Discovery Product Research: Understanding user needs
Context
As a UX Researcher on the healthcare user team, I led a discovery initiative to better understand the needs, challenges, and workflows of health care leaders—critical, non–patient-facing users who function as operational “air traffic control” for care delivery.
The Product team sought a more systematic understanding of this user group to inform long-term roadmap decisions for our enterprise platform.
See an example of a health enterprise system platform including dashboards and a one-stop-tool (below).
Research Aims & Methodology
In collaboration with Product Management and Design, I scoped a study to explore:
Key responsibilities and priorities of healthcare leaders
Critical information needs and decision-making contexts
Existing tools and common workarounds
Interactions and dependencies across roles
To explore these topics, I conducted 10 open-ended interviews with leaders ranging from frontline managers to VPs. This qualitative approach allowed for rich insight into unmet needs and workflows without presupposing constraints.
See approach to planning (below).
Analysis & Synthesis Process
Using methods from Indi Young’s research analysis framework, I led rapid synthesis sessions and created structured outputs to make findings accessible, especially for Engineering stakeholders. The synthesis highlighted recurring patterns in tools usage, decision pain points, and coordination bottlenecks.
Outcomes & Impact
Key deliverables included:
A user journey map detailing critical tasks and milestones
A tool inventory with context on usage and rationale (15+ tools)
Insight summaries shared across functions via research readouts and UX Research Monthly
This foundational research informed subsequent Jobs-To-Be-Done exercises and supported a new Miro board mapping leader journeys—ultimately shaping roadmap prioritization and cross-team alignment.
Reflections
This initiative was particularly valuable because it explored a nuanced space: employees as users. Navigating this context required care, especially in surfacing needs without disrupting internal dynamics. Gaining leadership buy-in not only elevated the impact of the work but also opened new in-roads for collaboration across cross-functional teams.
A key takeaway was the influence of a smaller user group—like clinical leaders— on the broader system. While frontline providers directly deliver care, leaders shape the workflows, staffing, and operational decisions that ultimately impact the patient experience.
Additionally, through iterative sharing and socialization, I had the opportunity to experiment with new storytelling techniques—tailoring insights for diverse audiences and reinforcing the strategic value of research across the organization.