The UX field is exploding with an ever increasing demand and there is also a plethora of UX talent. But not all talent is equal. Hiring in the hot UX market today is analogous to committing to a long-term relationship based off of a meeting in a speed-dating event. In both cases, the result is often hit or miss. This talk will encourage managers to be strategic in the rat race that UX talent hiring has become. It will propose the use of design thinking and methods to differentiate themselves to the discerning candidates and also equip their team with top-notch UX talent. Design and research thinking can be applied to not just evaluate and compare UX talent but also come up with ways of involving the internal product and UX teams to collaboratively but objectively point towards a decision. Contrary to what most people start with, the first ‘design artifact’ in the ‘hiring design project’ is not the job description. Instead the hiring manager goes through a requirements gathering phase spanning unmet product needs; existing skill set gaps of the team; balancing personality traits and also taking personal preference into account. These requirements then translate into a ‘proto-persona’ of the ideal candidate. A targeted job description can now be written to attract this type of candidate. Several practical tips will be shared in the talk to cover the various aspects of the hiring process - for e.g, tips about establishing the all important relationship of the hiring manager and the recruiting staff; the definition of a design exercise etc. The talk will also propose the use of objective research measurement techniques to evaluate and compare candidates. The presenter will share an example of a comparative rating scale that can serve to objectively aggregate the ratings of all the people involved in the interview process. Ultimately, the hiring manager still uses their judgment to make the final call but this considered approach allows for clear thinking and rationalizes the decision and allows it to be shared to the extent necessary.

1. Ace UX Hiring with Applied
Design Thinking
Malini Rao, Ipswitch Inc

2. Find your own
treasure map!
We are all in the same race ;-)
Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tudedude/4572851546

3. Use design thinking
to hang on to your hiring goals
Image source: amusementrides.org

4. UXer’s Rejoice!
We are in demand!
Image source: https://nicolaslehoucq.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/sensation-blackwhite/

5. UX tops Job trends
lists for 2015
Source: Glassdoors, Robert Half
Technology & The Creative Group

6. 2,278 UX jobs
Posted in the last 15 days

7. Bad News!
Your req is one of 2,278!
Image source: Getty Images

8. Image source: http://www.growbuchanan.com/buchanan-county-career-fair-held-bridging-the-gap/; https://www.certify.com/2015-10-22-The-2015-AFP-Annual-Conference-in-Review
Attracting the right candidates is hard!

9. More complex jobs means a
longer time-to-hire
According to a Glassdoors study -
Bartender
5.7 days
Web Designer
12.3 days
User Experience
Designer
19.3 days
Software Engineer
35 days
Patent Examiner
87.6 days

10. Image source: http://www.odditycentral.com/news/quirky-paper-bag-speed-dating-craze-lets-personality-take-center-stage.html

11. Time-to-hire for best of breed UX designers - 3-6 months
Use design strategy to keep you on track
Image source: vennli.com

12. UXers abandon
their design
thinking and
process when it
comes to hiring!
Image Source: iamdjcruzcontrol.com

13. The UX hiring design project
Image source: www.lifehacker.com.au

14. Don’t reinvent the wheel…Optimize it for your need!
Tear down mental blocks - Use design to solve UX and hiring problems
Image source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230276

15. Corporate Hiring Process
Drawing parallels with the design process
Hiring Manager
proposes a position
A senior executive
approves the position
Hiring Manager works
with corporate
recruiter to post the
opening
Candidates send in
resumes
Recruiter filters many
out
Hiring Manager reviews
remaining and decides
who to bring in for
interviews
One candidate is
chosen and an offer is
made
Compensation is
negotiated
Requirements
Analysis
Design, test and iterate
Measurement and
analysisDesign goal Achieved

16. Requirements Analysis =
Clarifying needs
Phase 1 of design process

17. What am I looking for in my new hire?
Image source: photopin.com/free-photos/crowd-faces

18. Candidate ‘Proto-persona’
Defining the ideal UX candidate for your needs

19. Candidate ‘Proto-persona’
Phase 1: List all possible wants and needs from various perspectives - Analysis phase
• Product UX
• Product team context
• UX team context
• Organization and culture
• Hiring manager’s personal preferences
Attributes wish list based on -

21. Be specific…Not Generic
Image source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_x7p5o950E; www.flickr.com

22. Senior position
Looking for an experienced leader with solid interaction design experience in
enterprise grade web product /applications. Should have ability to break down
complex problems and create brand new vision for our products. Candidate
should make big impacts through his/her ability to collaborate with designers
and other team members. Should possess ability to influence product strategy
and direction through state of the art and modern hands-on design
contributions in a fast paced, fluid and agile environment.
Candidate ‘Proto-persona’
What am I looking for in my new hire?
Phase 2: Create an internal brief for the job opening - Synthesis phase

23. Targeting the ideal candidate
• Tailored job description
• Advertise the opening strategically
• Seek candidates that are not
seeking change
User-Centered, Efficient, Delightful
Image source: vasundharagroup.org/Overview.html

24. Clarity on what you are looking for serves
as the foothold for successful hiring
Image source: www.vimbly.com

25. Stay Organized - Keep track of candidates

26. Design
Phase 2 of the design process

27. Designing the Candidate
Evaluation Process Image source: www.roguevalleymessenger.com

28. Evaluation Process
• Part 1: Initial conversation +
portfolio review
• Part 2: Comprehensive design
evaluation (Design Exercise + Ux team
interviews)
• Part 3: Stakeholder interviews
Image source: https://www.hcn.org/topics/nevada

29. Initial UX Conversation
• 1-1 conversation: First Impressions
• One hour video chat
• Include portfolio review
• Broad confirmation of a potential match
Image source: www.ehow.com › Tech

30. Design Evaluation - Design Exercise
• Provides consistent yardstick of evaluation
• Can be a generic problem or problem related to your products/website
• Should not require too much domain expertise
• Can be In person or a remote exercise
• Problem should be very specific and narrow in scope.

31. Design Evaluation - Interviews
• Have a game plan
• ‘Design’ the interview panel
• 1-2 interviewers in a session
Image source: homebrewacademy.com

32. Sample agenda for UX round interviews
Every slot is designed to provide data to the candidate and the employer
Successful hire = Mutual fit

33. Design Evaluation - Interviews
• Min interview sessions length : 30 mins
• Assign focus areas for each interview
• Consider having some interview
panelists sitting through a few sessions

34. Preparing for interviews
• Time is limited - focus on your biggest concerns around the focus
area assigned to you
• Review resume and portfolio and mark any follow-ups
• Be prepared to ask and answer questions

35. Test, Iterate
Phase 3 of the design process

36. Hiring is a group effort - leverage strengths
Image source: www.edsaplan.com/en/node/2989

37. Pilot test your
Design Exercise
New hires in your team can provide
feedback
Image source: www.gmheng.com/service_coaster.php

38. Designing Gates
Design for Edge Cases : Keeping the option to abort open
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-country_equestrianism

39. In-Person Evaluation Structure
Design Exercise/ Presentation
Interviews with UX team
Interviews with Stakeholders
Interviews with Leaders
Round 1
Round 2

40. Measurement and Analysis
Phase 4 of the design process

41. Post Interview Feedback
• Verbal or email debriefs
• Feedback via HR tools

42. Measuring and Comparing Candidates
Rationalizing data collected to aid decision making

43. Senior position
Looking for an experienced leader with solid interaction design experience in
enterprise grade web product /applications. Should have ability to break down
complex problems and create brand new vision for our products. Candidate
should make big impacts through his/her ability to collaborate with designers
and other team members. Should possess ability to influence product strategy
and direction through state of the art and modern hands-on design
contributions in a fast paced, fluid and agile environment.
Candidate ‘Proto-persona’
What am I looking for in my new hire?
Phase 2: Create an internal brief for the job opening - Synthesis phase

44. Senior position
Looking for an experienced leader (3/5) with solid interaction design experience
(4/5) in enterprise grade web product /applications (4/5). Should have ability to
break down complex problems (4/5) and create brand new vision for our
products (3/5). Candidate should make big impacts through his/her ability to
collaborate with designers and other team members (5/5). Should possess
ability to influence product strategy and direction (3/5) through state of the art
and modern (3/5) hands-on design contributions (4/5) in a fast paced, fluid and
agile environment (4/5).
Candidate ‘Proto-persona’
What am I looking for in my new hire?
Phase 3: Nail the specifics & score the desired attributes - Repeat Analysis

45. Candidate ‘Proto-persona’
What am I looking
for in my new hire?
Phase 3: Nail the specifics & score the desired attributes - Repeat Analysis

46. Candidate Rating scale
• Based on the candidate
proto-persona
• Shared or private
• Focus on effectiveness as
decision making tool - not
academic correctness

47. Keep ‘complexity’ under the hood

48. Keep ‘complexity’ under the hood

49. • Don’t give up on design
thinking tools - adapt them
• Use tools only if you need
them

51. Root your goals to your specific reality and don’t lose sight of it
Image source: www.alfacom.com.my

52. Hang on to your design hat
It will serve you well!
Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/389842911470251407/

53. Use design thinking
to hang on to your hiring goals
Image source: amusementrides.org

55. Malini Rao
mrao@ipswitch.com
@malinitweets
Questions?
Ipswitch is hiring UX interns