The document outlines principles for teaching UX in corporate environments effectively, emphasizing the importance of starting with clear learning outcomes and relevance to audience needs. It presents various training methods, including active learning, peer review, and iterative improvement, while advocating for practical assessments to measure learner progress. The overall approach encourages a focus on effective teaching rather than striving for perfection, fostering an adaptive and reflective learning atmosphere.

1. Train the Trainer: Teaching UX in
Corporate Environments
Shanae Ullman
STLX Conference
October 2019

2. Celebration, by DWinton

3. Photo by Rebrand Cities from Pexels

6. Apply UX principles to curricula
Principle 1:

7. Begin with the end in mind.
Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

10. What does your audience want to learn?
● At the conclusion of training, the learner
will know...
● What is the one big thing they should take
away from today’s session?
● What should they remember tomorrow?
● How will they remember that?
● How will they use that information going
forward? Photo by Lucrezia Carnelos on Unsplash

11. Make it relevant
● If possible, talk with the project
sponsor to learn more about the team
and their priorities.
● What is the big project(s) that your
audience cares about?
● What language do they use when
referring to their project and users
(clients, students, etc)?
● Are they providing a service, tool,
transformation, or something else?
Photo by Stefan Cosma on Unsplash

12. Cater to your target audience
Finance Team
● Logical and concerned with the bottom line.
● Less concerned with emotion and empathy.
● Frame UX as a money-maker, not a cost to software development.
Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

13. Apply principles to projects with
real users
Principle 2:

14. Powerpoint is boring
What else can you do in training?

15. Active learning Students participate in small group
activities:
● Writing and talking
● Reflecting
● Problem solving
Lecture is permitted, but in small doses.
“Learn by doing”
Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels

16. Before the workshop
● Gather research on student interests online
and in-person.
● Identify student expectations.
● Plan carefully for on-the-fly adaptations.
Photo by Jacob Postuma on Unsplash

17. Packaging workshop modules
● Brief overview of what you will focus on next
● Overview of the problem
● Describe a solution
● Give an example
● Now you try it
● Repeat ad-nauseum!
Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash

18. Learn by doing ● Design Studio Method
● 2x2 matrix
● Pilot/Role Playing
Photo by Nick Karvounis on Unsplash
Workshop Activities

19. Design Studio Method
● Timebox
● Sketch ideas
● Present
● Give feedback
● Iterate on sketch
Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash

20. 2x2 Matrix Method
● prioritization methods for MVP
● Y Axis - Value
● X Axis - Cost/Effort
● No overlapping items on the scale
Low
Cost
High Value
Low Value
High
Cost
Native
Cloud
App
Link to
Email
Feedback
in App
Game
in app

21. Pilot + Role Playing Method
● Create interview questions or UX study
tasks with sample user
● Take notes on language and where the user
gets stuck.
● Observe the flow of the questions.
● Is it logical?
Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

22. Incorporate peer review and
wisdom of the crowd
Principle 3:

23. Not this image but one like it
Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels

24. Check the pulse (usability testing)
● Volunteer to present to students in high
school or colleges
● Guest lecture a course.
● Lunch and Learns with UXers
● Speak at a local Meetup.
Photo by Hush Naidoo on Unsplash

25. Best practices
● Look online for examples of workshops other
people have lead in the past.
● Find a book or a video you can provide for
reinforcement after the workshop.
● Incorporate handouts, websites, and other
references for further reading for the
participants.
Photo by Darius Soodmand on Unsplash

26. Peer review
● Ask a colleague to observe
your training and provide
feedback after the session.
● Invest in building criteria for
best practices to follow in
training sessions.
● Co-instruct the training with a
colleague to gain feedback and
learn from each other.
Photo by Vanilla Bear Films on Unsplash

27. Focus on learning outcomes,
not perfection
Principle 4:

28. Done is better than perfect.
Jen Kramer, probably

30. You’ve never built a perfect product.
Why does your training have to be perfect?

31. Perfection and
effectiveness are
different
● Focus on helping attendees asking the
right questions.
● Offer resources to help when they get
stuck in the wild.
● Emphasize that progress happens
over time, not all at once.
Photo by 童 彤 on Unsplash

32. Your training is a work in process
● Everything you can do can be improved.
● The first time you teach, you will learn more
than your trainees.
● Embrace iteration!
Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash

33. Harness reflection &
retrospective
Principle 5:

34. Assessment should focus on measuring objectives
Seems obvious. We still need to say it.
Photo by Charles 🇵🇭 on Unsplash

35. Who is the measurement for?
Attendees, to see their growth and understanding of
workshop materials
You, to measure your effectiveness as an instructor
Photo by Ken Treloar on Unsplash

36. Pre- and Post-Assessment
● Consider assessing knowledge BEFORE
you begin
● Then assess AFTER training
● What has changed?
Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash

37. Assessment idea
#1
● Take quiz before workshop begins.
Don’t discuss the answers.
● Take the same quiz at the end of the
workshop. Now discuss answers.
● Have attendees compare answers
before and after to see their
improvement in knowledge.
CPR training pre- and post-
assessment quizzes

39. Assessment idea
#2
Get interactive, real-time feedback on
how the content is being understood by
the room.
https://socrative.com/

41. Interactive reflection and retrospectives
Give participants the choice of a video recap or
writing prompt for reflection of the training.
In-person Quiz - Set time aside to allow
participants to give feedback at the end of your
session.
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

42. Interactive reflection and retrospectives
Retrospective - How it’s used/why
Ideas - 4 columns of your choice.
● Happy, Meh, Sad, Action
● Plus, Deltas, Puzzles, Action
● Pros, Cons, Questions, Action
Happy
Worked as
a team.
Cool new
app!
Meh
Hard time
scheduling
meetings.
Sad
Rotation off
project.
Action
Use a tool
to find a
better
meeting
time?

43. UX Training Checklist
Bonus

44. UX Training Checklist
● Apply UX Principles to Curricula
○ Who is the intended audience?
○ What projects and goals do they care
about?
● Apply Principles to Projects with Real
Users
○ Learn by doing
● Incorporate Peer Review and Wisdom of
the Crowd
○ User testing
○ Peer review
● Focus on Learning Outcomes, Not
Perfection
○ An effective training doesn’t have to be
perfect.
○ Embrace your imperfections and iterate!
● Harness Reflection and Retrospective
○ Don’t forget to include assessment
○ Consider pre- and post-assessment, as well
as reflection or retrospective

45. Thank you
Jen Kramer
Harvard University Extension School
@jen4web
www.jenkramer.org
Shanae Ullman
@nerdydivashanae
www.shanaeullman.com