An Explorer's
Projects

challenge

To address waste management issues in a town where waste is often abandoned or badly sorted. By encouraging recycling, the aim was to increase recycling rates and reduce waste abandonment.

approach

First, the problem space was extensively examined with observations, a survey, stakeholder interviews, guerrilla interviews, and diary studies. Next, I interpreted resulting findings through a behavioral lens in order to identify potential levers in users’ behaviors. As the social aspects of behavior emerged as key to bring about change, I chose to run participatory activities to engage the community’s different actors: the municipality, the waste management service, environmental associations, and regular citizens. After a first phase of co-ideation, participants collectively chose an idea to develop together.

results

The chosen idea was a community engagement action to learn about waste management and related topics, share tips, questions, and engage in conversations with other stakeholders. I tested a pipeline session, which all participants appreciated, many of them advocating a continuation for the initiative. Activities such as forums, visits to recycling plants, and waste repurposing handicrafts may be easily integrated following participants’ needs and desires. I also found two local volunteers to bring the initiative forward and act as facilitators among stakeholders.

impact

Thanks to the group work and the mutual exchange of information and ideas, the participants of the pipeline session effectively increased their knowledge of local waste management practices while committing to new behaviors. In the long term, the initiative may successfully spread the knowledge of waste management practices, thus enabling users to recycle more as well as making them more aware of their own behaviors. Moreover, this approach might be a starting point for increased public participation, which has been proved a fundamental tool to improve standards of living and decrease public expenses.

for future improvement

I would engage more reluctant stakeholders by dedicating specific work sessions to their needs and expectations.

challenge

Identify areas of service that could be simply improved and design suitable solutions to fulfill the startup’s goals: higher sales and better customer engagement.

approach

Based on my systematic mapping of the startup’s interactions with every key player, I created a user survey focused on general appreciation and learning progress to better understand students’ gain and pain points. I analyzed the outcome and, upon eliciting the team’s ideas, elaborated possible solutions with them. Thanks to a user interview and by breaking down the different ideas with assumptions and storyboards, I was later able to identify the best options together with one of the founders. Finally, I realized a prototype in order to run a user test prior to implementation.

results

I mocked up an automatized rescheduling system to avoid session cancelation and therefore nurture learning thanks to regular sessions.

impact

More regular courses allow higher student attendance, as well as lower levels of frustration for students, teachers and staff. The process also produced very valuable insights on multiple aspects of user experience and on the whole modus operandi of the startup. Moreover, a few other ideas were put to one side for further development.

for future improvement

I would plan the interaction with the team as thoroughly as possible for more efficient collaboration. It would also be ideal to imagine users’ possible answers in order to create more precise questions.

challenge

Identify most favorable cantons for geographical expansion of existing nursing services and evaluate possible addition of home cleaning services.

approach

Desk research on physical and political geography, services, competitors' work organization.

results

Report and two maps of Swiss cantons focused on population density and public financing.

impact

Most potentially profitable cantons for expansion clearly stated, plus valuable document for future reference.

for future improvement

User experience evaluations for extra services.

challenge

Analyze identified target customers to verify product fit.

approach

Exploration of potential customer’s personal details, biography, interests, aspirations, personality and preferences using a persona canvas.

results

Concrete, detailed persona profile for successful identification with potential customer.

impact

Reconsideration of terminology and of overall strategy for well-addressed, effective communication.

for future improvement

Usage of empathy map canvas for more insightful profiling.

challenge

Explore the feasibility of service idea and clarify the role of every stakeholder.

approach

Desk research on existing interactions among identified stakeholders and assessment of other potential interactions starting from supposed user needs.

results

Journey map with different levels corresponding to every stakeholder, later used as basis for service prototype.

impact

Neglected steps came to light.

for future improvement

Creation and integration with user journey and other stakeholders’ journeys.

challenge

Make students aware of own improvement.

approach

Framework with expected learning outcomes paired with concrete assessment criteria. Students filmed language tasks execution and later watched own video to assess themselves using previously explained framework.

results

Students able to assess themselves correctly and more aware of own level of English and of room for own improvement.

impact

Students perceived language learning as a matter to pursue personally.

for future improvement

Simplified, more agile framework for frequent use.

challenge

Website users reportedly experienced difficulties in understanding what the service consisted of.

approach

After redefinition of target users with team, reconsideration of website strategy and scope to change information architecture and better address content.

results

Users gained a clearer idea of the innovative service on offer.

impact

Team became more aware of users’ perception of website and adapted other materials accordingly.

for future improvement

Real test with potential users.

challenge

Create tasks for usability test of museum web page.

approach

After analysis of chosen persona, illustration of real situation with different circumstances. Identification of resulting needs in order to define tasks and scenario.

results

Realistic scenario for 5 tasks testing different website sections.

impact

Optimization of information architecture prior to test and successful usability test.

for future improvement

Comparison with usability tests created around other personae for thorough evaluation of website.

challenge

Get a better understanding of competition and of their offer, organization, customer segments and terminology.

approach

Definition of categories using terminology of first identified players. Listing of other players and additional classification to assess need for further investigation.

results

Emersion of competition’s prevalent features and of most interesting players to be investigated.

impact

Reconsideration of own focus, content strategy and terminology.

for future improvement

Earlier, provisional categorization for quicker listing.

challenge

Facilitate learning of already seen, albeit not comprehended grammar structures.

approach

Assessment of potential difficulties for extra exercises and examples from real-life cases.

results

Students’ successful use of grammar constructions, with increased participation and enjoyment.

impact

Shift in students’ perception of English from alien and unreachable to understandable and possibly fun.

for future improvement

More emphasis on origin of problems to avoid their reemergence.