Research
& Strategy
TL;DR
I am really good at figuring out what’s desired vs. what’s actually going on in a team, project, space, or brand; then developing an executable strategy that moves my clients toward a tangible outcome.
I do all of this through a UX lens - considering the people, emotions, and needs involved so the end result is good for humans, good for the environment, good for business, and sustainable.
Research
Research is the process of getting familiar with a brand, from the inside and from the outside. My research approach generally follows these steps:
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Evaluating brand strength and presence, historically and now
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Soliciting candid customer perspectives, laying out the current state of a brand experience
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Examining who else is doing this (or something similar), how well/not well are they doing it
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Analyzing the industry/market landscape as well as successful analogous brands
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Considering what social or cultural trends might be at play
Through deep synthesis of all the research findings, I’m able to provide a clear overview of the landscape a brand is playing in. It’s a lot like a map, showing high points, obstacles, low-hanging fruit, allies, and challenges.
Deliverables can include: discovery readout/report, current state journey map, customer quote database, current brand evaluation, audience sentiment analysis, competitive analysis, market SWOT analysis
Strategy
Strategy brings insights and recommendations from the research phase into a doable, prioritized list of ‘now what’s. My strategy process generally follows these steps:
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Defining goals and ideal outcomes, ideal experiences for all involved
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Considering the executing team’s capabilities, resources, etc.
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Aligning all of these factors to the business’s larger goals/vision
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Mapping small, executable steps toward goals with pivot options in case things don’t go like we planned
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Sketching big ‘blue sky’ ways for a brand to take a unique path to their goals and outcomes
I take the map of the landscape that was created through research and begin plotting specific paths through it, taking into account all of the capabilities, resources, and limitations of the team who will be executing. This helps me recommend the best approach for a team to reach their desired outcome.
Deliverables can include: ideal state journey map, audience archetypes/personas, sitemap + wireframes, content strategy brief, brand messaging matrix, campaign brief, brand positioning/platform
UX
All along this journey together, I advise on the humans involved (internal and external to the brand), ways to make outcomes and decisions more sustainable, and ways to track how the experience is improving. I also help teams stay in alignment with the strategy and execute consistently toward the desired outcome.
RATES
The way you can hire me is a little different - I prefer to get to know your business, the unique challenges your team is facing, and how my skillset can best be applied before offering prices. We can do this one of three ways:
Virtual Interview
Not to add one more Zoom meeting to your calendar, but if we're in different locations and time zones, this is an effective way to spend some time with you and learn about your current challenges.
In-Person Interview
If your location is close enough that I can be on-site, we all know the benefit of a firm handshake and face-to-face communication. And if you feel really strongly about an in-person first impression, I'm happy to make it happen!
Written Brief
Sometimes schedules and time zones won't align, and a written brief will do. I'll provide a template with the information I need to give an estimate, and you can write it in, send a video of your feedback, or a voice recording - whatever feels best for you.
Reviews
Kevin Perry
COO, Struck
"I wholeheartedly recommend Jess as an exceptional strategist, experience designer, and wonderful human being. Jess possesses an innate talent for building high-performing teams, seamlessly improving processes, and consistently approaching challenges with a holistic perspective that encompasses a company's culture and overall business goals. Their contributions at Struck were significant, leaving a lasting positive impact. What truly sets Jess apart is their unwavering empathy and dedication to a human-centered approach, which fosters a collaborative and nurturing work environment. I greatly admire the way Jess seamlessly combines their strategic prowess with genuine care for their colleagues, making every project successful and a pleasure to be a part of."
Madison Hajeb
CRO Director, Clearlink
"Jess is extremely unique in the sense that they work very comfortably within technology but never lose their empathy for the human experience.
Working with Jess gave our team the opportunity to apply qualitative research and feedback into a very quantitative process. They helped mix the two seamlessly and were always innovating new ways to contribute.
Jess is, without doubt, an expert in their field. Leveraging their work made our team stronger. Having them on the team made the group more cohesive and thoughtful."
Landon Starr
Head of Data Science, Clearlink
"I had the opportunity to work with Jess for 2+ years at Clearlink, and I learned a ton about user research, UX, and the nuanced behavioral dynamics of consumers in a digital world from them. Their approach to understanding consumer behavior through research and experimentation provided them a deep, objective perspective on human interaction with digital interfaces. This expertise expanded beyond their core focus of site design, and they were instrumental in assisting our software development team in building intuitive user interfaces for home grown operations software."