Master series: SARAH DOODY

This is the fifth episode in a mini-series, between season 1 and 2 of True North, called the ‘Master Series’.

Loop11’s co-founder Shefik Bey speaks with Sarah Doody. Sarah is one of those people who can make you feel exhausted purely because she seems to be doing so much. In recent times she’s been a director of product development and user experience, a curriculum developer and instructor at General Assembly , an entrepreneur, a popular speaker at conferences around the world and the creator of a popular newsletter, The UX Notebook as well as her brand new UX course about User Research.

Shefik and Sarah discuss how her UX career got to where she currently is today (2:29). The positives and negatives that come with working externally versus internally as a part of a team (4:52). The changing role of the UX consultant (8:09). How Sarah created the first UX course at General Assembly which is now offered all around the world (11:20) and how she found her way into teaching and thought leadership (12:00).

They then move into the different ways UX can be taught and communicated to beginners and those more experienced (13:58). Ensuring UXers focus on their soft skills rather than software or other tools (16:41) and thinking like a designer (20:14). Sarah also addresses the misconceptions surrounding research having to be costly and slow (25:57), arming yourself with evidence so stakeholders take your findings seriously (35:33). Finally, they discuss defining anticipatory design and the things that need to be considered when designing for it (37:36). The best way for UXers to learn and forward their career (53:21).

Follow Shefik Bey on Twitter - @shefikbey