architecting your ux career: interview and presentation techniques to land your dream job (amanda...
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Approaching a job search can be a daunting task for any professional, but the UX world has a unique set of challenges. Our field is still relatively new, job titles and responsibilities are fuzzy, and there are varying understandings of what we can and should provide. There is no one clear path or set of experience that sets us up for success. Deliverables are often collaborative, covered by NDAs, and it can be hard to capture the many facets of UX expertise into a small set of documents. So how do we navigate the world of resume-writing, portfolio-creation, and interviewing to find a job that will be the best fit for the skills we currently have and allow us to grow into the practitioner we want to become? Get the inside scoop from a current UX consultant and former interactive designer, both of whom are experienced with vetting UX talent.TRANSCRIPT
Architecting your UX Career
Amanda Stockwell, UX Consultant @MandaLaceyS Heather Young, UX Community Manager @Heathery321
July 24, 2014
#UXCareer
Presentation tips to land your next UX gig
About Us
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
7 years in UX User research Usability analysis Competitive research UX Consultant
12 years in interactive User-centered design Marketing communications UX community manager UX talent agent
AMANDA STOCKWELL HEATHER YOUNG
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
3500 Candidates reviewed
20% Skills are adequately represented
Job Search Challenges
Fuzzy definitions
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Job Search Challenges
Ideal experience set
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Strategy Requirements Personas Site maps
Work flows Wireframes Prototypes Visual design
Research Testing Task Analysis Analytics
Artifacts don’t always demonstrate expertise
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
How do you know which deliverables to share?
Job Search Challenges
• Fuzzy UX definitions • No ideal experience set • Artifacts don’t always
demonstrate expertise
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Job Search Challenges
User Experience Tenets
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
User Research Content Strategy
UI Design Usability Testing
Interaction Design
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
User Experience Process
Research Concept Design Evaluation Implement
Interview Ethnography Competitor Analysis Persona Task Analysis
Storyboarding Journey Maps
Sketches Wireframes Visual Design Prototyping
Testing Expert Review Performance Measurement
Know the interviewer
Research
They may not have a solid understanding of your niche
They are busy
Know your audience
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Big Idea Know your audience and position
yourself in a relatable way.
Which artifacts to share?
Content Strategy
Show your design process – not just the outcome
Demonstrate how your work impacted the business
Quantify its value (when possible)
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
PAR Content Strategy
Problem > Action > Result
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Problem Action Result
Customer calls to call center up due to a site map that’s not intuitive
Reviewed user activity through site analytics. Re configured naming conventions for navigation, realigned content
Calls to the call center reduced
Sales are down. Customers are not completing the check out process.
Recommended shorter form requiring less time. Enhanced microinteractions for a better experience.
Customer conversion rate increased and sales are up
Keep track of your work
Content Strategy
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Talent seekers care more about your process than your final product
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Big Idea
Highlight the most important pieces
UI Design
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Quality over quantity
Find a way to make it presentable
It doesn’t have to be pretty, but it needs to be memorable
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Big Idea
Feedback is critical to anyone trying to improve
Usability Testing
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Rehearse walking through your portfolio pieces
Testing your delivery is just as important as testing a new feature or product
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Big Idea
Successful UX pros demonstrate more than their
artifacts and end results
(Personal) Interaction Design
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
They establish personal connections.
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
UX super stars have the communication skills of a pro negotiator and the
patience of a kindergarten teacher
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Big Idea
Recap
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
User Research Content Strategy
UI Design Usability Testing
Interaction Design
Some examples ...
E X A M P L E: PAR (Problem Action Result)
E X A M P L E: Design process
E X A M P L E: Test Reports
E X A M P L E: Persona creation
E X A M P L E: Skills snapshot
E X A M P L E: Design process
E X A M P L E: Sketches
E X A M P L E: Competitive Analysis
E X A M P L E: Skill snapshot
E X A M P L E: Artifact explanation
E X A M P L E: Task Analysis
E X A M P L E: Concepting
Biggest Idea These techniques can open the door
to opportunities you didn’t know existed
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
@MandaLaceyS @Heathery321
#UXCareer
Questions