Mikayla Peak
BLOG 07
Friday 27th September
Context
In week 7 & 8, I focused on refining my toolkit following feedback from clients. The toolkit had a strong foundation, but there was a clear need to condense the content and polish the templates further. This refinement process was essential for ensuring the resources remained accessible, practical, and adaptable to a wide range of user contexts.
Action
A key decision during this phase was defining which templates would be more effective in a Miro board format versus a Word document format. Miro’s strength lies in its ability to facilitate collaboration, but for more formal documents that required clear structure and professionalism, Word docs proved to be a better fit. This shift helped to legitimise the content, particularly where precision and formality were necessary.
Word doc templates
I also took the opportunity to build out the Word document templates significantly. Rather than assuming users had prior knowledge, I created step-by-step guides within each document. This approach aimed to give users practical instructions without overwhelming them. The challenge was balancing detailed guidance with maintaining the flexibility needed to adapt the templates to different client contexts.
Result
The refined Word document templates are now much more practical, guiding users through processes without assuming too much prior expertise. This change has made the toolkit more accessible, especially for those less familiar with the tools. The balance between instruction and adaptability has resulted in resources that are both user-friendly and adaptable to varying needs.
Learnings
This week’s refinement process really reinforced the importance of finding the right balance between guidance and flexibility. I realised that while it’s tempting to pack in as much detail as possible to ensure clarity, there’s also value in leaving room for users to adapt the toolkit to their own context. It’s been a process for me—understanding when to provide step-by-step instructions and when to pull back and let the user take ownership. This is still something I am working through in my practice.
Additionally, shifting some templates to Word docs was a thoughtful exercise. At first, I didn’t think the format would make such a big difference, but seeing how it adds a layer of formality and legitimacy really struck me. It made me reflect on how small decisions, like choosing the right format, can significantly impact the way users engage with and perceive a project such as this toolkit.