Ken Sigel’s Post

On my quest to uncover what are the key levers that enable designers' influence and share them with the world, I read "Discussing Design" by Adam Connor and Aaron Irizarry, and I'm pumped! Here's what I learned: Critique is more than feedback—it's crucial for groundbreaking design. It's about getting into the details, matching goals, and welcoming everyone's input. This way, we can really tap into our design and teamwork potential. Let's make critique the standard feedback, and aim to create products that look great, innovative, user centred products. #DesignThinking #ProductDesign #Innovation #Influence #UX #critique https://lnkd.in/gvzpEUT6

Is Product Design Stressful? Product design mixes creativity and analysis. And, it has its stressors. Why the Stress? – Long hours. – Tight deadlines. – Staying creative. – Handling criticism. – Constantly learning new tools. – Solving complex never seen before challenges. On top of that... → Many companies lack awareness about UX, so designers have to play the role of educator and advocate. → UX Design is a broad umbrella term for many specialist skills. If you lack a skill, you might feel strong Imposter Syndrome. → Working with multiple stakeholders involves understanding and empathizing with different people inside and outside the organization. Despite these challenges, it's not all doom and gloom. Many designers find joy in their work, with studies indicating that product designers are generally happier than average in their roles. So how to manage stress? Here are some tips: ✦ Embrace negative feedback as a growth opportunity. – Ask for feedback. – Be open to criticism. – Learn from it. – Don't take it personally. ✦ Avoid comparing yourself to others – Skip social media comparison. – Celebrate your progress. – Focus on personal growth. – Seek inspiration, not competition. ✦ Trust in your design process – Define the problem. – Break down into small steps. – Be patient. ✦ Rejuvenate yourself – Take breaks – Go for walks – Chat with colleagues – Keep weekends to yourself, not work. While product design can be stressful, it offers immense satisfaction and opportunities for creative expression. By understanding the sources of stress and adopting strategies to manage them, you can navigate the challenges more effectively, making your design journey both rewarding and enjoyable. Summary – Embrace feedback. – Avoid comparison. – Trust the process. – Take breaks. Follow for more www.marklevi.com/links

Is Product Design stressful? Product design mixes creativity and analysis. And, it has its stressors. Why the Stress? – Long hours. – Tight deadlines. – Staying creative. – Handling criticism. – Constantly learning new tools. – Solving complex never seen before challenges. On top of that... → Many companies lack awareness about UX, so designers have to play the role of educator and advocate. → UX Design is a broad umbrella term for many specialist skills. If you lack a skill, you might feel strong Imposter Syndrome. → Working with multiple stakeholders involves understanding and empathizing with different people inside and outside the organization. Despite these challenges, it's not all doom and gloom. Many designers find joy in their work, with studies indicating that product designers are generally happier than average in their roles. So how to manage stress? Here are some tips: ✦ Embrace negative feedback as a growth opportunity. – Ask for feedback. – Be open to criticism. – Learn from it. – Don't take it personally. ✦ Avoid comparing yourself to others – Skip social media comparison. – Celebrate your progress. – Focus on personal growth. – Seek inspiration, not competition. ✦ Trust in your design process – Define the problem. – Break down into small steps. – Be patient. ✦ Rejuvenate yourself – Take breaks – Go for walks – Chat with colleagues – Keep weekends to yourself, not work. While product design can be stressful, it offers immense satisfaction and opportunities for creative expression. By understanding the sources of stress and adopting strategies to manage them, you can navigate the challenges more effectively, making your design journey both rewarding and enjoyable. Summary – Embrace feedback. – Avoid comparison. – Trust the process. – Take breaks. Follow for more www.marklevi.com/links

Did you know Design Thinking can be applied across multiple professional fields? 😊 Discover how in my article 'Design Thinking’s Full Potential: 5 Essential Models #ux #uxdesign #designthinking #uxresearch Tamwood Careers College Tamwood International College Tamwood Language Centres UX Collective UX Tools

Intuition and gut feeling for product designers: is this something we can use? Or should everything we create be based on evidence and rationale? There are probably 2 groups of product designers. Those who think everything should be tested, and those who dare to use their gut feeling. I personally belong to the last one. I think designers can and should use their intuition for product development. And here is a breakdown of why I think so. 1️⃣ After a certain time (approximately after ~3 years of experience), product designers started gaining expertise level. It means they could know how things work just because they know it. The more experience designers have with different projects, the more expert they are. Of course, it shouldn’t be applied to every design solution. Definitely not. But expert-designers can create something based on their feelings. 2️⃣ There are common patterns of user behaviour. These patterns are the same across various products and even platforms. - Swipe down on the image will close it - Zoom in and zoom out with your pinch. - Etc. And designers know these patterns work without additional research, usability tests or metrics. 3️⃣ Unlike a previous one, being brave enough to design something completely new can also be rewarding. Design intuition can drive innovation and boost any product. In a product team, designers are those who, more than others, are responsible for creativity. And we can use our superpower. We shouldn’t just solve customer problems. We should aim to exceed customer expectations to create a truly outstanding product. __________ Of course, I’m not encouraging you to follow the above steps mindlessly. They are one of the options. We should always consider the context, product environment, economic situation on the market, and other indicators. #uxui #productdesign #gutfeeling #designprocess

Strengths of a designer with 17 years of experience:  1. Expert skill: With 17 years of experience in design, the specialist has in-depth experience in various aspects of design, from graphic to UX/UI. This allows him to create high-quality projects that meet not only aesthetic but also functional requirements.  2. Variety of styles: The designer has a rich portfolio covering a variety of styles and trends - from minimalism to complex illustrations and branding. This indicates its flexibility and ability to adapt to customer requirements and market trends.  3. Creative thinking: Experience working on a variety of projects has developed in the designer the ability to think outside the box and find unique solutions to problems, which allows him to stand out from competitors and offer original ideas to clients.  4. Deep understanding of users: Experience in UX/UI design allows the designer to better understand the needs of users, which contributes to the creation of intuitive and user-friendly products.  5. Teamwork skills: Over the years, the designer has collaborated with various teams, including marketers, developers product managers, which allowed him to develop communication skills and effective interaction.  6. Relevance and trends: The designer actively follows new trends in the world of design and technology, which allows him to use modern tools and methods in his work. 7. Customer orientation: A strong ability to understand and take into account the needs of the client, which contributes to the successful implementation of projects and increases customer satisfaction.

It's crucial to understand that when you're making anything, make it for the people using the product AND the person who hired you to do so. I see discourse too often in the design and development phases, creating a back and forth loop that lasts for eternity. As I look back, I have been this roadblock many times, making a simple process complicated. Revisions is a word no one ever wants to hear. What did I do to fix it? 👀 Live Design Sessions 👀 One of the most powerful moments in my life was when I introduced this tomy meetings. This bridged the creative gap and allowed my clients and colleagues to properly see things come to life. They could provide their feedback, thoughts, and visually see things come together. If you think a design will look bad, show them how it will look. Provide them with visual elements and ways to see what you're talking about. More often than not, you'll find yourself able to implement the design/request and make it visually appealing while working well for the UX. There will always be times when a person requests something that doesn't make sense to you in regards to UI/UX. And... There where always be moments when you are told to do something another way, contrary to what you were taught. Regardless of what happens, show them, work with them, and involve a person in the journey. Share your insights, and most importantly, make sure to utilize your skills to make things happen. Revisions become a thing of the past when you make something with the person who gets the product.

How do you articulate the strategic value of Design? I remember seeing this on my feed, and it's been noodling around my head for the last week. For a lot of designers it's bound to trigger an allergic reaction - "how can you ask that!?". But I also feel like a lot of the responses still treat design as a tactical benefit, a force-multiplier that exists to support other disciplines. Maybe that's not a bad thing. If you could make your Engineers 10x more effective, or your Product Managers 10x more successful, you'd do it for sure. But that isn't something exclusive to designers. Heck if you believe the hype it's not even something exclusive to humans. Designers are people you hire, grow, and develop because they are accountable for making sure your product is built for the people who use it. Now you could claim that this is something that can be taught to anyone in the business, and to an extent that's true, but they'll never be completely accountable for that goal. That accountability means that as designers it is our responsibility to bring the voice of the end user to the table. To support decisions by others that benefit the end user, and to challenge those that don't. Where we differ from Product is that we aren't (as) accountable to the customer - who may not be the actual person using the tool. The strategic value of design is that we make sure an organisation delivers for people. It is our responsibility to develop our skills in a way that ensures we advocate better for people. There isn't a distinction between UX, UI, or any other bunch of letters because as long as we use those skillsets to make the organisation benefit people then we contribute to the long-term survival of the organisation.

Design goes beyond the boundaries of physical and digital products. It's present in every facet of human creation—from the way a manager leads their team, to a lesson plan, a movie script, or even a standup comedy routine. As a design consultant, I advocate for empathic design in all forms of creation. When we design with empathy, we create products—whether tangible, digital, or experiential—that resonate deeply with users. This approach not only makes for happier end users but also fosters a better world. In today’s creative landscape, anyone who produces something for others is engaging in design. And everyone is creative because they are constantly designing, shaping, and producing products in their own way. The shift toward a broader definition of design, inclusive of intangible products, ensures that empathy is embedded in every step of the process, ultimately making all outputs more impactful. Empathic design extends to speechwriting, corporate strategies, or even educational experiences, enabling these "products" to connect with people's emotions and needs. Companies like Airbnb and Apple have understood the importance of design in shaping not just products but experiences that evoke a human response, setting them apart from their competitors. In an age where user experience (UX) is as vital to a manager’s leadership approach as it is to a software interface, we must recognize that every created product impacts people’s lives. As designers, artists, managers, educators, or creators, understanding our users is critical. When we practice empathic design, we build something more valuable: long-lasting, human-centered solutions. If we want to craft better experiences, services, and products, empathy needs to be the cornerstone. Whether you’re developing an app or writing a speech, when you consider the emotions, needs, and struggles of your audience, the result will resonate much more deeply. And ultimately, it will lead to a world where every product—whether tangible or not—is designed for meaningful impact. In the end, empathic design makes for better products and, more importantly, happier, more engaged users. Sources to consider: - Tim Brown’s “Change by Design: How Design Thinking Creates New Alternatives for Business and Society” - "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman - IDEO's case studies on designing for human impact

https://lnkd.in/gBU3ZJkK In product management, it's hard to not think also about #servicedesign and how an organisation is going to support the new product or feature you're building. It's not just about the tech, it's the all encompassing holistic #cx customer experience that differentiates the best products. #productmanagement #UX