This document summarizes a presentation about establishing relationships with stakeholders. It recommends researching the wider team first to understand their interests and levels of involvement. When meeting stakeholders, set clear goals, listen without judgment, mirror back what you hear, label emotions, and find areas of agreement rather than getting to "yes". The goal is to make others feel heard so they say "that's right" rather than defending your ideas. This helps less experienced UX designers feel more comfortable meeting with higher-ups.

1. Matt Eng • UX Camp Home Edition • June 13, 2020
Research your team first
Stop the pitch and gain understanding

2. I do design research
@engmatthew
did

3. I do UX design
@engmatthew
did

4. I do DesignOps
@engmatthew

5. Communication with teams
@engmatthew

6. Wider TeamUX Team Enterprise
Level setting
@engmatthew

7. UX is new to the company
Assumptions
@engmatthew
Team is small
UX education is required

8. “No one listens to me…”
@engmatthew

9. @engmatthew
Elizabeth Gilbert Chris Voss Joe Navarro

10. Kim Goodwin’s talk on “Bringing back ‘human-centered’” at MidWest UX 2018
@engmatthew

11. @engmatthew

12. @engmatthew
UX Designer
Developer
PM

13. UX Designer
Developer
PM
Executive Team
Architect
Sales
Client
Dev Manager
QA
UI Dev
Client Success
Marketing
@engmatthew

14. UX Designer
Executive Team
Developer
PM
Architect
Sales
Client
Dev Manager
QA
UI Dev
Client Success
Marketing
@engmatthew

15. Allowing one person to
believe that he or she is a
vessel for creativity and
(innovation) is too much
responsibility.
“
@engmatthew
-Elizabeth Gilbert

16. The UX team can be a stewards for user needs
only by bringing in the voices of our wider team
early and often
@engmatthew

17. The UX designer’s experience
@engmatthew

18. UX Designer
• 2 to 3 years into her career
• Started working on a small
enterprise UX team
• New to the domain of the
product
Hi, I’m Camille
@engmatthew

19. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
@engmatthew

20. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
@engmatthew

21. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
Assigned to a
UX team
@engmatthew

22. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
Assigned to a
UX team
Discovers UX
team is behind
@engmatthew

23. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
Assigned to a
UX team
Discovers UX
team is behind
Dev team says
they’re blocked
@engmatthew

24. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
Assigned to a
UX team
Discovers UX
team is behind
Dev team says
they’re blocked
Skips ahead to work
on designs
@engmatthew

25. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
Assigned to a
UX team
Discovers UX
team is behind
Dev team says
they’re blocked
Skips ahead to work
on designs
Abandons efforts to test
designs with users
@engmatthew

26. Discovery Analysis Design Delivery
Assigned to a
UX team
Discovers UX
team is behind
Skips ahead to work
on designs
Dev team says
they’re blocked
Pushes work over to
development
Demos and refines
work
Abandons efforts to test
designs with users
@engmatthew

27. • 5 months on the project
• 20 weekly demos
• 20 check-ins with PM and Dev
• 40+ 1x1 with Dev for design
walk-throughs
• 8 demos for internal
stakeholders and executives
• 0 sessions with users
Snapshot of time invested
@engmatthew

28. -Dev retro
“Design is slow or incomplete, and we
have to do re-work”
@engmatthew

29. -UX designer on a previous project
“I had a hard time feeling I was doing any
great work”
@engmatthew

30. -UX designer on a previous project
“I felt as if I had to defend myself every
step of the way and that my work was
taken as ‘suggestions’”
@engmatthew

31. Camille • the UX designer
• Be an ‘expert’ in her domain
• Have a logical, articulate answer
• Defend ideas at all times
Hi, I’m burnt out
@engmatthew

32. “No one listens to me…”
@engmatthew

33. “No one feels heard…”
@engmatthew

34. UX Designer
Executive Team
Developer
PM
Architect
Sales
Client
Dev Manager
QA
UI Dev
Client Success
Marketing
@engmatthew

35. UX Designer Executive TeamDeveloper PM
Architect Sales
Client
Dev Manager
QA
UI Dev Client Success
Marketing
@engmatthew

36. UX Designer Executive TeamDeveloper PM
Architect Sales
Client
Dev Manager
QA
UI Dev Client Success
Marketing
@engmatthew
Safety
Control

37. Visualize your wider team
@engmatthew

38. Who are they and how do they
influence the project?
Stakeholder interviews
@engmatthew
Executive Team
Marketing
Architect
Client

39. Interests
Power
Manage closely
Keep informedClosely monitor
Keep satisfied
@engmatthew

40. Interests
Power
Manage closely
Keep informedClosely monitor
Keep satisfied
Executive Team
@engmatthew

41. Interests
Power
Manage closely
Keep informedClosely monitor
Keep satisfied
Executive Team
@engmatthew

42. Stakeholder
Work
Level of involvement
R = responsible for the work
A = accountable that work will get done
C = consulted
I = informed
@engmatthew

43. What design work
should we do?
“Make it look good…”
Level 1: Producers
Level 2: Workshops in the workplace
Level 3: Architects
Level 4: Scientists
Level 5: Visionaries
@engmatthew

44. What design work
should we do?
“Make it look good…”
Level 1: Producers
Level 2: Workshops in the workplace
Level 3: Architects
Level 4: Scientists
Level 5: Visionaries
@engmatthew

45. Spend time one-on-one’s

46. Camille • the UX designer
• Intimidated by managers,
directors, and other higher ups
• Unsure what to say or ask
Hi, I’m nervous
@engmatthew

47. Forget about “getting to ‘yes’”
@engmatthew

48. @engmatthew
Courage comes into play
when you make someone
feel heard on issues (where)
the disagreement or anger
might be.
“
-Chris Voss

49. Get to “That’s right”
@engmatthew

50. Set up the meeting
Calendar invite
• Ample time to get to know each other
• Clear goal(s) and topic to discuss
• Avoid competitive days
@engmatthew

51. During the meeting
Space
• Quiet space free of distractions
• Cameras on
• Review goal(s) and key questions
• Prompt and listen
@engmatthew

52. During the meeting
Space
• Quiet space free of distractions
• Cameras on
• Review goal(s) and key questions
• Prompt and listen
@engmatthew

53. We can’t hide our true
feelings. Our bodies will give
us away every time.
“
-Joe Navarro
@engmatthew

55. Getting started
Mirror
• Prompt the participant
• Mirror what you heard
• Wait for a natural pause
@engmatthew

56. Mirror
Mirror
• Prompt the participant
• Mirror what you heard
• Wait for a natural pause
@engmatthew

57. @engmatthew

58. Mirror
Mirror
“not at all?”
“I’m not thrilled with the process at all…”
“Yes, because…”
@engmatthew

59. Voice
Slow and Low
@engmatthew

60. Voice
Slow and Low
@engmatthew
“not at all?”

61. Label the emotion
Label

62. “You feel overwhelmed because
of all of the feedback from
different directions”
“That’s right..”
Label
@engmatthew

63. “It seems like you’re frustrated with
the design team. We have been
slowing down the process”
“It’s really not that bad..”
Connect yourself to diffuse any concerns
@engmatthew

64. Decide on goals and next steps
Set a path
“How can we ______________?”
@engmatthew

65. Decide on goals and next steps
Set a path
“How can we help you with focusing all of the feedback?”
@engmatthew

66. Takeaways
@engmatthew

67. Interests
Power
Manage closely
Keep informedClosely monitor
Keep satisfied
Executive Team
PM
Architect
Sales
Dev Manager
Marketing
Start with the big picture of the team
@engmatthew

68. Listen
@engmatthew

69. Get to “That’s right”
@engmatthew

70. the Senior UX designer
• Feel more conformable with
establishing relationships
• Mentoring new UX designers on
how to set up and run
stakeholder meetings
• Recently promoted to senior role
Hi, Camille
@engmatthew

71. Matt Eng • UX Camp Home Edition • June 13, 2020
Thank you
Any questions?