Why executives obsess over icons
This talk offers insights from real experiences working with top-level execs (including the CEO) on major UX projects to achieve tangible results. As UX designers we constantly clamor for a seat at ‘the table’, but what happens when you actually get there? How do you react and assert yourself as an authority of design that is perceived, respected, and valued as such, not just someone who ‘makes pretty pictures’ or ‘plays with stickies’? My goal in this talk is to set up design leaders for success by raising their ‘executive IQ’.
I have worked with (as well as ‘for’; and maybe even ‘against’) executives at big companies (Oracle, Adobe, Citrix) and while advising small startups. My insights are grounded in the following areas:
- Working with the CEO to design version 1.0 of a new product for global launch
- Creating radical vision pieces that impact product & company strategy
- Advising startup founders on how to invent & iterate rapidly
First, my talk will begin with a look at the ‘executive persona’, some key attributes and motivations – just like we do with users! Next, I shall describe a core set of contexts in which designers often find themselves dealing with executive input. Finally, I will review 5-7 critical lessons I have learned over the years. You will walk away feeling stronger and smarter about dealing with executives, and understand why they often obsess over icons!
