Slide 1
Slide 1 text
Designing Change
Leading UX Transformation through
Small Steps in Non-Tech Environments
Vivian Ko
Spectrum Fest 2024
Slide 2
Slide 2 text
Born and raised in Taiwan
Educated in the U.S.
Living in Japan
Hello, I am Vivian Ko
UX Manager in AXA Japan
Slide 3
Slide 3 text
Worked in ad agency/production house/startu"
Did media planning, logo design, graphic design, package design, web design, art direction...
My Past Life before UIUX
Slide 4
Slide 4 text
Many young UIUX designers ask
what kind of career path is good?
Slide 5
Slide 5 text
I think....not everything is directly related to UIUX
but any real Life experience and problem solving helps!
Slide 6
Slide 6 text
Why are you here?
What is one thing you plan to do after this?
【 Before we start the first talk this year, let’s think.... 】
Slide 7
Slide 7 text
Conference is fun but could be overwhelming, too ....
Take some notes
Chat with speakers, attendees, anyone!!
Think of one or two things you would like to
bring back to your organization/ your work
Take it easy and have fun!
My tips to enjoy Spectrum Tokyo Festival
Slide 8
Slide 8 text
So Let’s Get Started!
Slide 9
Slide 9 text
Two entities, one UX team since Sep. 2024.
AXA Japan
145,000
employees
93M
clients
AXA Global
51
countries
Slide 10
Slide 10 text
The UX Team in AXA Japan
7 designers with all different backgrounds, working in different products.
Slide 11
Slide 11 text
But It Was Not Like This
In the Beginning
Slide 12
Slide 12 text
How many of you guys are
the first designer in your company?
Slide 13
Slide 13 text
UX Maturity Was Absent In The Beginning
Slide 14
Slide 14 text
% I was one-designer-teaÄ
% UX is unknown and not planneÉ
% People think UIUX = visual desig
% There was no know-ho"
% No one understood UX
% Have to explain myself for everythinA
% I felt frustrated and not understooÉ
% My expectation for UIUX quality was much higher than the company
standard
The situation was....
I felt....
Slide 15
Slide 15 text
Am I making the right decision joining a company
with such a low UX maturity......
【 At the time I thought..... 】
Slide 16
Slide 16 text
How do I show what UX is and start something?
【 When UX is nonexistent, the challenge is.... 】
Slide 17
Slide 17 text
Small Step Tip
Make Yourself Visible
Slide 18
Slide 18 text
Make Myself Visible
Pushed for small user tests
0 Small is better than nothin6
0 Was able to show that we could gain insight and see blind spots
when people outside of the development team try our product
Learn the product from different aspects
0 Understand ways of thinking from biz side or dev side
0 Questioned a lot on vendor design
0 Discussed with biz users what the better solution should by
0 Got to know many people and many people knew me
Be actively involved with discussions
Slide 19
Slide 19 text
As a result....
However....
UX is limited and still confusing
H No clear role and responsibility for designerC
H There is no proper flow for UX structureC
H Design/Development process was inefficient.
I was being recognized and wanted
H People trusted me with my work and my involvement.
H I started to be seen as a voice of an expert.
Some people recognized some value for UX
H Some small decisions were made from UX point of viewC
H Some people understood UIUX is not graphic design.
Slide 20
Slide 20 text
How do I establish better UX process and resource?
【 When UX is limited, the challenge is.... 】
Slide 21
Slide 21 text
Small Step Tip
Establish clear role and
responsibilities
Slide 22
Slide 22 text
Designer’s Role and Responsibility
If it is not well-defined, we can end up doing too much or too little
W Too much: overworkeR
W Too little: no impact
It might be different depending on the organizations, teams or projects
Don’ts is as important as Dos
Slide 23
Slide 23 text
Small Step Tip
Find Your Supporter and
Vocalize the Need & the Vision
Slide 24
Slide 24 text
You are the only one know what is lacking and
you need to communicate that!
【 If you are the only UX expert in your organization..... 】
Slide 25
Slide 25 text
Usually during My 1-1 with My Manager
And I give my presentation to him on those matters.
Slide 26
Slide 26 text
I was making many many presentations
Slide 27
Slide 27 text
I was making many many presentations
Slide 28
Slide 28 text
I was making many many presentations
Slide 29
Slide 29 text
( It is a attention grabbing#
( Can always update later#
( I was not in the position of attending
many decision making meetings and I
needed someone to help me express
what I want to say#
( It is something easy for my manager to
pass on and present in other occasions.
Why presentation slides?
Slide 30
Slide 30 text
Don’t get discouraged!!!
【 When you are in this stage of trying to push things forward...... 】
Slide 31
Slide 31 text
Opportunities came!!!
Many incidents happened
E There was a demand for better understanding
our user behavior
E There was a demand for better quality (better
coding, better design...etc)
Web funnel conversion rate was decreasing
E The amount of UIUX work is not a one person
job.
Development accelerated
Slide 32
Slide 32 text
As a result....
However....
People understand more about UIUX and trust me with it
D I have been working with this team for a few years already, so easier
to push for UX initiatives and proposals
UX is inconsistent and insuffient
D The development flow was still low quality and inefficient
D UX was nice to have
D Little budget and time were given to UX work
Got budget for designer headcounts
D Finally I am not the only designer!!
Slide 33
Slide 33 text
How do I create organizational UX governance?
【 When UX is insufficient, the challenge is.... 】
Slide 34
Slide 34 text
Build A Strong UX Team
Through Small Steps
Slide 35
Slide 35 text
Small Steps: Internal Workshops
A series of team workshops to help us to
discover ourselves, understand each others
and decide goals and be motivated.
i Assessing Self Strengths and Weaknese
i Creating Team Mission StatemenS
i Setting Team Vision and Valuee
i Deciding Next Year’s Goals
Slide 36
Slide 36 text
What We Have Decided for Our Values
Slide 37
Slide 37 text
Small Steps: Team Governance
Weekly team meeting
Q PraisA
Q Task updatA
Q Announcement, discussion, or review
Regular and adhoc retro
Q Know what we did well, didn’t do wel
Q Brainstorm how to improve
Project/Initiative Ownership
Q Each project has a design lead, designer and a
supporte
Q So we are clear with our roles and can take
days off without jeopardize project schedule
Slide 38
Slide 38 text
Establish UX Culture
Through Small Steps
Slide 39
Slide 39 text
Where can we bring the most value
to our company as UX team?
【 We ask ourselves... 】
Slide 40
Slide 40 text
Small Steps: Workshops for Non-designers
Bi-monthly workshops for biz and dev team
u Purpose: To gain more UX knowledge and to work with UX team more effectivelyG
u Tailored and Japanese workshop for biz teaX
u Tailored and English workshop for dev teaX
u Share anything UI/UX related (UI consistency, how to use Figma, UX research, accessibility...etc.)
Slide 41
Slide 41 text
Small Steps: Proper Flow
Establish better design flow
4 Communicate closely with the development teaW
4 Documentation for transparencG
4 Constant sharing during regular meetings
Slide 42
Slide 42 text
Small Steps: Have Fun
Organize product team social events
E Designer is the bridge between dev and biT
E Better relationship = better collaborations8
E Many of our dev are not base in Japan so having online social events help them to feel as part of the
team.
Slide 43
Slide 43 text
Building Customer-Centric Product
Through Small Steps
Slide 44
Slide 44 text
Where can we bring the most value
to our customers as UX team?
【 We ask ourselves... 】
Slide 45
Slide 45 text
Small Step Ti"
Seize Every OpportunitÉ
Ä Celebrate the Small Win
Slide 46
Slide 46 text
User Research
【 Case 1 】
Slide 47
Slide 47 text
Seize Every Opportunity
Push for Small User Research
V We were able to convince a small project to do a user test during inception phase (before the
developmentA
V We did the best we could with limited time and no budgeH
V We tested the planned flow and proposed flow from designer@
V As a result, we were able to show the positive feedback on proposed flow and convinced the product
leader to change the requirement
Slide 48
Slide 48 text
User Research - Celebrate Small Win
Present the process and result often
6 Introduced other user research method@
6 People would have better understanding on
when and how to do it
6 Showed other projects/teams that we can have
a more customer-centric approach with our
product
Conduct workshops on user research
6 Applied to different awards in the compant
6 Published internal newsletter articles
PR to the whole company
Slide 49
Slide 49 text
Design System
【 Case 2】
Slide 50
Slide 50 text
Many don’t Know what a design system is
and don’t see the benefit
【 The biggest challenge is.....】
Slide 51
Slide 51 text
Design System - Seize Every Opportunity
Started small
5 Dev lead and I had a conversation on how to start DS3
5 We decided to build the MVP along with other project3
5 The point was to start componentizing elements3
5 We only built what the application needs3
5 We were not aiming for the best DS but we just wanted to get it started.
Slide 52
Slide 52 text
Design System - Seize
Every Opportunity
Identified key supporters
G We were able to get support from Dev Lead and Biz Product
Leader9
G Onboard with the goal and vision 9
G Get dev/biz to agree with adapting DS process into project 9
G Help us to negotiate resource on building DSc
G Help promo the workshops and sharing sessions.
Slide 53
Slide 53 text
Design System - Celebrate Small Win
Show the impact on reducing cost for UI design
Slide 54
Slide 54 text
Design System - Celebrate Small Win
Show the impact on simplifying the UI design process
Slide 55
Slide 55 text
Design System - Celebrate Small Win
Show the impact on raising product quality
Slide 56
Slide 56 text
What’s now?
Slide 57
Slide 57 text
Still not 4 yet.
Sometimes it feels we
are stuck at 3
UX Maturity is Slowing Growing.....Maybe?
Slide 58
Slide 58 text
As a member of UX team....
As the manager of UX team
T
How to prioritize product and responsibility5
T How to help members to grow and build the career
path5
T How to implement UX strategies that align with the
company's goals and vision
T How to combine the DS and have better consistency
across products5
T How can I better contribute my skills for my product5
T How to continue to raise the UX maturity of the
organization.
Continuous challenges
Slide 59
Slide 59 text
But will continue to challenge
through small steps!
【 Still many challenges.....】
Slide 60
Slide 60 text
Leading change could be scary.....
But just one small step at a time.....
5 Build a strong UX tea)
5 Establish UX Cultur0
5 Build customer-centric product
Three Focuses
5 Make yourself visibl0
5 Establish clear role and responsibilitie
5 Find your supporters and vocalize your need & visio
5 Seize every opportunit
5 Celebrate the small win
Small step tips
Slide 61
Slide 61 text
Thank You!
Slide 62
Slide 62 text
We are hiring!!!
Senior Product Designer for Tokyo office