Communicating a Future Experience for Databases

Database lifecycle management

Redgate are a leading provider of Database tools such as SQL Compare, SQL Monitor and SQL Prompt. Redgate approached Spotless with a view to defining future experiences in how database administrators and developers would manage their databases. Specifically, this would be around the new area of Database Lifecycle Management.

Stakeholder and user interviews

Spotless conducted a series of stakeholder interviews within Redgate in order to better understand the domain, as well as to gain some understanding of where Redgate sees the future of Database Lifecycle Management. Spotless then conducted numerous user interviews with Redgate customers, including database admins and developers in small, medium and large sized companies. These interviews allowed us to understand the needs and expectations of these users, as well as any obvious gaps in their experiences.

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Guerilla research

As a means of gaining access to as many Redgate customers as possible, Spotless accompanied Redgate to 3 events in the UK and USA: SQL in the City London, SQL in the City Seattle, and PASS. 

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Spotless ran on-site rapid user workshops, asking users to map out their current and ideal user experiences. Spotless also conducted rapid guerilla interviews with attendees – gaining 5-10 minute nuggets on their behaviours, wants and needs.

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Personas, scenarios and storyboarding

Using the insight gained from the various research activities, Spotless created draft Persona documents which could be used to define future scenarios. Using these Personas and research outputs, Spotless then worked in collaboration with senior Redgate Product Owners to map out perceived current and future experiences within Database Lifecycle Management. These were visualised as Storyboards, showing the experiences clearly in a visual, comic-style way. A short PowerPoint report, outlining some of the key research findings was also prepared.