James Marohn

As a design leader, you work for your team—not the other way around. Learn how to keep your #UXteam happy, creative, and always on schedule. https://lnkd.in/eksZbUXM #DesignLeadership #TeamManagement #UXDesign #Productivity

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in depth guide to conduct good UX Research.

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If we're not talking about design maturity, agile process, or craft, then us designers are probably talking about ✨quality.✨ I certainly see my interviewer's eyes light up when I mention this magical word. "Design is the one that has to hold the quality bar," I tell them. But what if that didn't have to be true? For a truly high-quality product, I don't think it should be design holding the line. It has to be something baked into the organization - everyone holds the quality bar. Even though "quality" is a slippery thing to define, if we can define it and hold ourselves to it, we can reduce the tension in the org and start to think less about the mere baseline quality for the product and more about raising that bar - delighting the user. I very much enjoyed Luke Anthony Firth's take on how they folded quality into their product building process. Have a read! https://lnkd.in/g4SenmYZ #designleadership #productprocess #productdesign #productquality #designquality #opentowork

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The same holds true for these UX thought leaders with their conference presentations and books on how to 'conduct proper research' and 'run a successful project or develop a killer feature from start to finish'. Most of them haven't spent a single minute in a real corporate environment in decades, not to mention attending any stakeholder meetings. There are few things more harmful to young designers than listening to them and taking what they hear for granted. Often, their first thought after hearing these presentations—which usually are success stories about how they perfectly completed a project—is, 'Well, the problem might be with me. I work in a corporate environment, and this looks nothing like what's happening within my company whenever I try to conduct perfect research or manage a project.' None of these people discuss the trade-offs and tough decisions, the balancing acts that pave the road to a successful outcome.

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🚀 Are Companies Cheating UX Maturity with Design Systems? In a recent blog post (https://lnkd.in/etYdAjDW), I shared how some companies attempt to fast-track their design maturity by adopting a design system before determining the best designs to use in the system. The result is a false sense of UX sophistication followed by surprise, and the system doesn't meet expectations. In a recent conversation, a startup was eager to purchase an out-of-the-box design system but still needed to define their product market fit, audience, or user flows. It's like handing over the keys to a Lamborghini to a first-time driver—exciting but potentially disastrous. Imagine trying to build a spaceship without a blueprint—you might end up with a shiny but ultimately useless rocket ship. A well-defined UX process ensures you have the right tools for your specific product needs suited to your brand. How is your organization focusing on the tools or cultivating a culture? If you need guidance on integrating a design system or getting your organization ready for one, feel free to reach out to @Akendi. We're here to help you navigate the journey to design maturity effectively. 🌟 #DesignSystems #UXMaturity #ProductDesign #DesignCulture #Startup #Akendi #UXDesign

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Design critiques aren’t just about improving designs—they’re an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and build a culture of trust. Create a space where feedback is constructive, focused, and open, and you’ll see your team’s creativity and confidence soar. Great design thrives in an environment of open, respectful critique. Foster a culture where feedback is a gift, not a judgment, and watch your team grow stronger, more aligned, and more innovative. #UXDesign #UXLeadership #DesignCritique #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #DesignLeadership #UXStrategy #UserExperience #Collaboration #DesignProcess #TechLeadership #TeamCulture #CreativeTeams #DesignImpact #LeadershipInTech

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Day ❷ of 30 Days of UX 🗓️ ☞ Empathy Mapping: Unlocking User Insights ☜ As a UX leader, empathy mapping is a transformative tool in our design process. It's not just a technique; it's a fundamental approach to understanding our users on a deeper level. Empathy mapping is a collaborative visualization method that helps teams articulate what we know about our users. It aligns perfectly with the 'empathize' stage of design thinking, encouraging us to step into our users' shoes and see the world from their perspective. The power of empathy mapping lies in its holistic approach. By focusing on four key quadrants - what users say, think, do, and feel - we create a comprehensive picture of the user's experience. This multifaceted view helps us identify discrepancies between what users say and what they do, revealing deeper motivations and pain points. One of the most significant benefits is its ability to align teams around a shared understanding of the user. When stakeholders from different departments participate in empathy mapping sessions, it fosters collective empathy, breaking down silos and leading to more cohesive, user-focused strategies. Moreover, empathy mapping serves as a powerful tool for identifying gaps in our current knowledge about users, guiding further research efforts, and ensuring a comprehensive understanding. When implementing empathy mapping, consider these best practices: ⃗👉🏼 Base your maps on data, not just assumptions. 👉🏼 Involve cross-functional teams for diverse perspectives. 👉🏼 Use empathy maps to inform and enrich user personas. 👉🏼 Regularly revisit and revise your maps as new data comes in. In conclusion, empathy mapping is more than just a UX tool - it's a mindset that puts the user at the center of our design process. By visualizing and sharing our understanding of users, we can create products that meet functional needs and resonate on an emotional level, setting truly exceptional products apart in today's competitive digital landscape. Sources: 🌐 Nielsen Norman Group. (2018). Empathy Mapping: The First Step in Design Thinking. https://lnkd.in/gED9ufgc 🌐 Gibbons, S. (2018). Empathy Mapping: A Guide to Getting Inside a User's Head. UX Booth. https://lnkd.in/gMUP9-UH 🌐 Dam, R. & Siang, T. (2021). Empathy Map – Why and How to Use It. Interaction Design Foundation. https://lnkd.in/gSPNQrVh The value of empathy maps depends on your team's needs, time constraints, and upcoming projects. Some researchers create individual maps for each persona, while others compile insights into spreadsheets. Regardless of your approach, the ultimate goal is to better understand and empathize with your users, enabling you to create more delightful experiences. #empathymapping #ux

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Tabs are everywhere, but do you use them properly? Distinguish between types of tabs, design them for visual clarity, and structure their content for usability. #UX #productDesign #usability https://buff.ly/3YyMXuf

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This topic is one I've been chewing on for several years - difference between UX and Product design. This is just one perspective (mine) and I hope to hear from you all what you think it is. Spoiler alert! There's no right answer. #ux #product #uxdesign #productdesign #uidesign #uxui https://lnkd.in/eUhcsahc

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033: Best UX Research Leadership Practices - Interview with Lauren Evans Not all companies have full UX research departments, but all companies can follow best practices, regardless of the level of maturity. In this episode, Jason Moore and Ephie Risho interview UX leader Lauren Evans, who has a strong UXR background. They dig into the topic of what makes good research for enterprise companies. Join us as we share stories and tangible advice to make the research the best possible. Thank you for subscribing to this podcast and for your ongoing support. Ask us anything: questions@uxperts.info Media inquiries: media@uxperts.info #UXResearch #UXLeadership #UserExperience #ResearchBestPractices #EnterpriseUX #UXDesign #UserResearch #UXPodcast #LeadershipAdvice #ProductDevelopment #UXInsights #ResearchTips #DesignThinking #UXCommunity #Collaboration #PodcastInterview #UserCenteredDesign #Innovation #TangibleAdvice https://lnkd.in/eTabDijF

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Stumbled upon this article and it really got me thinking about the role design plays in shaping user experiences. As a designer, I’m always looking for new insights on how we can create more intuitive, user-first interfaces. This article shares some thought-provoking ideas on design innovation and its impact on business. It’s a great read for anyone in the design or tech space. Highly recommend checking it out! https://lnkd.in/e9fcqAYt

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Here are three UX principles that I've used successfully in the past, particularly with teams that may not understand where UX fits into the process.

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Here's a bonus UX book recommendation for the week. Thought I'd share an under-the-radar book just before the start of the KaizenUX Rendezvous for today. For those who think UX is just about doing the work, think again. Check out "Navigating the Politics of UX: Strategies and Stories from 40 Years in the Trenches" by John Scott Bowie. Enjoy! #uxbooks #bookrecommendation #ux https://lnkd.in/eA48X7rs

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✨ It's not about the artifact, it's about the insight. ✨ Heidi Trost shares her experience with personas that made an impact. 📝 Instead of complex deliverables, she focused on capturing core insights in a few simple phrases in an infographic. These insights tied behaviors to business goals – and that’s what resonated. 📊 It wasn’t about how it looked, but how well it communicated across the team. 🌟 #UXResearch #BusinessGoals #EffectiveCommunication

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Great read on the difference between being data-informed vs. data-driven! 📊💡Ant Murphy reminds us that while data is essential, human intuition and context are key to driving meaningful decisions. A valuable reminder for UX and beyond!

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Most designers are trained to present work to our peers, but as your career matures, your audience expands to include many other departments who don’t speak “design”. This article resonated with me and offers some sage advice about the use of storytelling and a “business lens” to craft more compelling presentations. #ProductDesign #Storytelling #UserResearch #BusinessObjectives

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UX Deliverables: Glossary Use this glossary to quickly clarify key terms and concepts related to UX deliverables. #UX #productDesign https://buff.ly/4coqpQ7

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