Rock Your Role - Issue 3

Rock Your Role

THE LEARNING ISSUE ISSUE 3

Rock Your Role

Starters

2 Welcome

Survey Says 3

The Learning Issue

An interview with Erica Krein- del on how we learn about our users

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13

Drazen Ex Machina A Machine Learning Prim- er and 8 Quotes from a recent conversation with Chief Scientist, Drazen Pantic

Beautiful Stranger

What Scott Yim has learned from taking pictures of perfect strangers.

Features

Up Next in Learning 11 VP of Employee Experience Lina Stern forecasts where workplace learning is headed.

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The Dream Academy

Shani Penn on her experience as a tutor to middle schoolers

Words Employee Experience Team Thanks

Drazen Pantic Erica Kreindel Jason Hillard

Lina Stern Scott Yim Shani Penn

Contact Us ex@learnvest.com #ex

“I come in being Switzerland because no one likes to hear their baby is ugly.” -Erica Kreindel

Issue 3

Welcome

The upcoming holiday season means explaining your job to your uncle and how, although it’s in the name, we’re more of a technology and product company, not a learning company. The proverbial uncle has a point here; helping Americans build good money habits as they make progress on their money is nothing if not learning. Like a contemplative stare into a mug of eggnog, this issue explores the first hump of our camel case name. Per- haps not surprisingly, this covers a wide swath of topics includ- ing our machine learning and user research projects, as well as learning that takes place outside work. We’re lucky enough to include protraits from Scott Yim, who has recently taken up por- trait photography, as well as an editorial from Shani Penn on her experience tutoring middle schoolers. Closing out this issue is an interview with Lina Stern, VP of Employee Experience, on the future of learning in the workplace. We hope you enjoy!

The Employee Experience Team

ERICA KREINDEL Survey Says

A thougtful product meets a user need, but how do we under- stand what those needs are? UX Researchers like Erica Krein- del ask them. We sat down with Erica to understand how she learns about our users and why it matters.

eX: What is UX research? How do you explain it to friends and family?

Erica: The way I describe it at parties to friends and family is I try to understand how users use things. So, mostly, it’s digital interfaces, but it can also be broad, like how do people identify the company ‘LearnVest’ and how would people use our services.

eX: Tell me more about the research you do?

Erica: I try to understand how people currently use different things, and what could be improved. We do all sorts of different types of methodologies incluidng usability testing — actually watch- ing someone use an interface or product and understanding how it could be better improved — as well as surveys and focus groups. There’s also card sorting, and tree testing, where we try to understand how people group things, and where they expect things to be within an information architecture. Erica: I make it a point to meet with the product owner and designers from the beginning, like at the kick off, and try to understand what their goals are in the project and what they want to ac- complish with research. And then I will kind of come up with my own goals as well and see how to design a test plan and guide for me to get at those goals. I also like to try to understand from them, ok so you want to accomplish x, y, and z. What if people are saying this. How is that going to affect your decisions? What if they’re saying that? Would you still make that change? Would you not? How would you take that? eX: When does research come in to a project map?

eX: So you also forecast potential risks or barriers that can result from research?

Erica: Yes, exactly. I don’t want them to expect that they’re going to get a yes or no. What if they get a maybe? What are they going to do with that? I want to get them what’s going to be the most usable for them too. eX: You said earlier you sometiems research new services and perspectives? Erica: Yes, that is a big part of it as well. For example, I have actually been called in to talk to LV customers and financial reps, LV planners and try to get what their impressions are of these more conceptual changes and what that would mean for them. I’m not actually watch- ing them do anything or use anything or ask them about how they use something. I’m more just understanding what their expectations are in an unbiased format. So instead of having someone who is coming up with the idea asking them, I come in, being Switzerland here, not having any stake in the game. It helps with design and product own- ers as well. Product owners and designers are really in the weeds with the concepts and their ideas, whereas I am not. It’s always a best prac- tice to not have a designer or product manager, for that matter, test what they are working on because no one likes to hear that their baby is ugly. Also, my training is in asking things in a certain way to get the answers that they need. eX: Are you always trying to make improve- ments on usability? Or at a certain point are you done? Erica: I think there’s always things that can im- prove. Right? It’s hard to have something that is perfect, but usually I’m done researching when I get answers to the product team and design team, and then when they are able to, in terms of resources, make changes.

eX: How do you find people to be testers and if there is a pool of testers, are there any that do testing often? Would that skew the results? E: Yeah, it does. It’s really important not to get people participating all the time in these types of tests, because they learn the tricks. It depends on who we’re trying to get feedback from. Is it a planner? Is it an FR? Is it a custom- er? Is it a general population person that’s not currently working with LV/NM. At different consulting firms I worked at, we also used to use screeners to try to get, like if we are work- ing with a certain bank we want to get people that have used that bank or that currently use that bank. Usually we’ll work with an outside vendor who will help. They have a panel and a screener who will ask questions like when’s the last time you participated in one of these tests. eX: Do you try to get people on the extremes? People that don’t have cell phones or people who are UX designers themselves? E: Oh, yeah. That’s another thing we screen for. I usually screen for researchers or designers, or work with that type of product, like a product manager for a fintech company, for example. eX: What if that person is super opinionated about UX or UI, but they’re not a designer. E: It happens nowadays. It’s happening more. People are becoming more savvy about design. It’s kind of a problem because you want to reflect the typical uses. Abigail actually has a great thing she says, “we design for the mass- es, but we adjust for the exceptions”. So, if you think of a bell curve, we’re designing for the general population but there are always the one offs and we’ll make tweaks.

eX: Do you have a perspective, that’s been informed by your job, on what’s the best way to learn?

Erica: Something usability-related that I’ve applied in my own life, is how to ask questions and learning how to stay silent, which are really difficult things to do for me. Sometimes I am much better at it in my work than in my personal life. I think that’s a really good way to learn from peo- ple. It’s by letting them talk and letting them express their needs. eX: It has to be tough, to listen, and then also think about what you would like to ask next that’s in the flow of the conversation, but also keep listening, but also be aware of what your overall goal of the conversation is. It’s gets kind of wabi-sabi. You have to let it go organically and naturally, because things happen, but at the same time you kind of have to direct it so that you have things that are usable, so that you make the session worthwhile. Erica: Yeah, it’s really difficult. You have to have so much on your mind. You have to listen actively, you have to think about the next questions, and sometimes you have to change your next question based on what they’re saying, but also keep in mind the goals of the project, that you’re touching upon what the other people are watching the session and getting insights that would be useful and helpful. After doing a few of them, it’s pretty tiring. Erica: I think it’s practice. It does help to not take notes while you’re recording, having people in the background taking notes is really helpful. It’s also really helpful to write down what happens in a session right after the session, because it’s fresh. Also, what does help a lot is doing a practice sessions beforehand. Grabbing a friend or colleague and having them play the role. They play the user. Get someone that’s not too close to it, but not too far from it. It helps warm you up. It’s like making pancakes. eX: Any tips for getting better at that?

Erica Kreindel is a UX Research Lead on the Design Team in NY.

Drazen Ex Machina

Answers to Novice AI Questions and 8 Quotes from Chief Scientist, Drazen Pantic

What’s the big deal?

When people generally talk about AI, they’re likely talking about strong AI, or AI that doesn’t exist yet. Strong AI is understood in contrast to Weak AI. Weak AI, or artificial nar- row intelligence, can perform a narrowly defined task, like telling you the weather or cre- ating a playlist of music you might like. Strong AI, or general artificial intelligence, can per- form broadly defined intellectual tasks that any human can do, like retrieving two locations, planning an optimal route between them, communicating your arrival, and driving a car to a destination... while playing music the passenger enjoys. Humans have a mixed track record in history, so giving a machine the autonomy of a human is concerning. Elon’s in tech. Why’s he so scared? It’s one of the big 5 emerging areas in tech (hardware, self-driving cars, cryptocurrency, and AR/VR being the debateable others). Why it’s exciting to our company is that for machine learning to be effective, you need highly talented engineers, a mountain range of good data, and a compelling need - all of which we have. Why does it matter to Tech, LV? Yes, artificial intelligence is the larger field that encompasses several subfields like comput- er vision, robotics, natural language processing, and machine learning. Machine learning is just a hot subfield at the moment because of its potential and how it’s examples are experi- enced more often than other subfields. Are AI and Machine Learning different? AI has been around for decades, but recent advances in CPU power, big data, and mobile, have pushed AI out of winter and into a spring we can expect to be a large part of our lives soon.

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Where do I learn more?

Degreed, of course. Check out the Machine Learning Pathway for the following:

Podcast: Machine Learning Guide - Episode 4 (22 min.) Video: AI, Deep Learning, and Machine Learning: A Primer (44 min.) Article: Machine Learning for Humans (10 min.)

8 THINGS I LEARNED FROM FROMDRAZEN PANTIC

“Two things have made machine learning ubiquitous: speed and data. We now have more CPU power and access to big data. The more data you have and the faster you can process it, the better your pedictions will be.”

“Machine learning is, you analyze the data, run some tests, and then predict what’s going to happen next. Then you upgrade and repeat.”

“We collect transaction data from linked accounts and we see that there are 15-20 financial personas or archetypes people fall into, each with their own pattern of behavior. Very few people stay within 1 perso- na over the course of their life.”

“The idea with predictive planning is that you try to figure out someone’s assets and try to predict what’s go - ing to be the value in the future. Where is your financial wealth going to go?”

“A relatively simple problem that’s incredibly tough to solve is are you spending too much or are you not spending enough - are you putting the right amount into investments, and the right amount into insurance?”

“25 seconds of steamed milk and 2.5 seconds on the espresso. The golden ratio is 10:1.”

“Now we can identify when people change spending behaviors, track how many of these personas they adopt over time and how long they spend in each.”

“We’re getting better at looking at your wellness score and seeing how you compare to people your age, with your income, and other categories.”

eX: Why Employee Experi- ence? Why not Learning and Development or just HR? What’s behind this name? Lina: EX borrows heavily from CX or customer expe- rience, and the fundamental idea behind these x’s is hu- man-centered design. Com- panies that operate from a human-centric vantage have seen amazing results in re- cent years. Data and mobile has given us greater insights into what drives behav- ior – what attracts, retains, and upgrades customers, and most importantly, what makes them want to pro- mote a company’s products? EX starts with the idea that employees are your first cus- tomer and then proceeds to excel at the internal equiva- lent of each of these steps - how do we attract the best talent? How do we keep you engaged, growing, and empowered to reach your in- dividual goals, support your team? If Employee Experi- ence can do these

things, you’ll have the best people knocking down your doors wanting to work here. eX:How is EX different now from what it used to be 5 or 10 years ago? Companies are beginning to shift from treating humans as assets or ‘capital’ to un- derstanding them and how they work best and design- ing solutions around their needs. Previously, learning was all about pushing learn- ing on people and it was generally a one-size fits all approach - here’s a narrated Powerpoint on something HR-related. Now, leaders in Employee Experience are digging into company-wide and team-specific needs analysis and design research to create tailored experi- ences that match our digital expectations -on-demand, omni-channel, personalized, etc. It’s also about how the people strategy is designed, we’re now moving from back office support and function to be a strategic device.

LINA STERN Up Next in Learning

eX: What influenced these changes?

apple-to-apples comparison. I think our financial advisors who work with clients to change habits and learn about personal finance can understand where we’re coming from. teX: What factors do you see shaping the way employee experience evolves in the next decade? Lina: Certainly technology will shape the way we learn at work. AI will make the right learning available in the right amount at the right time, automation should free us up for more strategic work, and VR/AR is open for collaborative and simulation possibilities. The biggest factor shaping the next 10-20 years, however, will actually be more internal. We will become more aware of our learning needs and develop higher demands on our learning experiences, the same way we de- mand more from other experiences. Informal learning - learning organically on the job - is a big area I haven’t seen much activity in but is extremely ripe. How do we learn how to learn when the opportunity presents itself at work?

Lina: Companies used to “manage talent” with a more top-down authority, however, those that resisted, who gave more auton- omy to their employees saw success. The efficacy of autonomy, coupled with advancing technology and user-centricity really cata- lyzed this transformation. The overall speed of change and work plays a major role too; there’s hubris in the thought you can create exceptional learning experiences in import- ant areas and keep pace with updates. It’s far more effective to offer a mix of curated, spon- sored, and in-house work. eX: Where does the comparison end? What separates EX from say CX or PX/FX? Lina: EX is built on many of the frameworks that our teams use - design thinking, da- ta-driven decision making, thinking, as Aditi brought up at our last report out, of our au- dience as humans and catching them where they are, not bringing them to us. What’s fundamentally different from other depart- ments is that learning is this complex process with lots of human variables: motivation, relevance, perception, prior knowledge, appli- cation, context. It’s not entirely an

“We will become more aware of our learning needs and de- velop higher demands on our learning experiences, the same way we demand more from other experiences.”

PERFECT STRANGERS

A Photo Essay by Scott Yim

I enjoy taking portraits because I like making people feel confident about how they look. In my expe - rience with friends and family, I have found that it’s not a common reaction to see a photo of yourself and love the way you look. I have also noticed consistent behaviors amongst people in front of a cam - era — taking multiple photos, making a silly face, having a “good side,” and smiling with teeth, without teeth, or not smiling at all. I, too, have my preferences.... and the thought that usually goes through my head is, “What do I do with my hands?”

In the short 5-10 seconds that go by during a selfie or a posed photo, it’s often difficult to feel super comfortable or that you’re putting forth your best, authentic self. When I take portraits of someone, I like to spend an extended amount of time — typically an hour — simply having a conversation as I shoot.

We discuss things like growing up, hobbies, career aspirations, and more. Not only do I learn things about this person, but it’s a nice way to reflect on my own experiences. Here’s a glimpse into a few of the thoughtful, sometimes pensive, and always genuine portraits I’ve taken as a result of these conversations.

SHANI PENN The Dream Academy

In August I began volunteering as a tutor at DREAM, a youth develop- ment program in Harlem. I’ve been passionate about child development, social activism and education from a very young age. As a tutor at DREAM my daily task is getting a group of twelve 6th grade boys to complete their weekly English assignments well and on time. My refrains in class take on a consistent pattern of “I’m going to turn into a parrot if I have to tell you to get out your assignment again Chris”, “an essay can’t be one sentence Michael,” and many many choruses of “Language arts is not boring, it can be fun!” My students have a fighting chance at the Olym- pics for aggressive eye-rolling. Despite the expected challenges to convince any kid to take homework seriously, it is a truly rewarding ex- perience helping to improve student success in class, and I’ve found that my students are constantly helping me understand what the path to bet- ter learning actually looks like. It’s far from simply getting the correct an- swer to problem sets or passing the next test. For these kids, learning is an all day experience. In addition to withstanding a con- stant flood of academic information,

they are figuring out how to interact with new personalities, dealing with hormones and discovering the com- plexities of our society. In my role trying to ensure academic enrich- ment I find my sessions depending less on going over specific material and more on guiding students on how to relate new knowledge to personal experiences involving family, friends and community. “What does this passage remind you of?” “How do you feel while reading this?” “What would you do in a situation like the writer describes?” “My students have a fighting chance at the Olympics for aggressive eye-rolling.”

My goal for my students is to take this approach beyond one particular subject and set them up to improve self-esteem and attitudes toward academic per- formance and education as a whole. Encouraging students to explore their world, follow their interests, ponder big ideas and question everything is an essen- tial component to developing a life-time love for learning.

Although it will probably take a few more interactive and musi- cally-themed presentations on my part highlighting the delights of reading comprehension and literary analysis, I am constantly inspired by my students curiosity and creativity. Their willingness to learn new skills, and partici- pate in new activities motivates me to do the same. That spirit is how real learning happens.

“Their willingness to learn new skills, and participate in new activities motivates me to do the same. That spirit is how real learning happens.”

Shani Penn is a Tech Support Analyst on the Support Engineering team in NYC.

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