Building an Insights Ecosystem: Part 2. Experience Design

An interview by Jason Rowe & Yustyna Velykholova with Snizhana Bezhnar and Andrii Rusakov, Experience Design

Forward-thinking enterprises are shifting focus from being data-aware to being data-driven—seeking to leverage actionable insights in every business facet, far beyond marketing and sales operations alone.

While almost all executives are pursing this data-driven objective, less than one third have accomplished it to any degree.

A prerequisite for all-inclusive, data-driven intelligence is a comprehensive Actionable Insights Ecosystem (AIE). In part one of our panel discussion series, we covered Enterprise Data Platform (EDP)—the foundation of an insight ecosystem.

However, unlocking data value requires more than quality a foundation and framework for hosting data. A holistic approach connecting business, tech, and customers is a must. Companies must ensure design thinking and human-centricity are at the heart of the ecosystem. In doing so, data is humanized and accessible to all relevant parties.

Experience design (XD) creates cohesion and consistency across multiple business units, stakeholders, and touchpoints through a holistic understanding of the people behind the enterprise. XD frames the problem, defines personas, and distinguishes scenarios in key end user groups to tailor effective solutions and user journeys based on context and underlying needs.

For SoftServe’s Actionable Insights Ecosystem, experience design optimizes interactions across the value chain—connecting the what (experience), why (problem/opportunity), and how (resources, processes, technology) for stakeholders to act with confidence.

In part two of our digital panel discussion series, we're asking Snizhana Bezhnar and Andrii Rusakov—the SMEs leading Experience Design for insights-driven solutions—to dive into the role of XD for actionable data.

JR: What is the role of Experience Design in the Actionable Insights Ecosystem and why is it important?

SB: Decisions, strategy, and operational excellence are about humans striving to achieve certain goals and KPIs, applying a certain strategy, or who are the part of any operational process. Building a successful actionable insight ecosystem is impossible without diving into who those humans are, how they accomplish what is needed, and what struggles, pain-points, and areas of opportunity currently exist.

Making humans—those benefitting from the data, instead of data itself—central to the insights equation provides a much broader picture, that includes not only the digital aspect of the solution, but also manual and offline processes, corporate culture, organizational structure, and more.

AR: A deep understanding of user roles and needs is essential. We work with insights personalization for corresponding user groups to reflect their differences. For example: a manager and individual contributor will most likely be focused on different areas, but both can be informed with the same data types.

Our approach to a solution at different stages is aimed at a different level of experience transformation, like “Doing the same things better” or “Doing something radically different”.

Our data-informed journey lets the business start with faster/leaner operations, continue with personalized advice, and move forward with smarter decisions for an advanced value proposition.

Unlocking data value and the democratization of insights require a human-centric approach to development that places emphasis on those using the insights delivered. Simply hosting, organizing, and managing data will not accomplish the ultimate objective of an Actionable Insights Ecosystem.

Actionable means different things to different stakeholders, so it is crucial that these human beings are all accounted for in the journey to becoming data driven.

Experience Design plays a vital role in AIE establishment, ensuring end-to-end human centricity —not only for today’s insights, but also to ensure that your ecosystem can grow with you at scale.

There is so much more to cover with XD’s role in the ecosystem that we will be publishing a more in-depth interview in the days ahead—so be on the lookout.

In part three of this virtual panel discussion, we’ll be looking at the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) within the context of an Actionable Insights Ecosystem.

We’ll see you then!

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Where are you in your insights-driven journey?

Is your data humanized and accessible to the right stakeholders, at the right time, in the right places?

Let’s talk about how Actionable Insights Ecosystem—fuelled by human-centric design—can help you achieve data-driven excellence in the long run.