[Video] When Your New UX Job Goes Bad
When you start a new UX job, your hopes run high. You want to improve sales, understand customers, solve problems, and do your best work. In this short video, it is a new Designer’s first day at the company. The Designer excitedly talks to a Manager about making a difference. The Designer inadvertently walks into several political issues, as the Manager hurls swear words at this poor UX soul.
NOTE: You will hear some swear words in this video. And, you will still laugh at this all-too-familiar scene.
Video Transcript
Manager: Hello, you must be the new hire! I’m glad that we finally have a User Experience person in the company.
Designer: Thank you. I am eager to get started.
Manager: That’s good. We value enthusiasm here at the company. And, we need a better user experience.
Designer: Well, then, I’d like to tell you about what I can do. Can you guide me by telling me what to focus on? Sound good?
Manager: Chill.
Designer: I recommend starting by examining the user experience of our products.
Manager: Okay? Fine.
Designer: Then, I want to talk to some customers to learn about their needs and tasks.
Manager: Fine. Wait! No, we can’t talk to customers.
Designer: Talking to customers is important to focus on product requirements on user tasks.
Manager: You aren’t allowed to talk to customers. Only sales people talk to customers.
Designer: Okay? Well, then I could start with the usability assessment.
Manager: Don’t do that!
Designer: Can you tell me why?
Manager: Uh… products do not have any problems. Customers are just stupid and broke which explains our poor sales numbers. It’s just the economy.
Designer: Okay. I will move directly to design user interfaces for you.
Manager: Our developers design the user interfaces today. And, we cannot change our development process. So, no you won’t!
Designer: I am experienced in brand strategy and have proven success at increasing sales.
Manager: My marketing department owns the brand.
Designer: Do you have any suggestions for work directions?