Client: OWLIQ
OWLIQ
How can we empower managers to enhance team performance and communication?
Where Performance Meets Well-being
Enhance workplace communication and productivity through data-driven insights and personalized tools.
OWLIQ is an innovative SaaS platform designed to transform the way organizations manage performance and communication. Its holistic approach ensures that both the professional and personal aspects of employee performance are recognized and nurtured, leading to a more productive, harmonious, and engaging workplace.
Identifying the Challenge
What are the core challenges in workplace communication and performance management?
Effective performance management and communication tools are crucial in today's dynamic work environment. Through in-depth discussions with key stakeholders, it became evident that existing solutions predominantly focus on professional achievements, often neglecting the critical aspects of interpersonal relationships and overall workplace atmosphere.
OWLIQ was conceived to fill this gap, aiming to foster a more harmonious and engaging workplace by addressing these multifaceted needs.
Defining the Goals
To make a real impact, Owliq need to:
Holistic Performance Evaluation
Beyond professional metrics, OWLIQ assesses interpersonal relationships and the overall work environment.
Enhanced Communication
Facilitating better communication between employees and managers to build a cohesive and motivated workforce.
Optimized Workflows
Utilizing real-time data to optimize workflows, empowering managers with tools to drive performance and achieve goals.
Employee Self-Assessment
Providing employees access to their performance data for self-reflection and objective self-assessment.
FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH
My research focused specifically on two critical components:
Manager Interface:
Developing dashboards and visualizations that provide managers with insights into task status, productivity comparisons over different periods, and the state of interpersonal relationships among team members. This includes identifying communication issues or conflicts between employees.
AI-driven insights and personalized communication tool:
Creating interfaces for drafting and editing messages using AI. These tools are designed to tailor the communication style to suit the recipient's preferences, whether they prefer direct and professional or friendly and informal communication. The system also provides tips on how to effectively communicate with different team members.
understand the competitive landscape
Are Competitors Overlooking Critical Interpersonal Dynamics?
Our analysis revealed that competitors, while robust in performance reviews and employee engagement, fall short in comprehensively evaluating interpersonal relationships. Recognizing this gap was pivotal in shaping OWLIQ’s unique value proposition.
Understanding the Users
Identifying Primary Needs and Insights
How can tools better support real-time data, comprehensive performance tracking, and improved communication? These were the key insights drawn from user research conducted by OWLIQ's founders. My role involved synthesizing this data into actionable user personas and empathy maps, revealing a need for enhanced workplace tools. Seamless integration with existing tools is crucial for maintaining workflow efficiency, ensuring that organizations can achieve actionable insights and simplicity in enhancing productivity.
This integrates the seamless integration concept with the focus on enhancing productivity and morale, aligning with the insights from the user research.
Manager Persona
Sarah
Tel-Aviv | 38 | HR Manager at a mid-sized tech company
Sarah has over 10 years of experience in human resources and is responsible for employee engagement, performance reviews, and improving workplace communication. She values tools that streamline processes, provide actionable insights, and foster a positive work environment.
As an HR Manager, I want to have a comprehensive tool that provides real-time performance data and evaluates team dynamics, So that I can enhance communication, improve productivity, and make data-driven decisions to foster a positive work environment.
"One of my biggest challenges is ensuring that communication flows smoothly across all levels"
Developing the Empathy Map
What are the users' thoughts, feelings, and actions?
Understanding the emotional landscape and behavioral patterns of our users was crucial for designing a tool that truly meets their needs. By mapping out managers' and employees' thoughts, feelings, and actions, we identified key pain points and areas for improvement.
Manager's Perspective
Says: “I need a tool that can give me real-time insights.”
Thinks: “How can I reduce employee turnover?”
Does: Conducts performance reviews and employee surveys.
Feels: Overwhelmed by data complexity, motivated to enhance team performance.
Employee's Perspective
Says: “I need clear feedback on my work.”
Thinks: “Am I meeting my manager's expectations?”
Does: Seeks feedback from peers and managers.
Feels: Confused by unclear feedback, motivated to grow.
pain points
Overwhelmed
Managers feel overwhelmed and frustrated without immediate insights, delaying critical decisions.
Frustration
Poor communication leads to misunderstandings, decreased morale, and team cohesion issues. Both managers and employees are frustrated by communication barriers that hinder collaboration and productivity.
Struggle
Managers struggle to make sense of large volumes of data, feeling burdened by the complexity.
Need for Actionable Insights
Users feel stuck with raw data that doesn't translate into meaningful recommendations or strategies. There is a desire for interpretative tools that can provide actionable insights to enhance performance and communication.
INSIGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Key Insights for Transforming Workplace Performance
As I delved into my research, I uncovered that current performance management tools often neglect critical factors such as interpersonal dynamics, overall workplace atmosphere, and seamless integration with existing tools. This realization prompted a deeper exploration into the complexities of team dynamics.
Our findings highlighted the importance of enhancing interpersonal relationships, improving communication tools, and ensuring that systems provide actionable insights to foster a more productive and harmonious workplace.
Crafting the Solution
Holistic Performance Tracking:
Evaluates both professional performance and interpersonal relationships, providing a complete picture of employee performance.
Enhanced Communication Tools:
Prioritizes clear and effective communication between employees and managers to foster a collaborative work environment.
Employee Self-Assessment
Empowers employees with access to their own performance data, encouraging self-reflection and continuous improvement.
Structure
Information Architecturets
Hierarchy and content relationships
After understanding user needs and frustrations, I prioritized key values, From here I could decide what actions and features were crucial and beneficial and designed a sitemap based on these conclusions.
User Journey Map
Wireframing
Navigating Towards Intuitive Design
In the Information Architecture phase, my journey has been shaped by User and Market Research, delving into the intricacies of hotel management systems and the specific needs of the users within this context.
Now, as I transition into the Information Architecture phase, my focus is on structuring and organizing information in a manner that aligns seamlessly with user expectations and operational requirements.
