Clustering 72 Observations Into Four Themes That Shaped the Design

Overview

Post-interview observations were clustered bottom-up across all four participant transcripts. The process produced 72 distinct observations, which clustered into 16 sub-themes, which resolved into 4 top-level themes. Each observation carries participant attribution so cross-participant convergence is visible in the structure itself — themes that appear across multiple participants represent shared workflow reality; themes that appear from a single participant remain interesting but not load-bearing.

🖼️ Visual: See the full Affinity Map visual embedded below — 72 observation cards clustered into 16 sub-themes under 4 top-level themes, with participant attribution on each observation.

The Four Top-Level Themes

1. Workflow Challenges

20 observations · 4 clusters

The structural friction in the FX repatriation workflow as it currently runs.

• Manual Processes Dominate — Reconciliation, data entry, position consolidation all done by hand
• Poor Tool Integration — Bloomberg, FCM portals, internal systems on different clocks
• Market Volatility & Trade Timing — Decisions made on experience without predictive support
• Communication Delays — Front-to-middle office handoffs introduce timing gaps

2. Pain Points

15 observations · 3 clusters