MassArt: Delivering Value Through Design

Identifying, Iterating on, and Scaling What Matters to Customers.

I had the privilege of meeting with students from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and speak with them on how to make an impact on companies, products, services, customers, and the world around them, with their work.

The students were very engaged and didn’t hold back as we discussed different areas of business, collaboration, and communication, that might not have appeared directly related to their art and design studies.

At the end of our discussion, we put what we learned into practice by creating an affinity map of one of their projects to understand how value could be identified and messaged to their audience.

The following is an overview of what we discussed. Feel free to reach out if you want to learn more or continue the conversation - Connect!

Identifying Customer Value

Iterating on Customer Value

Scaling Customer Value

“Understand why customers need it and not just how they will use it.”

Focus on Outcomes and Not Features or Tasks

Ask the right questions and ask them often.

  • What are customers trying to accomplish or experience and why does it matter
    (to them or someone else)? 

  • How do customers feel about what they are currently using / options?

  • Do customers currently feel like they are being successful?

  • What does success look / feel like?

  • What are the challenges?

  • Is there a blue sky (imagining the ideal / ultimate)?

"If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes,"

- Albert Einstein

Continue to Talk and Listen to what Matters to Customers (as often as possible)

Communicate with your customers through multiple methods and teams.

  • Customer Interviews

  • Surveys (General & In-App)

  • Analytics

  • Sales Team

  • Customer Service

  • Engineering & Manufacturing

Listen to Everyone! - Communication and cross-functional / departmental alignment and partnerships are critical to success.

Listen to your customers AND… Business, Strategy, Product Management, Product Design / Research, Product Marketing, Engineering, Sales, Customer Service, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal - everyone.

Don’t Stop Talking to and Listening to What Matters to Your Customers

Is your approach to scaling your business in alignment with what your customers value?

  • Volume / Demand?

  • More Options?

  • More Individual Products?

  • More Individual / Supporting Services?