The idea behind Kuma came to me during the coronavirus confinement. I watched the startup ecosystem rush to adapt to the new normal and I wondered how I would help them to understand what to build in this short time and under pressure.
As an UX designer, I see myself as a user's advocate. We have tools and methodologies to understand their needs and how to create a product that fulfill them seamlessly.
But more often than not, this research is high level (we identify pain, motivation or engagement) and useful only in the scope of UX. The product owner has to make a call when deciding what to build. If they're good, they understand the reach of the UX research. Most of the time it's a combination of personal appeal, business opportunities and a bit of user research.
What if I could design a methodology based on user research, but that could inform business implications ? What if I could help product managers and founders easily figure out what's best to build and how to build it, with actionable data ?
This methodology is the Kuma Method