Picture this. After applying for dozens upon dozens of design positions, you finally get a call one afternoon from a UX hiring manager. You’re excited and tell them whatever you think they need or want to hear so you can get that in-person interview. You’re successful. …

Koan #35 — There seems to be a consensus among “career experts” that we should send a thank you note following an interview. You know, those silly little notes where you thank the hiring manager for their time and blah, blah, blah. Anytime there is a consensus on a topic, I get suspicious…

Koan #34 — Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him following us at a distance, trying to act as though he is just strolling through the store. I’m afraid to make eye contact but can’t resist. He flashes a smile, more wolf-like than friendly. I manage a weak nod. …

Koan #33 — Here comes another one now. The message title is full of exclamation marks — “URGENT! Sr UX Designer Opportunity! 100% Remote! Long Term C2H!” I guess this exclamatory word salad is supposed to excite me. …

Koan #32 — It happens to all of us. You arrive at an organization that has virtually no knowledge of its customers. No documented research exists. You wonder, how can this happen in 2022? (This, by the way, happens to me with alarming frequency.) You don’t know which way to go with the…

Koan #31 — Your boss comes up to you one day and tells you the budget for the new year allocates 2 new open spots for UX. Since you’re the only designer at the organization, this is good news and long overdue. Your workload has you working into evenings to make deadlines, getting…

Koan #30 — The little calendar reminder sent a jolt through my heart. My wife’s birthday was sneaking up on me again this year. It’s usually one of those times of the year when I bang my head against the wall of my cave, trying to find the right gift. This year, I…

Koan #30 — I was in a meeting recently when a product manager said, “We can roll the feature out as it is and then learn from our users.” Now, I have heard this hundreds, maybe thousands, of times in my career. It didn’t always leave me feeling uneasy. …

Koan #28 — The man was irate over the return policy at the small retail chain. I could overhear the conversation as each party spoke more quickly, increasing their volume as the tension mounted. But the woman wouldn’t budge. …