The document appears to be notes from a presentation on using UX skills to shape one's career. Some of the key points discussed include: - There are many potential paths for success in UX, such as consulting, in-house roles, product strategy/management, and leadership. - Effective communication of one's skills, experiences, and impact is important for career opportunities. User research skills can be applied to learn about potential employers/clients. - Content strategy techniques like creating a project inventory and PARR (Problem, Action, Role, Result) statements can help showcase work experience and value. - Visual representations like the "Broken Comb" can demonstrate UX skills like UI design, and personal projects

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Using UX Skills to Shape Your Career
Amanda Stockwell
#UXPA2016

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QUESTIONS?
Ask Anytime!

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Nerd Cred
Attempted Unicorning
UX Happy Place

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User Research
Information
Architecture
Interaction
Design
Usability
ContentStrategy
Prototype/Code
Visual Design

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Success in UX…
Could be unicorning.

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Success in UX…
Could be specializing in a few areas.

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Success in UX…
Could be deep expertise.

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Pick your angle.

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Success in UX…
Could be consulting.

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Success in UX…
Could be consulting.
Could be working in-house.

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Success in UX…
Could be consulting.
Could be working in-house.
Could be product strategy/management.

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Success in UX…
Could be consulting.
Could be working in-house.
Could be product strategy/management.
Could be leadership

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Success in UX…
Could be consulting.
Could be working in-house.
Could be product strategy/management.
Could be leadership
Could be just about anything.

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In-house specialist

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Pick again.

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Ability to persuade and
make an impact
Culture fit/personality
Your fit within the team structure
and set of expertise
Problem solving approach

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Of the 100s of candidates I’ve reviewed…

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Of the 100s of candidates I’ve reviewed… Maybe 20% effectively communicate

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GOOD NEWS!
You already have the tools to improve.

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User Research
Content Strategy
UI Design
Interaction Design
Usability Testing
Visual Design

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User Research

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Potential
employers/
clients are
your users.

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SAFE ASSUMPTIONS
• May not be familiar
with your particular
niche
• SUPER busy
• They’re definitely
people, not faceless
“users.”
• People like connection

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Figure out people’s “whys”

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Figure out people’s “whys”

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Activity: First Impressions

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Partner up
• Find what you
can about your
partner
• Summarize
what you think
your partner is
about

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Compare notes
• What was spot on?
• What was off?
• What was missing?

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Content Strategy

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+=
ResumeYour Story Portfolio

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Determine what to show

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Choose samples wisely

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Project Inventory

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• Make a spreadsheet with columns for client/
project, date, activities, and outcomes. Link
screenshots and documents.
• Fill it out AS YOU GO.
• Trust me. It’s easier than doing it retroactively.
Project Inventory = Career Content Inventory

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Demonstrate success

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Problem Action Role Result = PARR
PROBLEM ACTION ROLE RESULT
The company
isn’t hitting their
target for new
account signups.
Brainstormed
and user tested
a shorter sign-up
form.
Lead interaction
design, worked
with visual
designer
Customer sign
ups increased
20% per day
after launch.

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Activity: PARR

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• Pick a project that has gone particularly well
• Define the project objective
• Describe the work you did
• Explain your role and how you interfaced with your
team
• Brag about how awesome the project was
• Especially helpful to have hard data
Problem Action Role Result = PARR

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Use your PARR’s to help figure out which projects
and deliverables to include in your portfolio.
You do not need to include every project or
deliverable ever to prove your breadth of
experience.
PRO TIP

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UI Design

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Visually represent your skills

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Activity: Broken Comb

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Pick:Core skills - up to 5
• Complimentary skills - up to 4
• Comparison points - up to 3
• Pick a value from 1-10
Map on a y-axis
Broken Comb

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Usability tests
Surveys
Heuristic reviews
Stakeholder interviews
User interviews
Persona creation
Focus groups
Content audits
Competitive reviews
Analytics reviews
Multivariate and a/b testing
Card sorting
Eye tracking
Preference tests
Desirability studies
Sketches
Workflows
Wireframes
Taxonomies
User Flows
Content inventories
Site maps/site structure
Comps
Icons
Typography
Prototypes
Moodboards
Pattern libraries
Style guides
Illustration
Photography
Motion/animation
Possible skills

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What if…

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NDA’s
• Anonymize
• Remove confidential
stuff
• Communicate
process
• Talk-through
New to UX
• Volunteer efforts
• Personal projects
• School work

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Remember the story…

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Employers should care more about your
approach than any specific deliverable.

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Interaction Design

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(Personal) Interaction Design

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1,703.55

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Success takes so much more than technical expertise.

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Activity: Reframing

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I hated my team.
We never had
enough budget.
NO BETTER
There were some tough
personalities, but here’s
how I learned to
collaborate…
Although we didn’t have
unlimited resources, we
were able to achieve…

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Usability Testing

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Activity: Solicit Feedback

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• Find one thing you’re currently working on/thinking
about
• Your portfolio, a current presentation, the
spinach in my teach.
• Ask this team for one piece of constructive criticism
Feedback

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Visual Design

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User Research
Content Strategy
UI Design
Interaction Design
Usability Testing
Visual Design

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Remember the people
Pick samples carefully
Don’t rely on words
Don’t be an ass
Get feedback
Look the part

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THANK YOU
Stay in touch!
@MandaLaceyS
amanda.stockwell@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/amandastockwell