Kate Brown

The UX job market in 2024 is a bit of a mixed bag. There are challenges due to recent economic trends, but also reasons for optimism. ✨ Job openings are down significantly from their peak in 2022, with UX being especially impacted. Competition for jobs is high, with many qualified candidates out of work. Here are some tips to help you carve your own career path in UX design given the current competitive job market: 🔹 Master foundational UX design principles 🔹 Specialize in a niche area of UX 🔹 Explore freelance and contract work 🔹 Contribute to open-source projects 🔹 Focus on transferable skills and consider roles in other industries ✨ Bonus tip: Use Lyssna to gather user feedback and validate your designs. Perfect for updating your portfolio! 🔍 #UXDesign #CareerTips #FreelanceDesign #DesignCommunity #Lyssna #usabilitytesting #userexperience #usertesting #userresearch #designthinking #ux

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Having some interesting, open conversations from Design Leaders right now who are getting burned out from trying to hire Designers right now. The demands from the business warrant the Design team growing, but the means to do so are lacking. - Over-worked and under-skilled Talent teams lacking the nuance to understand the design hire needed - Design Leader getting little to No results from internal talent team - Design Leaders attempting to use their networks and getting bombarded with inquiry, too over whelmed to look through, guilty for not responding to everyone - Company lacks infrastructure to properly handle the amount of inbound applicants; brand recognition takes a hit in the market - Design Leader still doesn't have the Design Support they need Bit of a vicious cycle. Good news though - there's solutions out there - been putting them action this year and seeing the results.

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You don't want to miss out on this! Michele L'Heureux is pretty amazing! UXPA International Conference Workshop How to Tell (& Sell!) Your Story Instructor: Michele L’Heureux Monday, June 24, 1:00-4:00 pm ET Looking to break into the UX field? Whether you are searching for your first UX job or transitioning from another field or career, the ability to tell your unique story so that it highlights your relevant skills and abilities is key to opening doors. In this course, we’ll discuss how to identify your pertinent skills, understand the UX landscape, design your story, use data to demonstrate your value and edit your visual and written materials to make your story sing. You will come away with many practical tips, links, and resources to help you start—or advance—your UX career. Register at: https://lnkd.in/gKxFE6ux

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Design operations (aka DesignOps) is the engine that keeps the design process humming along so that designers can focus on what they do best (you know, designing). 👩‍💻 It ensures your team’s sanity, allowing them to focus on the work itself rather than reinventing the wheel or “how” to get the work done every time. This stuff is especially crucial as your design firepower grows—whether with new designers, devs, or product peeps. Wondering how to get started? Our blog post on Standardizing design through DesignOps has you covered: https://lnkd.in/gfwR2u-6 #DesignOps #UXdesign #designprocess

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We asked industry leaders their book recommendations for new and experienced UX professionals. Check out our article for 10 books every UX leader should add to their summer reading list! ☀ 📚 ➡ https://lnkd.in/gkb7t8FS #summerreading #readinglist #UXleaders #UXprofessionals #BlinkUX #UX #leaders

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🎥 New Replay Available! Watch Jason Cranford Teague's compelling session from UX Camp Spring 2024 on **Age & Tech: Experience Need Not Apply**. At the heart of the tech design industry lies an uncomfortable truth: ageism is prevalent. Jason explores how ageism impacts hiring and advancement, providing research and statistics on the current state of the industry. In this session, you'll learn: - Common reasons given for not hiring experienced designers - Benefits that experience offers in a constantly evolving profession - How ageism, combined with other forms of discrimination, hinders diversity Join the discussion to share your experiences and explore paths forward. 👉 Watch now: Jason Cranford Teague - Age & Tech: Experience Need Not Apply - https://lnkd.in/gAn7r96f #UX #Design #UXDesign #UserExperience #HumanCentered #ChicagoCamps #Ageism #Diversity #Inclusion #TechIndustry #ExperienceMatters

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In my 20+ year design career, I've never heard a design client say... I'm looking for someone more: • Creative • Strategic • Data-driven • Collaborative • User-centred And yet, if you open 100 design agency websites, you'll see some variation of these 5 descriptors. I noticed this discrepancy a few years ago. So, I started taking notes every time a design client complained about design and design services. The truth is, none of the above ever showed up in my notes. Instead, here are the top 5 concerns: 1. Communication Issues 2. Slow Design Cycles 3. Scope Creep 4. Disagreement on Design Decisions 5. Difficulty Measuring ROI Here's my full summary note: Communication Issues: Founders may feel that designers don't understand the technical limitations of the product or the business needs of the company. This can lead to frustration on both sides, as founders may feel like designers are designing products that can't be built, and designers may feel like founders aren't giving them the freedom they need to be creative. Slow Design Cycles: The design process can be slow, especially for founders who are used to moving quickly. This can be frustrating for founders who need to get products to market quickly. Scope Creep: SaaS products are constantly evolving, and founders may feel like designers are constantly adding new features to the product, rather than focusing on the core features that will drive user adoption. This can lead to products that are bloated and difficult to use. Disagreement on Design Decisions: Founders and designers may not always agree on the best way to design the product. This can lead to disagreements that can slow down the development process. Difficulty Measuring ROI: It can be difficult to measure the return on investment (ROI) of design decisions. This can make it hard for founders to justify the cost of hiring designers. I hope this helps you the next time you pitch your service. #design #ux #productdesign #designservice #copywriting

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To hiring managers: Please avoid this approach. Job description: "Seeking a UX designer if you know someone." "Looking for a motion graphics person." What exactly does this mean? By not providing clarity on the role you need filled, you're wasting both your time and the candidates' time and hope for a potential position. Do everyone a favor by offering more insight into the role, your requirements, and the qualifications a successful candidate would possess. Posts like this are becoming all too common because of the assumption that people are desperate (they are) and that you'll easily find someone (you will) ... But you'll find the right candidate by posting more thoughtfully. PS: I’m not looking. Just fine where I am at but I’m seeing this trend and it’s disappointing.

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When we surveyed UX professionals and hiring managers for our new State of UX Hiring 2024 report about portfolios an overwhelming majority said that they are an important part of the job application. 📊 With 90% of hiring managers and 74% of UX professionals in agreement, are portfolios a necessity when applying for jobs in UX? 🤔⁠ ⁠ You can find these insights and more in our new FREE State of UX Hiring 2024 report here: https://lnkd.in/ek2zss-V ⁠ #portfolio #uxportfolio #ux #uxjobs

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Whether you’re a UX designer or a leader with an innovation project on the horizon, utilizing prototypes will help get your innovation ideas through to users and stakeholders. In "A Field Guide To Great UX Prototyping", Akendi's own Jonathan Pusic, UX Architect, shares how he thinks about prototyping, the benefits of different types of prototyping, and how to apply them to your own projects! 🗝️ Here are some key takeaways: ✔ Prototypes are meant to make your concepts visible ✔ Prototypes don’t have to be sophisticated or fancy ✔ Pick the right prototype for the right purpose, at the right time “Don’t add flames and a spoiler when you’re still deciding what kind of car to build.” How can you make the most of prototyping? Leverage dedicated experts to guide you through the product ideation and prototyping journey. Find out how to utilize the right prototype at the right time be reading the full article: https://lnkd.in/eb62kDDH #research #ux #blog #prototyping #experts

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Study-level #metrics are especially appropriate when the #UXresearch goal is focused on more global attitudes and intentions. https://bit.ly/3yTVVpa

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Differentiation is the key to standing out in this ambiguous and seemingly saturated design market. Strategically "partnering" with AI instead of fearing it, will help more senior designers accomplish this. #UX #design #Technology

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The fundamental principles underlying good design are so simple, yet so easily overlooked. No one actually thinks about concepts like Proximity when producing a communication or user experience. It’s more of an instinctual understanding. But if something just isn’t working overall, it can be helpful to step back and ask if there are basic problems with how individual elements are relating to each other. Any presenter or communicator can benefit from the power of good design. Utilizing the fundamentals is so easy, but mastering them is a lifelong pursuit. Hopefully, you find this information useful, or at the very least, interesting. But beware, you may start to see good and bad uses of the Proximity principle all around you. Enjoy your descent into the rabbit hole! 😂 #design #ux #marketing #communication

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The art of crafting user-centric experiences and standing out in the digital landscape in this UX Magazine article — join the insightful journey of Behavioral Design. https://buff.ly/3Obk1lk #BehavioralDesign #Design #Innovation #UXMastery

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Where Do We Draw the Line Between Ethical UX and Dark Patterns? User experience often hinges on consent. It’s tricky to distinguish between dark patterns and good UX. The FRISE consent model helps: 🆓 Freely given consent means no pressure or manipulation. ⏪ Reversible means users can change their minds anytime. 🗣️ Informed means everyone knows what they’re agreeing to. ✋ Engaged means no rushing, full involvement. 🎯 Specific means getting consent every time, even if it’s been done before. 👉 Learn more about dark patterns and ethical tech here: https://lnkd.in/edTJuiiH #EthicalTech #PrivacyLaw #DataEthics

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If you are a UX Researcher (or just in UX) and curious about how to put together a good portfolio, this article sheds some light on the topic and has some great examples to use as inspiration.

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💻 Live on the Outwitly Blog: Why Community Building is Important for Remote UX Designers and Researchers! ✍️ Author: Nedu Achebe Many UX Designers and Researchers thrive in remote work environments, enjoying benefits such as flexibility and the ability to work from anywhere. However, this work structure has a few drawbacks, one being that it's more difficult to feel connected to a community— but don’t worry! We've created a blog post specifically to teach you how to join a UX community and maximize its potential. 🤝 In this post, you’ll learn: 👉 Pros, cons, and our top tips for being a remote UX designer or researcher. 👉 The importance and impact of a UX community. 👉 How to maximize the potential of design communities to advance your UX career. Start reading here: https://lnkd.in/ga-MkBWf . . . #UXDesigner #CommunityBuilding #RemoteWork #RemoteUX #UXCommunity #DesignResearch

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