Design Coach
Whether leading or collaborating, I'm constantly striving to uplift everyone, myself included.
Managing Remotely
Upon joining ProjectManager, fostering team cohesion became a primary focus for me. With shifts in leadership across Austin and New Zealand and lingering perceptions from previous management handovers, the team dynamic was somewhat fragmented. The legacy approach had positioned design as an antagonist rather than an ally for the development team. My vision was to change this narrative. I sought a collaborative paradigm where the product and development teams would work hand-in-hand.
Leveraging HR's expertise, I organized icebreakers and interactive sessions, further sweetened with curated food deliveries of warm Raclette with ham (a New Zealand favorite) and beverages. These initiatives were more than just fun diversions—they were instrumental in rebuilding trust, bridging gaps, and laying the groundwork for shared successes ahead including an increase of 2x in feature deployment within 3 months.
Career Development
As a committed UX leader, nurturing the professional development of the teams I'm involved with is paramount to me. I've cultivated a toolkit of effective strategies to foster this development. Central to my approach is coaching, where I offer regular feedback, mentorship, and direction. Additionally, I encourage team members to undergo value assessments, ensuring their personal values resonate with their tasks. This not only boosts motivation but instills a profound sense of purpose.
Through these strategies, I create a nurturing environment, paving the way for my team's continuous skill enhancement, job satisfaction, and career progression. I also suggest the team bring their favorite professional books to the group via a book club. Among my favorites are "Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual - Jocko Willink", “The Design Studio Method - Brian Sullivan”, and "Articulating Design Decisions - Tom Greever"
Mentoring
Mentorship holds a special place in my heart. I've been privileged to have been guided by some truly remarkable mentors throughout my journey. In the last decade, I've made it my mission to pay it forward by mentoring individuals spanning the entire spectrum of User Experience. From fresh college graduates and those pivoting into UX from other professions, to seasoned UX professionals seeking to elevate their craft, I've been there to offer guidance. Here are a few talented individuals I've had the honor of mentoring.
UCD Training
At ProjectManager, we had a large gap within the organization with regards to User Centered Design (UCD) concepts. To solve this problem, I helped Stephanie Ray create UCD training. Through analysis, I pinpointed areas of weakness or limited understanding within teams and tailored training sessions accordingly. These sessions ranged from hands-on user-testing methodologies to constructive design reviews. Our goal was to ensure that everyone was not only equipped with a foundational understanding of UCD principles but also empowered to apply them in their specific roles. This strategic approach to training was aimed at fostering a holistic user-centric culture, where every team member actively contributes to superior user experiences.
Copy That
An exercise I picked up in Architecture school and deployed with great success in software design. Copying, as a technique, has long been employed by artists, writers, and designers to hone their skills and deepen their understanding of their craft. Thomas Jefferson, among others, utilized this method to internalize styles and ideas, replicating texts or designs line by line to absorb their essence. This process allows individuals to notice subtle nuances, gain insights into the creator's mindset, and understand the underlying principles that make a piece effective. As one reproduces established works, they assimilate techniques that can later be applied in original creations, refining their own style and approach. In essence, the act of copying serves as both a study and a practice, bridging the gap between observation and implementation.
The practice of selecting and replicating seminal designs offers a deep dive into design understanding. By choosing influential designs and recreating them, participants immerse themselves in the original designer's decision-making process, uncovering nuances and techniques. After replication, sharing their insights and reasons for their selections encourages introspection and articulation of their learning. This hands-on approach enhances technical skills, fosters appreciation for design intricacies, and promotes a culture of continuous learning within the group.