The idea of 'designing for users’ is most appealing until business reality hits home: what the users want is work to discover, not what the Product Owner had in mind, what the competition is doing, too hard to build, and so much more. UX is often called at the last minute, in the hope that miracles can happen, “can you add some ux there, it’s not doing terribly well” being an oft-heard preamble to a conversation that’s likely to tumble down and capsize hopes and dreams. The practice of UX requires to support business reality whilst catering for, and sometimes defending users. I will share with you how I've ported my UX knowledge in the teams I've worked with to ensure UX doesn't become the costly harbinger of bad news, enemy of design, arch-enemy of tech and general spanner in the works. I’ll explain what worked and didn't work, the appropriate pace to grow UX in any environment and why HCI academics are the best card in my pocket.

1. Defending users,
balancing business interests
The transactional aspect of UX
Sophie FREIERMUTH, UX consultant
& Director at Baguette UX

2. @wickedgeekie
The UX superhero
He represents, defends and advocates on behalf of users and
customers, using research data to support his propositions
@UX_Superhero

3. @wickedgeekie
business as usual
• How does this business stay in business?
• What must users do?
• Is that business model realistic?

5. @wickedgeekie
in comes Lean
• Align business idea and user actions
• Tweak either until they align (incremental change /
pivot)

6. @wickedgeekie
product / project
• To make a real change, work at product level,
through a series of projects.
• Projects die often, products much less.

7. @wickedgeekie
No need to shout

8. @wickedgeekie
getting data
• What is the currency in your company?
• Some users and usage data are business-critical
• Make getting the right data a product-long
endeavour

9. The brief: “Make it more creative”
@wickedgeekie

10. @wickedgeekie
The right solution
• Experience + creativity + buy-in = ∞
• Never be afraid to make users do something

11. @wickedgeekie
the 4th fourth
Source: Jason Mesut

12. @wickedgeekie
Develop your
transactional UX skills
• Take a Business Analyst to lunch
• Be clear on what the Big Boss wants from UX
• See UX from a Business Owner’s perspective
• Be a problem-highlighter, solution-provider and
fixes-implementer
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