Upstream

Upstream is my consulting practice.

Most teams don't have a user experience (UX) problem. They have a structural one: accessibility bolted on after launch, a design system nobody trusts enough to actually use, research that lives in one person's head and leaves when they do. I've built that infrastructure inside a large enterprise. Upstream is the same work, for teams who need someone from outside the org to see the structure clearly.

What I find

• Business owners often feel they know their users and their needs. The curse of knowledge hides what's really going on, and my work turns up needs clients never saw.
• Usability problems that get in the way of users finishing the task they came to do.
• Barriers that keep a wider range of people from using the site.

How we can work together

• Homepage accessibility audit. One page, with concrete next steps to make it more accessible.
• Site usability and accessibility evaluation. A report with recommendations.
• Redesign and rebuild. Design is where I'm strongest. If your team has no one to run the project, I run that too. Nothing worse than design work hanging in limbo because no one is in charge.

Background

Over 20 years doing this work in one shape or another, in regulated and unregulated industries. Certified Usability Analyst (CUA).

If that's the problem you're carrying, reach out: steve@upstreamxd.com.