My whole career was a bit of an accident.
Studied Music Technology — was an apple Genius — worked at a digital agency — became a UX designer.
Studied Music Technology — was an apple Genius — worked at a digital agency — became a UX designer.
The one thing in the different experiences he had was no focus on any commercial skills.
At a small agency it was the account managers and at a product company it was the product managers.
At a small agency it was the account managers and at a product company it was the product managers.
Designers are business people too.
UX and product designers tend to not come from a business background.
Formal qualifications aren't necessary and there's no patterns with the training people do have.
From an @NNgroup survey of 358 designers only 33 said they had business skills.
Formal qualifications aren't necessary and there's no patterns with the training people do have.
From an @NNgroup survey of 358 designers only 33 said they had business skills.
Design has a mental model problem.
Because people are coming from a visual design background that UX design is all about visual design.
Because people are coming from a visual design background that UX design is all about visual design.
Product designers are design-oriented not product oriented.
"Design is not the centre of the world" — Paul Adams at Intercom.
It's just one of the spokes in the wheel.
"Design is not the centre of the world" — Paul Adams at Intercom.
It's just one of the spokes in the wheel.
Our stakeholders don't care how many diamonds we went through in the discovery process, they want to see what the outcome is.
Vinny decided to:
Become an expert in his business
Create new mental models
Become a product centred designer
Become an expert in his business
Create new mental models
Become a product centred designer
Learn about the business industry in general, then learn about YOUR business.
You don't need to go do an MBA, there are resources available for you to build an understanding about what those business leaders in you're company are talking about.
You don't need to go do an MBA, there are resources available for you to build an understanding about what those business leaders in you're company are talking about.
Find a mentor, do a course.
If you work at a larger company, find someone who's not a designer and talk to them about what's important to them.
If you work at a larger company, find someone who's not a designer and talk to them about what's important to them.
Learn how your business makes money and understand it deeply.
Good revenue v Bad revenue
Good revenue v Bad revenue
Be a great connector.
All problems are interpersonal relationship problems — Alfred Adler
All problems are interpersonal relationship problems — Alfred Adler
It's so much easier to build relationships with people one on one.
Vinny recommends organising one on ones with everyone you are going to work with when you start at a company.
Vinny recommends organising one on ones with everyone you are going to work with when you start at a company.
Figure out how you can best contribute to the business goals.
*not how can I do more designs.
*not how can I do more designs.
Make your goals are aligned to at every level, and make the targets tangible for the team, make it real.
Final thoughts. 
@threadreaderapp unroll please!
