Client
Self Published
Dates
2024
Role
Process and Facilitation
"Through this process we identified and truly appreciated the value of cross functional collaboration. This in turn allowed us to focus on the ultimate end user and their problems, not just our own ideas." - VP of Product Managment at Workday
Role: Principal Product Designer
Team Members: Principal UX Researcher, VP of Research, Design, and Analytics
TL;DR:
I co-developed a repeatable framework designed to uncover, unlock, and create UX visions around new business opportunities. Since its inception from within Workdays Incubation Experience team, this process has been applied across dozens of projects, both within and outside of Workday, achieving data-driven solutions that align with user needs, foster cross-functional collaboration, and significantly increase cost savings. We are currently compiling this framework into a playbook for public release, aiming to empower other organizations to leverage this adaptable, data-backed approach.
In 2023, while working within Workdays Incubation Experience team, I identified the need for a systematic, repeatable process that could consistently uncover valuable business opportunities and foster data-driven innovation across Workday. As Principal UX Designer, I partnered with Luis Guzman, a Principal UX Researcher, to craft a framework that would identify target audiences, rigorously define user needs, and pair them with targeted value propositions. This adaptable process could be applied to any project, making it a versatile tool that enables organizations to run independently, regardless of industry, user type, or situation.
Our goal was to create a scalable approach that was both resource-efficient and flexible enough to apply to various domains. By enabling teams to understand user pain points and potential solutions in a structured, repeatable way, this process supports innovation while minimizing risk—a strategy that would be equally valuable in fields such as healthcare, finance, or online education.
A showcase of some of the key pages of the playbook
Drawing from experience at Workday, Meta, and industry best practices, we crafted a process that prioritizes rapid, iterative explorations with minimal investments. This 8-12 week framework enables cross-functional teams to:
1. Locate and define target audiences
2. Understand user needs
3. Develop unbranded prototypes and concepts
4. Collect unbiased user feedback to validate and refine solutions.
Our methodology incorporates user-centric, data-driven insights, ensuring solutions meet real needs rather than assumptions. While at Workday, Luis and I applied this process in a number of high impact projects:
Generative AI at Workday:
In 2023 and 2024, our framework was pivotal in identifying user demand for generative and conversational AI. Through five targeted studies, we gathered critical feedback, resulting in data-backed prototypes and proofs-of-concept that received strong support from stakeholders. The framework’s ability to confirm user interest validated investment in these AI-driven enhancements. You can read all about my role in this endeavor in my case study: Embracing Generative AI To Transform Workday's User Experience.
Financial Variance Analysis:
In Q1 and Q2 of 2023, we applied our framework to evaluate a potential variance analysis tool for Workday’s financial suite. Research revealed a strong user reliance on Excel, leading us to deprioritize development in favor of higher-impact opportunities, demonstrating the framework’s capacity to prevent costly misallocations.
Payroll Innovation Summit:
In a three-day, cross-functional event in Q3 of 2023, our process enabled collaboration among Payroll teams, resulting in a portfolio of innovative, user-centered concepts. This approach not only enhanced team morale but also provided a roadmap for projects with high strategic impact.
Our process has driven meaningful change, from innovation within Workday’s platform to streamlined operations in external projects. The framework consistently achieves results, such as roadmapped solutions aligned with user needs, enhanced team morale, and substantial cost savings, making it a highly adaptable asset.
Key Outcomes:
Roadmapped Solutions: We consistently delivered actionable plans that informed roadmaps, enabling teams to align with verified user needs.
Enhanced Team Morale: By facilitating shared purpose and cross-functional collaboration, the process helped break down silos and boost team morale.
Cost Savings: Our process significantly reduced costs by focusing on validated user needs, saving millions by deprioritizing less impactful projects.
By establishing templates—such as journey mapping worksheets, value proposition templates, capability definitions, and viability checklists—we ensured that teams could independently use this process while maintaining high standards of user-centered design.
Worksheet templates designed in Figjam
As Principal UX Designer, I was instrumental in creating a user-centered, repeatable framework that has driven innovation across Workday and external projects. This adaptable approach has consistently delivered solutions that are not only actionable but also strategically impactful, underscoring its potential in diverse fields such as in-vehicle experiences, construction, or aviation. Currently, we are preparing a comprehensive playbook to make this process publicly available, equipping other organizations to unlock similar business opportunities with data-backed confidence.
For a more detailed breakdown of this project, please reach out; I would be happy to share details on the full process and how others can implement it.