Clinton Forry

A word of caution for designers thinking about a move to product management. I know, I know: design can be frustrating. Product managers seem to have more influence. It is hard to care, and have a PM dash those hopes. It feels better to "join 'em" instead of to keep struggling. The hype seems to be around product. And yes, design jobs at companies that seem to value design are in super high demand, whereas product manager jobs seem to crop up everywhere (though it is still tough). But also consider this: you have to consider where things are going. Companies are rethinking what constitutes a product meaning we may see far fewer PMs. The hype of "multi product" and "turn everything into a product" is fading. It is very hard to argue that every little pod of engineers and designers NEED a PM, when these things aren't even products. A great designer with an engineering partner can effectively run most product areas. Slowly slowly, and with fits and starts, we are seeing companies mature their approach to product, which has the net effect (in many ways) of elevating design. In many companies, PMs are becoming more of a "business role", which means you can kiss the creativity you enjoy, and the ability to "make" goodbye. Advancing in product within a company can be highly competitive (job advancement is harder). A lot of PMs realize how brutal the advancement schemes are. Yes, some companies appreciate the idea of a highly skilled individual contributor, but there is a lot of pressure to move up solely through management roles. Which is all to say that the grass may seem greener right now, but it might not stay that way. We *need* skilled and experienced designers.

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When it comes to UX content, are you ever tempted to just "write your own"? You're not alone, but maybe this article by Aprill Jones, Associate Content Director at CapTech, will convince you to call on a professional. (I sure hope so.) #captech #uxwriting

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Every senior designer out there should have strong skills in all of these, with potentially #8 as the only exception. I've worked in many roles where I was a UXer of 1, so had little opportunity to lead others except in leading my design with stakeholders. A good leader can do all of the things a good designer can do AND can strategize a way forward that excites others to follow. 8 Steps to Become a Team Leader in UX Design

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Portfolio tip for design leaders: Unless your values/leadership style/‘how I lead’ slides are unique or clearly showing why they make you a good fit for this specific role, skip all that in your portfolio presentation. It’s a waste of time and if it sounds like what all the other candidates are also doing(which is true 90% of the time), it will make you blend in. Not good: Generic words like empathy, team building, servant leadership etc Good: Super specific values that apply to this role Better: Super specific values that are actually then evidenced in the work you will shortly present

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📣 Come. Off. Mute. 📣 Speaking out loud in an online setting can be scary, but it's necessary for everyone’s growth and success. Most of all, yours. As a UX people leader, I am frequently part of many team meetings to make decisions or review work. I often know the least about what the state of the project is, or how decisions were made up to that point. I have to depend on knowledge of the people on my team. Many times after the meeting, a team mate will give me their perspective, history or insight that they didn’t share in the larger meeting that would have made all the difference in decisions that were made, and my feedback for the project. Mostly this happens for reasons based in fear and trust. The fear of being wrong, the fear of potentially getting someone else into trouble or the fear of not being supported. Those settings can be intimidating!  My feedback and coaching when this happens is always the same: “Be brave, come off mute. If you see something that you know better or can help, say something.” As a designer who champions the iterative process of making things, we should approach our communications the same way. The first one will be rough, but putting things out there is the only way to learn and be thoughtful in what we put into the world.  I’m taking my own advice to “come off mute” here on LinkedIn to share more about my experience: 📦Working in design in a global, customer-centric company like Amazon, and creative careers in general 👨🏽‍💻Being a minority working in organizations where design is also a minority 🤹🏽How to thrive as a people leader, or working with people leaders 💪🏽Lessons learned attempting to do product development

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Good advice here. Try to avoid dead ends of any kind.

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Why are we overcomplicating the hiring process? I’ve hired many designers and built effective teams over the years.  Recently, I've observed an increasing frustration among designers during their job search. It’s tough enough to secure an interview after applying for dozens, sometimes hundreds of jobs, but then candidates face multiple rounds of interviews and tests. What’s funny is that some of my colleagues think I’m particular when hiring designers, especially UX designers, because I’m focused on finding strong, thoughtful candidates. But my process is actually quite straightforward. If I spot quality in a candidate, I don’t need 3-4 rounds of interviews to make a decision. Here’s how I hire UX designers: (the process differs slightly for creative designers and other roles) 1. Review CVs & portfolios (HR sends me a shortlist).  2. Narrow down potential candidates.  3. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 to explore your attitude, thought process, UX methodology, and walk through your portfolio to understand your decisions on specific projects. I also ask technical questions to gauge your knowledge.  4. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁—to evaluate how you create a user journey for a simple feature/product and assess its usability. That’s it. If you have the skills, knowledge, and the right attitude, you're hired.  To fellow hiring managers: You don’t need 5 interviews and 3 tests stretched out over 3 months to make a decision. Let’s simplify the process. 

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As a designer with over 20 years of experience, three resources have profoundly impacted my career: Dan Mall's talk "Should Designers?..," Josh Clark's article "Only One Deliverable Matters," and Joshua Seiden's book "Outcomes Over Output." For years, I took immense pride in the pixel-perfect design comps I meticulously crafted. But these resources challenged me to rethink what truly matters in our field. Dan Mall posed a critical question: "Should designers?" This simple yet powerful inquiry pushed me to consider when and where my skills are most valuable, ensuring that my contributions are always intentional and aligned with the bigger picture. Dan reminded me that while developers can create a website without a designer, a designer can’t create a website without a developer. This insight helped me refocus on what truly drives value in our work. In 2018, Joshua Clark taught me that it's not about the plethora of design deliverables we produce—it's about the single, most impactful thing: the working software. My CEO doesn’t care about the dozens of Figma frames and Miro boards I create; he cares about the business outcomes our team’s software delivers. Clark emphasizes that while we often focus on creating numerous artifacts like wireframes, prototypes, and design comps, these are merely means to an end. The ultimate goal is to create a functional, user-friendly product that delivers real value to users. This lesson was a turning point, prompting me to prioritize the end product over the process. In 2021, Josh Seiden’s book continued to shift my focus from the tangible outputs of my work to the outcomes they generate. It's not just about what we create; it's about the difference our work makes in the lives of users. Over time, I've come to realize that creating design comps is only a small part of our role. Understanding the problem, validating our designs to ensure they meet the proposed outcomes, and building relationships and trust with our stakeholders are just as important—if not more—than the comps themselves. These lessons have transformed the way I perceive my craft. I'm no longer just a designer creating beautiful interfaces; I'm a strategist focused on meaningful outcomes and collaboration. My skills include user research, workshop facilitation, prototyping, usability testing, and visual design—whatever it takes to make our product owner and tech team successful in delivering positive outcomes. The partnership with the product owner and developers fosters trust and collaboration, ultimately earning a valued position within the team—not by demanding it, but through consistent contributions. If you're a fellow designer, I encourage you to think beyond the pixels and dive deeper into the impact your work can have. #ProductDesign #UX #OutcomesOverOutput #Agile #Collaboration #CareerGrowth

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"The strategic design gold rush is over." While this might sound like a scary sentiment at first, I'm choosing to see it as an opportunity for design leadership. It's a chance for reinvention of what role design led teams can play in corporate settings. Users are increasing their demand for simple and straightforward user experiences. Every company continues to need more user and customer advocacy and design leaders are perfectly positioned to be the fabric of that advocacy and stitch together the functions required to deliver it to market. Rather than being relegated to a subordinate capability in product-led companies, design leaders can now redefine their purpose, leveraging their skills in user empathy, strategic experiential planning and continue to tie together the often disparate agendas at play in organizations. #Design #Leadership #Reinvention #Innovation

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🤝Designing Together: The Power of Trust in Cross-Functional Teams Let’s talk about something often overlooked in the hustle of deadlines, roadmaps, and launches: the human connections that hold our squads together. As product designers, we live at the intersection of user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility. In this space, our product managers and engineers aren’t just “other functions.” They are our partners—the people we rely on to bring ideas to life. Yet, the real challenge is less about tools, processes, or even skillsets, and more about building relationships rooted in honesty, transparency, and trust. Here’s the truth: without these values, even the most brilliant designs can falter. Why? Because product development isn’t a solo act. It’s a collaborative symphony, where alignment, constructive friction, and mutual respect drive success. Honesty: The Foundation Honesty starts with dropping the ego. Be real about what you know, what you don’t, and where you need help. For example, if a design direction feels risky, say so. Likewise, invite your PM and engineers to challenge your assumptions. The best ideas emerge when all perspectives are heard, not when we hold back to avoid discomfort. Transparency: The Glue Transparency isn’t just about sharing updates—it’s about inviting others into the process. Share your messy explorations, involve engineers in user research, and talk openly about constraints. A transparent team is a team that avoids surprises. And when everyone understands the “why” behind decisions, alignment comes naturally. Trust: The Multiplier Trust doesn’t happen overnight—it’s earned through actions. It’s being consistent in your delivery, showing empathy when conflicts arise, and treating criticism as an opportunity rather than an attack. When trust is solid, something powerful happens: debates shift from “proving a point” to “solving a problem.” The Role of Feedback Feedback is where these values are put to the test. Constructive criticism isn’t just about improving a design—it’s about building a better partnership. When a PM critiques your work, they’re helping align it with the strategy. When an engineer pushes back on feasibility, they’re ensuring it’s buildable. Embrace these moments. They’re not threats; they’re gifts. The Big Picture In a squad, the lines between roles blur. Success isn’t about who “owns” the best idea—it’s about delivering the best solution together. When honesty, transparency, and trust become your defaults, your team stops being just a collection of functions. You become a unit, operating with shared purpose and collective accountability. So, product designers: How are you fostering these values in your squads? What’s one thing you’ll do differently this week to strengthen your partnerships? Let’s commit to designing not just great products, but great relationships. That’s where the real magic happens. #Collaboration #ProductDesign #TrustMatters #Teamwork #productdesign

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📢 The U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) team is open to ideas for topics during the August Monthly Call (MC), including browser support, accessibility, designer tools, and product roadmaps. Someone has already submitted an idea to learn more about how to propose a new component! You don't necessarily have to be a USWDS community member; we are open to many suggestions. We encourage designers, developers, accessibility specialists, or agile enthusiasts to attend the MC. If you're not on GitHub and the link to the discussion below doesn't allow you to post an idea, message me or share your thoughts in the comments below. Let us know what you think; we want to hear from you! #DesignSystem #PublicDiscussion #FederalGovernment #Accessibility #agile #ComponentDesign

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I liked this observation from Linn Vizard's latest newsletter: "At the object and artefact layers, designers have tangible outputs of their work to point to. Service designers find it much harder to point at something tangible and visible." The outcomes of service design sound a lot like the outcomes of business leadership. (CX and e2e service improvement, backstage operations, org structure, the way people think and behave). Where is the chorus of people asking business leaders to "show their value," as so many service designers are asked to do? Oh right! that chorus is called the shareholders. 🙃 So why can't service designers' value be measured against revenue growth, (as we already do for any business leader working towards the same outcomes) and be done with it? The question of measuring the impact of design is such a common topic of discussion in The Circle.. it comes up pretty much every time we meet. ( cc Marc Fonteijn ) #servicedesign #outcomesoveroutputs #metrics #okrs

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I post a lot about deceptive design patterns, along with several of my fellow “thought helpers.” I’m posting today because I want my fellow thought helpers to also consider a different angle. While it remains important to discuss and define deceptive design patterns, I’ve started thinking more about how to help designers have productive conversations with their product partners, considering the era we’re in where corporations are driving growth, engagement, and revenue like never before. (There are lots of conversations to have over the principles at play here; that’s not what this post is about 😎 ) Designers who want to design responsibly need help navigating these conversations. We can’t just say “Don’t do manipulative design; if they make you do it, just quit,” because unfortunately, those who quit could very likely have substantial difficulty landing somewhere else in this climate. Plus, it’s just important to be able to think strategically about the building of a culture of trust-driven design. The thinking will involve nuance, storytelling, and (ideally) coming to a solution both designer and product partner are aligned on. In that spirit, here’s a starter list of ways to become a constructive trust advocate, and to be able to smartly navigate those conversations: 📐 Explore the idea of a “trusted by design” framework: a set of guardrails and attributes that your product design and development teams can use as a kind of moral compass. I wrote about the one we use at LinkedIn; link is in a comment below. The strongest approach is to start with your founders’ mission statement (which is likely to be predicated on trust somehow) and tie the idea of ethics and trust to it – then build the framework as a structure to apply in design reviews. 🌟 When you're debating whether to use a coercive design pattern to encourage adoption, remember: VALUE is your best friend. How can you best help the user buy in of her own free will, instead of tricks? Show the value. 🏛 Get up-to-speed on consumer data privacy regulations. A good first step is to follow the IAPP - International Association of Privacy Professionals here. Knowing that there are real, actionable laws around deceptive patterns (you’ll see the term “dark patterns” used most commonly, unfortunately) and “roach motel” patterns can help you make your case. Speaking of privacy laws… ⚖ This is a great segue to my next tip: make friends with your legal team and privacy team! Have a virtual coffee and tell them you’re a designer who cares about trust-driven design. In this era, your legal team is very likely on your side, and can give you talking points. It's not enough that we educate designers and product managers about deceptive patterns; we need to equip designers to have these conversations and think strategically about them.

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Since unexpectedly re-entering the job market, I’ve seen more ‘UX Writer’ roles than expected. Generally speaking, many of us in the field are not fans of this title. I don’t believe it adequately covers what this role typically does. (This post isn’t specifically about why the term ‘Content Design’ matters, but I encourage you to check out the work of Sarah Winters if you’d like a deeper explanation.) Moving beyond personal opinion, this is not what professionals in this field are using. A quick glance at Google Trends shows us that ‘Content Design’ is dominating searches compared to ‘UX Writing.’ What does this mean? All of our orgs are different but I think you owe it to yourself and your company to explore reclassifying any ‘UX Writing’ roles to ‘UX Content Design.’ It’s more accurate to what we do and it’s what your potential prospects are using to find your jobs.

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If I were to start a UX team at a small company (again)—now that I’ve worked at Fortune 50 companies—I’d do one thing very different. I’d match the job titles and role criteria I’ve seen large companies use. Calling a player/coach with 2 direct reports a “Director” or “VP” or an IC designer with 2-3 years experience capable of being the solo designer a project a “senior” is doing those people and the company a disservice. You might not need a Lead, Principal, Director, or VP yet. That’s ok. But being clear on what level person you need AND the criteria/experience that justifies someone at that level (and the corresponding pay) is crucial as companies scale and as individuals move on to other companies. An elevated title isn’t a “benefit”. It can actually be a major setback. To both companies and individuals. A “Director” at a Fortune 50 company shouldn’t have different experience criteria than a startup. If you are a startup that is hiring their first designer or design leader and doesn’t know how to hire for the appropriate role, reach out. I can help. Don’t make the same mistake. #Hiring #OrgDesign #UX

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Yesterday, I spoke with a Principal Designer and I asked: “What’s the biggest challenge you face right now?” Principal Designer: “Honestly, it’s managing expectations. I spend more time justifying timelines to leadership than actually working with the team.” Me: “How does that affect your role day-to-day?” Principal Designer: “It means less time focusing on design and more time firefighting. Pushing back on unrealistic deadlines and trying to explain why rushing things hurts the final product.” Designers, here’s the takeaway: the higher you go, the less you get to design. Forget the idea that leadership gives you more creative freedom. It’s about managing up, protecting your team, and making sure the work actually gets done right. - Build trust with leadership early. - Set clear boundaries for what’s possible within the time you have. - Fight for the space your team needs to do their best work. Hope this resonates with anyone navigating similar challenges today. ♻️ Know someone who needs to hear this? Pass it along.

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It's so true that many UX teams are stretched thin, often working solo on more projects than they can handle. 💻 I really like the idea of focusing on being experience evangelists rather than just designers—it’s all about creating a bigger impact with limited resources. 💡Building a UX community within an organization is a brilliant way to spread best practices and advocate for user-centric decisions! 🙌 #UXLeadership #CustomerExperience #DesignCommunity #UX https://lnkd.in/eUNH_zfd

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Happy Wednesday!! Here are 3 things that recently caught my eye recently: 1) Defining Job Levels If you're a manager who isn't sure how to come up with job levels, expectations, a path to progression for your team then don't want to miss this article about how Intercom redesigned its job levels for product designers. And if you're a team member trying to figure out your career path then this will be helpful for you too :)  https://lnkd.in/gz4rFeNd 2) Design Systems and AI Your design team won't be able to leverage AI unless you have a solid foundation, including a design system, in place. In this article, Brad Frost explains how his team has been able to leverage AI in product design including how they recently showed off how LLMs can generate and translate component code.  https://lnkd.in/gkT5dmZs 3) Always be Open To Work Bonnie Dilber is a recruiter lead at Zapier and I stumbled upon a great LinkedIn post she did about why you should always be open to work. Regardless of the state of the job market this is 100% a good idea. https://lnkd.in/gCqfcC87 ⭐️These were also in newsletter on Monday! So if you want to get my newsletter then just head to https://lnkd.in/ggfyb7CM #uxresearch #uxdesign #uxresearcher #productdesign #uxdesigner #contentstrategy #productmanagement #prodmgmt #techladies #techjobs #uxjobs #uxcareers #designsystem

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