The Digital User - An Hectic Start

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind since I launched "The Digital User" on February 9th, making my inaugural post ten days later on the 19th. This marked my initial foray into sharing my insights on the digital user experience, a journey I plan to pursue moving forward.

The feedback and responses I received were astounding; I was genuinely surprised by how many individuals made an effort to share their thoughts with me. Engaging deeply with the digital user experience community at every level is one of my key goals, aiming to use their feedback and viewpoints to deepen and broaden my grasp of what it entails to pursue a digital user experience strategy. To further this engagement, I plan to utilize a five-question interview format. This approach will aid in capturing diverse perspectives on digital experience and its current landscape.

Digital User Experience (DEX) what is it?

I've had a strong connection with ControlUp, having used their product since 2015, and I leveraged this relationship for my article on the 29th of February. I got in touch with Jed Ayres through a connection facilitated by Doug Brown and the ControlUp Community. I was ecstatic when he agreed to participate in my first interview. Crafting those questions took a considerable amount of time, and there was an anxious period of waiting, half-expecting him to return saying they were incomprehensible. Fortunately, he responded with brilliant and insightful answers.

Questions with "Jed Ayres of ControlUp"

I must extend a huge thank you to Jed. He not only participated but also introduced me to his team members Simon Townsend, Steven Hau, and  Becca Chambers, and offered their support to ensure my journey's success. I can't help but think Matt Store from Nexthink will have a good chuckle when he hears me refer to it as a "journey."

Shortly after this article went live, the DEXe awards were announced, and I was thrilled to be recognized as a DexE.

DEXe Class of 2024

Since then both Matt Pinnell and Joel Stocker are both giving me the DEXe VIP treatment and shown me and given me access to some of the good stuff they have in development. 

While I have a deep affection for ControlUp and the many friendships I've forged there and within the ControlUp community, one of my aspirations is to broaden my perspective on all things DEX (Digital Employee Experience). With this goal in mind, I've reached out to various individuals and solutions in the field, all of whom have responded with open invitations and offers of support, mirroring the generosity I've experienced with ControlUp. 

 I've known David Whiting from Liquidware for some time now, and we're currently collaborating on an interview. I believe that ProfileUnity & FlexApp play a significant role in the digital user experience, and I'm looking forward to exploring how they contribute to this field over time.  

Additionally, I had the opportunity to meet with Thomas Charlton, the CEO of Goliath Technologies, and Keary Pence, the Director of Product Marketing, for an hour-long discussion on Thursday evening. We've already made plans for a follow-up meeting in the next two weeks to work on one or two articles, and I'm particularly excited about the prospect of a one-on-one conversation with Thomas once we can navigate his busy schedule.

In a further effort to expand my understanding and coverage of the digital user experience, I've also reached out to Mark Banfield, the CEO of 1E, with a set of interview questions. I was thrilled when he accepted my invitation to participate, demonstrating the open and supportive nature of leaders in the digital experience field.  

I've extended invitations to the CEOs of Nexthink and eG Innovations today, hoping they too will agree to participate in interviews. This is part of my ongoing effort to engage with thought leaders and innovators across the digital experience landscape, aiming to gather and share diverse insights and perspectives on enhancing the digital user experience. 

In my quest to interview leaders of prominent companies who play a crucial role in shaping and defining the Digital Employee Experience (DEX), I've also reached out to influential figures within the broader End-User Computing (EUC) community. Jarian Gibson from the World EUC community and Ruben Spruijt, a Technologist at Dizzion-Frame, have both agreed to participate in interviews, which promise to enrich the conversation with their unique insights and experiences.

Additionally, I've extended invitations to IT administrators within the ControlUp Community, asking if they would be interested in sharing their perspectives through interviews. This approach is aimed at capturing a wide range of views, from industry leaders to the on-the-ground professionals who implement and manage these technologies daily, to provide a comprehensive look at the state of DEX today.

I'm currently developing a new white paper centered on Digital Employee Experience (DEX) strategies and tools. My ambition is to reach and engage a broader audience than my previous publication did a few years ago. For those interested in DEX and eager to contribute to this project, I invite you to participate in a poll that will be running for the next two weeks. Your participation is invaluable to my research and data-gathering efforts.

You can access the poll on LinkedIn here

Additionally, if you're interested in sharing your insights and experiences by participating in an interview for this white paper, please feel free to connect with me through my website or LinkedIn. Your contributions would greatly enrich the project and provide a diverse range of perspectives on DEX.

https://thedigitaluser.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/lukeirvine