1 mistake technical professionals make when meeting with business stakeholders I'll be blunt… business stakeholders don’t care about your technical architecture diagrams, your configuration details, or how cutting-edge your solution is. They care about outcomes. They care about results. They care about impact. BUT most technical professionals go into meetings armed with technical jargon & acronyms and leave the room wondering why no one bought in. If you’re presenting to business leaders, here’s the reality check… you are selling and you’re not selling technology - you’re selling business value. I don’t like to present a problem without a solution – so let’s try this… Step 1 Start every conversation by answering this “How does this solve a business problem?” If you have a technical solution that reduces costs, increases revenue, mitigates risk, or makes life easier for users, lead with that. Everything else is just details that nobody cares about. Step 2 Translate technical features into business benefits. Instead of saying, “We’re implementing zero trust,” say, “We’re reducing critical risks to our top revenue producing critical business functions.” Step 3 Stakeholders want to hear about how your solution will reduce downtime, increase productivity, save $$$, or improve client satisfaction. Make your impact measurable and relatable. Step 4 Can you reframe your message using an analogy or better yet a story. Numbers are great, but stories are sticky and resonate. Frame your solution in the context of a real-world scenario, like something stakeholders can visualize and connect with. Step 5 No one likes a squeaky wishy washy technical expert. Take a position, back it with evidence, and be clear about the path forward. Confidence inspires trust. Stop talking about the “how.” Start owning the “why.” And STOP speaking “Klingon” When you shift your focus to business value, you’ll see interest, buy-in, alignment, and support. #ciso #dpo #msp #leadership

Want to know why UX projects fail? It's not your design skills. After 15 years in design and development, I've watched brilliant designers crash and burn for one reason: 💡 They couldn't communicate their value. How you think UX communication should work: - Present your beautiful mockups - Explain your user research - Show your impressive portfolio - Talk about design principles How UX communication ACTUALLY works: - Translate design decisions into business outcomes - Connect user pain points directly to lost revenue - Provide clear, jargon-free explanations of complex concepts - Build stakeholder trust through consistent delivery 10 years ago, I was designing in a silo. Context? I was the "graphics guy." And no: - I wasn't getting invited to strategy meetings - My designs weren't making it to production intact - Stakeholders didn't understand my value In fact, since I changed my communication approach: - My project implementation rate increased by 85% - I've been invited to leadership meetings - My designs actually shipped as intended Sounds too simple? Here's what worked for me: 1. Ditch the design jargon. Explain concepts like a human talking to another human. 2. Frame everything in terms of business impact. "This navigation change will reduce support tickets by approximately 35%." 3. Build a communication bridge by teaching stakeholders 1-2 UX principles per project. 4. Create before & after comparisons with metrics, not just visuals. 5. Make time to step away from your screen. (For me, it's west coast swing dancing weekly). The perspective shift is worth more than another hour of pixel pushing. The best UX professionals understand that our job isn't just creating great experiences—it's convincing others why those experiences matter. --- PS: What's the most important communication lesson you've learned in your UX career? Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.