Customer Research

Context

In the wake of COVID-19, the client faced significant disruption to how its physical spaces were used and perceived. With the rise of remote and hybrid work and study models, expectations around space shifted dramatically—resulting in a disconnect between the existing property infrastructure and users’ evolving needs. These changes impacted occupancy levels and raised questions about the long-term role of physical environments in delivering value to users.

Opportunity

To inform future planning and investment, the client sought to reimagine its approach to space design. This included understanding user behaviours, attitudes, and expectations, alongside broader trends in commercial and tertiary sectors. The engagement aimed to surface insights around current usage patterns and explore new ways to plan and evaluate space utilisation—forming the foundation for a multi-phase roadmap toward a more responsive, future-ready property strategy.

Outcome

The engagement delivered a comprehensive, insight-led report that synthesised findings into a practical framework—enabling the client to better understand how users interact with and experience space, both now and into the future. The framework provided a clear foundation for informed, user-centred decision-making on property planning and investment.

Critically, the work achieved strong cross-functional buy-in, aligning stakeholders around a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities. The depth and clarity of insights helped secure executive endorsement for a second phase, focused on translating the findings into tangible design principles and implementation strategies to future-proof the client’s property portfolio.

Approach

To explore how physical spaces could better support evolving user needs, we employed a multi-method, human-centred research approach grounded in empathy, inclusivity, and evidence-based insights. Our goal was to build a nuanced understanding of how users currently experienced space, what challenges they faced, and how their needs might evolve in a post-pandemic context.

1. Stakeholder Engagement and Discovery: We began by identifying key user groups across the organisation, including students, academic and professional staff, facilities teams, and leadership. Over the course of the engagement, we spoke with 107 participants via virtual one-on-one interviews and small group workshops. These sessions explored current experiences, needs, preferences, pain points, and expectations for the future. Sessions were designed to be open, reflective, and context-sensitive—ensuring participants could share both immediate frustrations and aspirational ideas.

2. Follow-up Surveys for Validation: To validate emerging themes and test early assumptions, we designed and distributed a targeted follow-up survey based on qualitative insights. With 57 responses, the survey added a quantitative layer, offering clarity on the prevalence and consistency of needs across user groups, thereby strengthening the reliability and depth of our findings.

3. Thematic Analysis and Insight Generation: All interview, workshop, and survey data were thematically analysed using a rigorous, collaborative process. Insights were grouped into categories reflecting user behaviours, emotional drivers, enablers, barriers, and future expectations. This enabled the creation of a clear narrative around the user journey—highlighting not only what users needed, but why, and under what circumstances.

4. Extensive Secondary Research and Sector Benchmarking: In parallel, we conducted a thorough literature and document review—analysing over 100 internal reports, planning documents, and industry sources (totalling approximately 1,000 pages). This helped surface both internal constraints and global best practices in the design and use of learning, work, and collaboration spaces. Key trends from commercial and tertiary sectors were synthesised and used to contextualise user feedback, ensuring that recommendations were forward-thinking yet grounded in the client’s operational realities.

5. Insight Synthesis and Framework Development: Insights from all sources were consolidated into a comprehensive, actionable framework. This framework captured the interplay between space usage, user behaviour, and strategic objectives, and was designed to guide both near-term improvements and long-term property decisions. It provided a common language for cross-functional teams to align on priorities and next steps.

As the analyst and user researcher…

• Collaborated within a focused team of three—working alongside a senior analyst, director, and a dedicated client working group to ensure research depth, alignment, and actionable outcomes.

• Designed and facilitated a range of research activities, including discussion guides, qualitative interviews, user workshops, and follow-up surveys. Engaged 100+ participants across diverse roles and demographics to surface meaningful insights on workplace needs and space use.

• Coordinated and managed the scheduling of interviews, workshops, and stakeholder meetings—ensuring timely engagement, clear communication, and smooth delivery across a multi-phase research effort.

• Led secondary research, reviewing more than 100 client documents, academic publications, and industry reports to contextualise findings and benchmark against space and workplace trends.

• Analysed and synthesised mixed data, drawing out recurring patterns and converting them into clear insights and design considerations to inform strategic decision-making.

• Designed the thematic framework used to represent the research findings—mapping the interconnections between user behaviours, environmental factors, and future expectations to inform planning and investment.

• Played a key role in the writing and visual design of the final report—crafting a cohesive narrative, shaping visual artefacts, and ensuring clarity, usability, and impact for a broad audience of client stakeholders.