Ace ux hiring with applied design thinking

transcript

Ace UX Hiring with Applied Design Thinking

Malini Rao, Ipswitch Inc

Find your own treasure map!

We are all in the same race ;-)

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tudedude/4572851546

Use design thinking to hang on to your hiring goals

Image source: amusementrides.org

UXer’s Rejoice!We are in demand!

Image source: https://nicolaslehoucq.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/sensation-blackwhite/

UX tops Job trends lists for 2015

Source: Glassdoors, Robert Half Technology & The Creative Group

2,278 UX jobs Posted in the last 15 days

Bad News!Your req is one of 2,278!

Image source: Getty Images

Image source: http://www.growbuchanan.com/buchanan-county-career-fair-held-bridging-the-gap/; https://www.certify.com/2015-10-22-The-2015-AFP-Annual-Conference-in-Review

Attracting the right candidates is hard!

More complex jobs means a longer time-to-hire

According to a Glassdoors study -

Bartender 5.7 days

Web Designer 12.3 days

User Experience Designer 19.3 days

Software Engineer 35 days

Patent Examiner 87.6 days

Image source: http://www.odditycentral.com/news/quirky-paper-bag-speed-dating-craze-lets-personality-take-center-stage.html

Time-to-hire for best of breed UX designers - 3-6 monthsUse design strategy to keep you on track

Image source: vennli.com

UXers abandon their design thinking and

process when it comes to hiring!

Image Source: iamdjcruzcontrol.com

The UX hiring design project Image source: www.lifehacker.com.au

Don’t reinvent the wheel…Optimize it for your need!Tear down mental blocks - Use design to solve UX and hiring problems

Image source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230276

Corporate Hiring ProcessDrawing parallels with the design process

Hiring Manager proposes a position

A senior executive approves the position

Hiring Manager works with corporate

recruiter to post the opening

Candidates send in resumes

Recruiter filters many out

Hiring Manager reviews remaining and decides

who to bring in for interviews

One candidate is chosen and an offer is

Compensation is negotiated

Requirements Analysis Design, test and iterate

Measurement and analysisDesign goal Achieved

Requirements Analysis = Clarifying needs

Phase 1 of design process

What am I looking for in my new hire?Image source: photopin.com/free-photos/crowd-faces

Candidate ‘Proto-persona’Defining the ideal UX candidate for your needs

Candidate ‘Proto-persona’Phase 1: List all possible wants and needs from various perspectives - Analysis phase

• Product UX • Product team context • UX team context • Organization and culture • Hiring manager’s personal preferences

Attributes wish list based on -

Be specific…Not Generic

Image source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_x7p5o950E; www.flickr.com

Senior position

Looking for an experienced leader with solid interaction design experience in enterprise grade web product /applications. Should have ability to break down complex problems and create brand new vision for our products. Candidate should make big impacts through his/her ability to collaborate with designers and other team members. Should possess ability to influence product strategy and direction through state of the art and modern hands-on design contributions in a fast paced, fluid and agile environment.

Candidate ‘Proto-persona’

What am I looking for in my new hire?

Phase 2: Create an internal brief for the job opening - Synthesis phase

Targeting the ideal candidate

• Tailored job description

• Advertise the opening strategically

• Seek candidates that are not seeking change

User-Centered, Efficient, DelightfulImage source: vasundharagroup.org/Overview.html

Clarity on what you are looking for serves as the foothold for successful hiring

Image source: www.vimbly.com

Stay Organized - Keep track of candidates

Design Phase 2 of the design process

Designing the Candidate Evaluation Process

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Evaluation Process

• Part 1: Initial conversation + portfolio review

• Part 2: Comprehensive design evaluation (Design Exercise + Ux team

interviews) • Part 3: Stakeholder interviews

Image source: https://www.hcn.org/topics/nevada

Initial UX Conversation

• 1-1 conversation: First Impressions

• One hour video chat

• Include portfolio review

• Broad confirmation of a potential match

Image source: www.ehow.com › Tech

Design Evaluation - Design Exercise

• Provides consistent yardstick of evaluation

• Can be a generic problem or problem related to your products/website

• Should not require too much domain expertise

• Can be In person or a remote exercise

• Problem should be very specific and narrow in scope.

Design Evaluation - Interviews

• Have a game plan

• ‘Design’ the interview panel

• 1-2 interviewers in a session

Image source: homebrewacademy.com

Sample agenda for UX round interviews

Every slot is designed to provide data to the candidate and the employerSuccessful hire = Mutual fit

Design Evaluation - Interviews

• Min interview sessions length : 30 mins

• Assign focus areas for each interview

• Consider having some interview panelists sitting through a few sessions

Preparing for interviews

• Time is limited - focus on your biggest concerns around the focus area assigned to you

• Review resume and portfolio and mark any follow-ups

• Be prepared to ask and answer questions

Test, IteratePhase 3 of the design process

Hiring is a group effort - leverage strengthsImage source: www.edsaplan.com/en/node/2989

Pilot test your Design Exercise

New hires in your team can provide feedback

Image source: www.gmheng.com/service_coaster.php

Designing GatesDesign for Edge Cases : Keeping the option to abort open

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-country_equestrianism

In-Person Evaluation StructureDesign Exercise/ Presentation

Interviews with UX team

Interviews with Stakeholders

Interviews with Leaders

Round 1

Round 2

Measurement and AnalysisPhase 4 of the design process

Post Interview Feedback

• Verbal or email debriefs

• Feedback via HR tools

Measuring and Comparing CandidatesRationalizing data collected to aid decision making

Senior position

Looking for an experienced leader with solid interaction design experience in enterprise grade web product /applications. Should have ability to break down complex problems and create brand new vision for our products. Candidate should make big impacts through his/her ability to collaborate with designers and other team members. Should possess ability to influence product strategy and direction through state of the art and modern hands-on design contributions in a fast paced, fluid and agile environment.

Phase 2: Create an internal brief for the job opening - Synthesis phase

Senior position

Looking for an experienced leader (3/5) with solid interaction design experience (4/5) in enterprise grade web product /applications (4/5). Should have ability to break down complex problems (4/5) and create brand new vision for our products (3/5). Candidate should make big impacts through his/her ability to collaborate with designers and other team members (5/5). Should possess ability to influence product strategy and direction (3/5) through state of the art and modern (3/5) hands-on design contributions (4/5) in a fast paced, fluid and agile environment (4/5).

Phase 3: Nail the specifics & score the desired attributes - Repeat Analysis

Candidate Rating scale

• Based on the candidate proto-persona

• Shared or private

• Focus on effectiveness as decision making tool - not academic correctness

Keep ‘complexity’ under the hood

• Don’t give up on design thinking tools - adapt them

• Use tools only if you need them

Root your goals to your specific reality and don’t lose sight of it

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Hang on to your design hatIt will serve you well!

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/389842911470251407/

Use design thinking to hang on to your hiring goals

Image source: amusementrides.org

Malini Rao mrao@ipswitch.com

@malinitweets

Questions?

Ipswitch is hiring UX interns