As the Product Design Lead at Sociability, my primary goal was to foster a culture where product innovation and user experience took centre stage. I believe that when everyone in the organisation, from engineers to marketing, adopts a product mindset, the result is solutions that genuinely meet user needs and drive business growth.

The challenge:

When I first joined Sociability, the company, like many startups, was primarily driven by technical capabilities and market opportunities. While these are essential components of a successful business, the absence of a unified, product-centric mindset posed a significant barrier to achieving our goal of becoming the go-to app for accessibility.

My approach:

To build a product culture, I designed a three-pronged strategy:

1. Setting the vision:

My first question when I joined Sociability was "What is the product vision for the next 12 - 24 months?" No one could tell me! My first task was to organise a company-wide product vision workshop. We worked together to review competitors, shared hopes for the future and discussed gaps in the market. This inclusive process not only reinforced the shared ownership of the product but also enhanced the understanding of the goals across departments. The outcome? A collective vision that steers Sociability strategies, informs product decisions, and helps the team push the boundaries of what's possible in the realm of accessibility.

Take a look at the product vision workshop below followed by the final Product Vision and product outcomes. I used these, along with business objectives and user research, to build the product roadmap. 👀

Product Vision:

Sociability is the go-to app empowering disabled people to find accessible places. We provide reliable, up-to-date and objective accessibility information on new and exciting social and cultural venues through a personalised app experience based on individual access needs. We aren't just an app. We focus on community by bringing people together and providing a space for disabled people to share their experiences.

Product outcomes:

1. We are the go-to app for accessibility information.

2. We provide information on new and exciting social and cultural venues locally, nationally, and internationally.

3. Our information is reliable, up-to-date, and objective.

4. We provide a personalised app experience.

5. We empower disabled people to make decisions based on their needs.

6. We focus on community.

7. Our app is full accessible for every disability. We go above and beyond the WCAG.

2. Continuous Discovery:

I initiated a continuous discovery process which involved weekly user interviews, metrics reviews, monthly competitor reviews, and a Feedback Friday initiative. By inviting team members from different departments to participate and sharing data and insights company-wide, this approach gave everyone a first-hand understanding of user needs and challenges, fostering empathy and a user-centric mindset across the team.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration:

I encourage collaboration between departments throughout the product development process. We did weekly Product Playaround sessions where we work together to test new features, workshop ideas, and review new designs. By involving stakeholders from various teams early on, we ensure diverse perspectives and ideas contribute to shaping our products.

Below you can see a team workshop to explore how we could improve the Sociability website.

The outcome:

This design-led, product-focused culture has yielded significant results:

1. Enhanced User Experience:

   The Sociability app's user experience has greatly improved, resulting in increased app engagement and positive user feedback. The introduction of Saved Accessibility Filters has personalised the user experience and empowered disabled individuals to make decisions based on their unique needs.

   
   

2. Business Growth:

   There has been a growing interest in enterprise offerings, largely attributed to the significant enhancements made to the website and the overall user experience within the app. By understanding user and client needs and focusing on the end-user experience, we've created a compelling offering that differentiates Sociability in the market.

   
   

3. Improved Team Collaboration and Morale:

   The cross-functional, collaborative approach has not only led to better product outcomes but has also created a more cohesive, motivated team.

Conclusion:

Cultivating a product culture at Sociability was a journey of transformation. By revolving work around the needs of the users and fostering a collaborative, empathetic, and educated environment, we've been able to design and deliver an app that truly empowers disabled people and encourages businesses to be more accessible and inclusive.