The Importance of User Experience in Digital Transformation

For years, companies have invested in portals and central hubs full of knowledge articles, training, onboarding content, and support. But let’s be honest: the experience is often clunky. Customers don’t want to browse a library. They want answers. Now, AI-powered search promises a shortcut: ask a question, get the answer. I often find myself in healthy debates with UX teams—will everything just become a search bar? Do we even need structured design anymore? But here’s the reality: AI is only as good as the content, structure, and experience behind it. Without thoughtful UX, even the best AI surfaces irrelevant or confusing results. In complex B2B environments, that erodes trust instead of building it. Leading teams are taking a layered approach: Start with structure. Map what customers need at each phase: onboarding, adoption, troubleshooting. Design with intent. Build role specific, outcome-driven experiences not just content dumps. Then layer in AI. Use it to accelerate access, not replace design. The future isn’t “search bar over sitemap.” It’s purposeful UX amplified by AI so customers get what they need, when they need it. How are you evolving your self-serve strategy? #DigitalExperience #CustomerSuccess #AI #SelfService #B2B #CustomerJourney

Companies can miss the mark when they focus too much on technology and cost savings while ignoring user interface and experience. I went into a popular fast food restaurant which, like so many others, has opted for touch-screen kiosks in lieu of human order takers. There was not a single person at the front counter. Just a few people working appliances in the kitchen. A couple minutes later, an elderly couple entered through the front door. They walked toward the counter to order. One of the staff in the back called to them “you have to use the touch screen.” The couple went to the screen, looked at it for about ten seconds completely perplexed, and walked out the door without ordering. I speculate fast food restaurants will continue to invest in autonomous ordering. Soon it will be the kitchens too. What about automotive? I’ve been a loyal buyer of a certain foreign car-maker for 12 years. But the overwhelming focus on tech, automation, and proprietary computing has actually made the driving experience worse. So much so that I won’t be buying from this company again. Across food service, automobiles and elsewhere, revenue will be up and costs will be down. And customers who just want to transact — eating a meal or driving a car — may find somewhere else to buy. User interface matters. When tech improves capability and margins, but diminishes the user experience, companies risk losing those customers forever.

Tech decisions take over the user experience without strategy. In my experiences, this is just the default unless someone actively advocates for the user. User experience decisions require a balance between four decision areas: • Strategy: setting the right priorities • Technical: ensuring feasibility and efficiency • Structural: defining how the experience takes shape • Interface: optimizing usability and engagement When strategy is weak, technical constraints and processes start to shape the user experience instead of aligning decisions with user needs. This is especially true if outputs (features, products) are mistaken for strategy. Technical decisions take control and shape the user experience. When pressured, tech teams often prioritize interface decisions that fit the tech stack over user experience. By default, tech logic isn’t built around user empathy. User experience decisions fall apart when interfaces are designed mainly to fulfill technical requirements rather than user needs. It’s easy to think interface decisions alone will solve the problem, but without a solid foundation, the user experience is limited by technical and structural missteps. We’ve come a long way in building more usable products over the last 25 years, but the biggest challenge isn’t technology—it’s how teams make decisions together! What's your experience? #productdesign #productdiscovery #userresearch #uxresearch

After two decades of transforming defense workflows and systems, I've witnessed countless technology implementations fail. Not because the tech was flawed, but because the implementation ignored the most critical component: humans. The most dangerous words in any transformation project? "The users will adopt this." No. They won't. Most initiatives die because we focus on systems instead of the humans who use them. We obsess over features while ignoring how work actually flows through an organization. This is backwards. When transforming archaic systems, the setup and people matter more than the tech stack. I call this "functional empathy." We seek to understand how individuals interact with processes before attempting to change them. Processes and workflows aren't just procedures; they're cultural artifacts. They carry institutional knowledge built over decades. Disrupting them without understanding their purpose is organizational suicide. Digital transformation isn't something you do TO an organization. It's something you do WITH them. When we champion ‘functional empathy’ – truly understanding how work happens before trying to change it–we don't just build better systems, we build better organizations.

When UX Becomes Human Something fascinating is happening in the world of user experience. After years of perfecting clicks and swipes, we are witnessing a fundamental shift - UX is learning to feel. AI powered platforms should be able to understand frustration in typing patterns, adapt its approach in real-time, and turn what could have been a poor customer experience into a positive interaction. Not through better button placement, but through better understanding. The evolution we are seeing is - From user journeys to emotional journeys From touch points to trust points From interface design to emotion design From user personas to human relationships The best UI is sometimes no UI at all. As we move toward ambient computing, with smart glasses, AR interfaces, and whatever comes next, the line between digital and human experience will continue to blur. The winners won't be those with the slickest interfaces, but those who create the most emotionally intelligent ecosystems. Are you ready for the era where UX isn't just about user experience, but human experience? #HumanExperience #AIInnovation #FutureOfUX #cio #ceo #cto #cdo #cfo #caio #EmotionalIntelligence #DigitalTransformation All opinions are my own and not those of my employer. 

Every business says they care about customer service. But in 2025, that doesn't just mean friendly staff or helpful support reps. USER EXPERIENCE IS CUSTOMER SERVICE! If your website is slow, confusing, or hard to use... If people can't find the info they need without calling... If your checkout process is a mess... You're delivering bad service. The modern customer experience includes: - Easy-to-navigate websites - Fast load times - Clear answers in your support pages - Mobile-friendly design - Seamless buying processes - Helpful automation that doesn’t feel like a trap This is what people expect now. Digital experience is the first impression. And often, it’s the deciding factor! If you're investing in your people, invest in your digital presence too. Because the best team in the world can't save a frustrating experience online.

Digital transformation is a significant investment, but its success isn’t just about adopting new technology—it’s about ensuring people can use it effectively. Deloitte reports that 68% of business leaders see it as key to driving enterprise value, yet many transformations fall short because they overlook the people behind the process. Without the proper support, even the best innovations can face resistance or fail to deliver real impact. Successful transformation happens when organizations prioritize the skills, experiences, and needs of those using the technology. For real impact, digital transformation must focus on people at every stage. This means identifying pain points, involving employees in testing, and ensuring clear communication and training. It’s not just a one-time implementation but an ongoing effort that requires regular evaluation. When people feel supported and valued, they’re more likely to embrace change—turning transformation into a driver of long-term success. #digitaltransformation #techadoption #digitalsuccess