The Product Studio is a service by the Data Lab, WRI’s core data innovation and product delivery unit. The Product Studio documents the work done with project teams, highlighting actionable learnings that other project leads can implement to avoid common pitfalls and successfully navigate their own technology projects. These are shared publicly in the “Product Studio Learnings Series,” in the form of case studies. Please share your feedback at productstudio@wri.org.

In today's digital age, digital data products and platforms play an important role in creating social and environmental impact at scale. With an unprecedented amount of data available in the public domain and vast research being conducted globally, the potential for driving meaningful change through data products has never been greater.

Build It and They’ll Come!

In today's digital age, digital data products and platforms play an important role in creating social and environmental impact at scale. With an unprecedented amount of data available in the public domain and vast research being conducted globally, the potential for driving meaningful change through data products has never been greater. Unfortunately, the common misconception that "build it and they'll come" is often the only "strategy"  when developing data products for good. This approach can lead to data products that, far from having an impact, go unused, as they fail to consider the needs and realities of the users it was designed to serve.

WRI’s Product Studio aims to improve how non-profit data products for impact are designed and built. Simply having access to large datasets or creating a data product is not enough to drive change; it requires a nuanced understanding of the target audience and the context in which the data will be used. The target audience for data products often includes decision-makers in politics, industry and other influential sectors, who have the power to enact policies or strategies that impact a large number of people. Understanding the needs and challenges of these decision-makers ensures that data products are tailored to provide actionable insights and evidence-based solutions that guide impactful decision-making and promote positive outcomes for people, nature and climate.

Understand the User’s Job First

The focus of user research is to bridge this gap between data products and their intended impact. This specialty has been established to ensure that services and products are designed with a deep understanding of users' tasks, challenges and workflows. Leading tech and innovation companies recognize the importance of user research in crafting solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing practices and truly meet the needs of their users. Data products for good could greatly enhance their impact by raising user research's importance. For instance, consider the development of a tool that enables community members to report environmental issues. User research would reveal the most effective methods to engage and empower these users, such as incorporating the tool into existing communication channels or making it accessible on mobile devices.

User research plays a vital role in uncovering the jobs to be done by potential users of data products. By engaging with users directly and gaining insights into their specific situations, researchers can understand user motivations, mindsets, the outcomes they aim to achieve and the progress they seek to make towards their goals. This nuanced understanding allows researchers to identify both the specific jobs that users would hire a data product for and how they could most effectively interact with the product to get these jobs done. By mapping out the user journey and examining the full context of their challenges and goals, user research provides a foundation for designing data products that are intuitive, purposeful and capable of delivering meaningful value to users —  data products that get the job done. This user-centered approach ensures that data products not only address immediate needs but also align with users' long-term objectives, empowering them to achieve greater impact in their work.

Connecting User’s Jobs to Impactful Change

User research plays a crucial role in understanding user decision-making processes and behavior patterns. Insights from user research can guide the development of a Theory of Change, which describes how interventions lead to the desired impact. For instance, a research group might develop a dataset that they think has the potential to enhance cities' heat resilience, decrease urban temperatures by implementing cooling surfaces, and ultimately improve residents' well-being. Through user research, the journey to achieving these goals, including potential obstacles can be identified, as well as key stakeholders and their needs, which can help empower them to drive progress. Findings from this research can inform the development of user-centric data products that are tailored to the specific needs of stakeholders, providing a comprehensive framework for achieving heat-related goals.

A city stakeholder focusing on climate change or disaster management, for example, might be collaborating with various other city departments like geospatial planning, tree and park services or transportation, seeking to transform city areas affected by extreme heat. In their collaboration, they seek to identify and prioritize areas for intervention based on factors like population density, shading or existing tree cover. Knowing how these various stakeholders interact in their planning efforts, what data they need to make decisions and how data can be best presented to drive decisions, can lead to higher adoption of data products and empower the users to initiate change more effectively.

Integrating user research with monitoring, evaluation, and learning ensures that software products are both user-centered and strategically impactful. Through continuous evaluation and user feedback, data products can be constantly refined to serve cities’ needs. This allows stakeholders to adapt their strategies and make data-driven decisions that effectively meet the needs of residents and achieve climate resilience goals. This holistic approach ensures that user research goes beyond informing the initial design; it drives ongoing improvements and maximizes long-term impact.

Take the First Step with Confidence

Incorporating user research into your software development processes may seem daunting at first, but it is a transformative approach that can yield significant benefits for your organization and the impact you strive to achieve. By starting with the basics and gradually building on them, you can begin to unlock the power of user research and see tangible improvements in your data products and platforms. Remember, the journey may feel challenging, but it is more straightforward than it might seem. Our team at the Product Studio has developed a streamlined process for kicking off and implementing user research in your program or organization. Whether you are just getting started or looking to enhance your existing approach, we are here to guide you through every step. Don't hesitate to reach out and request help from our experts to ensure your software development efforts are user-centric and poised for success.

Tell us about your experience! 
Have you conducted user research for a data project for good? How did it go, and what did you learn? 
What has kept you from incorporating user research into your product design and development processes if you haven't yet?

Share your questions and experiences to productstudio@wri.org!