Dara F.

If you're a Designer or Design Leader, you should sign up to receive the upcoming Ecosystem Leadership Report: Design 2024 from friend and colleague Diego Núñez. I had the opportunity to sit down with Diego a few weeks ago to provide insights and views on what the future holds and why it is important for Designers to live life creatively. The report delivers an in-depth exploration of the transformative trends in design leadership from top industry leaders and voices sharing actionable strategies on innovation, team dynamics, and leadership in the digital age. Link to sign up to receive this report is in the comments section below! #design #designleadership #trends #creative #ux #product #business #impact #insights #ai #ethicaldesign #collaboration #ecosystems #report

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Nine contributions designers are making to health system transformation.

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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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Check out this insightful article, "Engaging Hard to Reach Populations: Three Principles Gleaned from UX Research with Rural Communities," by Ipsos UX’s Danielle G. and Jessica Arnold, MA. This piece explores the crucial role of UX research in reaching often-overlooked populations, particularly those in rural areas. Danielle and Jessica offer practical guidance, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, creativity, and community engagement in designing inclusive and accessible products and services. They use rural communities as a case study to illustrate the need for tailored approaches when working with hard-to-reach populations. A must-read for anyone looking to create products and services that truly cater to everyone. #ux #userexperience #uxresearch #userresearch #accessibility #inclusivity #ipsos

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Popular, but not often discussed opinion: It is significantly more fulfilling to support Product Managers/ Owners who "get" the value of User Research and data than those who don't. So this series, at least for now, is dedicated to them. After you watch it, let me know what else we should discuss.

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Skipping strategy in UX design isn’t just missing a step—it’s missing the chance to lead. My latest post explains why UX strategy is essential to project success and how it transforms designers into strategic partners. https://lnkd.in/gtmnFA7a #userexperience #uxstrategy #businessalignment #productdesign #leadership #designleadership

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In this political season, we are reminded that every vote counts, and every vote must be counted. That applies to South by Southwest too! If you are a designer working in a large organization or on enterprise digital products, arguably the biggest conundrum facing our industry today lies in this question: does Enterprise Software require design to fit into a factory model, forever closing the door on Innovation? Or will our focus on empathy and human-centricity be a force for positive change in a sea of sameness? If you want to hear a unique perspective on this challenge, please vote for my panel, "Enterprise Digital Products: The Death of Design Innovation?". I will be joined by some truly amazing creative leaders, where we will candidly discuss how to lead Design teams in the creation of enterprise digital products. My panel will include... ...Barry Fiske, CXO Americas at Merkle (and co-host of #whatbubblesup), ...Valerie Vacante, VP, Solutions Innovation, dentsu, ...and Sara Alloy, Head of Design for CoreAI at Publicis Sapient. We will explore the benefits, challenges, myths, legends, and inconvenient truths of Designing for the Enterprise. So if you want to see us onstage, we'd appreciate your vote! (I'm Phil Golub, and I approve this message...) WongDoody Infosys P.S. - WongDoody has a bunch of great submissions. Vote us all in while you're at it!! https://lnkd.in/epA-aqcB

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🎤 What if accessibility was your team’s biggest untapped opportunity? Today at the The Patient Support Summit I had the privilege of sharing how designing for accessibility can transform patient support programs. It’s not just about compliance—it’s about unlocking performance, reducing barriers, and delivering real equity. Here are 3 big takeaways from my session: 1️⃣ Start with understanding, lead with action: By identifying barriers, developing targeted accessibility profiles, and applying actionable design principles, we can create PSPs that truly work for everyone. 2️⃣ Performance speaks louder than intent: Removing barriers can reduce prescription abandonment rates by 70%—a tangible business case for accessibility. 3️⃣ Inclusion drives leadership: Accessibility isn’t just a compliance checkbox; it’s a strategic opportunity for PSP leaders to lead in health equity. My ask: Are you ready to make an impact? Our team at Normative is looking for 5 forward-thinking teams in attendance who want to share how improving accessibility impacts their results. Together, come back to the event in 2025 and show what a difference inclusive design can make. 👉 Visit us next year and join the movement! #Accessibility #InclusiveDesign #PatientSupport #PSPSummit2024

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Whatever you know about Trauma Informed Design principles, I assure you, if you've been in the design community the last 10 years, chance are you've experienced some level of it. From CV19, Layoffs, RIF, RTO, the systematic removal of all DEI and ESG programs as well as removing support for LGBTQ community, hiring and recruitment practices, GenAI, Inflation, gaslighting employees, etc. Lots of things that just seem very inhumane. These actions just feel antagonistic to many of us. Workplaces responded to org-level trauma with a set of go-to tactics meant to keep the organization moving forward and afloat while navigating organizational entropy, employee trauma and hardship. These initiatives, frequently celebrated by organization leaders as support for employees, were just as harmful as the problems they were meant to address. They prioritized efficiency and productivity over the care of individuals. Machine and factory manufacturing cadences are all the rage. they are also anti-human. These efforts and management frameworks exacerbate the traumatizing dynamics within organizations, contributing to a collective of emotional disharmony and stress that compounds exponentially without a legitimate plan for relief in sight. Here are some great Trauma-informed Design Resources on a website for learning about trauma, trauma-informed care, and digital design.

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A Product Narrative is a powerful tool for Product Managers and UX Designers. It is a great way to take your User Research and build consensus in your team around key takeaways. It is also a tool to help your stakeholders understand and remember the issues. In this particular example, I have focused on some issues related to nurses. Here the focus is more on the issues and less on the solutions. But, your needs will shape your narrative structure. If you have tried this tool or if you have questions, I would love to hear your feedback.

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I’ve seen firsthand how powerful design can be when it’s at its best - when designers can communicate their understanding of the customer paired with their understanding of the business. How do we get there? By staying insatiably curious about the business we’re in. I dive into this more in the following @Fast Company article. I hope this piece conveys my optimism about the future of our discipline. I’m eager to hear your thoughts! https://lnkd.in/e5P4Ydby #design #experiencedesign 

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Early in my design education, a mantra dominated: "Research before you sketch!" This resonated deeply – understanding existing solutions was key. I meticulously focused on market trends, competitor analysis, and user feedback, mastering the details of design research. However, this meticulousness led to a blind spot: the bigger picture. My Master's course at Nottingham Trent University served as a crucial turning point. Suddenly, the focus wasn't just on user needs. We delved into how economic climate, social issues, and even the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could influence design decisions. The vastness of potentially relevant information initially felt overwhelming. Where could I even begin? That's where lifelong learning became my saving grace. By exposing myself to social, environmental, and economic issues, I have re-built my foundation of knowledge. Imagine this: through ongoing exploration, designers create a reservoir of "design common sense." When a new project arises, we don't need to start from scratch. We can quickly delve into the specifics, already armed with a wider understanding. I'm sharing the four books that have had the biggest impact on my design journey in my new blog post! Check it out and let me know what design books have inspired you lately. https://lnkd.in/emTjQxF3 #productdesign #designthinking #lifelonglearning #madesign

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As a UX convert (crossed over from anthropology), I am often surprised by how many products I purchase are so frustratingly close to getting the experience 'right'. Case in point. I recently purchased a mom-wagon (see below). It's great in so many ways. 8 out of 10 in terms of usefulness, quality, and meeting my needs as a working mom. But it just doesn't fold up the way I need it to. It folds very easily and neatly for storage. But I need to be able to pull it along like a travel suitcase when my kids aren't in it. Instead, it only "folds up neatly for storage." That's great for my condo but I need it to follow me and not piss people off on the way to work. I bought it with the express purpose of dragging onto the #Toronto #streetcar for the morning commute to work so I could rush back and pick up my two young kids one at a time along their separate daycare and school routes. The timing is tight. Work 8-4, rush back on #ttc, get both kids back in time for dinner, bath, reading, snuggles, deep-breaths-to-avoid-yelling-to-get-them-brush-their-teeth, and into bed for a solid night's rest. Rinse and repeat. The wagon is my technological solution to get this tight time-frame to work most efficiently for me. I brought it on the streetcar for the first time this morning and hopefully it will behave nicely on the way home during packed rush hour on a busy downtown car. In conclusion I love the wagon so far. It's great. Another mom saw it with my kids inside and compared it to a "hummer for kids". Point for mom-capital. But as with so many items moms and parents and caregivers and dads and and and ...need to make it through the work-week, it could have been oh-so-slightly better to meet my needs. Maybe my route home is too niche. #personas #journeys Any other parents have a similar and weird niche transportation need? #UXresearch #soclose #userneeds #momlife Moms at Work Athida Valdez Athena Herrmann Sarah Watson Helen Nowak

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POST 3 OF 3: Last chance for established design leaders impacted by a recent layoff or job separation to take advantage of this offer! 3 sponsored seats are available for my next DESIGN LEADERSHIP AT SCALE Director+ (DLSD) online course coming up November 11-21. Here are the deets: I'm partnering with Silke Bochat and Wix Studio, the end-to-end web platform for agencies and enterprises, to #payforward by sponsoring* ➔ 3 SEATS ➔ DESIGN LEADERSHIP AT SCALE Director+ (DLSD) online course ➔ For whom: Design Director, Sr Design Manager or Design Program Manager who have been recently impacted by a Layoff This is Post 2 of a series of 3 ➔ For each post we'll draw one beneficiary to receive a sponsored seat Interested? Before midnight US CDT today... → Repost this post → Add a comment under this post with "I am interested" DESIGN LEADERSHIP AT SCALE Director+ is an online course for established design leaders positioning themselves for future executive roles and career advancement: → Dates: Nov 11-21, 2024 → 2-week session, roughly 18-20 hour total time commitment → All sessions are recorded → including: live zoom discussions, breakout sessions, activities, asynchronous readings, video lectures, lightweight projects What you will learn: • Identify core leadership qualities & superpowers • Map your org & key cross-functional relationships • Learn the signals of mature design orgs • Measure & articulate the value of design • Increase your impact & influence across the enterprise One of the highlights? Fireside Chats with top executive design leaders. In the Q4 Cohort our guests will be Kristin Skinner, Bob Baxley, Kevin Bethune, and Jenna Date! More information about the DLSD course: https://bit.ly/3wqqt32 We are so excited about this news and hope you will join us and help us spread the word! *2 seats sponsored by Silke Bochat in collaboration with Wix Studio, 1 seat sponsored by Doug Powell #payfwd #wixstudiopartner

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🚀 Exciting insights are here! We just wrapped up two dynamic panel discussions in the Ecosystem Leadership Report: Design 2024 series, and I’m excited to share some key takeaways. In these panels, we explored essential themes for today’s design leaders: Cross-Functional Collaboration and From Design to Business Leadership. Here’s a quick look at what we covered: 💡 Building Bridges Across Functions: Breaking down silos to foster stronger collaboration between design, product, and engineering teams. 💼 Design as a Strategic Partner: Practical steps for positioning design as a key player in achieving business goals. 🚀 Transitioning to Business Leadership: The mindset shifts and skills design leaders need to step into broader roles. 📈 Driving Organizational Impact: Aligning design efforts with business priorities to create measurable value. 👉 Want to dive deeper? Subscribers get exclusive insights straight from industry leaders on strengthening cross-functional teamwork and elevating design’s role in business. Gain access to the full panel recordings by joining the diegoNMTZ community here: https://lnkd.in/eHriBjSb At diegoNMTZ, we’re an agency dedicated to empowering leaders and building solutions for organizations, their customers, and teams. Our team is here to support your growth and impact through strategic consulting, thought leadership content, and customized leadership workshops. Thank you for being part of this forward-thinking community. We look forward to collaborating with you to navigate the evolving challenges in leadership!

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#FridayFindings from #UserResearch: #insurance #policyholders will not memorize or even remember significant details of their policy, however, they expect #quickaccess to and #digestibledetails of their policy in moments of need. #uxresearch #uxfinding #researchinsight #userinformeddesign #design #designandresearch #insurancecustomers #insurancepolicies #customerinsight #customerbehavior

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Excellent podcast with Vy Alechnavicius on Experience Design Podcast. He might call it edgy. I call it a Tuesday morning chat with a friend. Given the state of hiring and the overall tech market, this is one of those conversations you must watch and listen to. In this session we delve into a few hot topics: ✅ How things are made ✅ Who's Bashing Portfolios ✅ EVERYONE needs a portfolio ✅ Why Discovery is Critical ✅ Paul Graham and Founder Mode ✅ Why Brian Chesky is cooler than you ✅ Legit creatives in digital ✅ KAI- Innovators and Adaptors ✅ Designers/Jrs with Stockholm syndrome ✅ Service design is research and design leadership ✅ Service Designers as diplomats and bridgers and unifiers of teams and organizations ✅ Multimodal, Chat/AI/ML/NLP/IVR, Call Centers ✅ Personality Typing and Mental models ✅ How the title UIUX is the herpes of LinkedIn ✅ Differences between the USA and UK Service Design ✅ Service Designers are worth their weight in gold if they understand technology, digital service and data You can find this conversation on Spotify, Apple Podcast, any other major podcasting platform and of course via this link on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eDDgeTPV #servicedesign #uxdesign #productdesign

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As UX professionals, we have a responsibility to create products and services that not only meet user needs but also minimize environmental impact. My most recent article is on sustainable ux and has been posted on the UX Collective. Key Takeaways: -Sustainability in UX goes beyond "green" design – it's about considering the entire lifecycle of a product or service. -Digital Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and behavioral research can help us identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact. -UX practitioners play a role in driving innovation, educating stakeholders, and creating a community of practice for sustainable design. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/egstz4YT Let's work together to build a more sustainable future, one interaction at a time. #SustainableUX #UXResearch #UXDesign #ClimateAction

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📚 Resource Roundup: Participant/Customer Panels 👥 According to the 2024 State of User Research Report (see below), only 10% of #UX professionals surveyed report using an internal database when they need to recruit their own customers for research or feedback. That seems low, especially for a community known for creative solutions to ongoing bottlenecks or pain points. (I mean think of all the DIY templates!) Composing emails, contacting Success or Customer teams for names, and all that follow up and scheduling seems like it would force folks to find solutions. So I wanted to share some resources to get started thinking about building panels. #ReOps folks love panels. They're perfect not just for research, but things like insights communities and customer advisory boards. When it's easier to connect with users and customers, more learning happens and—as any UXR knows—decisions get better. The product improves. If you have time blocked for learning and are curious what it takes to build one of these panels (which saves time, helps scale insights, and offers control), check out the following articles. Hopefully they'll increase that 10%! What is a panel and how to build one ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gBbCZTty How opt-in forms power panels ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gNtn95qU How panels smooth research logistics ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gcVDbt4r Why if you have brand fans, you have a panel-in-waiting ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gBGQmBx3

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