For this Q&A article, we caught up with Olivia Labattaglia who is a user experience (UX) designer at Nintex. Olivia represents our team from Auckland, New Zealand – and even shares some of New Zealand’s finest places to visit and enjoy.
The Nintex Q&A blog series highlights people inside Nintex who are working to make work better for all of us – with process excellence. Olivia is contributing to our cause by studying how people interact with process automation software and strategically designing the Nintex Process Platform based on user research.
Check out 20 questions and answers with Olivia Labattaglia below.
- What is your role at Nintex?
User Experience Designer
- Tell us a little bit about how you ended up at Nintex?
I was working for another software company but wanted to be somewhere where UX has a voice and can provide value. I am really enjoying working at Nintex.
- What has been your favorite project of your career?
I was doing an internship at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California, where we did a couple of really cool projects in the Emergency Department. For example, we once tested techniques for communicating wait times and next steps to patients.
Through the research, we discovered that the best solution for patients was a visual cue to remind ED staff to communicate more with the patients. We prototyped ‘ED progress bracelets’ out of paper. We put them on a handful of patients and tracked their experience through the ED.
What we found was that the bracelet prompted the ED staff to inform the patient what would happen to them next. That little extra piece of information was enough to help patients feel like they were being taken care of and that they weren’t lost in the queue. It was a great example of how designers with paper and scissors can prototype and test an idea for peanuts.
- What does an ideal day-off of work look like for you?
I am really into sewing at the moment. In particular, I am taking a tailoring course and learning how to make a custom-fit coat.
- What’s your favorite indoor or outdoor activity?
We bought a campervan at the beginning of last year so we’re having a lot of fun with that.
- Where is home for you?
Auckland, New Zealand
- What’s your favorite era of history?
I love women’s fashion from the 1970s. I’m very happy to see it being reimagined at the moment. High-waisted pants should never go out of fashion!
- Favorite beverage?
The common duo of coffee and red wine. In particular, I like blends from Italy, Australia, and South America.
- Favorite food?
Japanese, without a doubt. Any sushi with eel would be my favorite sushi.
- Favorite tv series and why?
Really enjoying the Formula 1 ‘Drive to Survive’ series on Netflix.
- What would an alternative line of work be for you?
Still in the design sphere, but maybe (clothes) pattern designer. I am not that interested in fashion trends, but I do love the problem-solving that is required to make 3D shapes out of 2D patterns.
- Best vacation you’ve taken and why?
We did the South Island of New Zealand in a campervan over the holidays between 2020 and 2021. Words cannot describe the different landscapes of the South Island. From the alpine rainforests of the west coast to the textures of the stone in Central Otago. We are planning on going again this summer.
- What’s your favorite place to be?
I really love the Central Plateau in the North Island of New Zealand. It’s a volcanic plateau that some of you will recognize as Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings. Really cool place to ski, hike, find waterfalls, relax in volcanic hot springs, etc.
- If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you?
Zooey Deschanel would probably be a good fit.
- If you could have dinner with one person (alive or passed), who and why?
One of my main reasons for reading is that I feel I get an insight into a lot of different lives at different times in history. I can’t pick one person, and that person changes every week.
- If you were an animal what would you like to be and why?
I love otters, I love the way they move through the water and play. Can’t not smile from ear to ear when watching otters.
- What do you like most about your job?
I love the user research the most. It’s really interesting to build a loose hypothesis based on how we think our customers use our products, and then go into research and find out they do some cool and creative things with our platform.
- Three tips for dealing with overwhelm?
- Go for a walk
- Write a list
- Have a chat with someone
- How do you define a good work-life balance?
I am a morning person, so happy to start the day early but I love to finish at 5 pm and have the evening to cook and do something I enjoy.
- What’s your favorite outdoor activity?
Definitely in the water, swimming, sailing etc.
That’s all for this Nintex Q&A article with Olivia Labattaglia.
To learn more about our team and what we’re doing to make your work better, get in touch with us today.
