Last Wednesday, I had a conversation with Monica Bueno, a service designer who has worked with agencies like IDEO and is now based in Boston, running her own consultancy. I reached out to her because she’s Colombian, and I thought she could provide valuable insights into how she applies concepts like averages in her design practice.

I introduced myself and explained my research topic, and she shared some of her experiences with using “extreme users” when designing services at IDEO. When planning a project and talking to users, they always included extreme interviews. Monica explained that designing for the average doesn’t allow you to understand the extremes, which is necessary for creating an effective product that avoids generalizations. Instead of relying solely on data, she conducted very deep interviews and anthropological exercises to gain a profound understanding of user behaviors.

In another consultancy she worked with, the focus was less on individuals and more on behaviors. This approach was more psychological, analyzing consumption patterns and creating behavior archetypes.

Lastly, she talked about using a “jobs-to-be-done” approach, which is more practical and focused on efficiency. This method allowed her to quantify decisions more easily, which is often a priority in the corporate world. She emphasized that the depth of user understanding depends on the client’s appetite for investing resources in knowing their customers.

I found the conversation fascinating because, based on my own experience in a design agency, I could relate to what she was saying and understand how it applies in practice. However, I realized that for my project, it might be more useful to speak with a product designer.

At the end of our chat, Monica kindly offered to connect me with people in London, especially to help me explore job opportunities.