Anatomy of a UX PractitionerSamantha Yuen @duzkiez Jul 2014
Image: Play-Grand
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disclosure:social anxiety disorder 5 years
Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
What personal traits do great
UX practitioners possess?
Do you really need to like people in order to design for them?
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
key questions
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depth interviewsAnna HimmanenLead Consultant, APACCresense
Raven ChaiPrincipal ConsultantUX Consulting
Eva WanConsultant, AnalyticsNmbl Consulting
Shah WidjajaConsultant, UXNmbl Consulting
Koh Wei EngSenior Design Ethnographer
Joanna CockleUX RecruiterXpand Group
Michael OngSenior Product Managerbellabox
Manisha DikshitQualitative Research SpecialistConsumer Faces
Shamil ZainuddinEthnographer
Hong Khai SengPrincipal ConsultantFoolproof
Allan CaegProduct Managermig33
Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
7year
s
6year
s
5year
s
3year
s
8year
s
10year
s
2year
s
7year
s
12year
s
24year
s
1.5
years
Nov 2013
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David TravisManaging DirectorUserfocus
Alvin ChaiCo-founder &UX ConsultantNetizenTesting.com
Luke ChambersCo-founderUX Mastery
Chiew Soon AikUX ConsultantNetizenTesting.com
Sam Lorraine ChanUI/UX DesignerTripid Philippines
Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
24years
4years
3mth
s
1.5
years
10years
United Kingdom Malaysia & Philippines Australia
depth interviews Nov 2013
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
UXPA survey
24peopl
e
Other
Startup
Client side
Digital agency
Consultancy
1
1
3
6
13
Not a practi-tioner
Less than 6 months
6-12 months
1-3 years 3-6 years 6-9 years 9-12 years More than 12 years
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1
3 3
4
3 3 3
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014 Image: Wikihow
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
top personal traits
{68%} Empathetic{64%} Curious{64%} Thinker/Analytical{60%} Communicates well{56%} Open-minded{45%} Observant{37%} Willingness to change {32%} Humble{28%} People person{25%} Honest
depth interviews
{88%} Good listener{88%} Observant{83%} Open-minded{79%} Thinker/Analytical{75%} Communicates well{73%} Works well with others{71%} Curious{67%} Empathetic{63%} Adaptable{63%} Patient{63%} Willingness to learn
UXPA survey
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
why these traits?
“At the end of the day, what we are doing is about human beings and for human beings.”
“Methods can be learnt but not how to read people. I trust my ability to read people when hiring someone.”
“We have to deconstruct everyday things, look at processes, deal with different situations and make the unfamiliar, familiar.”
depth interviews
“These are traits I have observed in successful practitioners / would value most on a project.”
“Empathy, understanding and collaboration are key elements to deliver valuable and meaningful results.”
“It’s important to leave yourself out of the room and be open to what others have to say or do.”
UXPA survey
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
someone who doesn’t like people
— anti-social, unfriendly— not outgoing— very introverted— can’t communicate well
— prefers dogs to people— despises people— causes tension— not team player
— oxymoron— two-face— not genuine
depth interviews
— not liking people not the same as disliking them
— it’s separate from the job— don’t have to like people to
understand them— curious and likes solving
puzzles— emotional distance can help
to rise above stereotypes— not liking the people you
interview
— close-minded— no empathy— can’t communicate well— territorial about his/her
designs
UXPA survey
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
do you have to like people?
yes 38%no 31%maybe 31%
depth interviews UXPA survey
yes 12%no 71%maybe 17%
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
yes, you need to
“It’s arrogance – ‘I know what’s best for users so they should shut up and accept my design’.”
“Users need to know they can trust you and you have to enjoy spending time with people.”
“UX is user experience. If you don’t like people, how can you immerse in their lives and understand them?”
depth interviews
“Without empathy, you’re just an X, not a UX person.”
“Designing for people you don’t connect with causes misunderstanding and lowers engagement.”
UXPA survey
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
maybe
“Your work might be good enough but not awesome. But maybe you can care about people and yet not like them.”
“They could bring different perspectives but because they don’t trust, fundamentals are not there.”
“If you don’t like people, you can get the job done but won’t go the extra mile.”
depth interviews
“Not 100% sure you can be empathetic while hating users.”
“Empathy is not sympathy. Too often, UX-ers become narcissists by projecting their values and logic into the work.”
“Sometimes designers tend to be emotional if biased towards the target group. Best designers are neutral towards all things.”
UXPA survey
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
no, it’s not necessary
“You can be interested in human behaviour but don’t have to like them. Empathy is not liking people but being able to understand them.”
“Not all chefs have to love eating.”
“As long as you appreciate people. UX is still centred around problem solving.”
depth interviews
“You don’t have to like someone to understand them.”
“You need to be able to understand your users and be open to their perspectives and past experiences, but you don’t have to like them.”
“It could even be helpful to have slight negative feelings towards them, this has been used for concepts such as the anti-persona.”
UXPA survey
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014 Image: Scientific American
Bronislaw MalinowskiFounder of social anthropologyMost famous for study of natives on Trobriand Islands, MelanesiaStudy praised for being even-handed without condemnation or condescension
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014 Image: Scientific American
“On the whole my feelings toward the natives are decidedly tending to ‘Exterminate the brutes’.”
Hatred and contemptLust for native womenObsessive suspicions of others
Image: Good Reads
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014 Image: Wikihow
Be objective open-minded & self-aware
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Samantha Yuen @duzkiez / Jul 2014
thank you.@duzkiez
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