Companies with a soul

There are just a few, but they do exist and I have had the luck and the chance to work in and for some.

How are those companies that have a soul? Usually they are founded by clever and sensitive persons, talented individuals who have the willingness to not only make a living but also to help improve the lives of others.

When you get into acompany that has a soul you feel it right away and when you have a job interview with one of them you are willing to be called and be informed that they count on you to join their team.

In a company that has soul almost there are always smiles, sincerity and transparency. In addition to seriousness and a lot of work, because are always performing important task and are at the service of users and customers.

You can feel the eagerness to do things right and the inspiration, ideas blossom with no possibility of stopping them and make them all come to their fruition. They are willing to undertake new challenges, projects and products that enlarge that idea, that philosophy, that beauty and make it spread beyond and reach more people.

A company that has a soul breeds cohesive teams that work for a common goal. It’s the seed of wonders never seen before.

There are also companies with no soul, even with no personality, where it is very hard to create because there is nothing to build on, nothingness invades almost everything. And user experience, design, products and services are based on the users, on the customers, on creating something for them, on improving their lives. How can you achieve it without a purpose, without an idea, without a dream…?

I would like to conclude by giving the example of two persons that co-founded companies that had soul and with whom I have had the pleasure of working with:Davide Iacono co-founder of Delitto e Castigo and Christian Nyborg co-founder of MÁSMÓV!L. Let’s create companies that have soul or let’s give them one, let’s inspire our teams and partners and of course our customers. A company that has a soul never leaves anybody unmoved.

Greetings and affection,

Text&Design&Photography:Silvia Barroso
Translation: Iñaki del Barrio

Efecto Eureka

Me hace cierta gracia que en los procesos de selección para equipos UX siempre se exija experiencia en test de usuarios cuando a veces es tan difícil simplemente hacer unos wireframes o un prototipo antes de comenzar diseñar. 

Un test se antoja - la mayor parte de las veces - como un viaje a la luna.

Al menos yo me he acostumbrado a testear de una manera menos metodológica o “de libro” pero igual de válida que es hacer pequeños mini tests con público objetivo entre gente cercana, compañeros y familiares.
Con esto no quiero decir que no sean necesarios los test de usuarios - al contrario- deberían hacerse siempre y varias veces sobre el proceso de creación y vida del producto, continuamente.

Y aunque he empezado este texto yéndome por las ramas lo que en realidad quería lanzar y dejar reposar sobre el aire es… ¿qué buscamos cuando hacemos un test de usuarios?

¿Nos importan realmente  nuestros usuarios y/o clientes o… Buscamos formas de que compren más fácilmente lo que nosotros queremos venderles y no lo que en realidad necesitan?
¿Se podría hacer el ejercicio real de balancear lo que hace la empresa con lo que necesita el cliente? Crear sinergías, relaciones, evolución, transformación… más allá de lo que se cree negocio tradicional…

¿Quién no vuelve a un sitio donde le tratan bien, donde buscan algo que no encuentra, donde te arreglan lo que se te rompió… Todos volvemos donde hacen bien las cosas, venden buenos productos y nos ofrecen un buen trato. Y eso son beneficios y negocio… clientes que vuelven y hablan bien de nosotros a nuevos clientes…

¿Y el equipo, la gente que hace posible que la empresa siga adelante, importa su implicación con los usuarios, con la empresa, con lo que hacen, cómo cuida Recursos Humanos y Dirección de ellos?

Creo que importan ambas, clientes y plantilla y ambas se retroalimentan… Personas que se relacionan, ahí está el misterio…

Cuidar ambas puede llevar a la empresa a las cotas más altas. Tan fácil y a la vez tan difícil… Eureka!

Quiero terminar este post con un proyecto que une experiencia de usuario con design thinking, es magnífico y habla por sí solo, GOOD KITCHEN.

Oye… y algo parecido ¿no se podría trasladar a cualquier empresa?.

Con cariño,

Texto&Dibujo: Silvia Barroso

¿Por qué?

La pregunta que nunca falta en cualquier entrevista o cuando hablo sobre mi vida profesional es por qué cerré mi empresa.

Normalmente los ojos de mi interlocutor cambian esperando una historia de fracaso o creyendo que me han “pillado” y no voy a saber cómo responder y qué contar.

Quizá al principio porque era aún muy reciente y no quería contar lo que creía algo personal, decía que mi socio y yo habíamos decidido dejarla y llevar un ritmo más relajado en un trabajo por cuenta ajena. Aún así, sabía que todos pensaban que un cierre siempre es consecuencia de un fracaso.

Y este final no fue en ningún caso así. De hecho estábamos a punto de lanzar una nueva revista, Shopping Guide, de la que ya estábamos vendiendo espacios publicitarios y Alevosía seguía teniendo un público fiel y en aumento.

Después de unos años consideré -porque además me sentía más a gusto- contar la realidad de ese fin o de un nuevo comienzo… Depende de cómo se mire.

Estuvimos 7 años - día y noche -, sin vacaciones, cuidando de Alevosía, trabajando a un ritmo brutal, sin descanso, el trabajo gráfico tanto del portal como de la revista en papel salía sólo de José y de mí. Era un trabajo ímprobo y además  realizábamos otros proyectos de diseño y marketing para la agencia que también teníamos.

En 2002 me enfrenté a un diagnóstico  de cáncer y metástasis que finalmente no fue y en 2005 mi actividad bajó durante unos meses, debido a tres pérdidas vitales horribles, tres embarazos fallidos en sólo 9 meses, cuatro pequeños.

Aunque apenas descansé tras ello, estaba claro que físicamente no podía continuar con ese ritmo, aún así, continuamos hasta finales de 2006, principios de 2007.

Fue una decisión muy difícil pero necesaria.

Y quiero recordarla y contarla hoy, primer cumpleaños de mi pequeño Pepe.

Así que no fue un fracaso, fueron 7 años de trabajo intenso y de aprendizaje inigualable.

Y hoy puedo decir que además lo conseguí, fundé una revista de moda, competí en el mercado con Vogue, Elle y Telva, revistas que compraba desde los 13 años y hoy tengo 2 hijos maravillosos y sanos.

Me siento una auténtica heroína por ello. Una heroína UX.

Silvia Barroso

Alevosia.com - A new visual experience for women

• How many years of experience with UX do you have?
• 16 years…
• 16? That’s not possible…
• Yes and even some more, but let me explain it…

It was about 16 years ago when, together with Jose, we were filling up lists and lists with ideas for the name of our online magazine for women. In those days you could buy almost any name you could come up with, the possibilities were huge (even the *.com of most of the brands and commercial names were available).

But we wanted something special, really special, and so Alevosia was born, which we presented online on 21st July of 2000, coinciding with the summer solstice.

According to Wikipedia: “User experience (UX) refers to a person’s emotions and attitudes about using a particular product, system or service. User experience includes the practical, experiential, affective, meaningful and valuable aspects of human–computer interaction and product ownership. Additionally, it includes a person’s perceptions of system aspects such as utility, ease of use and efficiency.”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_experience

That same year in one of the interviews carried out on us I explained: “Alevosia is a region in an invisible world where the avenues are filled with essences, colors and life.” http://www.computerworld.es/economia-digital/alevosiacom-una-imagen-para-cada-estacion

Our purpose from the beginning was not only to bring the latest technology closer to the female public but also to take our users to a new experience in a space that provided care, a space specially made for them. Flash, video, virtual reality, audio, animations, chats with experts, contests, tests of new products, mobile version… We were the first Spanish wap portal for women in e-motion of Telefonica Mobile, presenting a guide of the best shops and making them accessible directly from the portal. Graphics were in 2 colors, but functionality was similar to what we can be currently achieved.

Looking back and with the exception of social networks (even though we were lucky enough to have a lot of feedback and continuous communication with my users) I have not seen any other online magazine or product taking such a great care for its users and pampering them.

We did put all the technology we could develop at the service of our users, working hard day and night for several years.

Our reward were thousands of loyal female users and be one of the reference publications within the sector at international level. And the huge learning and unparalleled experiences.

I can confirm (and I have been lucky enough to be able to accomplish it) that with the right tools readily accessible and the access to latest technology, with the drive, effort, a great team and no limits it is actually relatively easy to anticipate the market and stand out, just by making the best for your users and customers… That was always and never stopped being our focus.

And yes, I do have 16 years of experience with UX, if anyone has any doubt about it, I’d be delighted to tell them more stories about Alevosia…

Some designs of Jose for Alevosia: http://mxvintage.tumblr.com/
Some designs of Silvia for Alevosia: http://silvia-barroso-arts-design.tumblr.com/tagged/alevosia#/blog

Greetings and affection,

Texts & Design: Silvia Barroso
Tranlation: Iñaki del Barrio

Reinventing Health Insurances

My recent change of employment and the different interviews I have done prior to it have been full of interesting and curious situations. Some of them have been worthy experiences with sensitive and well trained professionals, like Helena Pascual from Netberry, with whom I had the pleasure of speaking for more than an hour.

Others included preliminary testings, designs, ideas and complete project definitions.

As one of those companies is fortunate (or maybe not… who knows) to have the knowledge of how I would undertake an innovative project in the sector of health insurances, I have considered interesting to share it to see if some insurance company takes the torch and makes something alike or improves it (it would be good to care for your policy holders and try to give them the best).

I promise that my whole family will become members of a health insurance that offers and guarantees what I present next.

RENOVATION OF THE “Caring4U” MEDICAL BOARD

PURPOSE

Promoted by the Management Board and directed by the Business Area, the main objective of this renovation is turning Caring4U into a benchmark in the international sector of health insurances above its competitors. The project will start focusing on the Spanish market and will be extended to other countries later on.

WHAT IS THIS PROJECT GOING TO DO? (We have the freedom to propose, research and generate small pilot cases to take a groundbreaking step on the market).

• The whole project will focus on the persons: patients and doctors. We will support their real needs and problems to define the new functionalities.

• The directory will grow substantially so we will rebuild the data base equipping it to achieve a more efficient performance and laying the groundwork for continuous growth and development.

• Analysis, usability test, accessibility (double A as much as possible) and redesign the directory so it can it can be accessed from any device and covering the whole process: accesses from the homepage and from other pages, search, results and appointment request, reviewing the priority given by the other services of the company with no impact on them.

• Simplify the use of the search engine, improving the result pages offering differential contents and relevant information about the specialists (profiles, blogs, articles, interactive communication by chat or conference) in order to help customers select the most suitable specialist for the specific problem and eliminate specific terminology of the company, allowing free access to any user at least to the first level of information.

Equip the platform and the pages with the systems needed to assure that the security of the data contained, both of the people and of medical records, is guaranteed.

HOW WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT A REALITY

• Target user groups will be formed (customers and specialists) that will back us throughout the whole process.

• Creation of a Group within Caring4U to monitor and support the project, we want them to feel it as their own and make them feel comfortable to participate and propose solutions, generating a continuous and fluid dialogue.

• Research the market and benchmark with other companies (national and international) in order to improve the service to patients and generate added value over competitors.

• Create platforms for contents and dialogue between specialists and also between doctor and patient.

• We will use the Design Thinking methodology to provide innovative solutions to the needs that both groups raise.

• Phasing of the project with deliverables finished and in progress (Scrum), covering from the creation of the data base and the internal architecture to the final integration of the net to allow the exchange of information between specialists and the consultation by the patients.

• It remains to be decided whether we will be responsible for sustain and update. If it is managed by a team integrated within Caring4U, the project will entail the creation of this team.
  

RESULTS - BENEFITS

• Be the reference and first option for health insurances.

• Savings on costs for emergencies, consults, phone calls, excessive documentation, human errors and elimination of unnecessary intermediaries, reaching an easier and more fluid communication between patient and doctor and between specialists.

• Higher satisfaction on the part of both patients and specialists. Who doesn’t want to consult the best-in-class oncologist when a relative is diagnosed cancer? Are there parents that do not want their child being treated by the best specialist in one of the so-called ‘rare diseases’? Which doctor does not want to heal and attend more patients and treat them in a better way?

• Promote group study and international research of complex clinical cases, assuring that the customer is covered by the latest technology and the most recent advances in medical knowledge.
  

DIFFERENTIALS

• Guarantee the secure access to the best specialists and latest advances at global level.

• Direct access to any specialist within a reasonable timeframe by digital access.

• Information and assistance to find the right specialist.

• Network of specialized doctors collaborating internationally.

• Elimination of unnecessary trips for medical consultations and/or emergencies.
  

EXAMPLE

Development of an app that notifies patients when consulting physician is available to receive digital consultation. Attendance order should be given on priority level and on communication queue within a specific timeframe. Consultation of the data base and of the full medical history shall be allowed from any secure device.

Text&Drawing: Silvia Barroso
Translation: Iñaki del Barrio

Creativity, empathy and care

Just a few days ago I read this article from the University of Harvard written by Tom Perrault: https://hbr.org/2016/01/digital-companies-need-more-liberal-arts-majors. In short, the article expressed that currently knowledge and technical skills that mostly are to be substituted by computers in a few years are highly valued.

It is likely that over time computers and robots will be able to substitute most of our current tasks and works, but the article focused on competencies that nowadays are barely taken into consideration in the recruitment process, such as creativity, empathy and attention to your team, workmates or persons in your charge are human qualities that will take longer for computers to achieve them. It seems to me that prominence is given to what does not add value instead of reinforcing creativity, empathy, responsibility, commitment to work and to the team, aspects that end up being of great importance but that are overlooked by most of the human resources teams.

I have recently moved to a new company and I have been lucky to participate in several selection processes. In one of these I was asked:

- What are you looking for?

- A company where people matters - was my answer.

- You mean like luncheon vouchers and medical insurance? I replied “…No…” but didn´t see the point in going into further detail.

As a matter of fact, I was rejected in one of the processes for being too creative… it is remarkable because in this particular process it was not only something they were not interested in but it was perceived as something negative - hard to believe but true.

It is really sad that in the very XXIst century the qualities that make us human and capable people and therefore probably in reliable professionals are not only not taken into consideration but their importance is minimized or even disregarded.

I have seen professionals changing attitudes, reinforcing commitment and improving their ways of working and behaving just for being cared and taken into consideration by a workmate. It is critical to incorporate profiles that add humanity to the companies and the teams, far better if they are also creative persons.

Finally, and now that it is so fashionable even though it has many years now, I would like to say that what I like the most about Scrum is that one of its key pillars is that you can´t block a partner, you never leave a member of your team behind. Success depends on it.

Text&Drawing: Silvia Barroso
Translation: Iñaki del Barrio

IT´S ONLY A TEST

I never wanted to write a blog, much less to look like a “character” or someone willing to magnify my accomplishments and receive greater fame or to embellish my day-to-day activities. I considered that giving my best everyday and that my teammates could benefit from my work was more than enough.

What could contribute more than my passion for giving the best of me? Furthermore given that my activity is so visible and accessible by so many people.

What is more important than being? Why pretending? What’s the need for more.

I have an uncounted number of blogs exclusively for images and as many instagram accounts. They enable me to tell some of the stories I have in my head, to express myself. I write my dreams and other thoughts under pseudonym.

But it is never enough and in a world ruled by stereotypes sometimes it seems impossible to be an expert in one or many fields if you don’t write a blog sharing everything you do, providing solutions and giving lessons and master classes.

I do not want to keep asking to myself why being is not enough, neither hanging on to anything.

So I have decided to dedicate some time to “pretending”, “pretending” in my own way, if you allow me. I am not quite sure yet of what I’m going to write about or if I have much to teach or nothing at all.

Whoever comes here and reads will be free to decide and to come back or not. I do promise -always- honesty.

Text&Drawing: Silvia Barroso
Translation: Iñaki del Barrio