Using UX to Lead Leaders: Applying UX skills to influencing decisions How-to for UX practitioners and managers to increase leadership influence by applying UX expertise to executive communications Mastering the applied science of usability for the 'underserved audience' of executive leadership to create targeted, actionable communication ultimately supports end users with the best products. Presentation by Laura Faulkner (FalconDay Consulting), Sheilagh O'Hare (The University of Texas at Austin)

1. Using UX
to Lead
Leaders
Laura
Faulkner,
PhD
FalconDay
Consul4ng
Sheilagh
O’Hare,
MS
The
University
of
Texas
at
Aus4n

2. UX
must
con4nually
work
to
claim
its
space,
funding,
and
impact
ability.

3. A
UX
prac44oner
is
uniquely
qualified
to
be
the
CEO’s
Hero.

4. Decision
makers
face
pressures
that
can
differ
broadly
from
UX
goals.

5. We
must
master
leading
leaders
by
applying
‘Speak
the
User's
Language.’

6. Brief,
dense
communica4ons
influence
by
targe4ng
Leaders’
points
of
view.

9. Our
journey
for
this
hour
will
take
us
from
theory
to
prac4ce!
Learn
Learn
Do
Do
Discuss
Discuss
Repeat
…

10. ACTIVITY
Write
the
names
and/or
posi4ons
of
one
or
more
people
that
you
need
to
influence,
right
now.
Briefly
explain
to
a
partner
next
to
you.

11. Studying
execu;ves
as
‘users’
delivers
keys
to
leadership
needs
and
points
of
view.
Resource:
Proceedings
paper

12. ACTIVITY
Brainstorm
approaches
for
“influence
communica4ons”.

13. Tools
to
Influence
Leaders

14. The
Magic
Key
Applying
UX
to
lead
leaders
requires
prac4cing
our
art
on
an
audience
that
requires
both
precision
and
accuracy.

15. Analyze
your
local
execu4ve
as
you
would
any
other
user.
Exec
=
person
Design
to
the
leader’s
needs,
goals,
and
point
of
view.

16. Specific POV
Exec
=
person
DECISION
SUPPORT At-a-Glance

17. Study Specific POV
Exec
=
person
Enable Create
DECISION
SUPPORT At-a-Glance

18. Use
UX
tools
on
this
underserved
popula4on.
1. Do
“user”
research
2. Create
execu4ve
personas
3. Iden4fy
and
name
‘user
goal’
4. Design
‘products’
5. Speak
the
user’s
language
6. …

19. Crac
communica4ons
that
tell
…
the
WHAT
the
SO
WHAT
and
the
NOW
WHAT

20. WHAT
=
Just
the
facts!
SO
WHAT
=
Why
they’re
important
NOW
WHAT
=
What
to
do
next

21. WHAT
=
Observa4ons
SO
WHAT
=
Significance
NOW
WHAT
=
Recommenda4ons

22. To
persuade
leadership,
always
recommend
a
specific
course
of
ac4on.

23. Inform
to
persuade!
Use
brief
communica4ons
to
serve
execu4ve
needs.
1. Short
report
2. Execu4ve
abstract
3. One-­‐sheet
4. 2
Slides
5. 15-­‐second
video

24. Tool
1:
Short
Report
–
Overview
of
Layout

25. Tool
1:
Short
Report
–
Content
type
view

26. Tool
1:
Short
Report
–
Content
type
view,
cont.

27. Tool
1:
Short
Report
–
Content
type
view,
cont.

28. Tool
1:
Short
Report
–
Content
type
view,
cont.

29. Tool
2:
One-­‐sheet
-­‐
overview

30. Tool
2:
One-­‐sheet
–
content
example

31. Remember
it
takes
far
more
effort
to
say
something
important
with
fewer
words.

32. ACTIVITY
Dis4ll
a
UX
findings
paragraph
to
an
execu4ve
summary
statement.
Much
of
your
original
data
will
end
up
on
the
cujng
room
floor.

33. CLOSING
ACTIVITY
What
are
3
keys
you
learned
today?

34. Prac;;oners
have
a
strong
advantage
in
influencing
decision-­‐makers
by
turning
their
own
deep
skills
in
user-­‐
experience
into
understanding
and
communica;ng
at
execu;ve
levels.

36. If
anyone
can
do,
it
we
can.
.
We’re
UX!
We
everybody’s
hero.