Going From Here to There
Transitioning Into UX!David Panarelli!NoVA UX!May, 21 2014
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17 Ways to Totally Transition Into UX. #8 Is So Crazy OMG I Can’t Even
Let’s talk about you.
I'm a visual designer, how do I move into UX/interface design?
I work for the government, how do I get a UX job in the private sector?
I'm a developer and build interfaces, I'd like to learn how to design them too.
I'm a student and don't have much of a portfolio yet, how do I get my first UX job if they want to see my portfolio to get hired?
How do I move into something more strategic? That’s UX, right?
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Let’s talk about there.
Here’s what UXers do:
1. Learn about a problem, and how it affects people."2. Design the best solution.
User Experience Design
User Experience DesignHow people feel when using a product.
A rendering of an intended experience.
User Experience Design
It’s called empathy. And it’s important.
Make sure that the people making things build something people really need and enjoy.
User Experience Design
Process
Process
User Experience DesignThe UX field includes multiple disciplines
User ResearchContent StrategyInformation Architecture Interaction DesignVisual DesignUsability Evaluation
ht/ Nick Fink, @nickf http://www.slideshare.net/nickf/the-ux-disciplines
Think about which UX discipline interests you…
User ResearchContent StrategyInformation Architecture
Interaction DesignVisual DesignUsability Evaluation
Who does UX?
Who does UX? Lots of people.
User Researcher Identifies user behaviors, goals and needs through interviews, studies and surveys
Content StrategistAudits, reviews, creates, and governs the production of content in a system
Information Architect (IA)Defines the structure of a system, how content is described, organized and discovered
Interaction Designer (IxD/UX Designer)Defines interactions, user flows, wireframes, and affordances of a system
UI Developer Builds the system by interpreting the functional specification, sitemaps, wireframes while working within technical constraints
Visual DesignDesigns and maintains appropriate visual styles in service of the overall experience of a product or service
Who does UX?
The work differs from place to place.
Small Product
Small Agency Big Agency
Big ProductFederal
more agile more waterfall
more generalized more specialized
less bureaucracy more bureaucracy
Think about these factors and how they affect the way you work…
There is more than one there.And that’s OK.
A career change is a direction, not a destination.
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There are options.
School: grad/undergrad"Night School"School of Hard Knocks
School: grad/undergrad
Jen Briselli@jbriselli
Jen Briselli@jbriselli“I'm using all the same brain muscles I used as a physics major and a high school teacher, believe it or not. UX is more of a mindset than a methodology or field, I think."
Timeline: 2 years
Grad School
Curriculum they tell you what to know Community students and teachers Network hiring companies, access Work projects and practice Focus it’s your job, and it’s intense
Night School
Kenji Bohlin@kenjisan
Kenji Bohlin@kenjisan
“You don't know what you don't know… I went into it thinking UX was one thing… and realized it was all encompassing. That's an important lesson that I didn't know I needed.”
Timeline: 1 year
Night School
Curriculum they tell you what to know Some Community students and teachers Network hiring companies, access Work projects and practice Balance life-work-school
School of Hard Knocks*
*not that hard
THIS GUY
Restless curious, focused on people, problem solving"Followed an interest social web"Shared what I knew speaking"Took on extra work the extra mile"Met other designers at a conference events"Found a mentor brent!"Learned the deliverables wireframes, personas"Read everything I could books, books, books"More Sharing blogging"Took on a job challenge an opportunity"Feelings of doubt i didn’t know what i was doing"Non-stop learning onward and upward
Timeline: 2 years
Hard Knocks
No Curriculum figure it out Make a Community colleagues, co-workers Network find people and follow up Work taking on new skills, it’s complicated Balance life-work-work-work
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Common Threads
Don’t start from scratch
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take the work you’ve done so far break it down into basic skills find where those skills fit in
User Researcher Identifies user behaviors, goals and needs through interviews, studies and surveys
Content StrategistAudits, reviews, creates, and governs the production of content in a system
Information Architect (IA)Defines the structure of a system, how content is described, organized and discovered
Interaction Designer (IxD/UX Designer)Defines interactions, user flows, wireframes, and affordances of a system
UI Developer Builds the system by interpreting the functional specification, sitemaps, wireframes while working within technical constraints
Visual DesignDesigns and maintains appropriate visual styles in service of the overall experience of a product or service
Who does UX?
User Researcher research, analysis, written communication, spoken communication
Content Strategistanalysis, written communication, excel. see the big picture
Information Architect (IA)systemic thinking, visualization, written communication, puzzle-oriented, see the big picture
Interaction Designer (IxD/UX Designer)familiar with technology, puzzle-oriented, visualization skills, see the big picture
UI Developer knows the codes, love the code, stay current, see the big picture
Visual Designloves design systems, attention to detail, visualization, typography, color theory
Who does UX?
Hunger
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Hunger for challenges
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Hunger for helping people
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Reading
Reading
Community: Events
Community: Mentorfind someone you look up to Ixd, IAI mentorship programs
Community: Teamreach out to your co-workers reach out to your friends
Sharingblog it, baby online portfolio speaking telling the story is as important as the work
make your intentions clear reach out to the right people add to existing projects implement new practices
Work your work projects
Work your own projects
How to do your own projectthink of a person learn about their problem diagram the problem identify pain points sketch out ideas to solve the problem prototype a solution show it to that person refine it, based on their suggestions iterate show it to everyone
The Common Threads
Don’t start from scratch understand your skills"Hunger helping people…problem solving Reading practical guides…theory behind the work"Community events…teams…mentor Sharing portfolio…blog…speaking Work self-assigned projects…more work at work
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Be careful, but never be afraid.
Ask me a question!
and now…
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