how did i get here? a composite story of ux vp's

How Did I Get Here?And where are we going?

Ian Swinson | Salesforce.com - Senior Director, User Experience | @iswinson

Screws: 11Titanium: 4”Percocet: Lots

Broken Clavicle

Remedy Coffee / Cup of coffeeUX VP

Transition, responsibilities, insights and advice

...in a hierarchy every employee tends

to rise to his level of incompetence.

The Peter Principle

Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hullin, 1969

Who did we talk to?

Peter MerholzVP, User ExperienceInflection

Sara OrtloffVP, User Experience,Insights & AnalyticsWalmart.com

Catherine CourageVP, Product DesignCitrix

Rochelle KingVP, User Experience &Product ServicesNetflix

Michael ArentVP, User ExperienceSAP / Business Objects

Kaaren HansonVP, Design InnovationIntuit

Sarah BellrichardSVP, User ExperienceResearch & DesignWells Fargo

Mark McCormickSVP, Customer ExperienceWells Fargo

Arnie LundPrincipal UX LeadMicrosoft

Tom TullisVP, User ExperienceFidelity Investments

Matt HollowayVP, User ExperienceDesignShutterfly

Larry TeslerVP, User Experienceformerly Amazon.com

543

Finding the Participants

MeMe

Co-workers Acquaintances LinkedIn

99

21

Geographically Speaking

How many are authors?

Arnie Lund Catherine Courage Tom Tullis Michael Arent

2.5+ million2.5+ million140

Company Size

Inflection Walmart.com

Whoa!

60 days

Time in the Role

19 years

Career PathFor example: Interaction Design to Management

Associate

Staff

Senior

Lead

Principal

Architect

PrincipalArchitect

Chief DesignOfficer

Manager

SeniorManager

Director

SeniorDirector

Vice President

??

This is a big deal!Or...is it? SVP

Skills TransitionFrom individual contributor to management

ManagementDesign/Research

Skills TransitionFrom production level work to conceptual work

Concept

Design/Research Production

Skills TransitionFrom production to concept...to strategic work

Concept

Design/Research Production

Strategy

Skills TransitionFrom hands on work to management PLUS strategy

VP Starts Somewhere Around Here

Strategy

ManagementDesign/Research

Let’s hear from some UX VPs

Enough preamble?

Preparing > Transitioning > Performing

Preparing Videohttp://youtu.be/jH6KqKQ5IrE

Preparing

Goals

Start small & expand

Get a mentor

And most importanty...ask

yourself, “Is this for you?

Transitioning Videohttp://youtu.be/ZBhqQRnZ4oY

Transitioning

Be selfless

Let go - Trust your people

Stay connected to your craft

Design can be meta

Performing Videohttp://youtu.be/v5vICNnBgug

Performing

Listen & learn

Translate

Facilitate

Process & people

Strategy & tactics

Career PathFor example: Interaction Design to Management

Associate

Staff

Senior

Lead

Principal

Architect

PrincipalArchitect

Chief DesignOfficer

Manager

SeniorManager

Director

SeniorDirector

Vice President

??

This is a big deal!Or...is it?

...in a hierarchy every employee tends

to rise to his level of incompetence.

The Peter Principle

Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hullin, 1969

In a hierarchy every employee should

rise to the level of their passion.

The Arnie Principle

Arnie Lund, 2012

How Will You Get There?

Thank You!

All the participants

Peter Merholz

Chelsey Glasson!

Notes & Reminders

Stay tuned to UX Magazine

Follow @salesforceux for updates

Follow us @iswinson and @chelseyglasson

We are hiring!

iswinson@salesforce.com