managing ux design(ers)
DESCRIPTION
As presented at Big (D)esign 2012 in Dallas. Focuses on the elements of UX management that make it different from - and much more entertaining than - managing other kinds of activities.TRANSCRIPT
Managing UX Design(ers)
Jim Carlsen-LandyDirector of User ExperienceSabre Airline Solutions
Who am I?And why might you care what I think?
@JimCL42#BigD12
Who am I?And why might you care what I think?
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.
- Frank Zappa
Things unique to UX management (mostly)
Useful (hopefully) guidance for new or soon-to-be UX managers
Things to consider for experienced managers
Some general advice that can’t be left out
Management 101Specific design practicesHow to set UX apart from other practices
Is Is
slotted against Russ Unger & Jim Henson
Roadmap
Why do we become managers?UX is differentNew manager realitiesYour obligations to your teamTeam design skillsBuilding your teamAdvocacyKnow your audiences
Who are you?
Wondering about management
Seriously considering management
New to management
Other kind of manager taking over a UX team
UX manager with some experience
Very experienced UX manager
Executive curious about why your UX manager is so weird
What possesses otherwise nice, talented people to become managers?
I can immediately fix everything my
predecessor could not.
What possesses otherwise nice, talented people to become managers?
I have all the answers the team needs.
What possesses otherwise nice, talented people to become managers?
I will have all the data I need to make
impactful decisions.
What possesses otherwise nice, talented people to become managers?
I get joy from ‘I helped enable that’ instead of
‘I did that’.
“You’re not managing projects or products, you’re managing people.”
If you don’t really, really enjoy the people part, get out now before someone
gets hurt.
UX is different:Management is management
Treat others as they want to be treated, not as you want to
be treated.
UX is different:UX design management is different
1. UX designers are different.2. UX design is different.
UX is different:UX designers are different (just like everybody else)
Fish gotta swim.Designers gotta design.
UX is different:UX designers are different (just like everybody else)
Zoom out.Zoom in.Repeat.
UX is different:UX designers are different (just like everybody else)
They’re probably cheating on you.
UX is different:UX design is different
If your neighbor’s head exploded, please help them clean it up so we
don’t lose our security deposit.
Design is just a matter of opinion, and everybody is a
designer. I blame HGTV.
UX is different:UX design is different
Design usually does not report into designers.
New manager on the block:The team reacts
Sometimes people leaving is personal, but you can’t
take it personally.
New manager on the block:You lose sleep
I don’t design any more but I’m still accountable.
Your obligations to your team:Lead by example
Collaborate.Mentor.
Over-communicate.
Your obligations to your team:Build a sandbox
Provide constraints and boundaries.
Total freedom is not productive.
Your obligations to your team:Tools to defend against random opinion
Designers have to be able to articulate the rationale
behind the design.
Your obligations to your team:Tools to defend against random opinion
Strong relationships are the best medicine.
Your obligations to your team:Tools to defend against random opinion
What else works?
Team design skills:No soloists
Inspire collaboration and mentoring.
If necessary, mandate them until they become habits.
Team design skills:Ideation
Teach and employ structured brainstorming and innovation games.
Team design skills:Critique
Make design reviews and critiques multi-
purpose.
Team design skills:Failure
Always retrospect. Failing without learning is just
failing.
Team design skills:External locus of identity
Design is not a product. It’s one step in the
chain of value delivery.
Team design skills: Manager-as-designer
Manager hat on.Manager hat off.
Building your team:Hiring
Homogeneity constrains the value you can provide
to your organization.
Building your team:Training
People learn differently. Ask and observe.
Building your team:Career paths
Encourage, show possibilities, identify self-
limiting behaviors.
Building your team:Career paths
Product Marketing is a good path for many, and gives you allies in that world.
Development works for some (I have an opinion or two about that).
What have you seen work?
Building your team:The tearful farewell
And one day, they leave.
The advocate’s job is never done:Survival
You are the advocate for the advocates.
The advocate’s job is never done:Awareness
“Getting UX” is personal. When leaders change, you
start over with the new ones.
The advocate’s job is never done:Communication
Advertise the team’s successes.
The advocate’s job is never done:Eternity
Never believe you are done getting the message across.
You’re not.
Know your audiences
Executives
Product Management / Marketing
Users & Buyers
Developers
Project Managers
Human Resources
Know your audiences:Executives
Avoid tactical ratholes.
Know your audiences:Product Management
Make the Product Owner part of your team.
Or vice versa.
Know your audiences:Users and Buyers
Have observation-based facts about users when
talking to buyers.
Know your audiences:Developers
Defending every detail with equal vigor
undermines credibility.
Know your audiences:Project Managers
Timeless beauty comes naturally. Timelines are torture.
Know your audiences:Human Resources
Educate HR on the skills, needs, and career growth options for UX designers
Parting Thoughts
Do not tolerate assholes.
Do not allow conflicts to fester.
Retrospect, introspect, and always consider that you might
be wrong.
Credit Where Credit is Due
Interviewees: Michelle Arrieta, Anita Cator, Adam Polansky
Adam Connor, “The Art of Critique”, UIE Seminar April 2012
Kim Goodwin, “On UX Leadership”, UX Magazine, Jan 2011
Kaaren Hanson, “The Power of Internal Brand”, Mx (Managing Experience) Conference 2010
Employees, peers, and bosses, past and present, good and bad.
Go Forth and Be Great
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimcl
@JimCL42