growing a UX practice well is more important and challenging than ever

user/customer experience now a core component of success

organizational focus vs. collection of individuals

beyond role-based constraints

Strategy is about inspiring before hiring

Context

Capability

Boyd’s OODA Loop

Orient

Assess

Question

Hypothesize

Context

what are our goals, values, and principles as a company?

what do we need to get done?

why? how much?

running a

successful business

enabling

greatexperiences

maintaining

strong teams

engineering

leading

technology

go beyond hiring and career skills growth

shape and align teams with business goals

aim for impact, scope, scale, diversity, resilience, sustainability

Capability

what do we need to be

good at?

how good?

not who…yet

complementary

strengths vs. equal

development

breadth and depth of

skill across people

increased participation

what and why?

who and how much?

how and when?

aesthetics: type, color, line, shape, sound asset creation Motion principle/guideline creation, compliance, validation global design branding branding

compliance creative direction brand strategy for visual identity frameworks for visual design language brand/product positioning layout &

composition information architecture content de interaction design NUI and multimodal navigation and command universal designmulti

channel design cross-product design conceptual design & modeling Persona development exploration of design options question definition identify

relevant outcomes and necessary data methodology selection and tradeoffs emergent methods method development data analysis report writing

communication and catalyst for action data synthesis latent need identification insight triangulation storytelling sketching

prototyping techniques modeling Iteration generation and refinement creative production problem-solving use and create

team processes and methodologies measurement and metrics competitive differentiation process contribution and improvement tool

contribution and improvement integration with team processes and tools continuous iterative improvement insight generation product design service

design effective meetings stakeholder selection and management managing interpersonal style differences working across organizational boundaries

transparency communication strategy team dynamics role model coaching succession planning pride in work personal accountability

abstraction from personal experience engineering system mechanisms identify issues resolve, escalate, or find owners for issues describe discoveries

from behavior or observation identify latent needs and new product/service priorities integrate expected new usage patterns address experience and behavioral

attributes address attitude and emotional attributes describe opportunities relative to competition / trends identify opportunities relative to competition /

trends create action plan relative to immediate needs create action plan consistent with future needs contribute to product strategy contribute to cross-product or

cross-org strategy employ divergent thinking to influence engineering peers apply work across engineering lifecycle contribute to go-to-market campaigns

and messaging develop formative, generative, naturalistic research propose and create consensus for needed human and product centered approach define

success criteria and needed deliverables against multiple research objectives innovate new research approaches formulate systematic multi-stage approach

adapt research program to respond to organizational need reduce data to form actionable outcomes enable problem identification apply data to

idea finding, problem finding, and problem definition synthesize data for idea finding, problem finding, and problem definition create compelling data summaries

deliver compelling research artifacts create compelling communication via emotional connection to user and context convey real user stories create common

understanding of usage, reaction, feedback, or needs predict usage and customer reaction contribute real customer stories, insights, and data for go to market

efforts inspire new thinking by leveraging expressed needs inspire new thinking by leveraging latent needs propose and guide solutions throughout cycle apply

appropriate business domain knowledgedefine measurable conditions for success create measurable conditions for success build consensus for success

definitions align success definitions to goals or org definitions create alignment of success definitions to goals or org definitionsintegrate success definitions

into design research process create integration of success definitions into design research process leverage insight on needs to inspire new thinking and

approaches create insight on needs to inspire new thinking and approaches propose and guide solutions align solutions within or across product areas / scenarios

create alignment of solutions across product areas / scenarios discover and understand root causes to experience issues iterate analyses and

interpretation of data to discover superior solutions create and direct analyses and interpretation of data to discover superior solutions tune designs based on

continuous iteration tune research approaches to address changing needs provide data and research artifacts that validate success outcomes create and

direct research processes to provide data and research artifacts that validate success outcomes Design for non-US markets Specific tool expertise (Visual Studio,

Adobe, etc.) Full range of analog & digital prototyping business model and execution considerations Microsoft Design Principles Microsoft Design

Language Application Windows 8 and Windows Phone Competing OS expertise HTML/CSS/Javascript multidevice, responsive design native apps v. browser

data visualization and interaction design sensors and other small devices problem discovery build, measure, learn (Lean Startup / Lean UX) facilitation and

managing divergence/convergence and generation/evaluation Full range of design processes, methodologies, and methods Design integration / development

Skill Name

Skill 1

Skill 2

Skill 3

Skill 4

Skill Name

Color, line,

shape

Latent need

identification

Brand

integration

Non-code

prototyping

UX leaders and ICs UX enthusiasts

Product owners Vested interests (may need

education)

Skill Name Current Level Desired Level Priority

Color, line,

shape

Latent need

identification

Brand

integration

Non-code

prototyping

Skill Name Current Level Desired Level Priority

Color, line,

shape

3 5 5

Latent need

identification

2 2 1

Brand

integration

5 3 3

Non-code

prototyping

1 4 5

Skill Name Current Level Desired Level Priority

Skill 1 3 5 5

Skill 2 2 2 1

Skill 3 5 3 3

Skill 4 1 4 5

Skill Name Current Level Desired Level Priority

Skill 1 3 5 5

Skill 2 2 2 1

Skill 3 5 3 3

Skill 4 1 4 5

Skill Name Current Level Desired Level Priority

Skill 1 3 5 5

Skill 2 2 2 1

Skill 3 5 3 3

Skill 4 1 4 5

Skill Name Current Level Desired Level Priority

Color, line,

shape

3 5 5

Latent need

identification

2 2 1

Brand

integration

5 3 3

Non-code

prototyping

1 4 5

SkillsAssessment of Skills and Knowledge Assigned

Prty

Assigned

Gap

Normed

Gap

Perceived

Gap

Normed

Perceived

Gap

Current Level Norm Desired Level Norm

Color, line, shape 85 7.1 110 9.2 4.6 25.0 2.1 114.8 9.6

Brand integration 86 7.2 94 7.8 4.0 8.0 0.7 32.0 2.7

Non-code prototyping 65 5.4 88 7.3 4.1 23.0 1.9 94.2 7.8

Ethnographic analysis 77 6.4 97 8.1 4.1 20.0 1.7 82.6 6.9

Lo-fi usability 61 5.1 85 7.1 3.8 24.0 2.0 90.5 7.5

Latent need identification 60 5.0 78 6.5 3.6 18.0 1.5 63.9 5.3

Skill 7 60 5.0 75 6.3 3.7 15.0 1.3 55.0 4.6

Skill 8 69 5.8 85 7.1 4.1 16.0 1.3 64.8 5.4

Skill 9 58 4.8 75 6.3 4.0 17.0 1.4 67.2 5.6

Skill 10 70 5.8 84 7.0 4.1 14.0 1.2 57.5 4.8

SkillsAssessment of Skills and Knowledge Assigned

Prty

Assigned

Gap

Normed

Gap

Perceived

Gap

Normed

Perceived

Gap

Current Level Norm Desired Level Norm

Color, line, shape 85 7.1 110 9.2 4.6 25.0 2.1 114.8 9.6

Brand integration 86 7.2 94 7.8 4.0 8.0 0.7 32.0 2.7

Non-code prototyping 65 5.4 88 7.3 4.1 23.0 1.9 94.2 7.8

Ethnographic analysis 77 6.4 97 8.1 4.1 20.0 1.7 82.6 6.9

Lo-fi usability 61 5.1 85 7.1 3.8 24.0 2.0 90.5 7.5

Latent need identification 60 5.0 78 6.5 3.6 18.0 1.5 63.9 5.3

Skill 7 60 5.0 75 6.3 3.7 15.0 1.3 55.0 4.6

Skill 8 69 5.8 85 7.1 4.1 16.0 1.3 64.8 5.4

Skill 9 58 4.8 75 6.3 4.0 17.0 1.4 67.2 5.6

Skill 10 70 5.8 84 7.0 4.1 14.0 1.2 57.5 4.8

averagesum average x2

subtraction priority x normed gap

SkillsAssessment of Skills and Knowledge

Assigned

Prty

Assigned

Gap

Normed

Gap

Perceived

Gap

Normed

Perceived

Gap

Current Level Norm Desired Level Norm

Color, line, shape 85 7.1 110 9.2 4.6 25.0 2.1 114.8 9.6

Brand integration 86 7.2 94 7.8 4.0 8.0 0.7 32.0 2.7

Non-code prototyping 65 5.4 88 7.3 4.1 23.0 1.9 94.2 7.8

Ethnographic analysis 77 6.4 97 8.1 4.1 20.0 1.7 82.6 6.9

Lo-fi usability 61 5.1 85 7.1 3.8 24.0 2.0 90.5 7.5

Latent need identification 60 5.0 78 6.5 3.6 18.0 1.5 63.9 5.3

Skill 7 60 5.0 75 6.3 3.7 15.0 1.3 55.0 4.6

Skill 8 69 5.8 85 7.1 4.1 16.0 1.3 64.8 5.4

Skill 9 58 4.8 75 6.3 4.0 17.0 1.4 67.2 5.6

Skill 10 70 5.8 84 7.0 4.1 14.0 1.2 57.5 4.8

company

average

team A

team B

Strategic Action

are teams good

enough?

In what areas do

they need help?

how important is it

to get help?

what kind of help?

who plays a part?

what do your colleagues want to be good at?

open up

opportunities

issue the

challenge to

add UX into

everyone’s job

let people find

their point of

contribution

Oh, yeah. Hiring.

same strategic framework

involve the team to determine fit and talent

hire the inspired

Good luck!Phillip Hunter

Microsoft

Engineering Excellence

phunter@microsoft.com

@designoutloud