Photo credit: Brenda Piekarski
​Small businesses often have close relationships with their clients, and this can make it challenging to gather honest feedback. As an outsider, a consultant has a unique relationship with clients that - when combined with training and experience in evidence-based research methods - can elicit valuable client feedback. In addition, large companies have in-house research and user experience teams that consistently work to improve the user experience, and this puts small businesses at a disadvantage.
​
My goal is to help small businesses benefit from social science research and make small, but impactful evidence-based changes. I have experience conducting research employing a variety of qualitative and quantitative research techniques, and I am ready to help your business or nonprofit
KO Consulting helps small businesses and nonprofits better understand and take actionable steps to improve:
-
Website Navigation
-
Client Experience
-
Employee Engagement
-
Inclusivity & Belongingness
-
Instructional Design
-
Goal Setting & Accountability
What type of research will help your business improve its products and services? It depends on a variety of factors. During our 30-minute free consultation, we can discuss which of the following research strategies is the best fit for your current project:
-
survey construction and data analysis
-
in-depth interviews
-
user experience research and design
-
focus groups
-
using photos and specific focus group techniques to amplify the voices of members of marginalized and historically-oppressed groups
-
... or a 'KO Audit'
​
Every company has small projects that simply need to get done. Let's connect to get those small projects DONE.
​​​
Past Projects
Website Launch
for New Business Venture
Need: newly formed joint business venture in need of feedback to inform website development prior to formal business launch
​
Research Method: user experience sessions and interviews to elicit feedback from current and prospective clients on certain aspects of website before its official launch
​
Results/Impact: significant changes to website content to better address client questions and improve website navigation
Yoga/Bodywork Studio
Online Application Revamp
Need: website application process was cumbersome for volunteer review committee and out-of-date for applicants
​
Research Method: user experience sessions and interviews to identify pain points for applicants and those completing recommendation forms
​
Results/Impact: revamped application process to current online standards and decreased time commitment for application review team
Scholarship Organization
Identifying Best Practices for Online Content Delivery
Need: online content was inconsistent, confusing, and difficult to navigate
​
Research Methods: conducted 12 user experience sessions and semi-structured interviews
​
Results/Impact: identified themes in easy to navigate courses, developed concrete and manageable recommendations for instructors, met with IT professionals to identify potential for systemic changes
Higher Education
