The Pleasure and Pain of UX Freestylin

The Pleasure and Painof UX Freestylin’

Donna Spencer & Gary Barber

Donna Spencer & Gary BarberOZ-IA 2008: The Pleasure and Pain of UX Freestylin’

Who Do You Think of?Contractor


Who Do You Think of?Student


Who Do You Think of?Faceless

Freelancer


What is a Freelancer?


“A freelancer or (freelance worker) is a self-employed person working in a profession or trade in which full-time employment is also common.”



“A freelancer or (freelance worker) is a self-employed person working in a profession or trade in which full-time employment is also common.”





“A person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer ”



“A person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer ”





“If you're not working for the man, you are freelancing”



Contractor

What’s the Difference?What’s the Difference?


Small Business

What’s the Difference?What’s the Difference?


Freelancer

What’s the Difference?


Relationships

ContractorSmall Business Freelancer








Relationships Flexibility Independence Cost structures


Deeper Relationships





Build a good client relationship.Cumulative, ongoing work, means we: ✴Understand the context well✴Understand the content well✴Understand the users well







The Freelancer goes from faceless to friend.

The Company remains faceless.


Last Man Standing


Last Man Standing


Last Man Standing

Client reliance on freelancer can be critical.

Has complete picture of enterprise direction.


Last Man Standing


Last Man Standing

Internal staff may resent being told what to do by freelancer

Freelancer can end up just like an employee.


Flexibility


Flexibility


Flexibility

Structure is good for some projects.

Too much flexibility and clients forget why they need you.


Flexibility


Flexibility

Can sometimes do what is actually needed for a project.

Can work incrementally.

No fixed methodology.


Freelance Robot


Freelance Robot


Freelance Robot

Treated like a resource for hire


Freelance Robot


Freelance Robot

Good work may change the perception.

You can move on to another gig.


Mentoring


Personal Mentoring


Mentoring


Mentoring

Watching people grow.

Having others involved and understanding rationale.


Mentoring


Mentoring

Client can become reliant on you being around.


Independence


Independence


Independence

You provide new eyes & experience.


Independence


Independence

You are the ‘external’ who can be blamed.


Friend or Foe


Friend or Foe


Friend or Foe

Better margin than other work structures.

Interesting work via agencies.


Friend or Foe


Friend or Foe

Undercutting peers.

Clients wonder why you are ‘cheap’.


Personal Development





Avoiding ruts.





You choose what you spend development time on.

No BORING compulsory training courses.


Money Matters


Money Matters


Money Matters


Money Matters

What you work is what you get.

Reliant only on yourself.

Some good tax benefits.


Money Matters


Money Matters

What you work is what you get.

More extras than you may expect.

Managing cash flow.


Admin Curses


Admin Curses


Admin Curses


Admin Curses

Invoicing.


Admin Curses

Invoicing.Writing Proposals.


Admin Curses

Invoicing.

Doing Tax.

Writing Proposals.


Admin Curses

Invoicing.

Paying Bills. Doing Tax.

Writing Proposals.


Admin Curses

Invoicing.


Time sheets.

Writing Proposals.


Admin Curses

Invoicing.


Time sheets.

Writing Proposals.

Maintaining your web site.


Admin Curses

Invoicing.


Time sheets.

Writing Proposals.

Maintaining your web site.

BAS.


Admin Curses

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Sep-07 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 May-08 Jun-08 Jul-08 Aug-08

WritingWebsite maintenanceLearningCommunityInternalWorkshops & conferencesWorkshop preparationFreelance


Marketing


Marketing


Marketing


Marketing

Govt


Marketing

Networking

Govt


Marketing

Networking

GovtProfessional Organisatons


Marketing

Networking


Web Site (der)


Marketing

Networking


Head HuntersWeb Site (der)


Marketing

Networking


Head HuntersWeb Site (der)

Peers


Marketing

Networking


Head Hunters

Twitter (for real)

Web Site (der)

Peers


Marketing

Networking


Head Hunters

Twitter (for real)

Online Social Networks

Web Site (der)

Peers


Marketing

Networking


Head Hunters

Twitter (for real)

Online Social Networks

Web Site (der)

Business Segment

Peers


Isolation


Isolation


Isolation


Isolation

Lonely


Isolation

LonelyDespondent


Isolation

LonelyDespondent

Even Depressed


Isolation

LonelyDespondent

Self Doubting Even Depressed


Isolation

LonelyDespondent


Out of touch with peers (no contacts)


Isolation

LonelyDespondent


Out of touch with industry (skill wise)

Out of touch with peers (no contacts)


Doing the Business


Doing the Business


Doing the Business


Doing the Business

Insurance


Doing the Business

Insurance Superannuation


Doing the Business


Workers Comp Insurance


Doing the Business



Equipment


Doing the Business



Equipment

Client Relationships Management


Doing the Business



Equipment


Bad Debtors


Doing the Business



Equipment


Budgeting

Bad Debtors


Doing the Business



Equipment


Budgeting Cashflow

Bad Debtors


Beer 0’Clock

Thank You

Gary Barber [email protected]

Donna [email protected]

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Australia LicenseSources: Flickr Users - Smeerch , mackz, нσвσ, , FlySi, ToastyKen, Ben Harris-RoxasSome pics used under licence © istockphoto.

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The Pleasure and Pain of UX Freestylin