5 Rules for Mentoring New User Experience ProfessionalsBob ThomasManager of User Experience, Liberty Mutual
[email protected]@bobthomas
What Does It Mean To “Mentor,” as Opposed to “Teach”?
๏ “to teach or give advice or guidance to (someone, such as a less experienced person or a child)… − Merriam-Webster Dictionary
๏ However, teaching (or coaching) is related to tasks and often comes with a specific agenda (the teacher’s)
๏ Mentoring is related to personal choice and also comes with an agenda (the mentee’s)
What Does Mentoring Mean to Me?
๏ Developing a relationship where both mentor and mentee benefit
๏ Being a leader in our field
User Experience Opportunities
U IA D
Usability Research/Testing Information Architecture Visual & Interaction Design
Rule #1๏ Sometimes, your boss can be your
mentor
If You Establish a UX Practice, People Will Seek You Out
Mentors Can Provide Learning Opportunities for Mentees
Mentors Can Give Mentees Confidence
Rule #2๏ Sometimes, your boss can’t be your
mentor
Performance-Based Objectives Can Introduce Conflict
If Your Boss Is Your Mentor, Your Objectives May Not Match Up
Your Boss’s Performance-Based Objectives for You
Your UX-Based Objectives
A X
B Y
C Z
Rule #3๏ A mentor is responsible for
guiding and assisting the mentee, based on a social contract
A Mentor Is There For You When You Have No Right or Wrong Answer
Rule #4๏ You can’t mentor a stone
You Cannot Successfully Mentor Everyone. At Times You Will Fail.
Rule #5๏ Perspective is additive
Let’s Face It: We Can’t Make Carbon Copies of Ourselves
Mentors Enable Mentees to Lend Their Unique Perspectives to the UX Community
Summary๏ Rule #1: Sometimes, your boss can be your mentor
๏ Rule #2: Sometimes, your boss can’t be your mentor (in other words, find someone else)
๏ Rule #3: A mentor is responsible for guiding and assisting the mentee, based on a social contract
๏ Rule #4: You can’t mentor a stone
๏ Rule #5: Perspective is additive
Thank you very much
Bob ThomasManager of User ExperienceLiberty Mutual
E-mail:
Twitter:
@bobthomas
