Category: Innovation
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The Drift Toward Misalignment — and Why Fractional UX Matters Now
Over the past year, coaching small business owners, collaborating with creative leaders, joining the AIGA CT board, and reconnecting with my broader network, I’ve been noticing something that feels both familiar and unsettling. It appears in different shapes, different industries, and different conversations, but the core pattern is the same: We are losing our capacity…
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Why Creatives (Still) Skip Spell-Check: A Small Team Problem with a Simple Fix
The Same Old Song and Dance I had a conversation recently with someone at a small agency. We were talking about the kind of stuff that gets quietly ignored until it becomes a pattern. Specifically: Why do designers (and other creatives) send out work without running spell-check? As someone who’s been an art director, designer,…
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How UX Principles Can Improve Any Business — Not Just Digital Products
UX Isn’t Just for Apps and Websites When people hear “user experience,” they often picture digital teams refining app screens or tweaking a website’s checkout flow. And yes, UX plays a critical role there. But what many businesses overlook is that UX principles apply everywhere. Whether you’re designing a mobile app or running a local…
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How to Think Like a Business Owner (When You’re Coming from UX or Tech)
Why Human-Centered Thinking Makes You a Stronger Leader Introduction: UX Professionals Are Built to Lead If you’ve worked in UX, product strategy, or digital leadership, you’ve probably been thinking like a business owner all along—you just didn’t frame it that way. UX isn’t just about pixels and prototypes—it’s about solving real-world problems, navigating stakeholder needs,…
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Helping Brand Teams Get To An Efficient and Successful Website Relaunch
Project Overview Company: Trojan & Nair (Razorfish) Industry: Consumer Goods, Personal Care Project Type: UX Strategy, Content Architecture, Mobile-First Design Timeframe: December 2020 – March 2021 Project Context Imagine you’re managing two household name brands—one in personal care and the other in sexual wellness. Both have loyal customer bases, a wide range of products, and…
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Better Understanding an emerging competitive space to Launch The UltraQ For BBQ Guru
Project Overview Company: BBQ Guru Industry: Consumer Tech, BBQ Automation Project Type: UX Strategy, First Mobile App Launch, IoT Integration Timeframe: October 2018 – August 2019 Project Context For years, BBQ Guru had been a leader in BBQ temperature control, helping both backyard cooks and competition-level pitmasters achieve precision cooking through automation. But while their…
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Gamifying Consumer Feedback to Deliver Better Insights For Suzy
Project Overview Company: Suzy (formerly Crowdtap) Industry: Consumer Insights, Market Research, SaaS Project Type: UX Strategy, Product Enhancement, Agile Sprint Support Timeframe: February 2018 – January 2019 Project Context Crowdtap had built a reputation as a gamified survey platform, connecting brands with real consumers to gather fast, actionable insights. As the company pivoted to the…
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Overcoming Direct-to-consumer Delivery For Heineken In The Three Tiered System
Project Overview Company: Heineken Industry: eCommerce, Beverage, Alcohol Distribution Project Type: UX Strategy, eCommerce, Regulatory Compliance Timeframe: July 2017 – December 2018 Project Context Imagine you’re one of the biggest beer brands in the world. You have global recognition, massive marketing budgets, and a loyal consumer base. But when it comes to direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales,…
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Diving Deep Into Toyota’s Data To Build Efficiency and A Better User Experience
Project Overview Company: Toyota Industry: Automotive & Manufacturing Project Type: Information Architecture, Data Management, Multi-Channel UX Timeframe: August 2015 – May 2017 Project Context Imagine you’re one of the world’s most recognized automotive brands. You employ thousands of American workers, manufacture 80% of your U.S. vehicles domestically, and invest millions into local economies and research.…