Consultant Profile: Zohrane Dyer

As a continuation of the series where we talk to our UX experts, we spoke to a long-time UX Connections team member, and asked everything you’d need to know about their UX journey. 

Meet Zo.

UX Connections Consultant Profile – Zohrane Dyer from UX Connections on Vimeo.

Okay, let’s start off with the basics – where did your interest in UX start, and how did you get to where you are today?

Initially, I got into UX due to working at Apple as a Sales Associate. There, I learned more about accessibility features and how to gather customer needs in order to direct them to the right product through open-ended questions. This experience sparked my interest in UX research and designing inclusive products. From then on, I was hooked!

What was the most challenging part of your first project for UX Connections? What did you learn from this experience that has helped you improve your work?

My first project was with a client called Hoist Group. They offer a variety of solutions for hotels, like digital key cards, TV services, and property management products.  We were tasked to uncover the needs of the hotel staff using the property management system, so we conducted a series of in-depth customer reviews and surveys. The most challenging part of the project was recruiting participants for the research, as we were in the middle of the pandemic. Ultimately, this project taught me that you have to be resourceful in this line of work, and no project is guaranteed to run smoothly, but being well prepared and resilient will enable you and your team to get the results you need. 

What would you say is your expertise within UX and UI?

I have a lot of experience providing detailed wireframes and prototypes, considering all worst case scenarios whilst testing. I’m also good at getting the most out of customer interviews by encouraging speakers to speak openly and freely in order to get as much information as we can.

What industries have you worked in so far?

I’ve been lucky enough to work across various sectors, such as hospitality, crypto, finance, healthcare, and telephone communications.

How do you perfect your ‘design thinking’?

You’ll never be able to ‘perfect’ your design thinking as it’s a skill. So, as a designer you must be dynamic, inspire and get inspired by the design community, and always strive to be learning from experts. Feel free to explore new methods, try out new ways of working, and learn from your mistakes. You must maintain and develop your design thinking by reading various credible resources, and always seeking feedback and mentorship. I learn so much from colleagues and clients by keeping an open mind and being open to learning new things. 

What’s the best thing about working at UX Connections?

What I like about working for UX Connections is the variety of projects. It helps push you as a designer, and exposes you to new ways of working, keeping you inspired and motivated. At UX Connections, you’re responsible for your workload, and I like the ownership of scoping out the work needed for each project. My team here are very inspiring and talented, I always learn so much from them. 

One thing you’d improve the UX of, if you could?

One thing I’d improve with UX would be the Transport for London website, as it has key areas for improvement. For instance, journey history filters are hard to find, and this needs to be dynamic as it will allow users to find their desired date range, which could be helpful for expensing travel, or just finding the journey they’re looking for. 

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Zo for taking the time to talk to us about her time as a UX consultant, as well as those who have taken the time to read this – feel free to leave us any questions!