We are thrilled to be recognised as an ABA100 Winner for Digital Customer Experience and Digital Transformation in the Australian Business Awards 2023 for our work with Sustainability Victoria (SV) on their ResourceSmart Schools program.

ResourceSmart Schools (RSS) is a leading, internationally recognised sustainability and climate change education program offered by Sustainability Victoria (SV), an agency of the Victorian State Government. The structured framework and facilitated support provide guidance, knowledge, and skills to achieve measurable environmental change within and beyond the school gate. By participating in the program, schools implement appropriate solar generation systems, energy efficiency and other sustainable practices (water efficiency, improved waste management, and biodiversity improvement) through curriculum, school operations, culture and community.

Matt Genever Interim CEO at Sustainability Victoria was thrilled at the awards announcement, "The ResourceSmart Schools program is an incredibly important programme at Sustainability Victoria. It helps us to make sustainability the norm across Victorian schools and future generations. We have been looking to transform the program for some time to bring an exciting new digital experience to support participating schools . This award recognises the hard work the SV Education and Digital teams and our partner Exco Partners have put in to bring new life to the program. I am very proud of the team for their work to make the ResourceSmart Schools project a success."

We worked with SV to transform the RSS Online platform. This digital web application supports the schools to track their activities and record their achievements as they strive for a 5-star accreditation in sustainability.

The ResourceSmart Schools program has been running for almost 20 years. In 2015, the program was recognised in the Banksia Education for Sustainability Awards for leadership and achievement in raising awareness of sustainability issues. Banksia judges described the program as displaying a 'best-practice' and 'world-leading' approach to sustainability education with strong evidence of its impact.

By 2022, however, the digital platform that supported the program was limiting its effectiveness. The digital platform was built on an ageing technology stack that needed to be faster, more intuitive, and more responsive to the school user's needs.

Sustainability Victoria engaged us to help transform the digital platform and rejuvenate the success of the program.

We established the project with the following objectives:

The initial user and customer research, conducted as part of the project discovery phase, suggested three key themes that needed to be addressed throughout the project to improve customer experience:

The transformed digital platform was deployed into production in time for Term 3 of the school year 2022, delivering:

The RSS Online application supports over 120,000 teachers throughout Victoria and over 1 million enrolled Victorian students and will continue to contribute to Victoria's sustainability through:

This award represents the hard work the SV and Exco Partners team put into this project and reflects the RSS program's contribution to Victoria throughout its history. We are privileged to have had the opportunity to work with Sustainability Victoria on such an important initiative and are incredibly proud of the result our team, as a whole, has been able to deliver.

Learn more about the amazing work from Sustainability Victoria's ResourceSmart Schools here: 

https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/energy-efficiency-and-reducing-emissions/resourcesmart-schools

Digital Customer Experience and Digital Transformation Winner 2023

If a business owner is unsure about how AI can benefit their business, there are many facets to consider before making any decisions. These considerations can help business owners understand the potential impact of AI on their operations and determine whether investing in AI is the right choice for their specific business. Here are four important considerations:



 The first step is to clearly define the business’s objectives, challenges, and pain points. Determine what areas of the business could benefit from automation, optimization, or improved decision-making through AI. Whether it’s enhancing customer service, streamlining operations, optimizing supply chain management, or personalized marketing, aligning AI applications with business needs is crucial.

 Research how competitors are utilizing AI technology in their operations. Understanding the AI landscape in your industry can help identify potential advantages or risks of falling behind. By staying informed about industry trends, a business owner can make informed decisions about where AI may have the most significant impact.  As of today, this may be a small list, but it will grow, and it’s important to keep this in focus.

: Like all process and data systems, good governance and ownership allow trust to build.  AI systems rely heavily on trust to be successful (trust of execution, trust in the data, trust in the decisions made, etc.).  Well-implemented governance also affords the ability of the business to evaluate and maintain the quality, availability and use of the solution. Problems such as poor data quality can lead to inaccurate AI outcomes, which can lead to a feeling of “not being ready”. Governance processes can remedy that.  Good governance can allow small forays to be proven whilst larger data and process needs are identified. It can allow an organisation to start sooner and gain benefits faster.  Other governance considerations include the need to consider data privacy and security concerns, as handling sensitive customer information requires compliance with relevant regulations like GDPR or CCPA.

: Once ideas become more real, it is important to assess the feasibility of integrating AI solutions into the business. Consider the required infrastructure, data collection, and analysis processes. There may well also be a change management stream to embed, re-train or include new solutions and ways of working into teams and roles.  AI implementation should not be viewed as a one-time fix but rather an ongoing process that evolves with the business. Being able to integrate and modify AI solutions as needed ensures the business remains competitive in the long term.

Remember that the decision to adopt AI does not mean a rushed proliferation of low-value, ungoverned outcomes. It can mean identifying concepts and taking them forward.  We can help with the “Art of the Possible” or even piloting small AI projects or conducting proofs of value.

Four steps to building a good AI base

Wow! Congratulations to the amazing team at 

 for your recognition as winners at the MAV Technology Awards for Excellence.

The team developed a system to streamline the management of labour budgets at Melton, taking advantage of the Microsoft PowerPlatform to simplify the Employee Experience.

This is a fabulous example of using innovative technology solutions to drive benefits in Employee Experience, a key area of priority for many businesses. Well done, Melton City Council and the team at Exco Partners.

MAV Technology Awards for Excellence – Winners

No one should question the importance of properly managing and protecting the data of your customers and employees. So why do regulators feel the need to point out the obvious? Probably because of the low priority such tasks are historically given.

As consumers become all too aware of the risks, will they consider the way companies value their privacy? Will they hesitate to hand over valuable information? Will they consider the positive steps you take, or leave in the event of a data breach?

We have become all too aware of the threats and impacts on our lives, with many Australians having to replace important identity documentation to avoid ongoing risks associated with the compromise of their personal data. The number of fraudulent attempts to access our private and personal data to gain some financial or other advantage is very real for many Australians. While technology has created many opportunities to improve products and services, it has become a critical risk for companies that rely on that data to execute and manage their business processes.

Many financial and insurance companies (particularly health) need or create data that is very personal in nature. Being able to demonstrate the ability for customers to trust them with our data is essential to their business. The impact on company valuations (for privately listed companies) is all too visible and clear, with around 60% of small companies that are hit by a data breach or cyber-attack going out of business within 6 months. Larger companies are better able to contain the impact of these events but still suffer significant losses in reputation, revenue and customers leaving.

With increased cyber threat activity, it is harder and harder to be on top of everything. Human error, social engineering and sophisticated attacks are increasingly putting company, customer, and employee data at risk. Being confident in being able to avoid an incident is not enough. Having a plan and understanding how to respond, inform and address the concerns of those that have trusted you with their data is also essential.

So, while it’s essential to ensure that you are aware of the relevant regulations in your industry and respond to them, it’s probably more important to ask the question, “what if this happened to us? How can we mitigate the risk, and how should we respond to demonstrate our understanding of the trust our customers and employees give us is understood?” It’s too late to start asking these questions after the fact, and a plan needs to be in place.

Don’t wait for the regulator, to show your customers and employees how important your trust relationship with them really is! Maybe, just maybe, this will help you avoid being another statistic.

Design products, processes, and services to avoid the requirement for the data in the first place (don’t encourage bad behaviour – many banks still require individuals to identify themselves after initiating contact today). It’s not just employees that need to be aware of the techniques and approaches that fraudsters and criminals use, but also your customers. While training staff and validating their knowledge and understanding is easy, supporting customers is best achieved through design and establishing appropriate behaviour. When designing products and processes, ask yourself if you really need personal data or if there is another way to achieve the objective.

Using design to mitigate risk is essential. Other techniques like “transferring the risk” (insurance) won’t protect your customers or employees.

What might once have been seen as an IT issue has clearly made it to the board room. Trying to understand and respond to the “clear and present threat” of cyber-attacks and data breaches really is keeping executives up at night.

Data Governance Councils are responsible for ensuring the appropriate controls are in place and that they are effective. Establishing a solid data governance framework and processes is essential to linking the data and process owners with clear roles and responsibilities. Note that with the complexity of the threat, it is a team sport; make sure you have appropriate representation from cyber (and physical) security, fraud, risk and audit. Depending on your organisational structure, these roles and responsibilities may differ, but the important thing is that the roles, responsibilities and relationships are defined and understood.

Finally, if the worst does happen, you need to identify who was impacted and establish how to respond, how you can help protect your customers and employees and notify relevant authorities and regulators.

Some relevant government legislation and regulatory bodies that issue advice and legal responsibilities to companies operating in Australia include:

Establishing a trusting relationship with your customers and demonstrating your commitment to using their data with the respect they’ve entrusted you with will most likely help you comply to regulations today and tomorrow.

Guardians of Trust

As we hit the halfway mark for 2023, we are seeing that UX trends are continuing to evolve and that a UX-focused strategy is essential if brands want to see more engagement. The design trends we are seeing this year look at creating more imaginative and engaging experiences.  

Why is it important to have a UX strategy?

A great UX strategy is more important than ever as customer expectations are high and there is increased competition in the market. It is an essential component of any marketing campaign, and it is key to create products that people love, enjoy and keep coming back to. Essentially, the user experience is a major driving force behind success.  

So, here are our Exco UX Designers top 5 trends for 2023:

Individuals have grown to expect and desire “custom” customer experiences. A survey of 1,000 US adults by GBH Insights found that more than 80% want personalisation from retailers. Given this statistic, making a good first impression is vital. For example, Amazon Prime Wardrobe has launched a personal shopping service where customers complete a survey about their style preferences and a team of stylists provide personalised recommendations from more than half a million items. Customers have grown to expect and desire personalised experiences.

UX Designers need to think about how to use personalisation to create experiences that are relevant and engaging for users. Personalisation is key to keeping consumers feeling valued through their user journey. Users want to be able to access things easily and quickly and have some sort of interaction via animations or engagement-based designs.

Statista found that mobile devices made up about 57 % of all internet traffic in February 2023. There continues to be a significant increase in the number of mobile users across the globe. The market is dominated by the latest smartphone technology and consumers expect brands to create a site experience for mobile browsing. Users are navigating across pages online, saving items to their cart and purchasing on their mobile. Digital Intelligence Briefing stated that 74% of visitors are likely to come back to an organisations site if it has good mobile UX.


A recent study by Australian Communications and Media Authority stated that internet use is spreading across more devices, with almost half of young Australians using 5 or more types of devices to go online in 2023, up from 30% in 2020. The most common device was mobile phones. Usability, functionality, and fast loading sites are essential for the user experience and UX designers need to consider mobile users in strategies.

These study results prove that it is vital for designers to consider each small site interaction such as how many clicks are needed on a page. Knowing key areas that users will interact with will create customer loyalty and keep customers engaged for longer.   

A PwC survey of 15,000 consumers found that one in three consumers will leave a brand they love after one bad experience. There is no denying that storytelling can enhance a company’s brand image and has become a growing ‘experience’ trend that a UX designer can use. Storytelling provides an interaction between users and products and has become a prominent aspect to build connection with customers. Using a narrative and creating personas elevates the content and improves the perception of the brand. Creating these stories allows the design process to be human centric and is one of the best ways to relate with an audience.  

Patagonia, an outdoor clothing and equipment label, is a company that is known to protect you while exploring the great outdoors. This centres about their brand story, the company is invested in people, their experience and the outdoors. Patagonia has been able to use storytelling to connect with their socially conscious consumers. They have built a loyal customer base by showing their commitment to environmental sustainability and use taglines to sell eco-friendly apparel.

We have started to see AR being rolled out through companies using this technology to train their employees via realistic simulations and connecting people through virtual games. Companies are also implementing AR so customers can “try on” products at home. Le Specs lets you virtually try on sunglasses by opening your front camera to see yourself in any pair or glasses that fits you. AR is likely to be something that will keep growing in popularity.

Statista claims that the virtual reality market size will be more than $18 billion by the end of 2023. AI makes experiences more visually appealing, improving customer experience.  Apple has announced its new AR headset that will launch in 2024, a product that will blend the real world and digital world. This headset has been in the works for years and one of its features includes using spatial audio to arrange FaceTime participants as “video tiles” around the room. You can capture and relive videos with a 3D camera while using the headset. AR will transform how we connect with the world, and it is exciting to see how this will keep developing over the next few years and the possibilities that will come out of it for UX designers.

AI is a form of technology that allows machines to think and complete tasks in a way that humans would – creepy, right? However, UX Designers are using this tool to their advantage by brainstorming layouts, creating graphic elements and using the tool for upscaling images.

Using AI will continue to assist companies all around the world by creating user-centric digital products for customers to enjoy. Wired conducted a survey of 1,300 institutions and found that 57% of managers say their company is either piloting or using AI. UX Designers at Exco are particularly excited to use AI and are using the tool for incredibly innovative ways, including creating original images, such as a Kangaroo holding money for a local Australian Bank customer.

Check out this article to read how AI tools are evolving and how the tool will become essential for any design pipeline: 

The impact of a UX strategy will likely be much bigger if the design is personalised, there is increased mobile optimisation, micro-interactions and if storytelling, AR/AI can be incorporated. These design trends we are seeing in 2023 are proven to create a positive brand experience and it will see more returning customers.

Trends for User Experience Design for 2023

In the current era of pervasive technology, where digital solutions play a significant role in our daily lives, prioritizing the creation of inclusive and accessible products and experiences has become crucial. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world’s population, experience significant disabilities. That means 1 in 6 individuals faces accessibility challenges.

Accessibility in user experience design promotes inclusivity by ensuring that individuals with diverse abilities can fully participate in and derive value from digital products and services. This approach leads to the creation of products that are not only accessible but also enjoyable and usable by a diverse range of individuals. By making accessibility a priority, companies meet their ethical and legal responsibilities and gain access to a broad and diverse user base, opening new market opportunities for potential growth and success.

Inclusive design also stimulates innovation by encouraging designers to break free from conventional solutions. When designers consider a broader spectrum of user perspectives, they are more inclined to generate innovative and imaginative concepts that bring benefits to all users. This results in groundbreaking solutions and enhanced user experiences.

Many companies have recognized the importance of accessibility and have taken steps to make their products and experiences more inclusive. While Apple, Google, and Microsoft have been industry leaders in this regard, there are other notable players who have also joined the ranks.

Netflix, for instance, is one of the leading streaming platforms that has demonstrated a commitment to accessibility by implementing various features and initiatives to ensure an inclusive user experience for individuals with disabilities. Netflix offers closed captioning and subtitles, audio descriptions, and settings that can be customized to suit individual preferences better. The company has also started producing original content that not only highlights diverse narratives and characters with disabilities but also raises awareness about disability-related issues.

Airbnb has made significant progress in promoting accessibility. They have introduced accessible filters and listings, empowering individuals to find suitable accommodations that meet their specific accessibility needs. Airbnb provides educational resources for hosts, collaborates with organizations focused on accessibility and disability advocacy, and invests in research and development to enhance accessibility. By prioritizing inclusive design and fostering collaborative efforts, Airbnb aims to create a more accessible and inclusive travel ecosystem.

Spotify, the popular music streaming platform, has also taken significant steps to prioritize accessibility in its applications and services. They offer features such as text resizing and high contrast options, integration with screen readers for individuals with visual impairments, and keyboard accessibility. Spotify demonstrates an ongoing commitment to accessibility through continuous updates and refinements based on user feedback and industry best practices. By embracing inclusivity, Spotify aims to create an accessible platform that caters to the diverse needs of its user base.

By incorporating accessible design principles, companies not only fulfil their moral obligations but also unlock the potential for innovation and growth while positively impacting the lives of individuals with disabilities. 

Consider this checklist for good accessible design to ensure inclusivity in digital products and services:

It is good practice to evaluate your designs against industry standards. The most common standard for accessibility for the Web is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and it is a common requirement for websites and web applications to conform to a particular level of the WCAG standard. More information about WCAG can be found here: 

It is also good practice to test your product against accessibility standards. If you are on the Web, Google Chrome has an excellent free tool, Lighthouse, to test your alignment to accessibility standards. You can learn more about Lighthouse here: 

In conclusion, the importance of accessibility in user experience design cannot be overstated. It not only ensures equal access for individuals with disabilities but also opens new opportunities for companies to reach a wider audience. Companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and Spotify serve as excellent examples of organizations that have embraced accessibility and are actively working towards creating inclusive products and experiences. By prioritizing accessibility and following the checklist for good accessible design, companies can make a positive impact, foster innovation, and contribute to a more inclusive digital landscape.

The Importance of Accessibility in User Experience Design

Understanding psychological drivers is key when designing experiences.

Our perception, attention, memory, decision-making processes, and emotional responses all significantly shape how we interact with technology. Here are seven key points to consider when designing experiences

Designers can gain valuable insights into user behaviour, cognitive processes, and emotional responses. Being aware of this enables us to create more intuitive, engaging, and user-centred experiences. By understanding how humans perceive, process, and interact with technology, we can design interfaces and systems that truly resonate with users, fostering long-term relationships and enhancing overall user experience.

Psychological drivers are key when designing experiences

The credit for the extensive analysis and insights in this piece goes to Matt Parker from Stand-up Maths. You can watch the full video 

With the NBA finals currently underway, I found this analysis to be particularly intriguing, highlighting the significance of data and data insights in shaping business strategies and maintaining a competitive edge.

For those who remember basketball in the Michael Jordan era, three-point shots were not as prevalent as they are in today’s NBA. Players like Steph Curry have revolutionized the game by changing the way teams approach scoring. They either drive the ball to the basket or step back behind the three-point line, with very few attempts from mid-range.

Matt Parker found this shift fascinating and delved into the data to investigate whether players have indeed altered their shooting strategies over time, and his findings confirm that they have.

By analyzing over 4.6 million NBA shots spanning over 30 years, Matt examined the shooting positions on the court and the corresponding success rates for each position.

He discovered that until approximately ten years ago, shots were distributed relatively evenly around the basket. 

(Image)

However, comparing those results to the shots made in the last decade, it becomes evident that strategies have changed. Players now tend to shoot either directly under the basket or from beyond the three-point line.

But why did this change occur? What is the reason behind it?

Matt’s analysis revealed that when he plotted the accuracy of scoring against the distance from the basket, there was a sharp decline in accuracy at around 2 meters, followed by a relatively stable accuracy rate extending beyond the three-point line.

However, shooting a three-point shot earns three points compared to two points for shots closer to the basket. Taking this into account, Matt plotted the accuracy of shots against the distance, and it became clear that there was a significant increase in points scored right around the three-point arch.

Based on this upward trend, the data suggests that it is more advantageous for players to either shoot close to the basket or step back to the three-point line, as their average points scored will increase.

This analysis serves as an excellent example of how data analysis and deriving insights from data can influence business strategies. While NBA players apply this knowledge to their shooting strategies, businesses can employ similar tactics in various areas such as customer segments, product lines, and more.

I encourage you to watch and appreciate Matt’s YouTube video, where he presents this remarkable data analysis.

NBA, business strategy and data insight

As Generative AI reaches the peak of the Gartner Hype Cycle, many organizations are currently deliberating among the three most likely positions, which are as follows:

If you fall into the first category, you have likely already identified the transformational prospects linked to engaging with a technique that generates efficiencies, enhances the effectiveness of actions, and evolves alongside your own knowledge and techniques. If this describes your situation, then innovation and transformation are on the horizon (*terms and conditions apply).

Within this category, as a pioneer, the industry is cheering you on and wanting it to work.  People like me are keen to help make it a reality.

If you belong to the second category, you’re probably awaiting the outcomes of the first category’s endeavours. Alternatively, you might be considering updating certain work methodologies incrementally to gain some value as the technology matures and becomes more cost-effective. Even within this category, products like Microsoft Co-Pilot can offer significant benefits without necessitating a complete reimagining of your business operations.

However, if you find yourself in the final category, you might face a decision sooner than you anticipate. Some potential concerns could include:

For each of these queries, the solution is likely to be attempting to take action. In scenarios where we’ve aided clients on analogous journeys, we typically initiate with what is feasible. This involves crafting a journey map aligned with an enhanced experience, often in response to a current experience that might not be meeting the pace or promises of your organization.

One potential approach is to treat the new technology as a Product and keep it simpler.  Some engagements we’ve done in this space are:

Following this approach, benefits can emerge through a straightforward workshop or conversation that employs a tool or model that might not have existed just three months prior due to the rapid evolution of the AI landscape (more on this will be available in an upcoming blog post).

The risk tied to delaying or not embarking on the first step is that your competitors are probably already embracing it, or at the very least, an opportunity for innovation is being missed. The time required to achieve value is no longer comparable to that of a “conventional” development project. It doesn’t demand the same level of investment to gather and employ data to establish a connection (or pivot if it’s unsuccessful).

Regarding adoption, focusing on business outcomes empowers your organization and teams to concentrate on the value they contribute during the ideation phase. This approach invites effective governance into discussions because it captures these notions and encourages their growth and appropriate utilization.

In the realm of AI outcomes, after all is said and done, trust remains crucial – trust in the process, trust in decisions, trust in strategy, trust in data, and trust in people’s ability to employ automation as a means of enhancement and an elevated experience. If you can cultivate trust in the methodology and encourage the exploration of ideas, you might find yourself achieving even more remarkable outcomes than initially envisioned.

Start with the idea, focus on the benefits, build the trust through good governance and consider that the products used to bring Generative AI into the consciousness have only been freely available a short time and take the opportunity.  We’d be glad to help!

Fear of missing out

We have been closely watching the amazing trajectory of AI tools this year. Our recent posts about 

 have explored how these tools are becoming more accessible and obvious in their use in our day-to-day work lives.

In what appears to be another amazing leap forward, Microsoft has just announced their new product, Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot. 

But what is Microsoft Co-Pilot? Why should I care, and more importantly, should I be scared for my job?

Microsoft Co-Pilot is a new set of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools and services that Microsoft are building into their Microsoft 365 apps. In Microsoft’s works, Co-Pilot combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with your own data in the Microsoft Graph and the Microsoft 365 apps to turn your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet. Sounds impressive.

The main way you can interact with Copilot is through the Microsoft 365 apps you use every day. Copilot is embedded into apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more. You can give it natural language prompts, and Copilot will help generate the code, text, analytics and more to reduce the manual effort in your information work. Here are some further examples of how Copilot can benefit you:

The second approach to using Microsoft Copilot is an entirely new experience. Business Chat works alongside you, with access to all your apps and data, some of which are described above. The aim is to spend less time focused on individual tools and apps and more time focusing on the work to be done. Business Chat will bring together data from across all documents, emails, presentations, calendars, notes, and contacts, which you can access, to help summarise chat, write emails, find key dates, create a plan, and many other activities.

Microsoft 365 Copilot obtains access through its use of Microsoft Graph, the access engine you currently use today, behind the scenes. It is based on large language models to continue learning and improving the more you use it. It is still important to note that, like any other AI tool, it depends on human interaction and feedback to improve continuously. We would encourage leveraging Copilot to reduce the labour-intensive tasks in your daily workload, but it does not replace the need for human decision-making and, even more importantly, giving feedback to ensure the results improve over time. We are excited about the future of work!

The use of Copilot could mean saving hours of collating, writing, sourcing, and editing documents, presentations, emails, and other Microsoft apps. It can also reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, all while being instructed by you, the user. This frees up your time to be productive and creative and, ultimately, focus on providing value while having fun at work.

You can read more of the initial blog post here: 

Will Microsoft Copilot change the way we work?

In today’s competitive market, creating exceptional customer experiences has become a key differentiator for businesses. However, designing great experiences is not just about making things look pretty, but about understanding customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points, and designing products, services, and interactions that meet or exceed their expectations. This is where customer experience design and customer obsession come into play. Customer experience design is the process of creating positive interactions between customers and a business, while customer obsession is a mindset that puts the customer at the center of everything a business does. In this white paper, we will explore why customer obsession is crucial to designing exceptional customer experiences, how to create a customer-obsessed culture, and examples of customer-obsessed companies.

In today’s age of instant gratification and endless choices, customers are no longer just buying products or services, they are buying experiences and emotions. A great customer experience can lead to customer loyalty, repeat business, positive reviews, and word-of-mouth referrals. On the other hand, a poor customer experience can lead to customer churn, negative reviews, and reputational damage. Therefore, designing exceptional customer experiences has become a strategic imperative for businesses that want to survive and thrive in the long run. However, designing exceptional customer experiences is not easy, as it requires a deep understanding of customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points, as well as a culture of empathy, experimentation, and continuous improvement. This is where customer experience design and customer obsession come into play.

What is customer experience design? Customer experience design is the process of creating positive interactions between customers and a business. It involves understanding customer needs, preferences, and pain points, and designing products, services, and interactions that meet or exceed their expectations. Customer experience design is not just about making things look pretty, but about making things work seamlessly and delightfully. It requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes user research, interaction design, visual design, content strategy, and technology. Customer experience design is not a one-time activity but a continuous process that involves iterating and improving based on customer feedback and business objectives.

Why is customer experience design important? 

Customer experience has become a key differentiator in today’s competitive market. Customers are no longer just buying products or services, they are buying experiences and emotions. A great customer experience can lead to customer loyalty, repeat business, positive reviews, and word-of-mouth referrals. On the other hand, a poor customer experience can lead to customer churn, negative reviews, and reputational damage. Therefore, designing exceptional customer experiences has become a strategic imperative for businesses that want to survive and thrive in the long run. A great customer experience can provide several benefits, such as:

Customer obsession is a mindset that puts the customer at the center of everything a business does. It means being deeply curious about customers’ needs, behaviors, and emotions, and using that knowledge to create better products, services, and experiences. Customer obsession requires a culture of empathy, experimentation, and continuous improvement. Customer obsession is not just about listening to customers but also about understanding them deeply and empathizing with their perspectives. Customer obsession is not a one-time activity but a continuous process that involves iterating and improving based on customer feedback and business objectives.

Customer obsession is the foundation of customer experience design. It ensures that businesses are solving real customer problems and not just chasing the latest trends or fads. It creates a virtuous cycle where businesses listen to customers, create better products and services, and build long-term relationships based on trust and loyalty. Customer obsession provides several benefits, such as:

How to create a customer-obsessed culture? 

Creating a customer-obsessed culture requires a top-down approach that involves leadership, employees, and customers. Here are some tips on how to create a customer-obsessed culture:

There are several companies that are known for their customer obsession and have achieved great success as a result. Here are some examples:

Creating exceptional customer experiences is a strategic imperative for businesses that want to survive and thrive in the long run. Customer experience design and customer obsession are two key components of this effort. Customer experience design involves understanding customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points, and designing products, services, and interactions that meet or exceed their expectations. Customer obsession involves putting the customer at the center of everything a business does and creating a culture of empathy, experimentation, and continuous improvement. By embracing customer obsession and creating exceptional customer experiences, businesses can achieve greater customer loyalty, increased revenue and profitability, and a stronger brand reputation.

The Power of Customer Obsession in Designing Exceptional Customer Experiences

Employee experience has become a crucial element of success in today’s business landscape. It refers to employees’ feelings, attitudes, and perceptions about their work and workplace. A positive employee experience can have a wide range of benefits for businesses. For example, employees with a positive experience are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and productive, leading to increased efficiency and profitability. 

On the other hand, a negative employee experience can result in high turnover, low morale, and decreased performance, which can significantly negatively impact a business. 

As the world becomes increasingly digital, it is essential, too, for businesses to prioritize the digital experience of their employees. Many businesses are looking at a 

digital-first employee experience strategy

A digital-first employee experience strategy is a company-wide approach to creating a seamless and efficient digital experience for employees. It aims to deliver a range of benefits, including increased productivity, improved communication, painless/transparent compliance, collaboration, and higher job satisfaction. By prioritizing the use of digital tools and technology, businesses can create a more flexible and accessible work environment that allows employees to work from anywhere at any time. 

A digital-first employee experience strategy can also help to personalize and customize the work experience for each employee, making them feel more connected to their work and their colleagues. 

Overall, a digital-first employee experience strategy aims to create a more efficient, effective, and enjoyable work environment for employees through the use of digital tools and technology.

When building a digital-first employee experience strategy, businesses should consider the following factors:

To learn more, you can download the whitepaper below which expands on this topic.

How to build a digital-first, employee experience strategy

If you would like to know more about how to build a digital-first employee experience strategy, download our white paper. 

This white paper expands on the seven key factors described in this article and describes the steps we take to help our customers to build their employee experience strategy.

Building a digital-first, employee experience strategy

With Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools such as 

 now able to generate unique artwork and design; does it mean we will soon see the end of the need for UX Designers? Probably not, at least in the short term. What however is clear is that these tools will become an ever increasingly important tool in any designer’s creative pipeline. Just as tools like Figma and Sketch changed how we go about creating and testing designs, 2023 will be the year when AI tools will become a mandatory tool for UX designers to know how to use.

Toward the end of 2022, the power of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence tools appear to have taken a significant leap forward. I have recently explored the power of the 

 ChatGPT tool. My recent post demonstrates the amazing power of this tool where I conducted an interview with the AI about the future of AI in the field of data engineering. The results were impressive, to say the least. You can read the post 

The feedback and discussion about this post all centred around a common theme with comments like:

To explore these themes further, we decided to apply the tools to the more creative field of User Experience Design. After some research, we decided to test out the Midjourney tool to see if we could get it to help with a design challenge.

To quote the Midjourney website, “Midjourney is an independent research lab exploring new mediums of thought and expanding the imaginative powers of the human species”. The Midjourney Bot can be used to generate images based on user text prompts.

We have a design challenge that we like to use during our recruitment process. The brief is as follows:

All UX designers use other designs for inspiration so we used this for the Midjourney Bot

We gave the brief to the Midjourney bot with a couple of extra prompts like “beautiful”, “UX/UI”, and “graphical”. We also gave it a UI mock-up as inspiration; just like we would do as a UX designer.

Midjourney is a powerful tool for UX designers that can help speed up the design process and improve the quality of their work. With its easy-to-use prototyping and testing features, it’s a valuable addition to any UX designer’s toolkit.

The Midjourney bot quickly responded with four variations of a mobile application addressing our brief.

The first version of the interface design from the Midjourney Bot

The results are impressive. Four variations that, on the surface, all show a nice-looking design. The designs a not showing real text but the intent and layout of the design are clear.

The bot allows us to choose to create more variations on any of the four examples or allows us to choose on variations to expand upon and create more variations. I quite liked the design of variation 3 so chose to upscale that one as follows.

While this variation is nice, it doesn’t quite hit the brief by showing a graph of the results.

Using this as inspiration, I again asked the Midjoruney bot to imagine a new version with a focus on graphing the data. The results were better which several versions that showed graphs of the steps.

I worked on a few more iterations asking the Bot to upscale and vary the designs a little further. The Bot produced the following design I quite liked. I had assumed the slop under the character would be a representation of their steps which is a clever way to visually show the data.

After a few more iterations, the Bot produced this design

As one more iteration, I asked the Bot to create a new set of variations based on the above design. This time, however, I asked it to crank up the stylization and quality. I really liked variation three which again represents a good graphical representation of the data.

Asking the Bot to crank up the stylization and quality

The following is the final version of variation three above which I asked the Bot to upscale the design.

The final version of the user interface design

While clearly not a final product, the ability to be able to iterate a set of concepts based on text prompts quickly is really quite incredible. Without opening Figma once, we have been able to take a short brief, create a set of concepts and iterate on the concept that we like the best.

For a UX designer, this is a fabulous new tool to add to their UX toolbox. This whole process took around 30 minutes and in the real world could be done face-to-face with the customer to quickly iterate a design to a concept that can then be refined with more traditional UX tools like Figma.

The results of our Midjourney experiment have been impressive. While still in its (relative!!) infancy, at the rate of change and improvement in these tools will make for an exciting future.

One of the key benefits of using AI-driven tools like Midjourney is the ability to quickly and easily create prototypes. This is especially useful during the early stages of the design process when designers are still exploring and testing different ideas. By being able to create and test prototypes quickly, designers can iterate and refine their designs more efficiently, leading to better results.

In addition to prototyping, Midjourney allows designers, developers and customers to collaborate. This is important because designers often need to work closely with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to iterate designs. With Midjourney, it’s easy for designers to share their work and get feedback, which can help improve the final product.

One of the standout features of Midjourney is its ability to create high-fidelity prototypes. This is important because it allows designers to more accurately test and validate their designs, giving them a better sense of how the final product will look and function.

Looking to the future, it’s clear that UX design is becoming increasingly important as organizations continue to prioritize the user experience. This means that the demand for skilled UX designers is likely to continue to grow rather than be threatened by tools like Midjourney. Tools like Midjourney will play a crucial role in this growth, as they allow designers to create and test design ideas.

As UX design evolves, it will be necessary for designers to stay up-to-date with the latest design tools and practices. This may involve learning new software and techniques and being open to trying new things. User Experience designers should consider focusing on refining the following skills:

In conclusion, Midjourney and AI tools like it are evolving at a very rapid pace. These tools will continue to get better, smarter and more effective in the future we will become an essential part of any design pipeline. Right now, Midjourney is a valuable tool for UX designers that can help them create better designs more efficiently. Combined with prototyping and design tools like Figma, it’s an essential part of the UX designer’s toolkit. As the field of UX design continues to evolve, it will be necessary for designers to stay up-to-date with the latest tools and practices, and to focus on developing strong skills in user research and interaction design. With the right skills and experience, the future looks bright for UX designers.

The is the prompt given to the Midjourney bot to get the first set of designs for our app:

/imagine A beautiful mobile application to record the number of steps 
a user walks each day. Show a graph of their steps over a month and 
will allow them to compare their steps to other people. 
Include tabs for home, history, compare, settings and notifications. 
UX, UI, UX/UI

The Hero image on this page was created by Midjourney too with the prompt:

/imagine a cartoon robot user experience designer, artist, 4k

If you would like to learn more about using AI tools like Midjourney in your design pipeline, reach-out and get in contact.

2023

Digital Customer Experience and Digital Transformation Winne...