Balancing the Insight, Experience Design and Creative to build the optimal Digital Customer Experience
As part of creating the digital diseases, we had a great discussion with my team at Delvinia , a few select clients and industry friends. It was refreshing to hear the discussion of the frustration from some of the more insightful clients we have.
One such insight was the struggle going on between the experience design and creative.
As an interactive design firm, our philosophy has been to use customer insights to drive the experience strategy and provide a framework for the experience and creative design. This is a delicate balance and one that if dominated by one side or the other can result in multiple diseases.
If the experience design dominates the digital customer experience, the designers who have to bring the experience to life are handcuffed by wireframes that provide little room for creative processes. Essentially they are colouring boxes and adding some pretty pictures to rigid and clearly defined wireframes.
On the other hand, when the creative types have control of the process, the creativity of the experience is awesome - but leaves you with an impression of “what just happened?”
Many marketers look to their traditional creative agencies with an interactive group to develop the digital customer experiences since…well they are the agency…they should know how to create a great digital experience. However, if the digital customer experience is conceived and led by a traditional creative agency, there usually lacks the sophistication needed to ensure that the optimal digital customer experience is realized. And don’t ask them about the digital habits and behaviours of the target user, because frankly, they don’t care.
Now, not to disparage many of the great creative agencies out there, but when you actually look under the hood and see what is driving the development of the digital customer experience - its the creative, and not the understanding of the habits and behaviours of the customer. The result is usually a bad case of Widgetitis, Data-pox or Navigation Deficiency Disorder.
Pushing the use of the technology in creative ways is awesome - but you need to make sure it is relevant. Allowing the creative to drive the experience is basically “hoping” you will achieve your objectives and provide your customers with the digital customer experience they are looking for.
Great creative people are awesome salespeople and the client gets so caught up in the sexiness of the creative, that they often forget what the objective of the experience is.
So the reality is that process to create great digital customer experiences and thus avoiding contracting any of the diseases is to first use Customer Insight to understand the digital habits and behaviours. Then apply a rigorous Experience Strategy and Design process to design the optimal experience. And finally, allow enough flexibility in the wireframes or experience that when the Creative is applied, that it enhances the experience and is not limited by it.
By taking this basic approach and having the insight, experience strategy and creative people working effectively together, many of the diseases can be avoided.
That works great until the client wants to add more content!!
Tags: Customer Insight, Data-pox, Delvinia, Digital Customer Experience, Experience Design, Experience Strategy, interactive design, Navigation Deficiency Disorder, Wiggetitis
December 9th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Great article.
I agree with you that in order to create great digital customer experiences it is key to understand the customers - their digital habits and behaviours. I would also go on to add an understanding of customer goals also contributes to avoiding some of the diseases you describe.
Armed with customer insights, I’ve found the best experience is accomplished when experience designers and creative team brainstorm solutions prior to developing wireframes.
It should be noted that the purpose of wireframes is to depict elements on a page - their location, form, relationships, level of importance. How those elements are bought to life, is the responsibility of the creative team.
To be successful, the entire process should be a collaborative effort. If the creative team pushes the presentation layer beyond just look and feel, hooking back with experience designers to ensure customer needs are met, the approach aligns with strategy and is usable needs to be part of the rigourous Experience Strategy and Design process.