The Triforce of UX3 Qualities To Seek In Your Next UX Designer
Brandon E.B. Ward • @uxward • Precocity
Who Is This Guy?Experience Designer
Loves stuff
Hates Country (mostly)
Huge nerd
Married 17 years
4 kids
SHE proposed to ME (3rd date)
Never had a fight
Is Tron
Enjoys solving real problems
Doing this for 16 years
Is bald, but not by choice
Kung Fu Fighter
Has 2 cats
Pop-culture Nut
2 Key Questions:
What three skills would you place as most important for a UX Designer?
How you might phrase some interview questions to validate a candidate actually has those skills?
The Triforce of Empathy
Does the candidate know how to get into the heads, and hearts of the Users? Developers? Stakeholders?
Can they walk a mile in their shoes?
The Triforce of Empathy
Diplomacy & ConsensusActual UX Deliverables
What UX Designers Do
At its core UX is not a deliverable, but a business strategy and competitive advantage in the marketplace.
—Troy Parke
The Triforce of Empathy
1. What is your primary goalas a UX Designer?
2. Tell me about your user-research techniques & methodologies…
The Triforce of Empathy
When do they do research?
Why do they do research?
Can they talk to people in general?
Can they help customers talk about their problems without asking leading questions?
Can they shadow people in their environments?
The Triforce of Empathy
1. What is your primary goalas a UX Designer?
2. Tell me about your user-research techniques & methodologies…
3. Who has final say what a UIlooks like and why?
The Triforce of Curiosity
Does the candidate want to get into the heads and hearts of the Users? Developers? Stakeholders?
Do they foster a healthy nature of inquiry?
Do they harbor a desire to always be learning something new?
—Banksy
All artists are willing to suffer for their work. But why are so few prepared to learn to draw?
The Triforce of Curiosity
—Frank Herbert, Dune
Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.
The Triforce of Curiosity
—Frank Herbert, Dune
Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.
The Triforce of Curiosity
—Brandon E.B. Ward
Old knowledge is helpful, but new knowledge will be the key that unlocks the best
solutions for new problems.
The Triforce of Curiosity
The Triforce of Curiosity
1. What inspires you?
2. Are you involved with Online, Local, National, and/or Global UX communities? In what ways?
The Triforce of Curiosity
1. What inspires you?
2. Are you involved with Online, Local, National, and/or Global UX communities? In what ways?
3. When was the last time you learned something new? What was it? Who taught you? How did it change you?
—Proverbs 29:11
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
The Triforce of Curiosity
If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one
will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one’s heart is not in balance, the Triforce will
separate into three parts...—Zelda, Ocarina of Time
The Triforce of Humility
…yearning for the Triforce soon turned to lust for power, which in turn led to the spilling of blood. Soon the only motive left among those searching for the Triforce was pure greed.
—Gates to the Gold Land
The Triforce of Humility
The Triforce of Humility
Does the candidate want to build up others, or themselves?
Are they seeking to impose their will, or to establish balance in the team?
Do they use their position as a weapon or a binding agent?
The Triforce of Humility
1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong. or—Tell me about a time when you failed…
The Triforce of Humility
1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong. or—Tell me about a time when you failed…
—Robert I. Sutton
Fight like you know you’re right, listen like you know you’re wrong.
The Triforce of Humility
—Anon E. Mouse
Prototype like you know you’re right, test like you know you’re wrong.
The Triforce of Humility
The Triforce of Humility
1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong. or—Tell me about a time when you failed…
2. A developer calls you over to their desk to show you how they implemented your design, but they’ve made some significant changes. What do you do?
The Triforce of Humility
1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong. or—Tell me about a time when you failed…
2. A developer calls you over to their desk to show you how they implemented your design, but they’ve made some significant changes. What do you do?
—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.
The Triforce of Humility
The Triforce of Humility
1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong. or—Tell me about a time when you failed…
2. A developer calls you over to their desk to show you how they implemented your design, but they’ve made some significant changes. What do you do?
3. You know you’re right. You have the data & evidence to support your position, but the primary stakeholder just doesn’t like it & wants something else you know is wrong. What do you do?
The Triforce of Humility
1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong. or—Tell me about a time when you failed…
2. A developer calls you over to their desk to show you how they implemented your design, but they’ve made some significant changes. What do you do?
3. You know you’re right. You have the data & evidence to support your position, but the primary stakeholder just doesn’t like it & wants something else you know is wrong. What do you do?