Tailor-made project estimates (… how to get rough costs when you only have a rough idea using t-shirt sizing) Let's face it management loves estimates But they don’t love 🔎 Details 🛑 Caveats 🅱️ And contingencies So how can you deliver something accurate without a DeLorean and a Flux Capacitor? Step forward t-shirt sizing. T-shirt sizing is a simple method to estimate the number of points and thus size of the elements within a new build. The basic process is… 1. Take your user needs 2. Define the features needed to support them 3. Give an estimate of how complex they are S, M, L, XL, XXL We now have features with complexity estimates, we need cost 1. Assign each entry a role 2. Assign all roles a day rate 3. Convert each size into a number of days S = 3, M = 5, L = 10 and so on Then let your favourite spreadsheet do the math! Hey Presto - estimates fit for a king  👑 Want to see t-shirt sizing in action (and get a free template to help build this out yourself)? Check 👇👇👇

Replay your understanding throughout user interviews (you’ll prevent building the wrong product features and save tens of thousands down the line) We all know the feeling You listen You take notes You think, yep, I’ve got it Only to realise later that you missed a key point .. Or worse still not realise and build the wrong features into your product The trick? Echo back during user interviews ↳Replay your understanding of a process ↳Summarise an insight or clarify a finding ↳Walkthrough a potential solution on the fly Listen ▶ Echo ▶ Understand

Use KPIs to focus your user research (a simple approach I’ve found that’s saved my clients hundreds of thousands in wasted development fees…) What happens when you don’t? ❌ Increased costs from misguided focus areas. ❌ Distracted objectives, losing sight of primary goals. ❌ Missed opportunities to align research with business outcomes. But when you do … ✅ You target the most impactful user pain points. ✅ Deliver research that directly contributes to strategic growth. ✅ Ensure efficient use of resources, saving both time and money. Listen out for KPIs during user research 💬 Unpack each KPI during interviews 🔢 Gather quantifiable data - money, time, volume 🧠 Hold them in mind during design and implementation Don’t let the KPIs pass you by! P.S. If you want to get an insight into the system we use to create high-engagement healthcare apps, check out the comments.

Shallow research results in shallow results. And yet 99% of brands only ever scratch the surface with their user research, and then wonder why their products don’t sell well. What’s the solution to generate deeper understanding and better results? Keeping an ear out for phrases that prompt a deep dive Here are my top 10 to listen out for … "It's always been frustrating..." ↳ Delve into what specifically causes the frustration. There might be latent needs and pain points to uncover. "We spend a lot on..." ↳ Costs can be financial, time-based, or resources. What's the perceived value, and are there inefficiencies? "This part actually works pretty well for us..." ↳ Identify what's going right. Why does it work, and can it be applied elsewhere? "We do this manually because..." ↳ Manual processes often hide opportunities for automation or optimisation. What's holding them back? "We had an incident where..." ↳ Incidents can expose critical vulnerabilities or shortcomings. Understanding their cause can prevent them from happening again in the future. "We've tried X before, but..." ↳ Past attempts at solutions can offer a wealth of learning. What worked, what didn't, and why? "I wish it could..." ↳ Whenever someone talks about their wishes, they're giving you direct insight into their needs. "It's a bit different for us because..." ↳ Unique scenarios or workflows can reveal niche problems (and solutions). "Most of the time, we..." ↳ Regular habits or workflows can uncover core practices and potentially latent inefficiencies. "Our biggest challenge has been..." ↳ Challenges are direct calls to action. Understanding them can pave the way for impactful changes. 👂When you hear these phrases, lean in and ask more. Behind each one is a potential goldmine of user insights. Have you noticed any other key phrases from interviewees that prompt a deep dive?