As we approach Experimentation Heroes 2024, we are interviewing several specialists in experimentation who exemplify the qualities of an actual Experimentation Hero. First up: Simonluca Definis.
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Who is Simonluca Definis?
Simonluca Definis is a Digital Experience Designer at frog, part of Capgemini Invent NL, currently consulting at Philips D2B in the healthcare system sector. With a passion for transforming insights into innovative ideas, Simonluca believes his superpower lies in “rapidly prototyping product or service solutions for market MVPs.” In this interview he will explain why.
Prototyping in healthcare
In 2018, Simonluca and his team collaborated with a global healthcare leader to develop a service strategy for a nasal spray product. They conducted four weeks of preliminary international data-driven research, focusing on perceived pollution in some of Europe’s most polluted cities. “This experiment revealed that in certain countries, customers rely heavily on pharmaceutical professionals for quick healthcare tips,” Simonluca explains. This insight allowed the team to prototype a solution tailored to this reliance, marking a successful experiment that Simonluca is particularly proud of, and which shows his experimentation superpower.
Experimentation at Philips
Within Philips, experimenting and testing have become increasingly integral to their processes. Over the past few years, Simonluca’s team has worked diligently to help business and product owners understand the value of their data-driven and design processes. “ We’ve emphasized how an experimental and iterative approach can significantly enhance our final deliverables,” he explains. Although they are still striving for the ideal, fully integrated cross-disciplinary scenario, substantial cultural improvements have been made.
UX and AI: The Start of a Massive Revolution
When it comes to the influence of AI on his work, Simonluca observes that many design professionals in the UX industry are currently exploring AI tools. These tools are used to complete some tasks or create basic foundations, such as suggesting questions for user interviews, creating personas, or generating variant designs for A/B testing, but this is only the start of it. “We are just at the beginning of a massive revolution” he remarks, expressing both curiosity and apprehension about how AI will impact many current jobs.
Convincing stakeholders: Never discuss data in isolation
Despite his successes, his experimentation journey, however, has not been without its challenges. Convincing senior stakeholders to adhere to the integrated optimization cycle, which includes data-driven research and customer validations, has been a significant obstacle. “Often, stakeholders are tempted to bypass these steps to save time, resources, or budget when launching an experience,” Simonluca noted. Despite these challenges, he has demonstrated that the optimization cycle, based on both quantitative and qualitative validation methods, is crucial for organizations to achieve a high return on investment (ROI). Additionally, ensuring that end-to-end research insights are effectively deployed from the initial pre-analysis phase through to development and implementation requires close collaboration with multiple teams.
Through this experimentation journey, Simonluca has learned a valuable lesson” “Never discuss data in isolation; always contextualize it with a narrative and tailored storytelling” he emphasizes. This approach has proven to be a game changer in his experience of convincing stakeholders.
Use storytelling to make data compelling
Finally, Simonluca offers valuable advice for aspiring experimentation heroes. “A true experimentation hero is first of all an advocate for users and a champion of the design process,” he advises. They bridge business conversations and user needs through design thinking methodologies, facilitating decision-making and co-creation with multidisciplinary teams, especially those focused on data and optimization. “Most importantly, an experimentation hero brings fun and positivity to the team and uses storytelling to make data compelling.”