Sol D.

This article from Vision Australia shares five simple tips for designing accessible web forms. #Accessibility

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Well, this is new. Usually I go directly as barren html without visual to ensure the structure, understanding, basically information architecture. So, it is clear that any designer who WANT and ABLE to make their design accessible need to understand (at least) basic HTML5. #a11y #a11yID

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Weekends are not the same when job-hunting! 🙈 🎨 Job-Hunting Tips for Designers: Tried, Tested, and Absolutely Aussie 🎨 Alright, fellow designers, let’s have a chat about the art of finding a job (pun intended). Whether you’re fresh out of uni or have years of experience under your belt, job hunting can feel like that moment when your WiFi cuts out mid-Zoom—frustrating, right? But fear not, I’ve been there, done that, and got the branded company T-shirt. So, here are a few mega mind thinker tips to help you land that next big gig! 1. Leverage your skills like you’re MacGyver with a paperclip You’ve got the tools: UX, CX, wireframes, sketches, service design… the whole shebang. Now, show them off. Use your portfolio as the best storytelling tool you have. I once made a wireframe that even got my cat’s attention (true story). Make sure every piece of work tells the story of not just what you did but the impact you had. 2. Contacts, network, and the power of a coffee chat ☕️ Networking is key, and no, I’m not just talking about those cringey “can we connect” LinkedIn messages. Be genuine! I once had a casual coffee with a former colleague, which led to a project down the line. Be open to chats, even if it’s just to catch up. You never know where they’ll lead (sometimes to job offers, sometimes to really good banana bread). 3. Positive thinking: Channel your inner Steve Jobs There will be moments when rejection emails pile up faster than unsolicited spam. But keep your chin up! A while ago, I got knocked back for a role I thought was my dream job. Fast forward six months, I landed something even better. The right opportunity will come—stay positive, keep refining your craft, and don’t let setbacks become full stops. 4. Discipline: Treat job hunting like your 9-5 It’s easy to feel discouraged, but discipline is your best mate here. Set goals—apply for 3 jobs a day, reach out to 5 people, etc. Stick to the plan, and yes, give yourself a knock-off time. I found balance by setting aside time for upskilling in the mornings, job applications by lunch, and, of course, Netflix after 5 pm. Bonus Tip: Don’t forget to have a laugh This process is tough. Keep things light when you can. For me, cracking a joke during interviews or even a bit of self-deprecating humour about the joys of design challenges has worked wonders. After all, who doesn’t want to work with someone who brings positivity into a team? Now over to you lot—what are your go-to tips for nailing the job hunt? Share your thoughts, and let’s help each other out on this wild ride of what’s next! 🎢 #DesignLife #JobHuntTips #CreativeCareers #NetworkingLikeABoss #PositiveThinking #UXDesigner #ServiceDesign

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This new video (6 minutes 16 seconds) from the Centre for Accessibility Australia explains why digital access is access for all. It includes some practical tips when creating websites and other digital content. #Accessibility #DigitalAccess

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Hick's Law The more options people have, the longer it takes for them to make a decision, leading to frustration and overwhelm. Too many choices increase cognitive load and cause decision paralysis, making users less satisfied with their choices, often second-guessing their decisions Possible Solutions : 1. Minimize choices 2. Break down complex tasks 3. Highlight essential items #UX #Hicklaw

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Couple of 💡💡💡💡💡💡 in Part 2 with Karen Monjo from Aquent Australia, James Earnshaw and I explore actionable job-hunting strategies if you're struggling out there here are a few honest & genuine pointers #winning

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My takeaway after experiencing a recent layoff: Seek the right culture, a supportive leadership/executive team and a progressive organisation. Who truly believe in workforce wellbeing, manifested and proven in their value of design. ✨ --- Ongoing layoffs and market instability have reduced the bargaining power that many designers wielded in the previous decade—and have cast a light on the transactional aspect of our work. https://trends.uxdesign.cc - State of UX in 2024

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Thoughts please? I’m looking at UX metrics at the moment and, while I can find lots of information about how they are calculated, the theory behind them, etc., I’m not finding much by way of critique of them. Specifically, I’m looking at SUS and UMUX/UMUX-Lite, but also giving a little thought to some of the others. Have you used SUS or UMUX? If you have, how how they been received in the wider business? Are there any criticisms of them that you could share? Anything you could share would help my understanding greatly! #UXmetrics #metrics #usability #umux #sus

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In one of our Systems Design classes at Strategic Design Management, NID Naveen Kumar highlighted the importance of system boundaries shaped by diverse perspectives. He urged us to reflect on how multiple viewpoints generate different worldviews, ultimately influencing how we perceive and approach systems. Recently, as I’ve been diving deeper into applying research to create impact for diverse stakeholders, the challenges of applications of systemic thinking tried to seep in. Systemic thinking often begins from evidences of the present but it always ends at you creating evidences for the future. Your skills lie in materialising these larger systemic patterns into actionable touchpoints of your product/service.This illustration does highlight core systemic repatterning which can be leveraged while crafting future experiences

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Change is inevitable. It's also hard. Especially within the context of a design systems team. In our latest episode, Davy Fung and I chat about how team changes can impact systems teams, why it's so tough and how to stave off the worst outcomes. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gzR-35ak #designsystems #podcast #change

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Changing how we talk about disability can also change how we think about it. Use the social model of disability. https://lnkd.in/gZ8643aU

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Wow, it is nice to see some of the impact the course I authored with Designlab is having on teams both big and small. Emilyann Gachko thank you for sharing this case study and how it was received by the team at The Home Depot :) If you are interested in increasing your design skills through #usability and #accessibility check out the course. #ux #design #hcd https://lnkd.in/gEdC3NBV

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Can good UX save lives? Yes, it can. The FCC estimates that improving 9-1-1 response times by just one minute could save 10,000 lives annually in the US. Good UX can be one of the keys to achieving this. Yesterday, as part of a public Tech Meetup, Motorola’s UX team from Krakow shared best practices and insights into how their work helps save lives. If you think creating UX for public safety softwares is an easy task, just take a look at the picture below. A dispatcher’s workspace typically includes multiple monitors, keyboards, mice, and even a foot pedal for switching between calls. These people certainly know everything about multitasking. One of the design team’s goals is to enable dispatchers to find, log, and send critical information as quickly as possible. The team shared how they navigate several challenging tasks: - How to conduct beta testing without risking people’s safety - How to perform field research and find the best solutions - How to ensure a smooth transition from legacy complex application to modern systems built from scratch Meetups like this provide a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at Motorola’s work and innovations. I encourage all who are passionate about technology and product design to join future meetups and learn more about Motorola’s incredible contributions. The picture was taken from the City of Southfield's website as an example.

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This should be interesting for anyone in Australia. I was one of many to submit to the process. Based on the depth and inclusion of the findings, I think the report will be interesting. #Disability #ActuallyAutistic #Autism #Inclusion #DisabilityRights

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I love that I've created something bigger than myself and that now, people from Career Strategy Lab who got hired into awesome UX & Product roles are in a position where they are hiring!! It's so awesome to see posts each week where alumni come back to the community and tell their fellow CSL friends about open roles on their teams! We've had people hired at companies including: Blue Origin Nextdoor Fisher Investments JPMorganChase Wells Fargo PepsiCo ContactMonkey Samsung Electronics SimpliSafe America's Test Kitchen AmeriCorps Southern New Hampshire University HealthEquity UnitedHealth Group Vanguard Cisco HP And so many more cool companies ... notice that not all these companies are "tech companies." This is why I say that you need to look for UX & Product jobs outside the tech industry and your shortlist of "FAANG" companies 😉 A big PERK of this program is that you have a built-in network ... so if networking feels gross or scary to you, this is one way how CSL will help you! If you're an alumni of Career Strategy Lab, don't forget to post about roles you're hiring for in the alumni community. #ux #uxdesigner #productdesinger #uxresearcher

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Research is key to good product design. So including people with disablities in your research makes sound business sense - after all, they make up 20% of the population. Not sure where to begin? OzeWAI's Inclusive Research foundational workshop will give you the confidence and competence to start your inclusive research practices. https://lnkd.in/gi9dxR3C

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I just published: “The vast majority of design systems work is busywork”. This post captures a feeling I've had for a while. That the pendulum has swung a bit into the wrong direction when it comes to design systems. There are too many designers for which the design system has become the main topic instead of the actual product work at hand. What do you think? https://lnkd.in/gmz7TdS4

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If you are any kind of design leader, consider starting offering a new service called the Strategic User-Driven Project Assessment (SUPA). This will move you from being seen as an implementor to a strategic lead. #DesignLeadership #SUPA https://lnkd.in/gY3wFAKR

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