There was once a time in product development where waterfalls ruled but today smart teams and companies are shifting their approaches to be more nimble and iterative. As they adopt approaches like Agile and Lean Startup many are also realizing that design matters. It’s not just what a product looks like but rather the entire experience that differentiates between good and great products. And they’re all looking for a UX unicorn to help them. With some real-world examples, I’ll share with you: + how to become a UX unicorn + how the industry works & how it’s changing + how to work in Agile as a designer + leverage light-weight methods to work quickly + what I've learned along the way

1. Product Design
in the Wild

2. Hello!

3. How I got here

4. Once upon a time...a
unicorn was born

5. Become a unicorn
● Learn to code (HTML, CSS at least)
● Create visual designs
● Find opportunities to push yourself
● Apply for a job you think you’re not qualified for
● Find a mentor, be a mentor & teach others
● Keep learning
● Identify gaps in your umbrella and work on them
● Work in small, medium and large companies
● Have the Balanced Team mindset
● Be the bridge
● Practice, practice, and practice some more

6. ● Everyone wants UX although they don’t quite
know what it is
● Waterfall is going the way of the dodo
● Change is inevitable so let’s embrace it
● Agile & Lean is where it’s at
● Good enough
● It’s no longer what we think of UX - the
experience is moving out of screens, across
devices, into physical, into things we wear - as
designers, we have to be thoughtful and
attentive to the smallest details
How the industry is changing

7. How we work at LeanDog
● Agile, Lean Startup & Design Thinking all rolled into one
● Deep Dives for shared understanding
● Discovery tracks to conceptualize the whole
● Pair on everything
● Agile team and software development
practices like stand up, show & tells, retros
● Making product owners great
● Delivering the highest value always

8. How to work with Agile as a designer
● UX is part of the team
● Start with a process map,
interaction diagram or
experience map
● Be a whole team - this means
everyone participates in every
activity
● Explore or experiment ahead of
development
● Use light-weight methods to work
quickly
● Time boxing can spur action and
clarity
● Pair whenever you can if not all the
time
● Radiate information
● Deliver value every step of the way

9. Tools I use all the time
● Discovery sessions & design
studios
● Observations
● Interviewing (users &
stakeholders)
● Interaction diagrams
● Personas
● Post-it notes & sharpies
● Sketching
● Wireframes
● Mockups
● Collaboration
● Content audits
● Process flow diagrams or maps
● Usability testing
● Communication & conversation

10. Story time

11. Pay attention &
be a leader

12. What I’ve learned
● It takes practice
● I’m never right the first time
● Genius doesn’t just happen
● Let go of perfection & your ego
● The power is in a pair & a team
● Take risks & keep trying new things
● The most used tools in my toolbox
are communication & listening
● No one reads anything

13. Thanks!
@ncapuana
Photo credits - creative
common license
Christopher Michel Hello!
Moyan Brenn Forest
Brenda Clarke -
Unicorn_2
U.S. Department of
Agriculture - Seedling
Susanne Nilsson - Ants
mLu.fotos - Jelly
Experience
Bastien Konfourier -
Spirea Arguta
Martin Cathrae - Campfire
& Starlight
Tambako The Jaguar -
Roaring lion
Jim Trodel - Space -
Antennae Galaxies
Michael Himbeault -
Cephalopod