Eduardo F. O.

THANK YOU Office of Management and Budget for clarifying #PRA rules for #UX. So now Federal teams can leverage automated UX tools like Qualtrics to test prototypes at scale - so you can make #humancentereddesign an integral part of your organizational ecosystem. #customerexperience #userexperience

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This got me thinking. I hear a lot of leaders say they're looking for cultural transformation, and want to shift in a direction that values reactivity, challenge confrontation, and collaboration. What they're describing is a design-driven culture. Many of these attributes are vital when UX is at the center. If that resonates, then looking at design maturity is the better route. #DesignMaturity #DesignDriven #Culture

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New work up! This project was an in-depth review of an existing healthcare website to simplify and unify the user experience. Deliverables – Website Design Audit – Website UX/UI Design Recommendations – Digital Design System – Comprehensive Design System Guidelines #ux #ui #websitedesign #designsystem #designguidelines

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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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Craft is work done with intuitive expertise - learned deeply by conscious practice through mentorship. Craft is expensive. The mimicry and pattern replication of AI will upend digital craft much like the Industrial Revolution did for physical craftspeople (only faster). It will likely be CFOs who crush craft like origami as they optimize balance sheets. If you love your craft, find a complex niche whose business model is based on value creation not eyeball acquisition. Government especially needs you.

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Over the last few weeks John Cutler has been dropping the truth bombs on the world of Product (and design/engineering). There is definitely a sea-change going on - especially in the large complex corporates that I tend to work with. Transformation (usually digital and therefore usually spearheaded by a product-led org) is broken and not delivering value. And one of the key factors is nearly always because the org isn’t aligned around what is of value to deliver and frankly because the “product” metaphor itself needs to be retired. Starting with when you are talking about research. We will need to go further than this - to understand the systems that we are transforming. Product is a term that exists because of a particular delivery model. It’s not a good operating model metaphor and it doesn’t reflect a good metaphor for engagement model with consumers/customers/employees. There are two things it frequently encourages orgs to ignore by “productising” change: - There is no digital transformation without organisation wide transformation. - You must understand the system you seek to change before you attempt to change it. There is so much more but for now let’s start with John Cutlers call to drop the term product from discovery…. Amen to that!!!!

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More UX and Product leaders need to hear Diana DeMarco Brown (she/her)'s wisdom. Diana is a pioneer in the UX field who takes a thoughtful and nuanced approach to assessing the current state of the tech industry. In our recent conversation, Diana shared many insights, including: - How to evaluate a company's culture during the hiring process - Why private equity ownership can result in design divestment - How Product and UX leaders can effectively influence business decisions - Why we don't need to panic with the rise of AI, but we need to think critically and prioritize regulation during this early stage Link to our full conversation: https://lnkd.in/eemDimVb

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“Be who and where you are.” I’m still processing all of the amazing insights that came out of Clarity: A design systems community conference last week but several themes have been bouncing around in my head since then. → Get smaller and connect - Dan Mall and others talked about a trend towards smaller core design systems with surrounding layers of shared patterns like recipes, all being consumed by teams managing their own local libraries. This results in teams being able to move faster and eliminates the need for design systems folks to feel that have to be a bottleneck. → Be who and where you are - John Voss and others talked about building the system that your users and team need rather than conforming to what larger companies are putting out there or the oversimplified “stereotype” you yourself have unintentionally created for your product. → Listen - Ben Callahan and others talked about the need to reset our current mental models for how design systems teams see our roles and responsibilities. How do we move away from our perceived tactical responsibilities towards more listening and validating of the needs of our consumers and users? 💎 My personal takeaways from all of this have me reframing my own journey with my team from "a series of mistakes" towards "the necessary growth to become the team we are today." → When we implemented that now outdated framework, tried to centralize everything into a single bloated design system, or wrote all of that verbose documentation, we were doing what we needed to do to mature and are a better team as a result. → What my team is going through, we're all going through. The role of design in general is changing across the industry, not just in my organization. How lucky are we, that we have the opportunity to learn from each other as designers? → As team roles change, I’m curious to pivot my default stance away from “defend the designer's role”, and would be curious to see how I can facilitate “design” activities regardless of whether they are done by a designer, product manager, or engineer. I feel so very fortunate to be a part of such an amazing community and love the reminder that when you get a bunch of systems thinkers together in the same room, you're going to see patterns. Thanks again 🖤 Jina A. and all the speakers last week. #clarity2024 #designsystems #design

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In this Forrester article, Gina Calcaterra Bhawalkar discusses her trip to Config 2024 and the new features in Figma that help with design systems and creating accessible experiences: https://lnkd.in/e4-nKnTH #Accessibility #Design #WebAccessibility

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Pause, Clarify, and Strategize! In UX and project management, time pressure often dictates our pace, sometimes at the cost of deeper discovery. Yet, I’ve found that taking even a single extra day to review challenges with stakeholders can yield game-changing insights. This deliberate pause can illuminate nuances in stakeholder expectations and uncover potential roadblocks before they impact the project. While we’re often encouraged to ‘move fast and break things,’ I’ve seen how the mindful application of ‘pause, clarify, and strategize’ can create room for more effective, sustainable solutions. Taking this approach has led to a smoother process with fewer mid-project surprises and stronger buy-in from stakeholders, who appreciate the opportunity to voice their perspectives early.” #UXDesign #ProjectManagement

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In today’s privacy-conscious world, your approach to cookie consent can either build bridges with users 🔥 or burn them. As digital strategists and researchers, we aim to gather meaningful user insights, but prioritizing ethical practices and transparency over unchecked data collection is essential. ✏️ In my latest blog, I break down why consent compliance isn’t just a legal box to check and share real-world tips for designing cookie banners that are clear, trustworthy, and don’t disrupt the user experience. Quick Tips to Start Today: 1️⃣ Use clear, jargon-free language in your consent banners. Explain what cookies do and why they’re used. 2️⃣ Provide granular consent options (collect necessary, analytics, and/or marketing cookies) to give users more control over their data. This transparency builds trust and respects their privacy preferences. 3️⃣ Make sure your banners are accessible and visually aligned with your website’s design. Avoid dark UX patterns to encourage acceptance. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gqjwcRXN Let’s create a digital landscape where users know they’re in good hands. #privacy #analytics #data #ux #technology #DataPrivacy #TechEthics

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🚀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲! In the latest episode of the "UX Consultants Lounge," I chat with Elizabeth Creighton, owner of Brazen, about scaling your UX consultancy through newsletters, online courses, and investing in your deliverables. Plus, we discuss the emotional journey of having to pause your consulting practice in order to take a leave of absence and how to bounce back. Tune in for practical advice and inspiring stories that every UX consultant can relate to and learn from! 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱: 🔹 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Elizabeth discusses how starting a newsletter helped her connect with clients, maintain visibility, and generate new business. She shares practical tips on managing the workload and gaining subscribers. 🔹 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀: Elizabeth explains her experience developing a user interview skills course on Maven. She provides insights on choosing a platform, balancing course creation with client work, and the impact of teaching live cohort-based courses. 🔹 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀: Elizabeth shares her experience in hiring a presentation designer to elevate the quality of her client and course presentations. She shares the value of investing in high-quality templates to improve professionalism and efficiency. 🔹 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Elizabeth and Kyle also touch on the challenges consultants face when needing to taking breaks for personal reasons, like maternity leave, and how to bounce back afterward. 💬 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀: "𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦.” “𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥; 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵.” 🎧 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝘄: You can find The UX Consultants Lounge on your preferred podcast platform, or visit the podcast website to listen to all the episodes (𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀). 💡𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲:  You can easily jump around to different parts of the interview using the chapter links in the embedded player on the podcast website, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. - - - - - #UX #Consulting #UXConsulting #Freelancing #UXFreelancing #UXPodcast #UserExperience #BusinessStrategy #WomenInTech #UXResearch #ConsultingLife #Newsletter #OnlineCourses #PresentationDesign

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Unique opportunity for design leaders and innovators to learn from the amazingly talented designer and author Kevin Bethune: figure out ways to break through the glass ceiling of misunderstandings and friction when collaborating with tech and business peers. Learn ways to build stakeholder empathy, strategic influence and a renewed sense of optimism that you can translate diverse insights and inspiration into meaningful innovation.

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"UX is the Business." Some great thoughts by Troy Parke about his lens on UX and connecting it to the bottom line. This is an interesting read in a time when UX must show business value. https://lnkd.in/g5ec5qUS

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How different is Research Ops in for-profit vs non-profit? What are the unique challenges of enabling UX research in government, especially where representation is critical? Stig Parfrey has answers to those questions! We discuss all things Research Ops, including: 🫶🏾 How working in the nonprofit space allows for a direct impact and the opportunity to do good. 🏢 The overlap between ReOps in government and other sectors. 📧 How recruitment in government makes a significant impact on people's lives. 🤖 The potential of AI to enhance qualitative research. Listen now on Spotify or on your favourite podcast app. 👇🏾 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gAMs94RK 🎧

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#BadassBookAlert Jeremy Miller’s Beyond UX is a compelling guide that transcends the surface-level practices of user experience (UX) design and dives into the deeper strategies that shape impactful, human-centered solutions. Miller positions UX as more than a set of tools or methods—he frames it as a strategic discipline that can drive organizational change and innovation when implemented effectively. The book is rich with actionable insights, blending theory with real-world examples that resonate across industries. Miller emphasizes the importance of aligning design practices with business goals, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and embedding UX thinking into organizational culture. His writing strikes a balance between accessible advice for beginners and nuanced strategies for seasoned professionals. One of the standout aspects of Beyond UX is its practical approach. The frameworks and methodologies outlined are not only clear but adaptable to varying levels of organizational maturity. Miller’s focus on metrics and outcomes ensures that readers understand how to measure the impact of their UX efforts—a critical skill for gaining executive buy-in. Jeremy also delves into the often-overlooked dynamics of team collaboration, highlighting how empathy and communication can break down silos and enhance the effectiveness of design processes. His emphasis on storytelling and advocacy equips UX practitioners to champion their work within the complexities of corporate environments. Overall, Beyond UX is an essential read for UX professionals looking to level up their strategic impact. By addressing the "why" and "how" behind effective UX, Miller provides a roadmap for moving beyond the tactical execution of design work into the realm of business and organizational transformation. "Great UX isn't just about pleasing interfaces—it's about aligning design with purpose, bridging silos, and proving that empathy is a business strategy, not just a buzzword." —Jeremy. Ah, you're speaking my love language sir. Don't just take my word for it Tom Greever did the forward and says nice things too. And Jeremy didn't even pay either of us. But he did let me write a little bit about Power Mapping and Stakeholder management in it. Buy it now and Krampus won't come get you. It's the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who cares about experiences. In case you're too cheap to buy it, you can sample my bit in the comments. #UX #Innovation #Design #Craft

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When brainstorming design solutions, how you frame the problem influences the breadth of your solutions. Want to release your team from micro thinking? Need inspiration to think about how to deliver desired user outcomes?   Try using a technique called “Abstract Laddering.”    Ready to delve deeper?    Read our full article, “A Rational Guide to Brainstorming”: https://lnkd.in/gC4Ax8zd   –  Delve is a product innovation firm that helps companies bring bold ideas to market through human-centered expertise—strategy, design, engineering.    Learn more about product design and development services at Delve: https://lnkd.in/g7-jrXeU   #productdesign #productdevelopment #brainstorming

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The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have finally made it into the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They’ve cited version 2.1, so it’s out of date already, but let’s not get hung up on that! This is great news. For the longest time, WCAG was pointed to as the standard, in court proceedings when organisations got sued for not being accessible. But, without the ADA mentioning the standard explicitly, it left a lot of loopholes for defences to jump through. Those loopholes are closing! #a11y #accessibility https://lnkd.in/eV2FXRwe

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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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