Published in Bootcamp·Jan 27, 2021The term “UI/UX” is bad for designers; 4 reasons to stop using itAny way you slice it—“UI/UX” or “UX/UI”—the term is bad for designers, bad for Design, and ultimately bad for the users for whom we’re designing. I’ve written previously about the problems with the term UX, but lately I’ve seen an increase in organizations latching on to an even worse term…UX4 min readUX4 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Jun 18, 2019There Is No Design TeamThere is a memorable scene in the film The Matrix where a young boy with special abilities teaches an important lesson to the protagonist, Neo. …UX6 min readUX6 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·May 24, 2019The Opportunity Backlog Framework: A User-Focused Alternative To The Product RoadmapMost of us are familiar with product roadmaps: documents that depict the release cadence of a series of features & functions in order to eventually arrive at an overall product vision. These documents often map out release schedules several months—sometimes years—in advance, and can be helpful for teams who need…Product Management10 min readProduct Management10 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Apr 8, 2019Counterpoint: Elaborate Paper Prototyping Is Not CoolHave you seen this video making the rounds on design social media? And some of the responses…Prototyping4 min readPrototyping4 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Jan 10, 2019How to Write Effective Problem Statements & Deliver Products That MatterSeveral years ago I began incorporating User Problem Statements into my team’s product design process. It’s a critical step early in the process that focuses the team’s collective efforts to deliver a product that matters to their target audience. Why Problem Statements? I’m a big advocate for using language to frame an opportunity…Product Design9 min readProduct Design9 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Nov 28, 2018Raise Your Hand If You’re Sick of the Letters: UXThe term “UX,” the industry accepted initials for User Experience, is dead to me. Think about it, even the initials don’t make sense. Was UE too on the nose? It’s time for UX (and its myriad related job titles: UX Designer, UX/UI Designer, UX Architect, UX Developer, UX Writer, UX…UX5 min readUX5 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Aug 21, 2018What Product Design Teams Can Learn From Stand Up ComediansThe beautiful (and terrifying) thing about the art of stand up comedy is the instant feedback. A comic gets on stage with a microphone, tells a joke, and — if it’s funny — they get a laugh. …Design4 min readDesign4 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Apr 23, 2018How to Tell if a Company Values DesignDo you work for an organization that values design & designers? How can you tell? Today I read a post on LinkedIn, The 10 principles of building a world-class design team, that touches on the importance of working for a company that values design. …Design5 min readDesign5 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Jan 17, 2018My Ideal Digital Product TeamI’ve been experiencing quite a bit of change lately to the make-up of my day-to-day product team—a team that has worked together very effectively for over a year. Primarily due to circumstances beyond the team’s control, many team members have departed, and others have been reassigned to new roles/teams. …Agile4 min readAgile4 min read
Published in Think Like A Designer·Mar 1, 2017The Most Important Quality of Successful Product Development TeamsMuch has been written on the key virtues of high-performing, innovative product teams. Attributes…Momentum4 min readMomentum4 min read