Beyond UX Design Podcast

Consultants… 😱😱😱 When I hear the word “consultants” the first thing I think about is the Bobs from Office Space. But I’m old. Hopefully, you’ve seen that movie. If not, I don’t know what you’re doing with your life. In Office Space, those were HR consultants coming in and deciding who to keep and who to let go. Design consulting is completely different. Being a consultant is one thing. Working with consultants as a full-time employee is something else entirely. If you’re a full-time employee, you may have the same gut reaction everyone in Office Space does about the Bobs. ⁉️ Why do we need consultants? ⁉️ What’s wrong with the work we’re doing? ⁉️ Why doesn’t leadership listen to us?! These are all valid questions, and I’ve felt them too. But the reality is those consultants aren’t there to take your jobs. More often than not that fresh perspective can help improve everything else, even after they’re long gone. Shahed Syed has experienced that tension as a consultant, and next week he will share some advice not only on how to excel as a consultant but also how full-time employees and ICs can work with their new consulting partners to improve how they work. Stay tuned! #UXdesign #Consultants #Podcast

Writing code is easy. 🫣 Well, ok. Maybe it's not *easy*. But it *is* pretty straightforward, right? You type in some code, and assuming you typed it all in correctly. It'll give you exactly what you typed. Sure knowing the correct thing to type takes a lot of work, but once you figure that out, software is pretty straightforward. If writing code is so straightforward, why is building great software so hard? The PEOPLE. You, me, other designers, our PMs, our engineers, our stakeholders, all the processes we've created and the red tape and bureaucracy we've set up... All of that makes building great software hard. The personalities, the opinions, the experiences, the baggage… All of that is what makes building great software hard. 🦹♂️ So is there even a point in trying? 🦸♀️ Yes! There is *always* a point in trying! I strongly believe that in order to break through all of this mess, you need to have a strong, meaningful relationship with your team. I say this so much that it’s about damn time I’ve made it pretty: You can’t build great software without great relationships! There’s just no way around it. You can’t. So to honor that idea, I’m working on a new print. It should be available over the next couple of weeks. What do you think?

When I got my first big corporate job it was hardly my ideal company. I worked for a global conglomerate that made everything from light bulbs to advanced jet engines for the military. I had worked with startups to that building things like law firm management tools and retail lease management software. What the hell did I know about gas turbines and jet engines? 👏 Not 👏 A 👏 Damn 👏 Thing But I immersed myself in the business. Today I know more about how a jet engine and gas turbine works than I ever thought I would. Just ask me! --- I often give the advice to identify your core interests. Think about the industries you want to work in and find the companies you want to work for early. This is a great strategy that can help you be more targeted in your job search and help you craft your message to target the jobs you want. BUT! There’s always a “but.” The thing is, for junior designers, and people just starting out, identifying your “dream job” and your “ideal industry” is not a guarantee you’ll end up there. At least not at first. What’s more likely to happen is you’ll end up getting an offer in an industry where you don’t really know anything about it. You need to be like Casey Bombacie, UXC. He had never stepped foot in a casino before that one time he went to that Celine Dion show. This week Casey joins the show to talk about how you can go from zero to one fast and dive in head-first into a new industry you don’t know anything about! Don’t miss it! 🎯 Here are some key takeaways from our conversation 1️⃣ Embrace the "zero to one" mindset: when entering new industries. Be prepared to learn quickly, ask questions, and adapt your existing skills to new contexts. This approach can help you overcome the initial challenges of working in an unfamiliar field and lead to innovative solutions. 2️⃣ Conduct thorough research and interviews: Casey's experience in the gaming industry shows how immersing yourself in industry publications and speaking directly with key stakeholders can provide valuable insights and help you understand the unique challenges and opportunities. 2️⃣ **Recognize the transferability of UX skills: While each industry has its unique quirks, core UX principles and methodologies can be applied in various contexts. Be confident in your ability to adapt your skills and look for opportunities to bring fresh perspectives from your diverse experiences. 4️⃣ Collaborate early and often with your team: These people know a lot more than you, especially if you’re just starting out. Learn from them. Be open to feedback and willing to iterate quickly based on input from various team members. 5️⃣ Be like water: As Bruce Lee famously said, be like water and flow around your obstacles. Don’t let blockers keep you from learning. Adapt to new challenges and find ways around them. Flexibility and openness are key to thriving in new industries. Check out the episode here: https://lnkd.in/gEHS4fZz

📅 Weekly Recap! A ton of insightful content was shared on LinkedIn last week. You probably missed some things, so here are a few items that are worth calling out! --- We all know time is short, especially in today’s job market. Hiring managers just don’t have the time to spend like they did before. You have to make your case… fast. Marina Krutchinsky shared a template for a quick 30-second elevator pitch to land interviews. This is huge! https://lnkd.in/gW8kBKNg --- Last week Jeff Gothelf, author of Lean UX and an upcoming book, “Who Does What By How Much?” all about OKRs introduced me to something new. OKRs for personal goals. If you have trouble with setting goals, and more importantly, staying on top of them, this episode is for you! https://lnkd.in/ggpDn9bC --- How do you get a job without experience? How do you get experience without a job? It’s the age-old question. Stefon Towler has an answer: Sometimes you just have to make your own damn experience! Check out how he did it. We could all learn a lot of from Stefon! https://lnkd.in/gK56eMM7 --- I missed the Cognition Catalog post AGAIN last week. But I have something awesome… the Beyond UX Design shop. Get yourself some awesome art prints of my favorite design-related quotes, and pick up some Cognition Catalog prints to hang on your walls! Use the code STOKED to get 20% off your order plus FREE shipping! https://lnkd.in/gFwAjAcA --- We’ve all said to ourselves at some point: “I’m not [INSERT THING] enough.” Not fast enough. Not smart enough. Not talented enough. Whatever it is. Emily Anderson shared some tips on how to get past this and become the hero of your own story. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/gM2TpVAU --- What did I miss? Do you have anything interesting that you found last week? Share it in the comments! #WeeklyRecap #UXdesign

Enterprise software gets a bad rap, and I think that's a damn shame. Last week 💗 Sally Carson answered some of your great questions on working in enterprise software. If you missed the live Q&A, you can still hear Sally's tips on things like how to build great cross functional relationships, tips on stakeholder management, and how to show off some of those longer enterprise projects. Don't miss these golden nuggets! https://lnkd.in/gZc3THMX

I barely make any money from doing the Beyond UX Design Podcast. But posts like this make it worth it. Yaddy are y'all taking this form of currency for mortgages? Asking for a friend. Thanks so much Maria!

For more than a month I've been going to work by foot instead of commuting by bus (due to the road repair 😪 ). It takes two hours daily, so, plenty of time all alone with my thoughts 😬 At first, I felt exhausted by this routine. But then, I started to treat it as a great opportunity. For example, to listen to podcasts. And Beyond UX Design Podcast turned out to be one of the best discoveries for me recently. I really want to thank the host of the show, Jeremy Miller, for all the incredible work he does and for making my commuting so full of emotions and insights. Here I want to share some of my favorite episodes with you: ⭐ The UX Career Check-In: Are You Where You Want to Be? with Veronica Shelton To find something that's a calling to you is priceless. No matter how many times you've dropped out the college, how many professions you've changed. The only thing that matters is to follow your own path and make your own mistakes. ⭐ Support Squad: Building Your Career Transition Dream Team with Emilie Mazurek Emilie Mazurek was pre-med, studying biochemistry with plans to become a doctor. But having realized that it was the wrong path she stumbled onto UX design. This story resonates with me perfectly because I also shifted my career into design. And I know how much effort and courage it takes, but it's absolutely worth it. ⭐ UX Lessons from Life's Little Moments with Frankie Kastenbaum I love analogies! I used to notice different patterns and habits in my everyday life, in people around me. Good analogies can make your UX concepts more relatable and familiar. ⭐ UX Design at the Speed of Silicon: FAANG vs Everyone Else Just stunning! So many insights about product designer's job in FAANG companies. As Jeremy Miller said it was mind blowing and eye opening. And it truly was! Just listen to the podcast to know the details 😌

We're stoked to be part of this mini learning library with Tregg Frank and Dan Mall. Keep it up Chris!

I'm pretty stoked today y'all. Why am I so stoked? I’m glad you asked, UX fam. I’m stoked because today I’m launching the long-awaited Beyond UX shop. 🚀 What cool things can you pick up on the Beyond UX shop? You’re killing it with the questions today, fam. Please keep it up. The Beyond UX shop is full of things like art prints 🖼️ and fun accessories ☕ that will remind you that you’re more than a designer because there’s more to UX than design. And to be a truly effective UX professional you need to master your craft beyond pixels and prototypes. What better way to remind you of that than some big, beautiful art prints based on some of my favorite quotes? And because Piccia Neri asked so nicely, there’s a full catalog of digital downloads in a bunch of different size formats. If you’re international, fear not, international shipping isn’t as expensive as you might think. So browse the store, and help me get that mustard packet I’ve been eying. My hot dog needs some ZING! 🌭 IYKYK BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! Because I’m so god damned stoked to launch the site today, for the rest of this weekend you can use the code “STOKED” to get 20% off your order PLUS free shipping on all orders over $30. Christmas is right around the corner, so treat yoself! Check out beyonduxdesign.com/shop to pick up some sweet art prints today!

I'm pretty stoked today y'all. Why am I so stoked? I’m glad you asked, UX fam. I’m stoked because today I’m launching the long-awaited Beyond UX shop. 🚀 What cool things can you pick up on the Beyond UX shop? You’re killing it with the questions today, fam. Please keep it up. The Beyond UX shop is full of things like art prints 🖼️ and fun accessories ☕ that will remind you that you’re more than a designer because there’s more to UX than design. And to be a truly effective UX professional you need to master your craft beyond pixels and prototypes. What better way to remind you of that than some big, beautiful art prints based on some of my favorite quotes? And because Piccia Neri asked so nicely, there’s a full catalog of digital downloads in a bunch of different size formats. If you’re international, fear not, international shipping isn’t as expensive as you might think. So browse the store, and help me get that mustard packet I’ve been eying. My hot dog needs some ZING! 🌭 IYKYK BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! Because I’m so god damned stoked to launch the site today, for the rest of this weekend you can use the code “STOKED” to get 20% off your order PLUS free shipping on all orders over $30. Christmas is right around the corner, so treat yoself! Check out beyonduxdesign.com/shop to pick up some sweet art prints today!