Condolences on your UX Career: #UXPA2015 Closing Keynote

C O N D O L E N C E S O N Y O U R U X C A R E E R

Q U E S T I O N A B L E C H O I C E S

– M I L I S S A

“UXers are masochists.”

W AY B A C K

B E G I N N I N G O F T I M E1 9 9 5

I W O R K E D H E R E

H E R EO R R A T H E R

1 5 Y E A R S O F R E - O R G S

“ W H AT T H E # & $ ^ ! I S U I ? ”

– M Y N E W M A N A G E R / E X E C U T I V E

“ W H AT I S U I ? ” I N T H E D R A W E R

A N E M P T Y C A R D B O A R D B O X U N D E R T H E D E S K&

W E E X P L A I N O U R R O L E T O T H E W O R L D

# T R U T H

D AV E G R AY, 2 0 1 4

W E H AV E C O M P L A I N T S

– E V E R Y U X D E S I G N E R E V E R

“Developers don't follow instructions.”

– E V E R Y U X D E S I G N E R E V E R

“Product is prescribing design solutions instead of stating requirements.”

– E V E R Y U X R E S E A R C H E R E V E R

“ The testing is too late to have an impact on the shipped product.”

– E V E R Y U X R E S E A R C H E R E V E R

“ The team is dictating methodology or script instead of stating goals for testing.”

U G H . U X I S H A R D .

W W W. N N G R O U P. C O M / R E P O R T S / U S E R - E X P E R I E N C E -C A R E E R S

“People who said they were unsatisfied usually mentioned reasons related to their current

company or role, not about the work itself. In fact

many were unhappy because they didn’t get to do enough UX or they weren’t able to be

as effective as they would like to be.”

– M I L I S S A , R I G H T N O W.

“See? I told you. UXers are masochists.”

– S U R V E Y R E S P O N D E N T

W W W. N N G R O U P. C O M / R E P O R T S / U S E R - E X P E R I E N C E -C A R E E R S

“Everything I needed to know in UX design I learned by playing Dungeons and Dragons.”

S O LV I N G T H E P R O B L E M S O F U X T H R O U G H O R G

W E ’ R E T R Y I N G

D E S I G N , P R O D U C T & E N G I N E E R I N G A R E P E E R S

B U S I N E S S I S C H A N G I N GM E A N W H I L E …

D E S I G N I S T H E D A R L I N G O F B U S I N E S S

U X I S T H E D A R L I N G O F D E S I G N

U X C A N N O T E X I S T W I T H O U T R E S E A R C H

P R O B L E M S AT T H E T O P

– M A R I A G I U D I C E + C H R I S T O P H E R I R E L A N D

R I S E O F T H E D E O

“… design leaders usually possess characteristics, behaviors, and mindsets that enable them to excel in unpredictable, fast-moving, and value-charged

conditions.”

L E A H B U L E Y

A N D T H E N , T H I S H A P P E N E D :

W E C A N B E H A P P Y N O W, R I G H T ?

No.

– R U S S W I L S O N . L I K E , Y E S T E R D AY

“Empathy. Tenacity …and some other stuff.”

T O C R E AT E S O L U T I O N S W E M U S T F O C U S O N P R O B L E M S

P R O B L E M S A R E E V E R Y W H E R E

C A R E E R A D VA N C E M E N T = F O C U S O N B I G G E R P R O B L E M S

W E H AV E N O C H O I C E , B U T W E H AV E A C H A N C E

Y O U R G I F T / C U R S E C A N F I X M O R E T H A N Y O U T H I N K

# F O C U S

D AV E G R AY, 2 0 1 4

– S U R V E Y R E S P O N D E N T

W W W. N N G R O U P. C O M / R E P O R T S / U S E R - E X P E R I E N C E -C A R E E R S

“I get to make people’s lives better by using

less frustrating products, it’s an intellectual challenge, and it’s a niche that continues to have

more demand than supply"

– S U R V E Y R E S P O N D E N T

W W W. N N G R O U P. C O M / R E P O R T S / U S E R - E X P E R I E N C E -C A R E E R S

“I feel that my work means something.“

– S U R V E Y R E S P O N D E N T

W W W. N N G R O U P. C O M / R E P O R T S / U S E R - E X P E R I E N C E -C A R E E R S

“I know my work helps people.“

– S U R V E Y R E S P O N D E N T

W W W. N N G R O U P. C O M / R E P O R T S / U S E R - E X P E R I E N C E -C A R E E R S

“Best thing I ever did.”

M I L I S S A TA R Q U I N I @ M I L I S S A

Thank you