Navigating The UX Team Of One

Are you the only designer on the team? Navigating The UX Team Of One is a very honest article about the things to keep in mind in the open waters of technology-driven teams. Written by Jamie Ryan.

• Document everything, from your work to org charts.

• Ask a lot of questions, listen and build credibility.

• Make yourself known to every team.

• Reach out to key figures from every department.

• Find your allies among non-designers.

• Find where you add value, and spend your time there.

• Protect your work from people telling you how to design.

• Understand the language of each department.

• Always speak about their goals, not yours.

• Always give your points firmly: no soft cloud landings.

• Watch out for red flags, and write them down.

• You will need other people to carry your design in action.

• Make your work visible to other people, and bring them in.

• Good design execution is about relationship management.

• Protect your time and keep a file with your achievements.

Plenty of actionable recommendations — and I can only emphasize just how important it is to establish good relationships with key people in other organizations, and understand and speak the language of the business. This is how changes happen — in big and small organizations. Safe sailing, everyone! ⛵

Further reading:

• The Only Designer

• Advice For Young Designers Joining a Start-up As The Only Designer

• The UX Team of One: A Research and Design Survival Guide, by Leah Buley

• Articulating Design Decisions, by Tom Greever