Career Paths of User Experience

1. Patrick Neeman, Director of Product Design, Apptio @usabilitycounts #fowd | www.usabilitycounts.com The Career Paths of User Experience How do I get in? How do I move around? How do I get out? {

2. @usabilitycounts #fowd About Me Patrick Neeman has 20 years of UX and Web Experience Runs UsabilityCounts.com and UXDrinkingGame.com Built several UX teams

3. @usabilitycounts #fowd My Career Path McDonalds Shift Manager Caterer Educational Recruiter Graphic Designer Technical Documentation Designer Newspaper Editor Print Designer Art Director Creative Director Web Producer New Media Specialist Director of Development Program Manager Product Manager User Experience Consultant Vice President, Marketing Creative Director Practice Manager, User Experience Recruiter Director of User Experience Director of Product Design NorthAmerican.com Oliver North’s Website Web career starts here

4. @usabilitycounts #fowd So how do I become a   UX Professional?

5. @usabilitycounts #fowd Be A Unicorn! Thank you!

6. @usabilitycounts #fowd User Experience  is a big, big ﬁeld.

7. @usabilitycounts #fowd The competencies of UX, Fisher Priced (Because we’ve done an awful job explaining it to others) User Research  and Analytics Understanding the users through observations and data Content   Strategy Planning for the creation, delivery and governance of usable content Information Architecture Organizing information in a product or website in a usable way Interaction  Design Designing interactive behaviors with a specific focus on their use Visual  Design Designing the visual qualities in an aesthetically   pleasing way Front End Development Building the interactive behaviors to be used by the end user Give credit to Nick Finck (@nickf): http://www.nickfinck.com/blog/entry/ux_career_progression_finding_a_niche_building_a_personal_brand/

8. @usabilitycounts #fowd How much time and money can you invest? Some Online Programs Certiﬁcate Programs General Assembly Lots Carnegie Mellon University of Washington Indiana University A bit Read books and blogs Startup Weekends Build your own stuff

9. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m working in another ﬁeld. What would I be good at?

10. @usabilitycounts #fowd T-Shaped Skill Set They have a principal skill that describes the vertical leg of the T — they’re mechanical engineers or industrial designers. But they are so empathetic that they can branch out into other skills, such as anthropology, and do them as well.” Tim Brown, IDEO CEO “

11. @usabilitycounts #fowd Web Designer. Print Designer. Product Manager. Marketing Specialist. Salesperson. Architect. Geotechnical Engineer. Recruiter. Psychologist. Surf Shop Manager. Program Manager. Project Manager. Programmer. Director of Engineering. Director of Marketing.   Security Guard. Customer Service Representative. Psychiatrist. Construction Worker. Welder. Engineer. Technical Writer. Lawyer. Programmer. Development. Industrial Designer. Musician. Anthropologist. Sociologist. Used Car Salesman. Baseball Player. Journalist. Translator. Instructional Designer. Photographer. Teacher. Creative Director. Hot Dog Factory Worker. Operational Analyst. Business Analyst. Waitress. Mechanical Design Engineer. Quality Assurance Engineer. Librarian. Illustrator. Actress. Theater Designer. Filmmaker. Copy Editor. Radio Station Manager. Industrial Designer. Who’s made the shift?

12. @usabilitycounts #fowd Web Designer. Print Designer. Product Manager. Marketing Specialist. Salesperson. Architect. Geotechnical Engineer. Recruiter. Psychologist. Surf Shop Manager. Program Manager. Project Manager. Programmer. Director of Engineering. Director of Marketing.   Security Guard. Customer Service Representative. Psychiatrist. Construction Worker. Welder. Engineer. Technical Writer. Lawyer. Programmer. Development. Industrial Designer. Musician. Anthropologist. Sociologist. Used Car Salesman. Baseball Player. Journalist. Translator. Instructional Designer. Photographer. Teacher. Creative Director. Hot Dog Factory Worker. Operational Analyst. Business Analyst. Waitress. Mechanical Design Engineer. Quality Assurance Engineer. Librarian. Illustrator. Actress. Theater Designer. Filmmaker. Copy Editor. Radio Station Manager. Industrial Designer. Who’s made the shift?

13. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Print Designer… Patrick Neeman Director of Product Design Apptio User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

14. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Developer… Rebecca Destello Director of User Research IvySoftworks User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

15. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Recruiter… Meri Gulyan VP, Experience Strategy XIVIC User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

16. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Psychologist… David Hogue, PhD UX Design Manager Google User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

17. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Geotechnical Engineer… Troy Parke Associate Director of UX, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

18. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m in and want to stay here!  How do I expand my hard skills?

19. @usabilitycounts #fowd What’s your superpower?

20. @usabilitycounts #fowd Research Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Interaction Design Visual Design Front End Development User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Writing Spatial {Superpowers to leverage

21. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Front End Developer User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

22. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Visual Designer User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

23. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m a Technical Writer User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

24. @usabilitycounts #fowd My new skill set… Patrick Neeman Director of Product Design Apptio User Research  and Analytics Content   Strategy Information Architecture Interaction  Design Visual  Design Front End Development

25. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m in and want to stay here!  What about my career path?

26. @usabilitycounts #fowd Do you want to design or manage? Individual Contributor Designing a product Direct control over design Focus more on craft Manager Designing a culture Trust others with vision Focus more on the business

27. @usabilitycounts #fowd {Which way? Design Management Product Management EntrepreneurManager Generalist Specialist Consultant Individual Contributor

28. @usabilitycounts #fowd Ask the hard questions • Why did you get into user experience? • Do you want to manage teams or be an individual contributor? • Do you want to be in the spotlight or in the background? • How much attention do you pay to the craft of design? • Are you more interested in business?

29. @usabilitycounts #fowd Are you self aware? Myers Briggs Personality Test http://www.myersbriggs.org ENFJ INFJ INTJ ENTJ ENFP INFP INTP ENTP ESFP ISFP ISTP ESTP ESFJ ISFJ ISTJ ESTJ

30. @usabilitycounts #fowd Being a manager • Get a mentor who isn’t your boss • Learn the language of business • Manage small teams ﬁrst • Get an executive coach • Read a lot of books

31. @usabilitycounts #fowd Being a specialist • Get a mentor who isn’t your boss • Become an authority in your craft • Learn to evangelize with respect • Learn to lead without authority • Read a lot of books

32. @usabilitycounts #fowd Leadership is about inﬂuence, not title

33. @usabilitycounts #fowd I’m in and want to stay here!  How do I get a chance?

34. @usabilitycounts #fowd Develop a plan.

35. @usabilitycounts #fowd Internal Opportunities External Opportunities Startups

38. @usabilitycounts #fowd No more wireframes or prototypes!   Where do I go from here?

39. @usabilitycounts #fowd Christian Manzella VP of Design, Moz Leadership Teaching Product Management Marketing Startup Founder

40. @usabilitycounts #fowd Leadership Teaching Product Management Marketing Startup Founder Liz Sanocki, PhD Sr. Lecturer at University of Washington

41. @usabilitycounts #fowd Leadership Teaching Product Management Marketing Startup Founder Kristen Johansen Group Product Manager, Sonos

42. @usabilitycounts #fowd Leadership Teaching Product Management Marketing Startup Founder Lynn Teo VP of Digital Marketing, Computer Associates

43. @usabilitycounts #fowd Leadership Teaching Product Management Marketing Startup Founder Credit: www.designerfund.com

44. @usabilitycounts #fowd Now what?

45. @usabilitycounts #fowd You are responsible for your career. Take charge of it.

46. @usabilitycounts #fowd Further Reading UX Career Guide http://www.usabilitycounts.com/2011/10/18/how-to-get-started-in-user-experience-seven-tips/  How to Get Started in User Experience http://www.usabilitycounts.com/2011/10/18/how-to-get-started-in-user-experience-seven-tips/ Creating Career Paths for UX Professionals http://www.slideshare.net/kristenjohansen/creating-career-paths-for-ux-professionals A Model for UX Career Growth http://adaptivepath.org/ideas/a-model-for-ux-career-growth/

47. Patrick Neeman, Director of Product Design, Apptio @usabilitycounts #fowd | www.usabilitycounts.com Thank you!