What happens when you mix New Zealand's finest chocolate with 870 of Europe's brightest UX minds? Pure magic, as we discovered at UXDX Dublin 2024!

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A sweet start

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Our UXDX journey began with pre-event drinks (courtesy of yours truly, Optimal Workshop) and a special treat from down under - a truckload of Whittaker's chocolate that quickly became the talk of the conference. Our impromptu card sorting exercise with different Whittaker's flavors revealed some interesting preferences, with Coconut Slab emerging as the clear favorite among attendees!

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Cross-Functional Collaboration: More Than Just a Buzzword

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The conference's core theme of breaking down silos between design, product, and engineering teams resonated deeply with our mission at Optimal Workshop. Andrew Birgiolas from Sephora delivered what I call a "magical performance" on collaboration as a product, complete with an unforgettable moment where he used his shoe to demonstrate communication scenarios (now that's what we call thinking on your feet!).

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Purpose-driven design

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Frank Gaine's session on organizational purpose was a standout moment, emphasizing the importance of alignment at three crucial levels:

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- Company purpose

- Team purpose

- Individual purpose

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This multi-layered approach to purpose struck a chord with attendees, reminding us that effective UX research and design must be anchored in clear, meaningful objectives at every level.

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The art of communication

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One of the most practical takeaways came from Kelle Link's session on navigating enterprise ecosystems. Her candid discussion about the necessity of becoming proficient in deck creation sparked knowing laughter from the audience. As our CEO noted, it's a crucial skill for communicating with senior leadership, board members, and investors - even if it means becoming a "deck ninja" (to use a more family-friendly term).

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Standardization meets innovation

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Chris Grant's insights on standardization hit home: "You need to standardize everything so things are predictable for a team." This seemingly counterintuitive approach to fostering innovation resonated with our own experience at Optimal Workshop - when the basics are predictable, teams have more bandwidth for tackling the unpredictable challenges that drive real innovation.

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Building impactful product teams

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Matt Fenby-Taylor's discussion of the "pirate vs. worker bee" persona balance was particularly illuminating. Finding team members who can maintain that delicate equilibrium between creative disruption and methodical execution is crucial for building truly impactful product teams.

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Research evolution

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A key thread throughout the conference was the evolution of UX research methods. Nadine Piecha's "Beyond Interviews" session emphasized that research is truly a team sport, requiring involvement from designers, PMs, and other stakeholders. This aligns perfectly with our mission at Optimal Workshop to make research more accessible and actionable for everyone.

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The AI conversation

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The debate on AI's role in design and research between John Cleere and Kevin Hawkins sparked intense discussions. The consensus? AI will augment rather than replace human researchers, allowing us to focus more on strategic thinking and deeper insights - a perspective that aligns with our own approach to integrating AI capabilities.

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Looking ahead

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As we reflect on UXDX 2024, a few things are clear:

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1. The industry is evolving rapidly, but the fundamentals of human-centered design remain crucial

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2. Cross-functional collaboration isn't just nice to have - it's essential for delivering impactful products

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3. The future of UX research and design is bright, with teams becoming more integrated and methodologies more sophisticated

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The power of community

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Perhaps the most valuable aspect of UXDX wasn't just the formal sessions, but the connections made over coffee (which we were happy to provide!) and, yes, New Zealand chocolate. The mix of workshops, forums, and networking opportunities created an environment where ideas could flow freely and partnerships could form naturally.

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What's next?

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As we look forward to UXDX 2025, we're excited to see how these conversations evolve. Will AI transform how we approach UX research? How will cross-functional collaboration continue to develop? And most importantly, which Whittaker's chocolate flavor will reign supreme next year?

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One thing's for certain - the UX community is more vibrant and collaborative than ever, and we're proud to be part of its evolution. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the industry has a very bright future. 

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See you next year! We’ll remember to bring more Coconut Slab chocolate next time - it seems we've created quite a demand!

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Every month we have informative “bite sized” presentations to add some inspiration to your day. These virtual events allow us to partner with amazing speakers, community groups and organizations to share their insights and hot takes on a variety of topics impacting our industry 🚀

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Do you want to learn ways to uplift qualitative researchers and value their skill sets as business assets?

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In an effort to make “data-driven” decisions, business leaders look to research for guidance. However, there is often an implicit priority for quantitative research over qualitative research.  Often, even if qualitative research is funded and the findings are valued, the qualitative researcher and their skill sets can feel under-appreciated at an organizational or business unit level.

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Let’s uplift the qualitative researcher and honor the craft of qualitative research as a transferable skill set. In this talk we will discuss: 

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• Theories about why business leaders have a hard time thinking about qualitative research findings as “data”
• Techniques for navigating the quant vs. qual conversation with non-research minded stakeholders — with an emphasis on not pitting research methods against each other.
• The importance of modeling qualitative researcher behaviors in other business contexts.
• How thinking like a qualitative researcher can close organizational gaps and aid in consensus building
• Tips for demonstrating the value of thinking and acting like qualitative researchers

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Jennifer Long

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Speaker Bio 🎤

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Jennifer is a business generalist with UX Research and Information Architecture chops. She spent six years at Factor, an Information Architecture Consulting Firm, where she most recently held the Chief of Staff role. Jennifer has an MBA, a certificate of UX design from School of Visual Concepts in Seattle, and Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. She strongly believes in building stakeholder consensus and adding depth to projects through careful exploration. She lives in Washington State near the U.S./Canadian border and loves hiking in the North Cascades with her family and their German Shepherd mutt.

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Take a seat, invite your colleagues and we hope to see you at our next UX Insider!

In the fast-paced world of tech startups and scale-ups, having a strong set of core values is crucial for sustainable growth and success. As the CEO of Optimal Workshop, a best-in-class research and insights platform, I've learned firsthand the importance of establishing and nurturing the right company culture. Today, I'd like to share our journey of revisiting and refining our values, and how these principles are shaping our path forward.

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The power of values in leadership 🫶

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This is my third run as a CEO, following leadership roles at the digital consultancy Tigerspike and the EdTech company Education Perfect. Each time, I've faced the challenge of taking the business to a whole new level. From experience, I've learned that this transformation begins with getting all the right pieces in play for future growth.

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At Optimal Workshop, we've been busy laying the groundwork for our next phase of expansion:

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1. Forming a new leadership team

2. Launching a fresh brand identity

3. Developing a new strategy and product direction

4. Introducing our refined team values

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These elements, particularly our values, are not just words on a wall. They underpin our future way of working and set the standard for the behaviors we expect from every team member. By doing so, we're creating a culture of high performance with solid foundations to build upon and scale globally.

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Our core values: The heart of Optimal Workshop 💖

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In April 2024, we embarked on a journey to revisit and refine our company values. This process was collaborative and thoughtful, involving input from team members across all levels of the organization. The result is a set of four core values that truly represent who we are and who we aspire to be:

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1. Live in our customers' shoes

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At Optimal Workshop, we believe that our success is intrinsically tied to the success of our customers. This value emphasizes empathy, understanding, and a customer-centric approach to everything we do. Team members who embody this value:

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• Deeply understand our products and champion user research and data-driven methodologies
• Go above and beyond to support our customers, ensuring they derive maximum value from our products and services
• Show a profound understanding of customer pain points and challenges, always seeking ways to enhance the customer experience
• Prioritize customer satisfaction and strive to provide the highest level of service in all their endeavors

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2. Own it

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We take pride in our expertise and resilience. This value is about taking initiative, holding ourselves to high standards, and fostering an environment of trust and commitment. An "Own It" mindset means:

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• Demonstrating reliability and accountability, stepping up to challenges and delivering on promises
• Being solution-focused, supporting others, and finding the best outcomes for all stakeholders
• Bringing a high level of quality to daily work, advancing projects while maintaining excellent standards
• Communicating openly and transparently, and professionally challenging the status quo when necessary

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3. Game On!

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In the dynamic world of tech and user research, adaptability and continuous learning are key. Our "Game On!" value encapsulates our readiness to pivot, our curiosity, and our commitment to constant improvement. Team members who exemplify this value:

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• Demonstrate the ability to change direction quickly and adapt to new circumstances
• Actively contribute to discussions, ask insightful questions, and share information effectively
• Continuously learn and challenge the status quo, always seeking innovative ways to improve our processes and offerings

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4. In It Together

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Last but certainly not least, we believe in the power of collaboration, mutual support, and compassion. This value underscores our commitment to fostering a positive, respectful work environment where everyone can thrive. "In It Together" means:

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• Creating a collaborative work environment and showing respect to all team members and individuals
• Bringing colleagues and customers together to achieve better results and reach common goals
• Demonstrating honesty, transparency, and integrity in team settings
• Speaking openly but respectfully, always listening actively, and being present and ready to participate

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Celebrating our values in action 🥳

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To bring these values to life, we recently celebrated our inaugural Value Awards. It was inspiring to see team members being recognized for exemplifying these principles in their daily work:

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• GabeYoung, Head of Engineering for "Game On"
• Sarah Flutey, Head of Product Marketing for "Live in Our Customer's Shoes"
• Christine Chow, Senior Product Marketer for "Own It"
• Loren Whithair Senior Business Intelligence Advisor (Data) for "In It Together"

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These winners have set a great benchmark for all of us to follow, showing how our values translate into tangible actions and outcomes.

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Looking ahead 🔭

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One of the most crucial lessons I've learned as a CEO is the immense value of establishing clear core values and guidelines early in a company's journey. When these fundamental pieces are in place, scaling becomes not just easier, but significantly faster – especially when it comes to global growth. 

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By setting these core values and guidelines early, we've created a strong foundation that will enable Optimal Workshop to scale more efficiently and effectively on a global level, maintaining our identity, culture, and high standards of performance, no matter how large we become or how far we expand geographically.

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Here's to the journey ahead – onwards and upwards, across borders and beyond!

Alex Burke

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At Optimal Workshop, we've always prided ourselves on being pioneers in the field of UX research tools. Since our inception, we've been the go-to platform for UX researchers and designers looking to conduct card sorting, tree testing, and other critical user research activities. Our tools have helped shape the digital experiences of some of the world's leading companies.

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The digital landscape is ever-changing, and with it, the needs of the professionals who create and optimize digital experiences. As we've grown and evolved alongside the industry, we've recognized the need to expand our reach and refine our value proposition to better serve not just UX researchers, but all professionals involved in delivering exceptional digital experiences.

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That's why we're excited to announce a significant brand refresh and value pivot for Optimal Workshop. This evolution isn't just about a new coat of paint – it's a fundamental shift in how we position ourselves and the value we provide to our users and the broader digital experience community.

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Why fix it if it ain’t broke? 💔🔨

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Expanding Our User Base

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While we've built a strong reputation among UX researchers, we've recognized that there's a broader audience of professionals who benefit from our tools and expertise. Product managers, marketers, customer experience specialists, and others involved in shaping digital experiences often lack access to professional-grade user research tools or the knowledge to effectively implement them.

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Our brand refresh aims to make Optimal Workshop more accessible and relevant to this wider circle of professionals, without losing the deep respect we've earned from UX experts.

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Adapting to market changes

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The UX research landscape has evolved significantly since we first entered the market. With the proliferation of prototyping tools and the increasing speed of digital product development, there's been a shift away from extensive upfront research. However, we firmly believe that incorporating the voice of the customer throughout the development process is more critical than ever.

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Our pivot allows us to emphasize the importance of integrating user research and insights at various stages of the digital experience lifecycle, not just during initial design phases.

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Leveraging our expertise

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As pioneers in the field, we have accumulated a wealth of knowledge about best practices in UX research and digital experience optimization. Our brand refresh positions us not just as a tool provider, but as a trusted partner and thought leader in the industry. We're doubling down on our commitment to sharing knowledge, standardizing best practices, and elevating the work of exceptional practitioners in the field.

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Meeting evolving business needs through effective UX

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The UX industry is evolving rapidly, with increasing investment and a diverse range of roles getting involved. From junior designers leveraging AI to seasoned researchers with deep expertise, the landscape is rich with talent and tools. However, the true value lies in how effectively these resources translate into business outcomes.

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Optimal Workshop recognizes that exceptional digital experiences are no longer just nice-to-have – they're critical for engagement, conversion, and overall business success. Our tools bridge the gap between UX insights and tangible ROI by:

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• Democratizing research: Enabling teams across experience levels to gather valuable user data quickly and efficiently.
• Accelerating decision-making: Providing fast, actionable insights that reduce design iterations and time-to-market.
• Enhancing team effectiveness: Facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing between junior and senior team members.
• Driving business value: Directly linking UX improvements to key performance indicators and bottom-line results.

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In a landscape where basic UX practices are becoming table stakes, Optimal Workshop empowers organizations to go beyond the basics. We help teams leverage the full spectrum of UX expertise – from AI-assisted analysis to seasoned human insight – to create digital experiences that truly set businesses apart and deliver measurable returns on UX investment.

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What's changing at Optimal Workshop 🐛🦋

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1. Best-in-class research & insights platform

While our core tools remain a critical part of our offering, we're broadening our focus to position Optimal Workshop as a best-in-class research & insights platform for digital experience professionals. This means developing new tools, workflows, and integrations that cater to a wider range of use cases and user types.

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2. Accessibility without compromise

We're committed to making our professional-grade tools more accessible to a broader audience without sacrificing the depth and rigor that our expert users expect. This means developing new onboarding experiences, creating more intuitive interfaces, and providing educational resources to help users at all levels get the most out of our platform.

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3. Championing best practices

As part of our evolution, we're placing a greater emphasis on identifying, sharing, and standardizing best practices in digital experience research and optimization. Through case studies, partnerships with industry leaders, and our own thought leadership content, we aim to elevate the entire field of digital experience design.

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4. Fostering a community of excellence

We're doubling down on our commitment to building and nurturing a community of digital experience professionals. This includes expanding our educational offerings, hosting more events and webinars, and creating opportunities for our users to connect and learn from each other. 

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5. Emphasizing outcomes and ROI

We're aligning our messaging and product development with the real-world impact our users are seeking. That’s why the new names for our tools emphasize what each tool helps you achieve, rather than the technical methodology behind it. This outcome-focused approach helps users quickly identify which tool is right for their specific needs.

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How our evolution benefits you 🚀

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For our long-time users, rest assured that the tools and features you know and love aren't going anywhere, but their names are changing to plain English terms to be more approachable for professionals who may not have a background in UX research. In fact, our UXR platform is only going to get better as we invest in improvements and new capabilities. You'll also benefit from an expanded community of practitioners and a wealth of new resources to help you continue to grow and excel in your field.

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For professionals who may be new to Optimal Workshop or to formalized user research in general, our refresh means it's easier than ever to get started with professional-grade tools and methodologies. We're here to support you at every step, from your first card sort to building a comprehensive, data-driven approach to optimizing digital experiences.

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Join us in shaping tomorrow's digital experiences 🌟

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This brand refresh and value pivot mark an exciting new chapter for Optimal Workshop. We're committed to continuing our tradition of excellence while expanding our reach and impact in the world of digital experiences.

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As we move forward, we'll be rolling out new features, resources, and initiatives that align with our refreshed brand and value proposition. We're excited to partner with our users – both new and long-standing – to push the boundaries of what's possible in creating truly exceptional digital experiences.

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Thank you for being part of the Optimal Workshop community. Whether you're a UX research veteran or just starting your journey in optimizing digital experiences, we're here to support you with the best tools, knowledge, and community in the industry. Together, we can shape the future of digital experiences and make the online world more intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable for everyone.

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Onwards and upwards,

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Alex Burke, CEO Optimal Workshop

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Every month we have fun and informative “bite sized” presentations to add some inspiration to your lunch break. These virtual events allow us to partner with amazing speakers, community groups and organizations to share their insights and hot takes on a variety of topics impacting our industry.

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Susanna Carman

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Speaker Bio 🎤

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Susanna Carman is a Strategic Designer and research practitioner who helps people solve complex problems involving services, systems, and human interactions. Specializing in design, leadership, and learning, Susanna brings a high-value toolkit and herself as a Thinking Partner to design leadership and change practitioners who are tasked with delivering sustainable solutions amidst disruptive conditions. 

Susanna holds a Master of Design Futures degree from RMIT University. She has over a decade of experience delivering business performance, cultural alignment, and leadership development outcomes to the education, health, community development, and financial services sectors. She is also the founder and host of Transition Leadership Lab, a nine-week learning lab for design, leadership, and change practitioners who already have a sophisticated set of tools and mindsets but still feel these are insufficient to meet the challenge of leading change in a rapidly transforming world.

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Grab your lunch, invite your colleagues and we hope to see you at our next Lunch n’ Learn! 🥪

Have you ever used a self-service checkout at the supermarket, or scanned your own bags onto the belt at the airport? As much as these interactions seek to follow the same principles we apply to web and mobile interactions, often there comes a point where we need to improvise and come up with novel ways to apply what we know in a new context.

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In this talk, we’ll explore what happens when the things we take for granted as digital designers go out the window and how you can adapt your design to the different needs of ‘phygital’ interactions.

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Every month we have fun and informative “bite sized” presentations to add some inspiration to your lunch break. These virtual events allow us to partner with amazing speakers, community groups and organizations to share their insights and hot takes on a variety of topics impacting our industry.

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Caitlin Pilcher and Ben McCarthy

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Speaker Bios 🎤

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Caitlin Pilcher is a digital experience designer driven by the belief people have a critical role to play in tackling the challenges we face today and building the world we want to see tomorrow. Her background in industrial and digital design has allowed her to investigate how people interact with both physical and digital environments, developing a keen interest in how we can design the space in between. Her work seeks to deeply understand and has focused on exploring complex problems with a sense of curiosity to create simple, human-centred solutions that work towards bringing exciting possible futures to life.

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Ben McCarthy is driven to create incredibly positive outcomes for both people and the planet and speed up the inevitable transition to a low carbon future. Ben unpacks the complexity of human-centred systems to aid others in achieving this, looking for key interactions we have with each other, our services, and our institutions to unlock our ability to make the most meaningful change. Ben is unafraid of using novel and proven methods to tackle the most significant societal and environmental challenges we face today.

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Grab your lunch, invite your colleagues and we hope to see you at our next Lunch n’ Learn! 🥪