Session Description
Services often fail when built strictly for compliance instead of user reality. Top-performing organizations achieve breakout results by uncovering the deeper motivations driving customer behavior.
In this fast-paced, 50-minute masterclass, you will learn how to apply core discovery tools from The Innovators Method to transform your customer experience (CX) strategy. We will break down the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework to explore how emotional, social, and functional drivers influence people. You will walk away with actionable immersion techniques—specifically advice interviews, contextual interviews, and ethnographic observation—to look past surface-level complaints and solve systemic service bottlenecks.
Learning Objectives
- Decode Motivation: Master the three elements of the Jobs To Be Done framework to understand what users actually need.
- Conduct Low-Guard Interviews: Use specialized interviewing techniques to bypass rehearsed answers and see real habits.
- Observe Hidden Pain Points: Apply simple ethnographic observation to reveal manual workarounds and friction in current services.
Presenter Information
Joe Vansyckle began his career at Microsoft, where he spent over 15 years leading teams across HR, Product Management, and serving as Chief of Staff for a global consumer technology division. Guided by a genuine passion for helping people thrive, he chose to transition into public service, starting at the Washington State Health Care Authority during the historic rollout of the Affordable Care Act. He later had the privilege of serving as the Statewide Chief Learning Officer, partnering with over 40 agencies to design human-centered learning and performance strategies.
Through his work as a Master Trainer and Innovation Consultant with the Innovator’s DNA, Joe also had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with dedicated product teams at organizations like T-Mobile, Coca-Cola, REI, Siemens, Olympus, and Washington’s Lottery, facilitating innovation sprints and discovery journeys.
Today, Joe serves as the Regional Director of Workforce Services for the Southwest Coastal region at the Washington Employment Security Department. In this role, he leads a dedicated team focused on creating community opportunity, building career pathways, and applying practical discovery tools to improve both customer and employee experiences. Grounded in a commitment to supporting emerging professionals, Joe also teaches leadership, change, innovation, influence as an adjunct instructor at South Puget Sound College.