Hyper-Personalization: The Role of Synthetic Personas
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Hyper-Personalization: The Role of Synthetic Personas

Should you still be using outdated personas in your product design process? Absolutely not! With generative AI, hyper-personalization is not just possible but necessary. Traditional methods? Say goodbye to inefficiencies and hello to real-time, dynamic insights with synthetic personas. Want to know how Hot Pockets did it?

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The Debate Over Figma’s Make Design AI: Innovation or Imitation?
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

The Debate Over Figma’s Make Design AI: Innovation or Imitation?

In recent weeks, the design community has been abuzz with the controversy surrounding Figma’s Make Design AI feature. This innovative tool, designed to streamline the creative process by generating design elements, has faced backlash after it was discovered to produce copycat designs. Figma has since disabled the feature, but the debate over its implications for the future of design continues to rage.

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Traditional Personas Are Dead. Meet: Synthetic Personas.
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Traditional Personas Are Dead. Meet: Synthetic Personas.

Should you be using Synthetic Personas in your product design process? Absolutely. Here's why:

  • Traditional personas become outdated and static.

  • Synthetic personas provide dynamic, real-time user insights.

  • They integrate real user data and adapt continuously.

  • Enhance decision-making across design and marketing.

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Why every business needs a CDO-CMO dream team
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Why every business needs a CDO-CMO dream team

What is it about this collaboration that drives such impressive results? It all comes down to three key factors: a shared understanding of the customer journey, the use of data and analytics, and effective governance structures.

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How Design Killed Silicon Valley
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

How Design Killed Silicon Valley

The evolution of design's influence on the way we think and how we launch products has created a major shift in how organizations work today. Digital tools have changed how teams work together and being in a single location is no longer required to build great digital products. Some businesses that adopt these new ways of working have seen historic growth, while others that don't may not see tomorrow. ☠️

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Intent-Driven Design
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Intent-Driven Design

Let’s address the elephant in the room: design research is never really done. We capture questions from all of our stakeholders, send out surveys, host interviews, and conduct contextual research. But questions lead to answers and even more questions, and even more research.

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Creating a Product Moment Map
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Creating a Product Moment Map

Moment Maps are like short fiction stories about how you want your customer to experience your brand. The only difference is that these stories are meant to become real.

How do customers become aware of you? What happens in their life where they will need you? How will they use a product or service you offer?

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Contactless Shopping: Five Digital Trends Driving The Future of Grocery
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Contactless Shopping: Five Digital Trends Driving The Future of Grocery

Today, when shoppers are likely to be skittish about being in stores — if they visit at all — those who adapt using technology strategically and design intuitively will be better positioned to survive. More than just ordering online, digital solutions will have to consider every aspect of the business: operating logistics, employee safety, the use of physical space. And, if social distance becomes the new norm, how can technology connect humans for the better?

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Your product experience is only as good as its weakest moment
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Your product experience is only as good as its weakest moment

We all know the story of Goldilocks and the three bears: the little girl wants to find the perfect porridge. Not too hot, not too cold, but juuust right. If Goldilocks was a business and the porridge an experience, you end up with the question: how can businesses find the just right experience for their customers?

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The 3 F’s of simplicity
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

The 3 F’s of simplicity

We’ve all been there. Someone says “We need to make this easier” or “We need to make this simpler”. Sounds easy enough but what does making it simpler really mean? How do you know your working towards a simpler experience?

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The Business Power of Service Design
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

The Business Power of Service Design

To envision the evolution of the any experience you need to think of your organization as a net of interconnected touchpoints: Clients and employees, technology, products, processes and operations, your business model… all these “relationships” formulate who you are as an organization.

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The UX of Ambient-Driven Experiences
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

The UX of Ambient-Driven Experiences

Customer expectations are changing and as they interact with other similar technologies and services they’ll expect them to react similarly and if they don’t they’ll see it as a poor experience.

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Design for Sensors, not Screens
Joe Johnston Joe Johnston

Design for Sensors, not Screens

We’ve all heard the statement “Design Mobile First”. Maybe its time to say “Design for Sensors First”. Sensors are becoming more and more incorporated into what we design.

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