Shifting to an Outside-In Approach for B2B Platform Investment Decisions

Project Objective:

This project marked a fundamental shift from an inside-out, business-driven approach to an outside-in, customer-centric method for investment decisions on a new B2B platform. Starting in December 2022, the initiative aimed to prioritize user insights and align them with company strategy to ensure the platform addressed real customer needs while supporting long-term business goals.

How It Started:

Traditionally, decisions about platform investments were made internally, based on assumptions and company priorities. While this approach delivered results, it lacked a direct connection to user needs. This project set out to change that by:

1. Collecting insights directly from users through interviews and structured forms.
2. Transforming and categorizing raw feedback into actionable themes.
3. Mapping user insights against the company’s strategic priorities, such as customer retention and market growth.

The goal was to ensure every investment decision was informed by customer input and validated against measurable business objectives.

What Was Built:

The project created a robust framework for customer-centric decision-making, comprising:

• Data Collection:

  • User interviews provided qualitative insights into challenges and expectations.
  • Structured forms captured quantitative data about feature preferences and use cases.

• Data Transformation:

  • Python scripts cleaned and categorized the raw data into themes like usability, desired integrations, and workflow gaps.
  • Databricks automated the processing and enrichment of data at scale.

• Strategic Mapping:

  • Insights were aligned with the company’s strategy, ensuring user needs were directly tied to goals like operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

• Data Integration and Visualization:

  • Power BI dashboards combined user insights with behavioral data from Google Analytics, offering a complete picture of user needs and platform usage patterns.

How It Works Today:

1. Customer-Centric Data Collection:

   • Interviews and forms capture direct feedback from users, focusing on their pain points and expectations.
   • Data is structured for consistency and categorized for easy analysis.

2. Data Transformation with Modern Tools:

   • Databricks pipelines clean and process the data, ensuring it is accurate and ready for analysis.
   • Python-powered categorization organizes user insights into actionable themes.

3. Strategic Alignment and Analysis:

   • User insights are mapped against company goals to identify areas of alignment and conflict.
   • Power BI dashboards combine qualitative and behavioral data, enabling stakeholders to see the bigger picture.

4. Driving Actionable Outcomes:

   • Clear visualizations help prioritize platform features that align with both user needs and business objectives.
   • Data-driven discussions replace assumptions, fostering a culture of informed decision-making.

Outcome:

This customer-centric framework has delivered:

• User-Aligned Investments: Platform features and improvements are now directly tied to user needs, reducing the risk of misaligned priorities.
• Faster Decision-Making: Automated pipelines streamlined the process from data collection to insight delivery.
• Validated Insights: Cross-referencing with Google Analytics ensures that user-reported feedback aligns with actual behavior.

Reflections:

Shifting from an inside-out to an outside-in approach has fundamentally changed how platform investments are made. By putting the customer at the center of the decision-making process, the organization has not only strengthened its platform strategy but also fostered a more collaborative and informed culture. This method ensures that every decision is both user-focused and strategically sound, setting a precedent for future projects.