UX Career Progression: Finding a Niche & Building a Personal Brand

There are many things you learn as a UX designer that come from classrooms, articles, or books. This series covers UX career progression from the perspective of what is not yet covered in a book. In this first presentation of the series I am going to talk about finding a niche in what you do within the field of UX and how to build a personal brand that can enable you to get the kinds of jobs and engagements you want as you grow you career.

Transcript

1. Finding a Niche & Building a Personal Brand
   May 3rd, 2014
   UX Career Progression
   

   View Slide

2. Who the heck is this guy?
   

   View Slide

3. Photo credit: Jeff Croft
   !
   Twitter
   @nickf
   !
   Personal Site
   NickFinck.com
   !
   Role
   Senior Manager of
   User Experience
   !
   Employer
   Amazon Web
   Services
   

   View Slide

4. View Slide

5. View Slide

6. View Slide

7. Overview
   ● Disciplines of UX
   ● T-Shaped People
   ● Personal branding
   ● Your Reach
   

   View Slide

8. Career Progression
   

   View Slide

9. ”The User Experience Honeycomb" by Peter Morville
   Findable
   Desirable
   Useful
   Usable
   Valuable
   Accessible
   Credible
   User Experience (UX) is about how a
   person feels about using a system or
   device.
   What is the user experience?
   •It is not:
   • Designed
   • Objective
   • Procedural
   • Static
   It is:
   • Designed for
   • Subjective
   • Philosophical
   • Dynamic
   

   View Slide

10. The Disciplines of UX
    

    View Slide

11. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    The Six Core Disciplines of User Experience
    

    View Slide

12. Understanding Information Structure
    Behavior Aesthetics Measurement
    Distilling Down the Disciplines of UX
    

    View Slide

13. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    Just Like Cookies, UX Comes In Many Flavors
    

    View Slide

14. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    You Can Wear All The Hats & Be A Generalist
    

    View Slide

15. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    We Call These Generalists “UX Designers”
    

    View Slide

16. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    Or You Can Wear Some Hats
    

    View Slide

17. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    Rather Than Call You A IA/IXD/Content Strategist...
    

    View Slide

18. Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research UX Designer UX Designer
    UX Designer Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    We Just Use The UX Designer Title
    

    View Slide

19. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    Or We Can Specialize
    

    View Slide

20. Usability &
    Analytics
    Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    At A Granular Level
    

    View Slide

21. Taxonomy Findability Search
    Information
    Analysis
    Information
    Architecture
    Library
    Science
    Information
    Design
    Wayfinding Information
    Strategy
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Information
    Architecture
    At A Granular Level
    

    View Slide

22. T-Shaped People
    

    View Slide

23. “IDEO [...] is famous for its method of innovation based
    on intense cross-disciplinary project work. To pull this
    off, the company has long practiced the art of
    collaboration and the development of a certain kind of
    talent: T-shaped people.”
    !
    Morten T. Hansen’s interview of IDEO CEO Tim Brown, 2010
    

    View Slide

24. “However, the speed with which media agencies (and
    clients) have embraced communications planning has
    caused concern. For it to really work, communications
    planners need to be "T-shaped" people. ... "T-shaped"
    communications planners, with a background in media,
    have a deep understanding of media, and a broad
    understanding of the other disciplines within the
    marketing spectrum.”
    !
    The hunt is on for the Renaissance Man of computing
    By David Guest in 1991
    

    View Slide

25. Distilling Down the Disciplines of UX
    

    View Slide

26. Designing the
    interactive behaviors
    of a product or
    system with a
    specific focus on
    their use.
    Designing the visual
    qualities of a product
    or system in an
    aesthetically pleasing
    way.
    Planning for the
    creation, delivery, and
    governance of useful,
    usable content.
    Identifying and
    organizing
    information within a
    product or system in
    a purposeful &
    meaningful way.
    Measuring the quality
    of a user’s
    experience when
    interacting with a
    product or system.
    User Research Content
    Strategy
    Information
    Architecture
    Interaction
    Design
    Visual Design Usability &
    Analytics
    Understanding the
    people who use a
    product or system
    through
    observations.
    The Six Core Disciplines of User Experience
    

    View Slide

27. Graph The Skill Level By Discipline
    User Research
    Visual Design
    Usability & Analytics
    Content Strategy
    Information Architecture
    Interaction Design
    

    View Slide

28. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline
    User Research
    Visual Design
    Usability & Analytics
    Content Strategy
    Information Architecture
    Interaction Design
    

    View Slide

29. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline
    User Research
    Visual Design
    Usability & Analytics
    Content Strategy
    Information Architecture
    Interaction Design
    

    View Slide

30. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline
    User Research
    Visual Design
    Usability & Analytics
    Content Strategy
    Information Architecture
    Interaction Design
    

    View Slide

31. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline
    Interaction Design
    User Research
    Visual Design
    Usability & Analytics
    Content Strategy
    Information Architecture
    

    View Slide

32. Keep Up To Date
    

    View Slide

33. Responsive Web Design
    

    View Slide

34. Beyond what we think
    

    View Slide

35. Building A Personal Brand
    

    View Slide

36. Distinguish yourself and what you do from the competition
    

    View Slide

37. Color and Typography
    

    View Slide

38. View Slide

39. Let color surfaces your personality
    

    View Slide

40. View Slide

41. View Slide

42. Engaging with the industry
    

    View Slide

43. View Slide

44. View Slide

45. View Slide

46. View Slide

47. View Slide

48. Be consistent for better association
    

    View Slide

49. Making connections and
    expanding your reach
    

    View Slide

50. Networking is a critical component of your career
    

    View Slide

51. Photo by J. Turner Masland
    Attend events to learn, but also to meet new people!
    

    View Slide

52. Read articles, but write them too!
    

    View Slide

53. Always have a good mentor!
    

    View Slide

54. Thank you!
    

    View Slide

55. Questions?
    

    View Slide

56. Starting a Career in User Experience Design
    !
    by Nick Finck
    http://bit.ly/oEBkMn
    !
    Starting a Career in User Experience
    !
    by Marcus Haid
    http://bit.ly/1q1eChX
    !
    How to Start a Career in UX Design
    !
    by Chloe Lloyd
    http://bit.ly/1q1edMI
    !
    Beyond UX Design: Finding your Path
    !
    by Troy Parke
    http://bit.ly/1iVK902
    

    View Slide

57. Mike Monteiro Russ Unger & Carolyn Chandler
    Nick Disabato
    Cadence & Slang Design is a job A Project Guide to UX Design
    

    View Slide