Last week I spent time in Orlando Florida with my colleagues, Seeq partners, sales team, and Analytics Engineers. Even though we are a remote company, it is sometimes valuable to meet in person to collaborate, brainstorm, collect user feedback, and learn about the company’s goals. Here are some thoughts on how to approach companywide events from a Product/UX perspective:
1. Every conversation has the potential to be a user interview. Strike up conversations with people. Learn about how they feel about the product, what motivates them, what their pain points are, and what product improvements they’d like to see. If you have a particular project you’re working on, ask questions about how they expect it to work. Don’t be afraid to show mockups and prototypes. Ask plenty of WHY questions.
2. Become a presenter. Ask to be included in the agenda to speak about Product, UX, and current initiatives. We have to be advocates for Product and UX to the widest audience possible.
3. Set up a product booth. Give people the opportunity to check out new features. Use this as an opportunity for impromptu Gorilla Testing. Ask questions and make sure you document your findings.
4. Conduct a Workshop. Set aside a block of time to conduct interactive workshops to engage your audience and collect user feedback.
5. Be prepared. Always have a writing utensil, tablet, computer, or a small whiteboard to write down notes.
6. When listening to presentations from your colleagues, use this as an opportunity to learn how your work is in alignment with the company’s goals and initiatives.
The bottom line is that you should make your time meaningful and worthwhile. While you may not be able to do all of these things listed, you should be able to implement some of them. Use every interaction as a learning experience, build team camaraderie, and educate people about the product and processes.
