the triforce of ux: empathy, curiosity, humility

The Triforce of UX3 Qualities To Seek In Your Next UX Designer

Brandon E.B. Ward • @uxward • Precocity

Who Is This Guy?

Who Is This Guy?Experience Designer

Loves stuff

Hates Country (mostly)

Huge nerd

Married 17 years

4 kids

SHE proposed to ME (3rd date)

Never had a fight

Is Tron

Enjoys solving real problems

Doing this for 16 years

Is bald, but not by choice

Kung Fu Fighter

Has 2 cats

Pop-culture Nut

Preface…

2 Key Questions:

What three skills would you place as most important for a UX Designer?

How you might phrase some interview questions to validate a candidate actually has those skills?

The Triforce

The Triforce of UX

IT’S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS.

The Triforce of Empathy


Does the candidate know how to get into the heads, and hearts of the Users? Developers? Stakeholders?

Can they walk a mile in their shoes?


Diplomacy & ConsensusActual UX Deliverables

What UX Designers Do

At its core UX is not a deliverable, but a business strategy and competitive advantage in the marketplace.

—Troy Parke

?The 3 questions


1. What is your primary goalas a UX Designer?

Users Business

Users Business

Tech

nology

Users Business

Tech

nology

UX



2. Tell me about your user-research techniques & methodologies…


When do they do research?

Why do they do research?

Can they talk to people in general?

Can they help customers talk about their problems without asking leading questions?

Can they shadow people in their environments?



2. Tell me about your user-research techniques & methodologies…

3. Who has final say what a UIlooks like and why?

–Tim Rayburn

Decisions are made by those who show up.


–Brandon E.B. Ward

UIs are designed by those who commit code.


–Tim Rayburn

The .PSD is a lie.



UX Wheel by Magnus Revang

The Triforce of UX

The Triforce of Curiosity


Does the candidate want to get into the heads and hearts of the Users? Developers? Stakeholders?

Do they foster a healthy nature of inquiry?

Do they harbor a desire to always be learning something new?

—Banksy

All artists are willing to suffer for their work. But why are so few prepared to learn to draw?


—Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

When we think we know, we cease to learn.


?The 3 questions


1. What inspires you?


Knowledge


Experience

Steve JobsWIRED, February 1996


—Frank Herbert, Dune

Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.



Résumé


Résumé

Portfolio


Résumé

Portfolio

Website


Résumé

Portfolio

Website

Twitter


Résumé

Portfolio

Website

Twitter

LinkedIn


Résumé

Portfolio

Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

Facebook

Snapchat

Google

Steve JobsWIRED, February 1996


—Brandon E.B. Ward

Old knowledge is helpful, but new knowledge will be the key that unlocks the best

solutions for new problems.




2. Are you involved with Online, Local, National, and/or Global UX communities? In what ways?



2. Are you involved with Online, Local, National, and/or Global UX communities? In what ways?

3. When was the last time you learned something new? What was it? Who taught you? How did it change you?

—Proverbs 29:11

A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.


The Triforce of UX

The Triforce of Humility

If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one

will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one’s heart is not in balance, the Triforce will

separate into three parts...—Zelda, Ocarina of Time


…yearning for the Triforce soon turned to lust for power, which in turn led to the spilling of blood. Soon the only motive left among those searching for the Triforce was pure greed.

—Gates to the Gold Land



Does the candidate want to build up others, or themselves?

Are they seeking to impose their will, or to establish balance in the team?

Do they use their position as a weapon or a binding agent?

?The 3 questions


1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong. or—Tell me about a time when you failed…

—Robert I. Sutton

Fight like you know you’re right, listen like you know you’re wrong.


—Anon E. Mouse

Prototype like you know you’re right, test like you know you’re wrong.


How it feels to watch a user test your product for the first time.

—Bill Nye

Every person you meet knows something you don’t.




2. A developer calls you over to their desk to show you how they implemented your design, but they’ve made some significant changes. What do you do?

—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.




2. A developer calls you over to their desk to show you how they implemented your design, but they’ve made some significant changes. What do you do?

3. You know you’re right. You have the data & evidence to support your position, but the primary stakeholder just doesn’t like it & wants something else you know is wrong. What do you do?

Twelve Angry Men


That’s just not professional!


Thank You!


Brandon E.B. Ward • @uxward • Precocity

the triforce of ux: empathy, curiosity, humility

Recruiting & HR