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More Than Pixels: Becoming A User Experience De...

More Than Pixels: Becoming A User Experience Designer

As our tools and our deliverables move increasingly into the digital sphere, many graphic designers are hearing more about the field of UX, or User Experience. But what exactly is a "UX Designer"? The IxDF defines UX Design as "the process design teams use to create products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users" which includes research, strategy, ideation, and creative output – not just to make something look great, but to make someone's experience better.

This session presents a path forward into UX for design professionals looking to broaden their perspective from the world of pixels to the world of people. We will discuss how graphic design and visual communication skills translate to the field of user experience, the new mindsets we need to embrace, and how user experience designers are uniquely positioned to succeed in a world of changing tools and technologies. Whether you've been thinking about transitioning your career, or your work has been edging into the design of interactive apps or websites, this session has something for you.

Michelle Schulp Hunt

October 26, 2023
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  1. @marktimemedia I Design & Build DIGITAL INTERFACES HI, I’M MICHELLE.

    Rockstar at saying stuff. Adorable badass. Carefully curated spontaneity. Meticulously organized chaos. The Anxious Alicorn.
  2. @marktimemedia “The process design teams use to create products that

    provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users.” https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/ux-design
  3. @marktimemedia brand perception brand awareness sales outcomes marketing goals who

    they are why they're here their problems their goals BUSINESS PEOPLE UX
  4. @marktimemedia UX CAREERS UX Designer STRUCTURE BUSINESS CONTENT RESEARCH APPEARANCE

    TECHNOLOGY UX Engineer UX Architect UX Writer UX Analyst UX Researcher Interaction Designer Visual Designer UI Designer Information Architect Content Strategist Frontend Developer Product Designer Systems Design Business Analyst Product Researcher Market Researcher Content Development SEO Backend Developer
  5. @marktimemedia UX CAREERS UX Designer STRUCTURE BUSINESS CONTENT RESEARCH APPEARANCE

    TECHNOLOGY UX Engineer UX Architect UX Writer UX Analyst UX Researcher Design Tools/Figma Prototyping Tools Wireframing IA Tools User Comprehension Design Tokens Excel Sitemaps Journey Maps Survey Tools Archetypes & Personas Tone, Readability, & Voice UI Copy Component Libraries IDE Whiteboards Excel JavaScript Wireframing CSS Survey Tools Usability Testing Whiteboards Usability Testing Qual. & Quant. Visuals Instructions
  6. @marktimemedia MAYBE… • Already building digital interfaces or assets •

    Interested in psychology, business, etc. • Want a more direct relationship with end users • Desire more cross-functional collaboration • Want more holistic involvement in projects • Want more decision making power • It pays well (on average)
  7. @marktimemedia RETHINKING THE CRAFT What designers need to relearn How

    UX diverges from visual design (and what we can do instead)
  8. @marktimemedia While this matters… • Clear messaging • Appropriate language

    • Brand voice Enabling successful interactions through clear choices and understandable feedback. This is our goal.
  9. @marktimemedia While this matters… • Color • Typography • Imagery

    • Branding Experiences that are accessible, understandable, consistent, useable, and delightful. This is our goal.
  10. @marktimemedia While this matters… • Details • Precision • Comprehensiveness

    Using the right tools to solve the right problem. This is our goal.
  11. @marktimemedia While this matters… • Creativity • Innovation • Being

    clever • Uniqueness Using qualitative & quantitative research to gain a holistic understanding of our users which supports our design decisions. This is our goal.
  12. @marktimemedia While this matters… • Compelling and understandable layouts •

    Attractive imagery, graphics, and supporting visual content • Good design principles Building & maintaining consistency using design systems and component libraries to deliver a unified experiences over multiple screens or devices This is our goal.
  13. @marktimemedia While this matters… • Journey Maps • Sketches •

    Wireframes • UI Design • Mockups • Prototypes Making our users’ lives better through designing solutions to their problems. This is our goal.
  14. @marktimemedia While this matters… • Meeting deadlines • Shipping new

    features Continuous learning and improvement through ongoing listening and research. This is our goal.
  15. @marktimemedia IN SUMMARY Conversation over communication Usability over aesthetics Right-sized

    fidelity over pixel-perfection Research over inspiration Systems over pages Outcomes over outputs Iteration over completion While there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.
  16. @marktimemedia “USABLE” A new industry is born User-friendly personal computing

    Improving “engineering interfaces” Foundations for best practices 1970s 2000s 2020s https://leaders.centercentre.com THE EVOLUTION OF THE UX INDUSTRY
  17. @marktimemedia “USABLE” “USER EXPERIENCE” Functional, practical, resilient, delightful Birth of

    “mobile” Introduction of Agile (2001) A new industry is born User-friendly personal computing Improving “engineering interfaces” Foundations for best practices 1970s 2000s 2020s https://leaders.centercentre.com THE EVOLUTION OF THE UX INDUSTRY
  18. @marktimemedia AGILE MANIFESTO We are uncovering better ways of developing

    software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan While there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more. https://agilemanifesto.org
  19. @marktimemedia EXCERPTS FROM AGILE PRINCIPLES • Welcome changing requirements, even

    late in development. • Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale. • Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. • Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done–is essential. • Working software is the primary measure of progress. https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
  20. @marktimemedia THE SPRINT SCRUM/ DAILY UPDATE (24hrs) BACKLOG “DEFINITION OF

    DONE” PLANNING IM PLEM ENTATIO N 2-4 WEEKS REVIEW RETROSPECT FEATURE FEATURE
  21. @marktimemedia “USABLE” “USER EXPERIENCE” Functional, practical, resilient, delightful Birth of

    “mobile” Introduction of Agile (2001) Product-centric/business-centric “UX-As-A-Service” A new industry is born User-friendly personal computing Improving “engineering interfaces” Foundations for best practices 1970s 2000s 2020s https://leaders.centercentre.com THE EVOLUTION OF THE UX INDUSTRY
  22. @marktimemedia SPRINT START Question identified SPRINT END UX Research Answer

    “We need it now!” Make a guess Other Insights Build SPRINT START Sprint plan from roadmap Sprint plan from roadmap Definition of Done TO THE BACKLOG https://leaders.centercentre.com
  23. @marktimemedia “ While Agile is an approach to problem solving,

    Design Thinking is an approach to problem finding. ” https://www.mendix.com/blog/design-thinking-vs-agile-combine-problem-finding- problem-solving-better-outcomes/
  24. @marktimemedia THE EVOLUTION OF THE UX INDUSTRY “USABLE” “USER EXPERIENCE”

    “STRATEGIC” Functional, practical, resilient, delightful Introduction of Agile Product-centric/business-centric Tactical “UX-As-A-Service” A new industry is born User-friendly personal computing Improving “engineering interfaces” Foundations for best practices 1970s 2000s 2020s https://leaders.centercentre.com Goal-oriented Future-facing Vision-focused
  25. @marktimemedia SPRINT START Questions identified SPRINT END UX START Build

    Definition of Done SPRINT START Question identified SPRINT END Definition of Done SPRINT START Insights Direction from vision Solving the problem Insights Direction from vision Solving the problem Direction from vision https://leaders.centercentre.com Build
  26. @marktimemedia Resources: Organizations & Education • Nielsen Norman Group nngroup.com

    • Center Centre/Leaders of Awesomeness https://leaders.centercentre.com/ • UXPA Minnesota https://uxpamn.org/ • Interaction Design Foundation https://www.interaction-design.org/
  27. @marktimemedia Resources: Timeless Reading • A Book Apart https://abookapart.com/ •

    Rosenfeld Media https://rosenfeldmedia.com/ • Don’t Make Me Think and Rocket Surgery Made Easy https://sensible.com/ • The Design of Everyday Things https://jnd.org/books/
  28. @marktimemedia QUESTIONS? Here’s how to get in touch: Michelle Schulp

    Hunt [email protected] @marktimemedia mynameismichelle.com bit.ly/more-than-pixels 𝕏