UX Career Progression: Understanding UX Career Paths

A presentation on finding your way through your UX career. The presentation covers the disciplines of UX, UX roles within a company, your UX focus, specialization, leveling, the management track, titles, and more. First presented for the University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering school (UW HCDE) in Seattle on November 30th 2015.

Transcript

1. Understanding UX Career Paths November 30th, 2015 UX Career Progression
2. Who the heck is this guy?
3. Photo credit: Jeff Croft Personal Site NickFinck.com Role Product Design Manager Employer Facebook
4. UX Career Progression Series • Part 1 - Starting a Career in User Experience Design (blog post) • Part 2 - Finding a Niche and Building a Personal Brand (presentation) • Part 3 - Creating and Presenting a UX Portfolio (presentation) • Part 4 - Interviewing & Landing a UX job (coming soon) • Part 5 - Understanding UX Career Paths (coming soon)
5. Career Progression
6. ”The User Experience Honeycomb" by Peter Morville Findable Desirable Useful Usable Valuable Accessible Credible User Experience (UX) is about how a person feels about using a system or device. What is the user experience? •It is not: • Designed • Objective • Procedural • Static It is: • Designed for • Subjective • Philosophical • Dynamic
7. The Disciplines of UX
8. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. The Six Core Disciplines of User Experience
9. Understanding Information Structure Behavior Aesthetics Measurement Distilling Down the Disciplines of UX
10. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Just Like Cookies, UX Comes In Many Flavors
11. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. You Can Wear All The Hats & Be A Generalist
12. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. We Call These Generalists “UX Designers”
13. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. We Call These Generalists “UX Designers” UX Designer
14. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Or You Can Wear Some Hats
15. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Or You Can Wear Some Hats
16. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Rather Than Call You A IA/IXD/Content Strategist...
17. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research UX Designer UX Designer UX Designer Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. We Just Use The UX Designer Title
18. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research UX Designer UX Designer UX Designer Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. We Just Use The UX Designer Title
19. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Or We Can Specialize
20. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Or We Can Specialize
21. Usability & Analytics Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. At A Granular Level
22. Usability & Analytics Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. At A Granular Level
23. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Information Architecture At A Granular Level
24. Taxonomy Findability Search Information Analysis Information Architecture Library Science Information Design Wayfinding Information Strategy Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Information Architecture At A Granular Level
25. T-Shaped People
26. “IDEO [...] is famous for its method of innovation based on intense cross-disciplinary project work. To pull this off, the company has long practiced the art of collaboration and the development of a certain kind of talent: T-shaped people.” Morten T. Hansen’s interview of IDEO CEO Tim Brown, 2010
27. “However, the speed with which media agencies (and clients) have embraced communications planning has caused concern. For it to really work, communications planners need to be "T-shaped" people. ... "T-shaped" communications planners, with a background in media, have a deep understanding of media, and a broad understanding of the other disciplines within the marketing spectrum.” The hunt is on for the Renaissance Man of computing By David Guest in 1991
28. Distilling Down the Disciplines of UX
29. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. The Six Core Disciplines of User Experience
30. Graph The Skill Level By Discipline User Research Visual Design Usability & Analytics Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design
31. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline User Research Visual Design Usability & Analytics Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design
32. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline User Research Visual Design Usability & Analytics Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design
33. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline User Research Visual Design Usability & Analytics Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design
34. Graph Your Skill Level By Discipline Interaction Design User Research Visual Design Usability & Analytics Content Strategy Information Architecture
35. The Paths
36. Leveling
37. Leveling Titles in UX Junior Mid Senior Principal Sr. Principal
38. Leveling Titles at Facebook Product Designer
39. Leveling is an aspect of the backend systems L5 L6 L7 L8 L9
40. The Management Track
41. Perception of the Manager IC Manager
42. Longevity of the IC IC Manager
43. How Managers and ICs are seen at Facebook IC Manager
44. They have system levels too, but not leveled titles IC Manager L5 L6 L7 L8 L9
45. The Roles
46. IC Roles at Facebook Product Designer Researcher Content Strategist
47. IC & Manager Roles at Facebook Product Designer Product Design Manager Researcher Content Strategist Research Manager Content Strategy Manager
48. Picking a Path
49. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Pick your direction
50. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Pick your direction
51. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Product Designer Path
52. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. The Researcher Path
53. Designing the interactive behaviors of a product or system with a specific focus on their use. Designing the visual qualities of a product or system in an aesthetically pleasing way. Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content. Identifying and organizing information within a product or system in a purposeful & meaningful way. Measuring the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system. User Research Content Strategy Information Architecture Interaction Design Visual Design Usability & Analytics Understanding the people who use a product or system through observations. Content Strategist Path
54. Making connections and expanding your reach
55. Networking is a critical component of your career
56. Photo by J. Turner Masland Attend events to learn, but also to meet new people!
57. Read articles, but write them too!
58. Always have a good mentor!
59. Thank you!
60. • Personal Site: NickFinck.com • Email: nickfinck@gmail.com • Twitter: @nickf Questions?
61. Starting a Career in User Experience Design by Nick Finck http://bit.ly/oEBkMn Starting a Career in User Experience by Marcus Haid http://bit.ly/1q1eChX How to Start a Career in UX Design by Chloe Lloyd http://bit.ly/1q1edMI Beyond UX Design: Finding your Path by Troy Parke http://bit.ly/1iVK902
62. Mike Monteiro Russ Unger & Carolyn Chandler Nick Disabato Cadence & Slang Design is a job A Project Guide to UX Design