My career in tech started in 2016 when I completed a Web Development Bootcamp in Vancouver, BC. I’ve gone from front-end dev, to freelance Web Designer, to UX developer, to UX Lead, to now, UX/CX Lead. All of which happened in the span of 6 years. Here are some lessons I’ve learned from each career step.
Project & People Management
- Measuring estimates for knowledge work is complex. It wont be easy, but you’ll get better over time.
- Invest in people – knowledge transfers, personal development time, encourage work/life balance, check in regularly (!).
- Find out what is energizing/ draining. Implement better processes to take care of the latter so you don’t have to.
- Be flexible. Your time will be spent differently depending on where the team is at. Follow the AAA framework: aim, assemble, achieve (this deserves its own blog post).
UX/UI Design
- Let yourself be surprised by user testing. The obvious path to you isn’t always the same as it is for your users.
- Design systems matter. Consistency should be established before anything.
- Be candid about feedback (& be ready to receive it too). Honesty > agreeableness when it comes to design decisions.
- Devs are friends. Ask them questions & get their feedback (but keep meeting time low).
Web Development
- It’s ok to not know the answers. You can find them. Learn how to learn.
- There will always be bugs.
- Code quality matters. Comment wisely and be mindful of others.
- Always choose “do it well” over “get it done”. You’ll save yourself time in the future.
- Coding is collaborative. Share your knowledge and ask for help.
CX/Customer Enablement
- Cut the fluff. Be clear and concise in your communications.
- Always consider the blank slate.
- Get to know your user. Spend time with them to get to know their voice.
- Find out what motivates your user. Off of the UI is just as important as on when considering CX.
- Measure your results. Track engagement. Use data analytics to understand what works.