thrive in design by pushing people and pixels
TRANSCRIPT
LISTEN, OBSERVE, UNDERSTAND, SYMPATHIZE, EMPATHIZE, SYNTHESIZE, AND GLEAN INSIGHTS THAT ENABLE HIM OR HER TO
Hillman Curtis 1961-2012
THE GOAL OF A DESIGNER IS TO…
AMERICAN NEW MEDIA DESIGNER, AUTHOR, MUSICIAN AND FILMMAKER
‘MAKE THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE’
WHERE ARE YOU IN YOUR DESIGN CAREER?
WHAT CAREER? EARLY CAREER
INTERN
FIRST JOB
0-4 YEARS IN
MID CAREER
HAVE A BIZ
SIDE GIGS
5-10 YEARS
STUDENT
BIG FAN
JUST JOBS
HANGIN’ OUT
RETIRED
CRUSHIN' IT
EXPERIENCED
DIRECTING
TOP OF MY GAME
MANAGING
VP/CHIEF-ING
REINVENTING IT
SECOND LIFE
PLAYING
DISCOVERY
PLANNING
JUST WEIRD
“THINK OF LIFE AS A PROTOTYPE CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS, MAKE DISCOVERIES, AND CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVES. LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO TURN PROCESSES INTO PROJECTS THAT HAVE TANGIBLE OUTCOMES.”
Tim Brown, IDEO
MOBILE UX ARCHITECT
KNOW YOURSELF
“CANDY LAND”2014 - 2016 SENIOR MANAGER, EXPERIENCE DESIGNNOW - DIRECTOR, EXPERIENCE DESIGN
(1999-2001) DESKTOP PUBLISHER
WEB DEVELOPER
(2001-2006) WEB DESIGNER
INFORMATION ARCHITECT (IA)SENIOR IA
(2006-2007) DIRECTOR, PRODUCT MARKETING
(2007) INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
(2007-2008) (2008 - 2011)
SENIOR UX ARCHITECTSENIOR MANAGER, PRIVACY INTERACTION DESIGN
(2011-2014) SENIOR UX ARCHITECT
DIRECTOR, JUICE LABS
START
WHAT CAREER?
EARLY CAREER
MID CAREER
CRUSHIN’ IT
REINVENTING IT
I WAS A MILITARY OOPSIE BABY!
WHAT CAREER? KNOW YOURSELF WHAT HISTORY DO YOU HAVE THAT GIVES
YOU AN EDGE?
LIVED IN FRONT OF THE TV & HAD IDEAS
WHAT CAREER? KNOW YOURSELF WHAT ARE THINGS YOU DID AS A KID
THAT HINT AT YOUR NATURAL ABILITY?
INCREDIBLY SHY AND INCREDIBLY TALL
WHAT CAREER? KNOW YOURSELF
I would sweat when people looked at me
“Go-Go Gadget Legs!”
Motivated by “You can’t do that!”
WHAT ADVERSITY DID YOU OVERCOME?
WAS 16 AND PREGNANT “BEFORE IT WAS COOL”
WHAT CAREER? KNOW YOURSELF WHAT “MISTAKES” HAVE YOU MADE
THAT BECAME THE BEST THING EVER?
WENT TO COLLEGE FOR BUSINESS COMPUTER INFO SYS (BCIS)
WHAT CAREER? KNOW YOURSELF WHAT FEARS ARE YOU CONQUERING?
WHAT CAREER? KNOW YOURSELF
JUST JOBS
RAN A COUNTRY LIQUOR & BEER STORE
AT AGE 19
“WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN REPLACEMENT WINDOWS OR SIDING?”
LEARNED CYA DOCUMENTATION
& MIXED MOTIVES
WHAT ACCIDENTAL SKILLS HAVE YOU
BUILT?
SUPPLY CHAIN IN SMALL
“GURL, YOU BETTA GET YO SHIT ‘TUH-GEAW-THUH’ YOU TOO SMART FOR THIS!”
Mrs. White “Reality Check #1”, 1998
JUST A JOB - HUTCHINS STATE JAIL WHO HAS KICKED YOU IN THE BUTT?
EARLY CAREER: LEARN YOUR ASS OFF
FIRST DESIGN & TECH JOBSOMNIFLIGHT (1999-2001)
DESKTOP PUBLISHER WEB DEVELOPER
WHAT JOB MIGHT HELP YOU LEARN
AND PROVE YOURSELF?
“DON’T COME TO ME WITH A PROBLEM! COME WITH A SOLUTION!”
Don Click (VP) “Reality Check #2”, 2000
FIRST DESIGN JOB - DESKTOP PUBLISHER HAVE YOU EMBRACED HARSH ADVICE?
EARLY CAREER: LEARN YOUR ASS OFF
SECOND DESIGN JOBTRAVELOCITY (2001-2003)
Dana Walter Great example of a reasonable and strong female design leader
WEB DESIGNER
WHY? THAT’S NOT WHAT I KNOW!
DO YOU ASK ENOUGH QUESTIONS?
CANDY WITH A WHY?
What happens when you ask why? why? why?
EARLY CAREER: LEARN YOUR ASS OFF
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE & INTERACTION DESIGN
ARE YOU WAITING FOR PERMISSION?
“SOMETIMES, BEING CONSISTENT MAKES THINGS
HARDER TO USE”
“DESIGNERS ARE BRILLIANT BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW
ANYTHING”
“DON’T EXPECT A COMPANY TO INVEST IN YOU IF YOU DON’T! FACTOR INTO YOUR SALARY AND BUDGET FOR IT.”
CANDY “with a WHY” BERNHARDT
INVEST IN YOURSELF, TOO!
EARLY CAREER: LEAD WITHOUT AUTHORITY
TRAVELOCITY CULTURE OF “YES AND..."
WHAT CULTURE CAN YOU HELP CREATE?
CRAZY HAT DAY!
BE A FAN!
“CANDY, I’VE NOTICED YOU ARE CONSISTENTLY TWO YEARS AHEAD!”
NOEL HOLMES,“Reality Check #3”, 2004
EARLY CAREER: LEAD WITHOUT AUTHORITY WHAT PATTERNS ARE DEVELOPING IN YOUR WORK?
MID CAREER: LEAD WITHOUT PERMISSION
STARTUP, DOT COM, & LOCAL COMMUNITY
WHAT COMMUNITIES PUSH YOUR
BOUNDARIES?
“HEY CANDY! I HAD AN IDEA THIS MORNING. WE LAUNCHED IT THIS AFTERNOON!”
TRAVIS ISAACS, “Reality Check #4”, 2006
MID CAREER: LEAD WITHOUT AUTHORITY ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE THE FRUIT OF YOUR EFFORTS?
MID CAREER/SIDE GIG: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
RADIOTIME = TUNEIN + I HEART RADIO2006-2007 DIRECTOR, PRODUCT MARKETING
HAVE YOU HELPED REFRAME A BUSINESS?
MID CAREER: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
HEALTH MARKETS2007 INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
DO YOU TELL STORIES THAT
CONNECT DOTS?
MID CAREER: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
HANDANGO2007 - 2008 MOBILE UX ARCHITECT
DO YOU EMBRACE COMPLEXITY?
MID CAREER: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
NOKIA2008 - 2011 UX ARCHITECT SR MANAGER, CONSUMER PRIVACY INTERACTION
DO YOU SEE NEW OPPORTUNITIES?
TRAVELPORT
Emirates - Cross-Functional
CRUSHIN’ IT: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
2011 - 2014 UX ARCHITECT DIRECTOR, JUICE INNOVATION LABS
DO YOU HELP PEOPLE IMAGINE?
“NO TECH PROBLEMS - IMAGINATION PROBLEMS”
“DON’T BE AFRAID OF LEADERSHIP. HELPING TO GROW PEOPLE IS SO MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL THAN ANY PIXEL OR DELIVERABLE.”
CANDY “with a WHY” BERNHARDT
BE A MENTOR OR MANAGER
DUH! PEOPLE WERE DOING THIS FOR ME!
WHO ARE YOU GROWING?
CRUSHIN’ IT: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
INTUIT2014 - 2016 SENIOR MANAGER, EXPERIENCE DESIGN
WHAT TEAM EVENTS DO YOU PLAN?
“BE VULNERABLE. IT’S OKAY TO CRY.”
JAMES HELMS, “Reality Check #6”, 2014
CRUSHIN’ IT: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD ARE YOU COMFORTABLE
WITH EMOTION?
CRUSHIN’ IT: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
“SEAT AT THE TABLE”
DO YOU GRAB THE MARKER?
are at the whiteboard
Leaders
CAPITAL ONE
REINVENTING IT: LEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEAD
2016 - PRESENT DIRECTOR, AUTO LENDING EXPERIENCE DESIGN
IS YOUR JOB FULLY INVESTED
IN DESIGN?
“THE FUTURE BELONGS TO A DIFFERENT KIND OF PERSON WITH A DIFFERENT KIND OF MIND: ARTISTS, INVENTORS, STORYTELLERS- CREATIVE AND HOLISTIC ‘RIGHT-BRAIN’ THINKERS WHOSE ABILITIES MARK THE FAULT LINE BETWEEN WHO GETS AHEAD AND WHO DOESN’T.”
Daniel Pink
I’M A BUSY BODY!WhenIwasakid,Iwasknownasa
BUSYBODY
Alwaysquestioning!•Why?
•Whatif…?
•Nexttimecanwe…?
•Howdoesitwork?
•What’syourname?
•Idon’tthinkthat’sright!
Offtask
Thinktoomuch
Dreamer
Nosy
DistractingOthers
QuestioningAuthority
Strengths
Learner
Ideator
Futurist
Activator
Connector
Restorative
WorkI
Experiments
Ideas
Pitches
Prototypes
Workshops&Community
HackDays
REINVENT: EMBRACE YOUR WEIRD WHAT MATTERS TO YOU?
WhenIwasakid,Iwasknownasa
BUSYBODY
Alwaysquestioning!•Why?
•Whatif…?
•Nexttimecanwe…?
•Howdoesitwork?
•What’syourname?
•Idon’tthinkthat’sright!
Offtask
Thinktoomuch
Dreamer
Nosy
DistractingOthers
QuestioningAuthority
Strengths
Learner
Ideator
Futurist
Activator
Connector
Restorative
WorkI
Experiments
Ideas
Pitches
Prototypes
Workshops&Community
HackDays
WhenIwasakid,Iwasknownasa
BUSYBODY
Alwaysquestioning!•Why?
•Whatif…?
•Nexttimecanwe…?
•Howdoesitwork?
•What’syourname?
•Idon’tthinkthat’sright!
Offtask
Thinktoomuch
Dreamer
Nosy
DistractingOthers
QuestioningAuthority
Strengths
Learner
Ideator
Futurist
Activator
Connector
Restorative
WorkI
Experiments
Ideas
Pitches
Prototypes
Workshops&Community
HackDays
HOW TO BE A DESIGNER WORTH PROMOTING
KNOW YOURSELFKNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
LEARN YOUR ASS OFF!LEAD WITHOUT AUTHORITYLEAN INTO AN EXPECTATION TO LEADEMBRACE YOUR WEIRDREMEMBER WHO GOT YOU HERE
DRAW, GIVE CREDIT, TAKE BLAME & MENTOR
“YES AND...”YOU HAVE PERMISSION
DON’T BE “AN EXPERT”
ADVERSITY HAPPENS. YOU CAN DEAL
DON’T TALK AT PEOPLE
ACCEPT YOURSELF OR NO ONE ELSE WILL
APPRECIATE YOUR TRIBE. THEY MATTER.
DON’T BE JEALOUS OF OTHER PEOPLE’S SUCCESS