If You Don't, He Will. Negotiating Your UX CareerCarol Smith @carologic
Current Situation
• Prince Charming isn’t coming• Privilege is real (male, white, social, etc.)• Microagressions*
2http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20395222_20914989,00.html
*Responding to Sexist Microagressions: http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/01/responses-to-sexist-microaggressions/
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@Steve_Upton on Twitter - Sketchnotes from @kmdk and @ma_rylou's talk on women in tech at #uxce15
83%
17%
Web Designers By Gender (2009*)
Men Women
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/11/12/gender-disparities-in-the-design-field/
*Findings From A List Apart Survey 2009 (no longer available online)
66.5% of the same respondents
stated there is “definitely not” a gender bias in the design field.
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Closing the Gender Gap in UX – 2014 Survey
• Not statistically significant different!!• Women 45 or younger make equal to or more than men• Men over 45 make more than women • 1355 Total Responses from 58 Countries• Salary Data converted to US Dollars
http://uxpa.org/resources/past-salary-surveys
Knowledge is Power
• Disparities in negotiation skill and comfort– Hurt your career– Can hurt users
• Don’t be too much like Pollyanna– World is not a safe friendly place– Protect yourself and your goals
What is Negotiation?
Discussion
aimed at reaching
an Agreement.
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What Does Negotiation Feel Like?
http://www.womendontask.com/stats.html© http://www.dreamstime.com/mocker_info#res11004428 http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-african-american-woman-caucasian-dentist-image11066205#res11004428
Why?
• Concern about process• Feel cornered• Lack of practice• Unprepared
http://www.WomenDontAsk.com/stats.html
Context Matters
Shoppinghttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidclow/http:///www.flickr.com/photos/davidclow/4985160810/sizes/o/in/photostream
In UX Context
• Negotiation on behalf of users for– Prioritization– Coordination– Feature inclusion– Wireframes to Final
Designs
11Wireframe: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWolfplex-Wiki-WorkshopsIdeaList-wireframe-20130929-v02.pngBy Dereckson (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsBottom image: http://www.spydertrap.com/blog/2011/07/web-design-wireframes-plan-your-success/
Stories
Jay Laura
http://thirstyroots.com/dwele-hairstyle.html/98866_f27_1_011check-2http://www.flickr.com/photos/happykatie/2459583180/sizes/o/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/happykatie/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
They both want to work here
http://www.79nm.com/massive-vision-doug-powell-on-ibm-design-thinking-march-27/
On paper they look the same
They both get offers!
Here’s the thing
Jay• Offered $70,000 to start• Negotiates his starting salary up• Gets $77,000
Laura• Offered $70,000 to start• Doesn’t negotiate
- $70,000 is great • Gets $70,000
Both get a raise of 3% each year
As they Continue to work
Jay• After 5 yrs making $89,264 • After 10 $103,482• After 15 $119,964
Laura• After 5 yrs making $81,121• After 10 $94,862• After 15 $109,019
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12567713@N00/3386157971/sizes/o/in/photostream/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/12567713@N00/
Compromise is GoalNo Losers!
Identify need
Research
Analyze data
Negotiate
Negotiation Life Cycle
Happy Endings
1. Prepare
• Identify your goals• Set high expectations• Understand value of your work experience
• Research who you are dealing with
• Until you are confident in yourself and your ask
Prepare
Know Your Facts
• Present research clearly– Salary Surveys– Similar job descriptions– Current Situation
• UX Research– Return on Investment (ROI)– 100x more to fix system after release (Gilb, 1988) – Jared Spool’s $300 Million Button
Bias, Randolph, G. and Deborah J. Mayhew. Cost-Justifying Usability: An Update for the Internet Age. 2005.Spool, Jared. The $300 Million Button. January 14, 2009. http://www.uie.com/articles/three_hund_million_button/
• Misunderstandings can block confidence and trust• Research to understand
– Perspective– Preferred strategies
Who are you dealing with?
• Your style of negotiation learned at a young age• Relationships
– Are you friends?– Do you already dislike each other?
• Stereotypes (yours and theirs)
Your Perspective
Culture Matters
• Locally and Internationally• Time and patience• Personal space• Nonverbal communication (e.g. eye Contact)• Listening vs. talking• Masculine-Feminine values
Maria
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UXPA Salary Survey
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2. Identify Your BATNA
Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement
BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiation Agreement)
• Course of action that will be taken if: – Current negotiations fail – Agreement cannot be reached
Fisher, Roger and William L. Ury. (1981) “Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.” Penguin Group.
BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiation Agreement)
• Not the same as the walk away point
• What are you going to do?• What makes you happy?
• BATNA does not include the other party• Your alternative
Fisher, Roger and William L. Ury. (1981) “Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.” Penguin Group.
BATNA (cont)
• The better your BATNA, the greater your power– Judge every offer against your BATNA– Don’t have to disclose
• They have a strong BATNA? – Best way to advance your respective interest
Fisher, Roger and William L. Ury. (1981) “Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.” Penguin Group.
BATNA Benefits
• Better standard to measure agreements
• Protects you from: – Accepting terms too unfavorable– Rejecting terms in your interest to accept
• Gives you permission to explore creative solutions
Fisher, Roger and William L. Ury. (1981) “Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.” Penguin Group.
3. Control the Message
• Delivery is clear• From someone we trust:
– Street cred– Knows where we’re coming from
When do we Best Hear a Message?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cizake/4164756091/sizes/o/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cizake/
Make Yourself Heard
• Come from a place of authority• Consider your appearance• Use your credentials• Use their tactics as needed• Avoid becoming negative about previous experience
The Negotiation
May expect this…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_ninjamonkey/http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_ninjamonkey/3565672226/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Take a Moment – Find Your Seat
1.Chair
2.Other end– Reserve for the guest/presenter
3.Flanking Position– Influence flow, assist Chair
4.Middle Few– Soften or mitigate opposition– Near Chair and your opposition has to talk over or through you.
1 2
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Richard Winters, MD, http://www.richardwinters.com/seatsWhere Do You Sit In A Meeting? The 4 Power Positions
Your Approach – Deal With Facts
• Tell the story of your career• Agree to the job description, expectations, etc.• Clarify breaks in work, etc.
Shell, Richard G. (2006) Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People. Penguin Group
Keep Emotions Level
• Positive - other party wonders if "losing"• Negativity makes tense situations
Deflect attempts at intimidation or aggression
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trunglq/2561055473/sizes/z/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/trunglq/
Be Your Own Advocate
• Set your sights high, but know your bottom line• Understand your options and role in outcome• BATNA
• Continue to develop• Use if needed
Shell, Richard G. (2006) Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People. Penguin Group
• Be Collaborative and Problem Solving– Discuss shared goals– Communicate effectively about your wants and goals
• Be a Good Listener• Resolve tough issues using fair standards and criteria (salary survey,
etc.)• Find the best solution for both parties
Get Them to Say Yes
Negotiate!
• Do not accept the first offer – ask for more– Concerned about greed? – Think about others – ask because other’s can’t– 'A rising tide lifts all the boats'
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Three Steps
1. Prepare - Research
2. BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement)
3. Control the message
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Be the Solution
• Help others around you• Tell others that negotiation is an option• Support people when they are unsuccessful• Speak up!
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Celebrate Success!
http://www.WomenDontAsk.com/stats.html
Were HiringAustin, TX
New York, NY
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And more…
Recommended Readings
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• Babcock, L. and Sara Laschever. (2008). “Ask For It: How Women can use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want.” Bantam Books.
• Godin, Seth. (2010) “Linchpin: Are you Indispensable?” Penguin Group.• Ury. William L. (1991) “Getting Past NO: Negotiating in Difficult Situations.” Bantam. • Fisher, Roger and William L. Ury. (1981) “Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without
Giving In.” Penguin Group.• Kennedy, Gavin. (2004). “Essential Negotiation.” The Economist and Profile Books LTD. • Lavington, Camille. (2004) “You’ve Only Got Three Seconds: How to make the right
impression in your business and social life.” Doubleday. • Lewicki, Roy J., et. Al. (2004) “Essentials of Negotiation.” McGraw-Hill Irwin. • Young, Ed. (2011) “Justice is served, but more so after lunch: how food-breaks sway the
decisions of judges.” Discover Magazine. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2011/04/11/justice-is-served-but-more-so-after-lunch-how-food-breaks-sway-the-decisions-of-judges/ Retrieved on October 24, 2011.
References