Koan #29 — 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. …

It Isn’t All Bad — If you find yourself working with a team of predominately B players, stop to consider how they got hired. They likely endured an interview process similar to your own. They probably spoke to some of the same hiring managers and answered the same questions you were asked. Despite their deficiencies…

Koan #27 — I saw a quote the other day that said, writers love to have written. That’s always been my problem with writing. I love it when the piece is done and I can say I have written it. I love to have written. It’s past tense. But there are a lot…

Koan #26 — It’s easier to copy than innovate. It’s easier to take something apart than put it back together. It’s easier to critique than create. It’s easier to create than refine. It’s easier to consume than produce. It’s easier to tell a lie than refute one with the truth. It’s easier to over-simplify…

Koan #25 — I have always found it puzzling that we spend so much of our hiring efforts seeking out “qualified” design candidates. “Why would you want to hire someone who is qualified?” I always ask. That same question can be flipped when we are the job seeker. Why would you ever want…

Koan #24 — Think about the last designer your team interviewed. Maybe you hired them. Maybe you didn’t. What was their experience like throughout the interview process? What was their experience across each touchpoint? We are designers of experiences and isn’t the interview process something we can design an experience around? Was the…

The Folly of UX Interviews — I’ve got a funny story for you — funny in an ironic sort of way. In speaking with several colleagues over the past year, the topic of moving positions has come up more than once. Perhaps it’s restlessness as a result of the pandemic. …

Koan #23 — Something to think about. How much of what you consume each day is speculative or predictive? How little of it is based in fact or supported by some level of evidence? Consider television or cable news, for example. Whether you follow a conservative, liberal or independent station, the format is…