Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC)
- Who: ASIC
- Product: Personas
- Why: To understand the users of a product (Dynamics 365)
- Activities: Stakeholder discussions, user interviews, segmentation, user profiles, scenarios, personas
- Tools: Axure, iPad Pro
- Role: UX researcher
Background
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is Australia’s integrated corporate, markets, financial services, and consumer credit regulator. As an independent government body, their primary mission is to maintain and improve the performance of Australia’s financial system and protect consumers by enforcing corporate laws.
Problem
As part of a major modernization initiative, ASIC was upgrading its core CRM platform, Microsoft Dynamics 365. To ensure this technology investment delivered maximum value, the client required a deep understanding of their user base, current workflows, and opportunities for optimization. This critical need launched a comprehensive discovery research initiative, designed to transform technical upgrades into user-centric solutions that directly supported organizational goals.
Solution
Personas help us understand our users and their live experiences. This foundational work sits squarely within the “Discover and Define” phases of the Double Diamond. By deeply understanding user needs early on, we ensure the user remains central to every decision as we transition into the solution space (Develop and Deliver).
To begin, I identified our primary user segments by collaborating with key stakeholders to extract and analyze database metrics. This initial mapping revealed critical data points, including team structures, specific roles, and staff counts.
Building on these quantitative insights, I secured user buy-in and facilitated 52 deep-dive research sessions with 12 key users. Through this qualitative discovery, I uncovered and documented 480 actionable pain points. I then synthesized these findings into a comprehensive 67-page research report, with user personas serving as the foundational artifact to guide future product development.
