Photo by julochka on Flickr
unicorn
characteristics
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UNICORN CHARACTERISTICS
DESIGN `
CODING
2
1
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`
UNICORN CHARACTERISTICS
DESIGN CODING
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`
usability testing HTML
wireframes
CSS
mocks
JS
branding
copy
back-end coding
unit testing
UNICORN CHARACTERISTICS
DESIGN CODING
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Photo by julochka on Flickr
unicorn
truths
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1
YOU HAD THE TIME/OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN DESIGN AND CODE
UNICORN TRUTHS
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1
YOU HAD THE TIME/OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN DESIGN AND CODE
(some people choose to learn and
some people fall into it)
UNICORN TRUTHS
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2 THERE WERE SOME TRADEOFFS
UNICORN TRUTHS
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2 THERE WERE SOME TRADEOFFS
UNICORN TRUTHS
(you have a finite amount of attention
and time)
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3
CONTEXT SWITCHING IS THE NORM
FOR YOUR JOB
UNICORN TRUTHS
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3
CONTEXT SWITCHING IS THE NORM
FOR YOUR JOB
(your day-to-day varies. A LOT.)
UNICORN TRUTHS
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4
DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES GETS
MURKY AT WORK
UNICORN TRUTHS
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4
DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES GETS
MURKY AT WORK
(limits & boundaries? you’ll need ‘em)
UNICORN TRUTHS
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5
YOU DON’T AUTOMATICALLY GET
MORE LEVERAGE WITH WORK
UNICORN TRUTHS
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5
YOU DON’T AUTOMATICALLY GET
MORE LEVERAGE WITH WORK
UNICORN TRUTHS
(mileage will vary)
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Photo by julochka on Flickr
unicorn
hiring
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UNICORN HIRING
DO YOU NEED A DESIGNER WHO
CODES?
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day-to-day?
DO YOU NEED A DESIGNER WHO
CODES?
what’s the business?
UNICORN HIRING
what’s the
product?
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DESIGN `
CODING
level of expertise?
UNICORN CHARACTERISTICS
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“I JUST CAN’T FIND ANYBODY GOOD”
– HIRING PERSON
UNICORN HIRING
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“I JUST CAN’T FIND ANYBODY GOOD”
– HIRING PERSON
Good employees are not a fundamental right.
UNICORN HIRING
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“I JUST CAN’T FIND ANYBODY GOOD”
– HIRING PERSON
What are you offering, as a company?
UNICORN HIRING
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YOU DON’T HAVE TO HIRE TO GET A
UNICORN.
UNICORN HIRING
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YOU DON’T HAVE TO HIRE TO GET A
UNICORN.
UNICORN HIRING
CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
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YOU DON’T HAVE TO HIRE TO GET A
UNICORN.
UNICORN HIRING
• create opportunities
CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
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YOU DON’T HAVE TO HIRE TO GET A
UNICORN.
UNICORN HIRING
• create opportunities
CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
• $$ for learning
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UNICORN HIRING
- books
- tutorials
- bootcamps
- mentors
- workshops
- conferences
• create opportunities
CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
• $$ for learning
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DESIGNERS WHO CODE AREN’T BORN.
THEY’RE CREATED OVER TIME.
UNICORN HIRING
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Photo by julochka on Flickr
unicorn
glorification
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
WHY ARE WE FOCUSED ON ONLY ONE
TYPE OF DESIGNER?
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
DESIGNER WHO CODES = “UNICORN”
DESIGNER WHO DOESN’T CODE = ???
designers who code are better than
designers that don’t
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
designers who code are better than
designers that don’t
Knowing how to code = better designer
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
designers who code are better than
designers that don’t
Knowing how to code = better designer
Focusing on design = better designer
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
designers who code are better than
designers that don’t
Knowing how to code = better understanding of
web constraints
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
designers who code are better than
designers that don’t
Knowing how to code = better understanding of
web constraints
Experience = better understanding of web
constraints
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
BEING A DIFFERENT KIND OF DESIGNER
IS JUST THAT: DIFFERENT
(not better, not worse)
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
WHY ARE WE FOCUSED ON ONE
PARTICULAR CAREER PATH?
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
1 LEARN TO DESIGN
2 LEARN TO CODE
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
this is THE way to work one way to work
VS
1 LEARN TO DESIGN
2 LEARN TO CODE
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
learn multiple
areas of work
hone skills in one
area of work
OR
SHOULD YOU…
?
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UNICORN GLORIFICATION
learn multiple
areas of work
hone skills in one
area of work
OR
SHOULD YOU…
?
WHATEVER WORKS
FOR YOU!
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LEAVE UNICORNS TO FAIRYTALES.
LET’S CELEBRATE DESIGNERS FOR THEIR
WORK, WHETHER OR NOT THEY CODE.
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Photo by julochka on Flickr
THANK YOU!
@elea elea@in-essence.org