Andrés Cruz

Understand, understand,
design.

I help teams move from a fuzzy question to a clear direction: researching the people involved, framing the real problem and designing the product or service around it.

My focus is uncovering latent needs and turning them into quality insights that set strategic direction.

What I offerThree ways to work together
01
Single project

Focused study

For teams in the middle of a project who need evidence on something specific or product/service definition, quickly and without a long onboarding.

Examples

  • Value proposition validation: does the product solve a problem users care about?
  • Interview study to understand a user group
  • Concept or prototype testing before building
  • Journey mapping of an existing service
  • Expert review of research already done

Good fit when

  • There's a lack of knowledge on one user topic or product proposal.
  • There's a decision on the table and the team doesn't agree, or doesn't have the data to make it.
02
Ongoing

Research as part of your team

For companies that want research to be continuous, not a one-off. I get to know your product, users and organisation, and keep decisions grounded.

What it can include

  • Continuous discovery alongside product teams
  • Regular research to inform roadmap decisions
  • Knowledge management, so insights don't get lost

Good fit when

You have recurring research needs and want the same person to build on what's already been learned.

03
Consultation

Process and methodology consultation

For teams that do research and/or service design themselves and want to do it better. I review how you work today and help you set up a process, methods and tools that fit your organisation.

What it can include

  • Review of your current research and design process
  • A research playbook adapted to your team
  • Training and coaching in Human-Centered Design methods
  • Templates for planning, interviewing and synthesis

Good fit when

Several people do research or service design but there's no shared way of working, or you want to build research capability in-house.

How I workOne process, four phases

Open up to explore, narrow down to decide. Twice.

I structure projects with the Double Diamond. I can support you across all four phases or join where it's most useful. Real projects rarely follow the line perfectly: we go back when the evidence asks for it.

Diverge Discover

Understand the people and the context.

  • User interviews
  • Expert & stakeholder interviews
  • On-site research
  • Desk research
Converge Define

Frame the real problem worth solving.

  • Synthesis
  • User profiles
  • Journey maps
  • Needs prioritisation
Diverge Develop

Explore and shape possible solutions.

  • Co-creation workshops
  • Concepts
  • Service blueprints
  • Rapid prototyping
Converge Deliver

Test, refine and hand over.

  • Concept & usability testing
  • Validation
  • Specs for handover
  • Roadmap
In practiceWhat a project looks like

  1. Kick-off

    We agree on the decision the research has to inform and what we already know, and define the research goals together.

  2. Plan

    Questions, methods, participants, timeline and deliverables, on one page.

  3. Fieldwork

    I handle recruiting, interviews and sessions.

  4. Synthesis

    I do an in-depth synthesis of everything we learned. Then we review the findings and insights together in a shared session to refine them, so the insights are owned by the team.

  5. From insight to action

    Clear insights turned into priorities, requirements and next steps. Not a deck that sits in a folder.

Not sure what you need?

That's a good starting point. Tell me what you're trying to decide, and we'll figure out the right kind of research together.

Get in touch