Technology and Human Connection

The State of the Industry and AI's Impact

We kick off this episode by delving into the current state of the tech industry, particularly focusing on the widespread budget cuts we're witnessing. What's driving these cuts? Is it the rise of AI, economic uncertainties, or perhaps a tech bubble bursting? We explore these possibilities and ponder whether UX might be falling out of fashion.

See Also: The Shifting Landscape of UX: What’s Really Happening?

Speaking of AI, we couldn't resist discussing a fascinating conversation between Cleo Abram and Mark Zuckerberg. It's a prime example of how some tech leaders are approaching innovation - starting with what's technologically possible rather than addressing actual user needs. This approach raises important questions about the direction of tech development and its impact on user experience.

App of the Week: Framer - More Than Just a Website Builder

This week, we're shining a spotlight on Framer. While it positions itself as a website builder, we've found it to be an incredibly useful prototyping tool. Figma users, before you roll your eyes, hear us out. Framer offers some key features that Figma's prototyping tools lack, such as breakpoints and interactive forms.

If you're looking to create high-fidelity prototypes of interactive experiences, Framer might just be the tool you've been searching for. It's especially handy when Figma's prototyping capabilities fall short.

As a bonus, we also briefly mention two other apps that caught our attention: FixKey.ai and ChatGPT Advanced Voice. The latter ties into an interesting AI customer support experience we've had recently - but you'll have to tune in to hear more about that!

The Challenges of Design Leadership: Are UX Leaders Set Up to Fail?

In this segment, we tackle a crucial issue in the UX world: the challenges faced by design leaders. We argue that many UX leaders are being set up to fail, often not given the resources they need to address UX problems at scale. As discussed in the podcast, companies might have 200 developers but only 5 UX people, which is far from ideal.

We discuss how the role of a UX leader requires a different skill set compared to that of a UX designer. These skills include:

• making business cases,
• reporting successes,
  championing your team's value,
• developing strategies,
• navigating politics,
• dealing with clashing priorities,
• and running a team.

Yet, many organizations promote designers into leadership roles without providing the necessary training or support.

See Also: Design Leadership Masterclass

We offer advice for those finding themselves in this position, including:

• Setting your own agenda and direction rather than accepting how others define your role. As a UX leader, it's crucial to take control of your role and not let others dictate your responsibilities. This means proactively defining your priorities and how you can best contribute to the organization's goals.
• Working strategically by focusing on setting standards and creating resources. Instead of getting bogged down in day-to-day tasks, concentrate on developing UX guidelines, best practices, and tools that can be used across the organization. This strategic approach helps scale your impact.
• Acting as an internal consultant and training teams on UX practices. Position yourself as a UX expert within the organization. Offer guidance and education to other teams, helping them incorporate UX principles into their work. This approach helps spread UX knowledge throughout the company.
• Being assertive about your role and responsibilities. Don't be afraid to speak up about what you and your team should be doing. Clearly communicate your role, its importance, and how it contributes to the organization's success.
• Making strategic allies within the organization. Identify and build relationships with key stakeholders who understand and value UX. As Paul suggests, "make a point of going out and finding people in the organization that get UX and appreciate UX" and "really lean into those relationships."
• Investing significant energy in promoting your team's impact. Actively showcase the value your UX team brings to the organization. As mentioned in the show, "invest significant energy in not only doing work, but in actively promoting your impact in the organization." This could involve creating case studies, presenting success stories, or demonstrating how UX improvements have positively affected key business metrics.

We also stress the importance of finding external support through coaching, training, or joining a community of design leaders. This can help combat the isolation often felt in leadership roles and provide valuable outside perspectives.

Interesting Reads of the Week

We wrap up with a few interesting articles that caught our attention:

• Workshops aren't always necessary: A thought-provoking article challenges the notion that every problem needs a workshop solution. It emphasizes the importance of using discretion when deciding whether to conduct a workshop. Sometimes, other approaches might be more effective and efficient, depending on the specific situation and goals.
• The "hot potato process" for designer-developer collaboration: Dan Mall proposes a dynamic approach to designer-developer collaboration called the "hot potato process." This method involves frequent back-and-forth interactions between designers and developers throughout the project, rather than a linear handoff. This continuous collaboration can lead to more innovative solutions and helps address potential issues early in the development process.
• Content readability impacts conversion rates: Unbounce's conversion benchmark report reveals fascinating insights about attention spans and the impact of content readability on conversion rates. The report suggests that simplifying content to a more accessible reading level can significantly improve conversion rates. This underscores the importance of clear, concise, and easy-to-understand content in digital marketing and user experience design.

Join us as we unpack these topics and more in this week's episode of the Boagworld Podcast. Whether you're a UX professional, a design leader, or just interested in the evolving tech landscape, there's something here for you!

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