Is the grass greener in ireland? A comparison of UX in Dublin and Melbourne

Is the grass greener in Ireland?A comparison of UX in Dublin and Melbourne

Ireland

Ireland

This bit

Ireland

This bit

Not this bit

- Part 1 -The challenges

Challenge #1

We’ve lost the battle on terminology

UX Designer =

UX Designer =

UI Designer =

UI Designer =

By Adobe Systems (Adobe Photoshop CC Program on my computer) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

CustomerExperience =

CustomerExperience =

Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

Service Design =

Service Design = ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

ExperienceDesign =

ExperienceDesign =

Challenge #2

The UX/UI/research/ frontend team of one

Wireframing

Wireframing

Visual design

Wireframing

Visual design

Coding

Wireframing

Visual design

Coding

Research

Wireframing

Visual design

Coding

Research

InfluenceC-suite

By Gray_circles.svg: Nevit Dilmen (talk) derivative work: Nevit Dilmen (Gray_circles.svg) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Please wait...still searching for your mystical being

Challenge #3

All experience is not good experience

By SimpleIcon http://www.simpleicon.com/ (http://www.flaticon.com/packs/simpleicon-places) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Challenge #4

Everything about recruitment

Job titles are meaningless

Job titles are meaningless

CVs are meaningless

CVs are meaningless

NameJob titleDateDid x, y, z

CVs are meaningless

Portfolios are meaningless

Portfolios are meaningless

≠Portfolio Practitioner

Prepare to spend time...

● Years experience● CV● Job titles/promotions● Portfolios

Prepare to spend time...

● Years experience● CV● Job titles/promotions● Portfolios

Challenge #5

Want to specialise? Get your passport...

1

Pick any 2 for zero job options:

● Specific role


● Specific role● Specific part of the process


● Specific role● Specific part of the process● Team type and size


● Specific role● Specific part of the process● Team type and size● Career advancement


● Specific role● Specific part of the process● Team type and size● Career advancement● Existing research function


● Specific role● Specific part of the process● Team type and size● Career advancement● Existing research function● Specific industry

TIT + =

Putting more ‘I’ in your ‘T’

● Scale

Putting more ‘I’ in your ‘T’

● Scale● UX maturity

Part #1 summary

The hamster wheel of dissatisfaction...

So...

● People don’t understand what we do● Companies want unicorns● All experience is not good experience● Recruitment is a lottery● Specilisation and progression hard

Designer who wants to have

an impact


an impact

Big obstacles


an impact

Big obstacles

Resolution out of your control


an impact

Big obstacles

No resolution in sight

Resolution out of your control


an impact

The (reallly) big challenge:


Knowing when (& how) to stick it out


Getting designers to stick it out

Knowing when (& how) to stick it out

- End of Part 1 -

- Part 2 -Where to?

1. For agencies

http://www.creativebloq.com/netmag/profits-down-large-uk-web-design-firms-5135611

http://www.creativebloq.com/netmag/profits-down-large-uk-web-design-firms-5135611

Supporting in-house teams


● Senior in-residence (or team)


● Senior in-residence (or team)● Skills/UX maturity assessments


● Senior in-residence (or team)● Skills/UX maturity assessments● Setting up practices


● Senior in-residence (or team)● Skills/UX maturity assessments● Setting up practices● UX toolkits

Recruitment (wait hear me out)


● Phone screens


● Phone screens● Exercise creation/evaluation


● Phone screens● Exercise creation/evaluation● Interviews

Some barriers...

Some barriers...

● Selling to clients

Some barriers...

● Selling to clients● Retention

Or, just get acquired...

Or, just get acquired...

2. For companies

Lead times...

1 month

Lead times...

1 month

6 months

Lead times...

Lead times...

Hand in notice

Lead times...

Hand in notice

End date

Lead times...

Hand in notice

New starter

End date

Lead times...

Hand in notice

New starter

Resource gap

End date

Retention, retention, retention

● Opportunities for learning


● Opportunities for learning● Career progression


● Opportunities for learning● Career progression● Recognition

Your design career (time)

Hap

pin

ess


Hap

pin

ess


Hap

pin

ess

- What the event was


Hap

pin

ess

- What the event was- What you were feeling


Hap

pin

ess

- What the event was- What you were feeling- What values were being

exhibited?


Hap

pin

ess

- Got good feedback - Felt happy, good at my job- Recognition,

accomplishment


Hap

pin

ess

Recruitment

Recruitment

● Hire juniors already

Recruitment

● Hire juniors already● Support lateral moves

Recruitment

● Hire juniors already● Support lateral moves● Blended roles

Recruitment

● Hire juniors already● Support lateral moves● Blended roles● Consider separating out research

(specifically interviewing)

3. For designers

https://www.quora.com/Why-is-there-a-higher-percentage-of-dissatisfied-UX-designers-than-there-are-other-types-of-designers-and-what-can-be-done-about-it

https://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2011/06/08/why-i-cant-convince-executives-to-invest-in-ux-and-neither-can-you/

https://webdesignledger.com/interview-karen-mcgrane-ux-designer/

● Focus on things in your control

● Focus on things in your control● Don’t try to be all the things

● Focus on things in your control● Don’t try to be all the things● Adjust your expectations

By Nevit Dilmen (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via

Wikimedia Commons

- End -(Thanks!)