tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87959059503053517202024-02-18T19:27:21.012-08:00Seen. Heard. Noticed.Blog about usability and user experience in everyday life by Janna Kimel of third brain studioJanna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-23113946528949268732023-07-30T13:24:00.002-07:002023-07-30T13:25:54.337-07:00"Networking” is not a dirty word, and other secrets to finding your next role<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_U7XEaXcHnLrJ_v0tZ9fh_capkoEVgBloROO6G-wyIkOBS9z9SrAEM02td3CbzvInYMw_O5wX1hNJpXKSf8Xf8nbuoK_0uXTEto_Ub-05fnq0mERs-uIg62FirbJ-4I0wHWaOTANx4Gem5dCt4Uv_aepsyITRfFWjhbwXvO6_2dfjViUj2Hkg1Q88NMuC/s3236/20230111_143620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sign in black and red that reads Choose Courage hanging from a tree" border="0" data-original-height="1714" data-original-width="3236" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_U7XEaXcHnLrJ_v0tZ9fh_capkoEVgBloROO6G-wyIkOBS9z9SrAEM02td3CbzvInYMw_O5wX1hNJpXKSf8Xf8nbuoK_0uXTEto_Ub-05fnq0mERs-uIg62FirbJ-4I0wHWaOTANx4Gem5dCt4Uv_aepsyITRfFWjhbwXvO6_2dfjViUj2Hkg1Q88NMuC/w400-h211/20230111_143620.jpg" title="Choose Courage" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large);">This post is inspired by the wonderful people I’ve met lately through the joys of online conferences, webinars and random LinkedIn outreaches (aka, networking). </span><p></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">As a UX Researcher, it’s not surprising that I find people endlessly fascinating. I crave meeting new people and enjoy learning what drives them, what they don’t enjoy and how they go through life. With that background, it’s probably not surprising that I enjoy networking. But, if you say the word networking to most people, they will shirk, make a face of disdain and then turn to their phone and ignore you. </p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">“Networking” gets a bad reputation largely because people are afraid of walking into a room full of people they don’t know and they are afraid of looking like they don’t know things. Networking has a sense of vulnerability attached to it. Many people also perceive it as an “ask” or a one-way interaction rather than an exchange and a two way interaction.</p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">Networking doesn’t have to mean walking into a room of people, asking to be hired and making sure you know all the things! It should mean, seeking a meaningful connection, shared interests, sharing insights and sharing resources. Networking is shorthand for creating and nurturing a professional community that can benefit all who take part. That said, I’d like to propose new ways of <span style="background: var(--artdeco-reset-base-background-transparent); border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; font-size: var(--artdeco-reset-base-font-size-hundred-percent); font-style: var(--artdeco-reset-typography-font-style-italic); margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); outline: var(--artdeco-reset-base-outline-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">thinking about increasing the number and quality of people you know in your industry </span>(see what I did there?)</p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><span style="background: var(--artdeco-reset-base-background-transparent); border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; font-size: var(--artdeco-reset-base-font-size-hundred-percent); margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); outline: var(--artdeco-reset-base-outline-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><b>The new networking. </b></span></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">Utilize LinkedIn. As you see people commenting on topics you are interested in, reach out. More often than not, a simple note about how you have common passions or interests will make the way for a local coffee or remote meeting between two people who already have something in common. </p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">Attend conferences and meet-ups You can attend both remotely or in person. You will already have a built in connection and area of interest simply because of the fact that you are both at an event about a particular topic. Talking about that topic is *gasp* networking! You don’t have to ask for anything; just exchange ideas with someone new. After you exchange ideas, you can exchange contact information. The more you share, the more the other person is likely to share. </p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">Attend an event with a friend, spouse or co-worker. You don’t have to go it alone, but also make sure you don’t fall into the trap of only talking to the person you came with. If you don’t feel comfortable approaching people for your own needs, do it for the person you attended the event with. “Hi, I’m Janna, this is my friend Philip. We wanted to meet some new people tonight.” You can follow up with a conversation about that person’s work or hobbies or most recent travel just to get a conversation going.</p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><br /></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><span style="background: var(--artdeco-reset-base-background-transparent); border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; font-size: var(--artdeco-reset-base-font-size-hundred-percent); margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); outline: var(--artdeco-reset-base-outline-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><b>Think of it as learning about someone new. </b></span></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">In school and growing up, we often meet new people. There’s a new kid on the playground in elementary school. There are tons of new people when we go to college, there are even new people when we take a new job, whether we are 18 or 48. So, why are we afraid to reach out and meet new people when looking for a job? When you meet someone new, look for that common ground. Maybe you both like to watch synchronized swimming, maybe you both left jobs recently and need support in the transition. Whatever it is, find a place of commonality and the conversation will go much more smoothly. It may be a one off, or it may be a longer connection. The key is to connect on some level. Not everyone has to be a lifelong friend, but the more people you know, the more information you gather. </p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">Still not comfortable? Ok, think about meeting new people as an exercise for someone else! Maybe you have a friend who published a book you want to talk about, or a friend seeking a new role, or an ex colleague looking for clients. Can you help them? Use that person as your entry point to conversation rather than yourself. It’s likely the conversation will also come around to you and your skills, but if it doesn’t, you’ve supported someone else and doesn’t that feel good? </p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><b><span style="background: var(--artdeco-reset-base-background-transparent); border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; font-size: var(--artdeco-reset-base-font-size-hundred-percent); margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); outline: var(--artdeco-reset-base-outline-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">Realize that these conversations are a two way street.</span> </b></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">Many people are uncomfortable talking to new people whether one on one in a Zoom call or in line for drinks at a large event. But, as soon as people start talking, it often feels better, more connected and engaging. </p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><span style="background: var(--artdeco-reset-base-background-transparent); border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; font-size: var(--artdeco-reset-base-font-size-hundred-percent); margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); outline: var(--artdeco-reset-base-outline-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><b>Be vulnerable, Feel connected</b></span></p><p class="reader-text-block__paragraph" style="--artdeco-reset-typography_getfontsize: 1.6rem; --artdeco-reset-typography_getlineheight: 1.5; background-color: white; border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: var(--font-size-large); line-height: 1.75; margin: 1.6rem 0px; padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">As a wrap up, “networking” doesn’t have to be a dirty word! Find ways to meet new people, by attending online events, going to in person events with a buddy and reaching out 1:1 via LinkedIn. Remember we are all vulnerable, we are all looking to connect. Taking the step to reach out shows courage and will often provide return on investment in ways you couldn’t have imagined. </p>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-13842692043438743042023-05-15T16:14:00.000-07:002023-07-30T13:26:34.555-07:00Dare to Lead Resources<p> In early May, I had the pleasure of attending a 3 day intensive workshop based on Brene' Brown's work on vulnerability and work. Three weeks later, I'm still processing! As I go back through my notes, I'll create a post that's more holistic. For now, here are some recommended resources on leadership and vulnerability. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3jj5geTn4MAyn8bmVlj5DAKDk0m4IIYhpY5abVop8am474-iwmIbTXIcSrXLbmPHz0XF5DWa8uIj_OOu7B-oaLo7WyUj5DPS-0zK1cpMrUVigRd-5xrp-aSV8RT-PzaJLvYZdzyJRwUJFw4FbZ7DgpZKRwAxsam1ePdo4ATLZ0eXYF6b8kN6FJDM3g/s941/Screenshot_20230327_205923_Chrome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="941" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3jj5geTn4MAyn8bmVlj5DAKDk0m4IIYhpY5abVop8am474-iwmIbTXIcSrXLbmPHz0XF5DWa8uIj_OOu7B-oaLo7WyUj5DPS-0zK1cpMrUVigRd-5xrp-aSV8RT-PzaJLvYZdzyJRwUJFw4FbZ7DgpZKRwAxsam1ePdo4ATLZ0eXYF6b8kN6FJDM3g/s320/Screenshot_20230327_205923_Chrome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Books</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/no-hard-feelings-9780525533832" target="_blank">No Hard Feelings, the Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work</a>, Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy</li><li><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/atlas-of-the-heart-9780399592553" target="_blank">Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience</a>, Brene' Brown</li><li><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/rising-strong-the-reckoning-the-rumble-the-revolution-9780812995824" target="_blank">Rising Strong</a>, Brene' Brown</li><li><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/infinite-game-9780735213500" target="_blank">The Infinite Game</a>, Simon Sinek</li><li><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/traction-get-a-grip-on-your-business-9781936661831" target="_blank">Traction, Get a Grip on Your Business</a>, Gino Wickman</li><li><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/speed-of-trust-the-one-thing-that-changes-everything-9781416549000" target="_blank">The Speed of Trust</a>, Stephen Covey</li><li><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/burnout-9781984818324" target="_blank">Burnout</a>, Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski</li><li><a href="https://store.hbr.org/product/the-feedback-fallacy/R1902G" target="_blank">The Feedback Fallacy</a>, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall</li></ul><br /><p></p><p><b>Articles</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://hbr.org/2002/07/make-your-values-mean-something" target="_blank">Make your Values Mean Something</a>, HBR</li><li><u><a href="https://loveandwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TheFeedbackFallacy.pdf" target="_blank">The Feedback Fallacy</a></u>, Buckingham and Goodall</li></ul><br /><p></p><p><b>Podcasts</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.estherperel.com/podcast" target="_blank">Esther Perel</a></li><li><a href="https://brenebrown.com/podcast/whats-happening-at-work-part-1-of-2/" target="_blank">Simon Sinek, Adam Grant abnd Brene Brown</a>, What's Happening at Work (part 1 of 2)</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Videos</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="Sheila Heen, TED talk, " target="_blank">How to Use Others' Feedback</a>, Sheila Heen, TED talk</li></ul><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-82010476661861250752022-11-28T09:14:00.004-08:002023-04-04T20:26:05.486-07:00Personality Testing Extravaganza: I'm a Tolerant Empathetic Achiever<p>Over the course of the last few months come on I've had the opportunity to take a number of personality tests. As we grow as an organization, we are trying to learn about 1 another and it seems we are using a variety of tools to do that. </p><p>Being the researcher that I am, I reviewed all of the insights to see what I could learn in total. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmn7uaGPOzqcQ8xbT5bLINiWxAaGMe6AQIC9S1DAxW99PK1L4K6jL3IdGs-g0SWF8RrNYTwBnP0bEVKvzUXliP8GcGixoVVSCYoukyjhnmripQCXwxod9nV1Q13qkfHWZupuOnS4gkDRKtbyOl0OOSBtvyG8F4DIos-3DDFndFuFlmjJEYrFXPnHB_pg/s4032/20221128_090810.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmn7uaGPOzqcQ8xbT5bLINiWxAaGMe6AQIC9S1DAxW99PK1L4K6jL3IdGs-g0SWF8RrNYTwBnP0bEVKvzUXliP8GcGixoVVSCYoukyjhnmripQCXwxod9nV1Q13qkfHWZupuOnS4gkDRKtbyOl0OOSBtvyG8F4DIos-3DDFndFuFlmjJEYrFXPnHB_pg/s320/20221128_090810.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I looked through the lens of <a href="https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/" target="_blank">Enneagrams,</a> <a href="https://www.corestrengths.com/" target="_blank">SDI/CoreStrengths </a>and the <a href="https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx" target="_blank">Gallup Strengths Finder.</a> (No, I don't get kickbacks if you click on these links, they are just informational.)<p></p><p>For the uninitiated, here are the key strengths of each of these tools. <i>Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on these tools, just a participant.</i></p><p><b>Enneagrams - </b>There are a total of 9 Enneagram types and the tool helps determine your dominant personality traits. It helps us see ourselves at a deeper and more objective level creating a path to self knowledge. <a href="https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/how-the-enneagram-system-works" target="_blank">More </a>on how this all works. </p><p><b>Gallup - </b>The <a href="https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253676/how-cliftonstrengths-works.aspx" target="_blank">Clifton StrengthsFinder</a>, owned by Gallup, uses 177 paired statements to determine your top 5 strengths to maximize your potential. Paired statements might be something like "I read all of the instructions before beginning / I jump into things." And you click on an area that most represents your identification with that statement. Do that 177 times and your strengths start to surface. </p><p><b>Core strengths </b>- This tool helps you understand again, your core strengths and adds on how they work in relationship. How do you manage conflict? What do you do that might seem overdone? Their Strengths Deployment Inventory includes Motivational Value System and a Conflict Sequence questions. You can nerd out on the full history <a href="https://www.corestrengths.com/history-development-of-sdi-2-0/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>As I mentioned, I am no expert on any of these tools, but taking all of the assessments in a relatively short period of time made me want to unpack the insights for trends and patterns. </p><p><br /></p><p>From all of these tools, here's what they determined, and what resonates for me.</p><p>From my perspective, the prominent traits and themes that describe me include empathy, helping others achieve and wanting to be respected and "successful." </p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Looking at the Core Strengths, I<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> "achieve </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">feelings of self-worth by actively encouraging others </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">to grow, succeed, and accomplish great things." According to the Enneagram, I am an achiever -- "self-assured, attractive and charming" (their words not mine) with a "fear of being worthless and a desire to feel valuable." Finally the Clifton StrengthsFinder highlights my fascination with ideas, ability to sense others feelings, the fact that I'm inspired by what the future could be, am intrigued with the unique qualities of each person and lean into strategic thinking determining the most efficient and best way to move forward. </span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a8cd37a4-7fff-9211-74d0-0b75269f9c60"><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wow. That's a lot to process. </span></div></span><p><br /></p><p>Clearly, the 1-liners are quick summaries and each program provides a lengthy report or set of insights. So what is one to do with all of this information? </p><p>The information is more helpful when used in an organization versus on your own. It's interesting to know more about who I am, but highly valuable when I compare my results to others on my team or so we can understand what makes each other tick. </p><p>The Core Strengths does provide a tool that allows you to compare your strengths with others on your team. By doing that, I learned that my manager and I have some very opposite strengths where I focus more on people he focuses more on performance. That means, as a management team, we can divide and conquer and lean into our strengths. </p><p>Core Strengths also helps you understand how you react in conflict. Again, mildly helpful on my own, but likely very helpful for my team members and peers to know that I crave harmony, want to minimize confrontation and feel anxious when there's conflict. (Could I have told you that? Yes. Is it easier when it's presented objectively? Also yes.)</p><p>As I review all of these traits, it's also interesting to see the highlight and the shadow. A personality trait can be valuable for its positive impacts, or be a detriment by going over the top with that trait and having a negative influence. For example, yes I am highly tolerant of different ideas and perspectives but that can also be interpreted as being indifferent or not having a strong opinion. </p><p>The largest value of these personality tests is what you do with the information. For now, I have some clarity on what strengths I bring to the table (where to lean in), how I'm perceived and how I experience conflict. It seems I'm in the right job in management since seeing others grow is important to me, and have an excellent career match as a UX Researcher with my ideation, empathy and future focus. It would be wonderful to be able to be more comfortable with conflict, so for now, that's a great stretch goal and something I'm actively working on. <br /> </p><p>If we work together, I hope this gives you more insight into what makes me tick. For all readers, I hope you are curious enough to jump into one of these personality tests and find out more about yourselves. </p><p><br /></p>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-84848770424040151232022-06-24T16:33:00.003-07:002022-06-24T16:59:48.000-07:00When the Going Gets Rough...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4d_CXtawBkeQuY3YThi518pi6JIoaFzKsBmeKelpbMLFWSdmJ7YWD3SzEDaJPCI0z6B94U11rE-wgchMy0URNu2oIAnOic4oMFKfDN53Ys7s-j2jdBBwb_EoKYaLpgOjcA3BJ4tDEOrJT78zDvilL5sTHfRO8tv2ZEsB9G2aRGvEc6DpKGu9DfhdqXA/s3119/20220604_235820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3119" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4d_CXtawBkeQuY3YThi518pi6JIoaFzKsBmeKelpbMLFWSdmJ7YWD3SzEDaJPCI0z6B94U11rE-wgchMy0URNu2oIAnOic4oMFKfDN53Ys7s-j2jdBBwb_EoKYaLpgOjcA3BJ4tDEOrJT78zDvilL5sTHfRO8tv2ZEsB9G2aRGvEc6DpKGu9DfhdqXA/s320/20220604_235820.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quiet, repetitive handwork soothes my soul. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's Friday of a four-day work week. I should wake up ready for the day and excited for the weekend. Instead, I'm burnt out from a week of churn at work and then wake up to the dreadful news that Roe v Wade is being overturned and women and families everywhere have to carry the burden of unwanted pregnancies, potentially unsafe pregnancies, a lifetime of remembering a rapist and paying for a child whose mouth you know you cannot feed.</div><div><div>What do you do? That's the question I put to my mentor today when we had our allotted time slot. We were both tired from the week and gutted by the news of the day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Over my many years of life, I have created a toolbox of things to do when I get stressed, but sometimes, in the moment, it really helps to hear from others and remember that we all have the tools to move forward.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Reach out. </b>The first thing I did this morning was reach out to friends, family and even got vocal in our internal slack channel for women to connect and support each other. We were all grieving together, separately but together.</div><div><br /></div><div>Regarding work stress, it was also helpful to hear that several others were having a stressful week, it wasn't all in my head and there is indeed chaos in the organization at the moment.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Take a breath.</b> I know I can be to be reactive and emotional. It's not the best for the workplace. I continue to work to remind myself that in most conversations we are both trying to get to similar outcomes, but we may just have different ways of expressing it or getting there. It works better to be curious, ask questions and know that most people have good intentions. Sometimes, I literally have to take a breath mid meeting and remind myself of these things.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Take action.</b> If something isn't working at work or in your life, make a plan for change. Change the experience, change your reaction, change the conversation. A list of organizations to donate time and money to was shared at work today. As <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelleObama/status/1540345715616006148">Michelle Obama said today</a> "Our hearts may be broken today, but tomorrow, we've got to get up and find the courage to keep working towards creating the most just America we all deserve. We have so much left to push for, to rally for, to speak for - and I know we can do this together. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Practice mindfulness</b>. Sit down and take 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 20 minutes. Be kind to yourself. Send out love into the world. Really do it. Put the time on your calendar or just turn off the computer and breathe. <a href="https://www.pausemeditation.org/guided-audio-meditations">Pause</a> has 7 minute free meditations or check out <a href="https://insighttimer.com/">Insight Timer</a> for all sorts of DIY meditations. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Talk to a professional.</b> If you are extraordinarily stressed or burnt out, take the time to talk to a professional coach or counselor or someone who can support your<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists"> mental health</a>. So many companies now have employee assistance programs or ways to access mental health for low or no cost. Take advantage of it. If the company is supporting you in this way, you should support yourself.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Distract yourself.</b> When all else fails, sometimes the best thing to do is nothing, or something mindless and repetitive. Some of you may dive into video games, I love the repetition and simplicity of crochet and bead work (although with the amount of swearing I do during crochet it's not as simple as one would hope).</div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned at the top, most of these are not rocket science but I believe when we are in high stress we sometimes need a reminder of the things we can do to get through the day. That doesn't mean you should stop being angry or sad or mad or grieving, but we all need to get to the end of the day somehow and hopefully these tools can be a reminder of ways to get there.</div></div>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-34376853787224470142021-09-19T21:49:00.004-07:002021-09-19T22:00:38.151-07:00How to get Hred as a Senior or Lead UX Researcher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VeRb4VatDWL6tbRWVvNVpDPCrnLd5UIrBHXS84TI-U-YIVXIhRhviNvyPpw-JuIb0i2Z2XT-LC8vTMyuXckcpELsoCVT1vBR3dTSEo02qZ4l1a4M5MlDaGYAfIohgE1OVgsZhrx6VrRi/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VeRb4VatDWL6tbRWVvNVpDPCrnLd5UIrBHXS84TI-U-YIVXIhRhviNvyPpw-JuIb0i2Z2XT-LC8vTMyuXckcpELsoCVT1vBR3dTSEo02qZ4l1a4M5MlDaGYAfIohgE1OVgsZhrx6VrRi/" width="320" /></a></div><br />A few months ago, my friend <a href="https://www.amysantee.com/" target="_blank">Amy Santee</a> and I were out for a walk and having one of our frequent talks about work. She is a coach, helping UXers with their careers, and I work in a company where I am hiring a new UX Research team. We had the idea to do a talk or a panel, and in true Amy fashion she ran with the ball and got set up to do a panel conversation in September. (shout out to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewoliphant/" target="_blank">Matthew Oliphant</a> and <a href="http://pdxhcd.org/" target="_blank">PDXHCD</a> for the sponsorship)<div><br /><div>Amy was the moderator and I, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/janapantoja/" target="_blank">Janaina Pantoja</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakriti-parijat-37412818/" target="_blank">Prakriti Parijat</a> were panelists. </div><div><br /></div><div>We were thrilled to have approximately 70 people signed up to attend this event. Clearly there is a need to help more Senior and Lead UX researchers land that next position.</div><div>It was a fairly long panel conversation so I won't get to get into every topic here. Being on the panel I didn't take copious notes and can't attribute any idea to one particular person but please know that many of these ideas were shared across panelists.</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">The Big Theme</h4><div>One overarching theme that arose a number of times was to make sure you tell a clear story. Whether it's your LinkedIn profile, your resume or even during the interview session, tell a story that is clear and concise and helps the interviewer or potential interviewer see the path of how you got to where you are today.</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">The Interview Process</h4><div>We talked about the details of the interview process and there were more similarities than differences across organizations. There's always a screening call frequently a portfolio review, sometimes a design research exercise, sometimes something called a CV deep dive from the <a href="https://whothebook.com/" target="_blank">WHO Method</a> or an interview that uses the <a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-use-the-star-interview-response-technique" target="_blank">STAR Method</a> and usually, finally an onsite or remote on site interview with a larger panel.</div><div>Another question focused on how to assess leadership in these more senior roles. People talked about wanting to see evidence around driving alignment, working autonomously, helping the team with priorities and having a point of view. I'll add my two cents here and say that having a point of view is something that I found should not be underrated. It's something that differentiates senior practitioners from junior. Seniors have a point of view, they have a way of doing the work and once the research is done they have a specific message to share.</div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Portfolio Reviews</b></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Although online there have been heated debates on whether or not researchers need a portfolio, this panel was all in favor of them. Portfolios show us if you can communicate both visually and verbally. they tell us how you think, problem solve, sythesize and tell a story. Yes, we've all signed NDAs. But you need to either find an older project, tell the highlights of a project without sharing any intellectual propert or ask for special permission to share a project confidentially. </span></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ideally, you'll even have a portfolio site where we can see a case study or two. </span></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Want to learn more about visual storytelling? <a href="https://www.duarte.com/" target="_blank">Duarte</a>, <a href="https://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/courses?gclid=Cj0KCQjwv5uKBhD6ARIsAGv9a-yuBQiuaNFkxEqU4X1VvPNpFckYdBlftC65d46NrhtX7gBvM4jVw6AaAnhNEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Tufte</a> and <a href="https://www.ideou.com/?utm_term=ideou&utm_campaign=BOF+-+IDEO+U+(PSDW)&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&hsa_acc=2344323373&hsa_cam=11993170501&hsa_grp=119603105647&hsa_ad=512512356150&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-562285217192&hsa_kw=ideou&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv5uKBhD6ARIsAGv9a-ysb0yQEuEsDdmP1LlZCEvVHWrZgWhvIdGUAvD8-j1SDgv66LGIDH0aAkq-EALw_wcB" target="_blank">IDEOU</a> are good places to start. </span></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Questions from Candidates</b></h4><div>Next we discussed what types of questions candidates should ask a hiring manager. Particularly in a research role, if you don't have any questions to ask I'm going to have some questions about how you got so far in research! One manager said she had a candidate who asked, " How can I help you as a manager?" That was a winner! Other questions that stand out include asking the manager how they manage or asking questions about the larger organization and structure. From my point of view, I don't want to be one of the 100 people you sent a resume to, I want to be one of the 10 people you focused on and decided this particular company is for you. If you ask about the company itself, I know you did your homework.</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>How can you tell if you are doing well in an interview?</b></h4><div>I also loved the question from Amy, "How might a candidate know if they're doing well in an interview?" One of the more positive signs I've seen is when the interview really becomes more of a conversation and less of an interrogation. If it's not - question/answer/question/answer, but a conversation with give and take, that's generally a positive sign. Another panelist mentioned that a candidate should simply ask at the end, "So, how do you think that went?" </div><div><br /></div><div>As for me, this panel was great fun to both share my insights and learn from other hiring managers and see what questions are top of mind for candidates. If you attended, how did YOU think it went? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-59691136934678576572021-02-14T17:49:00.008-08:002021-02-23T21:42:50.045-08:00These are a few of my favorite resources<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXt6LPbD2HUMv9jKJSegeLfAjO4nbbW96qWv31fdaVJ3VLalTAp6SVQrk3QoHa5Te4vqZq2pCWlBDwcmmWqU3RbHhOAs2T-GgdUaUr8PeZgLxAghZGGS4uGnkf0L4Uyuv4u598uofSwm6/s4032/20210213_181907.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Design research books on a shelf" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXt6LPbD2HUMv9jKJSegeLfAjO4nbbW96qWv31fdaVJ3VLalTAp6SVQrk3QoHa5Te4vqZq2pCWlBDwcmmWqU3RbHhOAs2T-GgdUaUr8PeZgLxAghZGGS4uGnkf0L4Uyuv4u598uofSwm6/w240-h320/20210213_181907.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Whether you are looking for your next job in design research, looking to add to your knowledge base, or just looking for something to do on a cold, winter, quarantine day; the following resources may be of interest!<p></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Books</span></b></p><p>In no particular order, some of my all-time favorites as well as some new favorites. Where possible, I've linked to non-Amazon sources. </p><p>On my desk, waiting to be read: <a href="https://www.stripepartners.com/the-power-of-not-thinking/" target="_blank">The Power of Not Thinking</a> by Simon Roberts</p><p>A good book with essays by prominent researchers: <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/design-research" target="_blank">Design Research</a> by Brenda Laurel</p><p>What I consider the end to end UX+R bible:<a href="https://www.secondsale.com/i/designing-for-the-digital-age-how-to-create-human-centered-products-and-services/9780470229101?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1bOsiKno7gIVIwnnCh0FzAdKEAQYASABEgI0GPD_BwE" target="_blank"> Design for the Digital Age</a> by Kim Goodwin</p><p>A good book for examples to make a case to have Design Research in your company: <a href="https://www.secondsale.com/i/subject-to-change-creating-great-products-services-for-an-uncertain-world-adaptive-path-on-design/9780596516833?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6eLb3qjo7gIVBx-tBh3SJQwyEAQYAyABEgL39_D_BwE" target="_blank">Subject to Change </a>by Adaptive Path</p><p>A<i> very </i>dense read, (I struggle with the amount of text in this book) but focused specifically on healthcare:<a href="https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/design-for-care/" target="_blank"> Design for Care</a> by Peter Jones</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Special Interest Orgs focusing on UXR</span></b></p><p><b>Publishers</b> </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.oreilly.com/products/whats-popular-design.html" target="_blank">O'Reilly</a> - they have a focus on tech and business including design</li><li><a href="https://rosenfeldmedia.com/" target="_blank">Rosenfeld Media</a> - books and conferences, all things design and research</li><li><a href="https://dscout.com/people-nerds" target="_blank">People Nerds</a> - A great term coined by dscout. They also have some helpful blog posts. (Recently, someone called me a "research genie," gotta admit, I like that term, too!)</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Education and Training</b></p><p><a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank">Neilsen Norman Group</a> - Founded by Don Norman and Jakob Nielsen, pioneers in the field of design and usability. I met Don Norman at a conference once. He definitely had a love of "heated debate." That said, he's definitely a "guru" in design and research. </p><p><a href="https://www.ideou.com/" target="_blank">IDEOU</a> - learn from the best in the biz!</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Conferences</span></b></p><p>There are SO many! Here are a few on my radar right now. What else have you attended? What else was a good use of time? </p><p><a href="https://uxrconference.com/" target="_blank">UXR Anywhere</a> - I just learned about this group and they seem to be making a name for themselves. Also one of the most <i>affordable</i> conferences I've ever seen! </p><p><a href="https://2021.epicpeople.org/" target="_blank">EPIC </a>- A conference on Ethnographic Praxis. Yeah, a bit <i>academic</i>, but lots of good anthropological conversations. </p><p><a href="https://healthexperiencedesign.com/" target="_blank">HXD</a> - Put on by MadPow, I've found this to be the most accessible and <i>focused health and design </i>conferences. After attending and speaking multiple times, I can comfortably say it's a great use of your time and money. </p><p><a href="https://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/sessions/index.php/public/website_pages/view/5" target="_blank">CSUN</a> - For those interested in research, design and <i>accessibility,</i> the California State University of Northrup hosts an accessibility conference every year. It's one of the biggest with this specialized focus. </p><p><a href="https://chi2021.acm.org/#:~:text=The%202021%20ACM%20CHI%20Virtual,conference%20on%20Human%2DComputer%20Interaction.&text=CHI%20is%20generally%20considered%20the,thousands%20of%20international%20attendees%20annually." target="_blank">CHI</a> - Historically this has been a huge conference and you will no doubt run into many, many peers. It's a bit of a party, but also a great place to see what's coming next in the world of<i> computer/human interaction. </i></p><p><a href="https://ixda.org/" target="_blank">IXDA</a> - Adding this as it's another one of the biggies focused on <i>interaction design</i>, but must admit I've never been. </p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Podcasts</span></b></p><p>Admittedly, much of my podcasting is focused on catching up on NPR shows. But, here are a few plus a list to more. </p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dollars-to-donuts/id956673263" target="_blank">Dollars To Donuts</a> hosted by Steve Portigal is highly focused on design research. </p><p><a href="https://99percentinvisible.org/">99% Invisible </a>is a great design focused podcast and one that just makes you think. If you are curious, you will love the variety of topics. </p><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">The Hidden Brain</a> by Shankar Vedantam dives into many things that help understand why we as humans make the choices and have the behaviors that we do. He "explores the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior and questions that lie at the heart of our complex and changing world."<div><br /></div><div>The amazing <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Amy Santee</a>, UXR career coach, has added to this list. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.mixed-methods.org/episodes" target="_blank">Mixed Methods</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.userinterviews.com/podcast" target="_blank">Awkward Silences</a><br /><br /><a href="https://medium.com/the-metric/podcast/home" target="_blank">Metric UX</a><br /><br /><a href="https://userdefenders.com/" target="_blank">User Defenders</a><br /><br /><a href="https://uxpodcast.com/" target="_blank">UX Podcast</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.usersknow.com/podcast" target="_blank">What’s Wrong with UX</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.designbetter.co/podcast" target="_blank">Design Better</a><br /><br /><a href="http://ux-radio.com/about-us/" target="_blank">UX Radio</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-world-of-ux-with-darren-hood" target="_blank">The World of UX with Darren Hood</a><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;"><b>Meetups</b></span></p><p>For this category, I'm going to suggest you do some searching on your own. The beauty of COVID is that meetups are all online now, you can attend anywhere in the country, or the world! Find one that fits your needs. </p><p>For design research, I'll give you a <a href="https://www.meetup.com/topics/design-research/" target="_blank">headstart</a>! You can also find design, accessibility, UX, UX Research -- so many Meetups, so little time...</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Slack Channels</span></b></p><p>Missing the water cooler?<span style="color: #ffa400; font-weight: bold;"> </span>Check out these Slack channels where you can discuss research asynchronously. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mixed Methods Slack</li><li>Anthrohangout Slack</li><li>A11y (Accessibility) Slack</li><li>PDXHCD Slack - Focused on Portland Human Centered Design events</li></ul><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p>That, my friends, is what I have for now. Please reach out or add your own favorite resources in the comments. I hope to see you at a conference or Meetup sometime soon! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-14292061647640971322021-01-26T18:57:00.027-08:002021-01-26T19:06:41.588-08:00The Long and Winding Road<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i> One of my favorite things to do at this point in my career is to help others looking to get into the field as new researchers, whether they are transferring from another career or freshly minted out of undergrad. It's energizing to feel the passion of someone experiencing a new beginning. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>For the next several blog posts, I will consolidate my experience and add updated resources for jobs, tips and tricks, and anything else that may seem useful.</i> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-a6DxTsa_7Xe9hyphenhyphenVYfkzFHBt3MikWewSVbPmVwUM2d_iQcrmSG4Vu80KN418JpUis42HPp1tAJlH1a3Ri2feskgd3txCfwp9-ZfU15W3cY8-nn6Nj5KvKOJrm9PNSa6uXNoWx-yZq0PL7/s2048/winding+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-a6DxTsa_7Xe9hyphenhyphenVYfkzFHBt3MikWewSVbPmVwUM2d_iQcrmSG4Vu80KN418JpUis42HPp1tAJlH1a3Ri2feskgd3txCfwp9-ZfU15W3cY8-nn6Nj5KvKOJrm9PNSa6uXNoWx-yZq0PL7/s320/winding+road.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A long and winding trail in Portland, Oregon</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #e69138;">My (abbreviated) story </span></b><br /><br /><br /><b><i>“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” - John Lennon</i></b><br /><br /><br />It was 15 years after leaving college. I was on my third or fourth career. My boss had published a book on “cuss control” and people thought it was funny to call our office and swear at someone. That someone was me. I did not write or publish a said book, and I had enough. But what to do? This was a turning point many years in the making, but first, a bit of back story. <br /><br />My first career was in theater working in the costume department (That‘s probably another book). I did a little design, a lot of sewing other people’s designs and a lot of managing the wardrobe during the production. Theater is by far one of the most enjoyable jobs a person can have, but three things got in my way: 1) I wasn't able to get a lot in the way of design work, 2) wardrobe work was physically exhausting (imagine carrying heavy historical dresses) and 3) it didn't have a salary that was a match for me longterm.<br /><br />Working in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">theater</a> had always been my dream, but being able to pay rent became more and more important, less of a dream and more of an adult reality. As theater jobs go, I was doing ok, with a year-round job and health insurance, but I wasn't designing many costumes. About seven years into that career, I was offered $100 to design a show. Sadly, that included both the costume budget and my “salary.” I had hit a dead-end and I needed to do something else. Thankfully, my background was a launching pad for what was next, even if I didn’t know it at the time. <br /><br />While working in theater, I also started what we now call a “side hustle” where I designed and sold clothing for people with a disability. People for whom “off the rack” clothing really didn’t work and needed either custom items or alterations to feel and look good and be able to dress and undress themselves. For 15 years, this was a true passion project, but I never took it to scale. Working one on one was incredibly rewarding, solving a dressing challenge for each individual, but again, it was not financially sustainable on its own. <br /><br />Rather out of the blue, one day I heard from a former colleague that I had worked with at a local children’s museum. Her husband worked for an industrial design firm and they needed someone to sew some prototypes, or samples, of a product they were considering for production. Could I help? Since I was already selling one-of-a-kind garments, and had done a small manufacturing run, I figured this work wouldn’t be too much of a leap. <br /><br />At the same time, another colleague from that museum reached out and he was now running an education department at a children’s zoo. Would I be interested in designing some costumes for a new exhibit? <br /><br />I did some math and realized that it was do or die time. I had to jump, take a leap of faith and focus on what I loved. I gave notice at the PR company and dove into running my first of several consulting companies. <br /><br />What I didn’t know, was that I would be exposed to a career path I had never heard about that perfectly married my left and right brain interests. Yes, I liked art and design, but yes, I also like structure and guidelines. Solving problems gets me up in the morning, I love it. <br /><br />As it happened, the request for fabric prototypes came from none other than the design powerhouse<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"> IDEO</a>. At the time, that name meant nothing to me, yet now I am eternally grateful for learning about the fascinating career of industrial design and design research. <br /><br />While I was teaching their staff about the ins and outs of sewing with neoprene and the many densities of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Cordura</a>, they were exposing me to in-home research, and terminology like, ”parting lines,” which at the time meant very little to me. <br /><br />I became fascinated by this career path and needed to figure out how to do more of it. My passion for soft goods, things made out of fabric, got me in the door but it seemed that continuing on this career path would require additional education. <br /><br />Inside, I’ve always felt that I was a designer and artist. The idea of designing products and experiences that could help people was incredibly enticing. But, before jumping into graduate school with both feet, I took some courses locally (Chicago) at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Columbia college</a> in industrial design and then enrolled in a certificate course <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">(</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Archeworks</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">)</a> where I got to learn more about architecture, research, design and sustainability as well as working with multidisciplinary teams on complex problems. <br /><br />Throughout all of this, I still had a long-term plan to continue on the path of design. These courses proved to me that I wanted to learn more. After visiting and applying to several schools, I got accepted into the industrial design program at the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Georgia Institute of Technology</a>. Going to an engineering school for an industrial design degree may seem counterintuitive, but I also had a deep fascination with technology and hoped to marry my love of textiles and technology. <br /><br />Georgia Tech was a great choice for school. I got to spend time with some fascinating and smart people exploring further how products and technology impact our worlds and how people interact with those products and technology. In retrospect, I think it’s fair to say I was an “okay” designer. Good ideas, and a mediocre manifestation of those ideas. My breaking point came as I struggled through a class in Solid Works, a software program critical for success if you are going to be an industrial designer in the 21st century.<br /><br />At about that time, I also had a revelatory conversation with a fellow graduate student. If memory serves, which honestly it may or may not, it was some late-night conversation where we were writing a white paper for a conference about a project we had been working on. I was likely praising him for his technical expertise and bemoaning my lack thereof when he explained that I also had a special skill. “You can talk to people.” What? My mind reeled. That’s a skill? It’s such a soft skill. It's a skill they don't teach you in school. It’s not science or engineering. It’s not something that has an answer but, he most definitely explained to me, it is absolutely a special skill. <br /><br />Much like an undergraduate career, a graduate career is as much about learning a special skill set as it is about finding or re-finding yourself. For me, this was one of several pivotal moments in not only planning my career but understanding where I could add value to the process and the world. <br /><br />He went on to explain how talking with people was difficult for him, and often uncomfortable. He valued people’s insights but was much more comfortable soldering connections and coding Arduino boards than talking with people. How great! I was much more comfortable talking to people than soldering connections and coding <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Arduino boards</a>. The importance of a multidisciplinary team was never clearer to me than it was at this moment. <br /><br />When it was time to look for work, I turned, of course, to my network. I asked professors for referrals and talked to colleagues I'd met along the way. <br /><br />My goal was always to work at the cross-section of healthcare and technology. With a few select cities in mind (Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Phoenix and the west coast...), I looked for opportunities. A graduate advisor in the HCI department recommended reaching out to a colleague at Intel. <br /><br />Here's where the humility set in. I was 37 and graduating from grad school and I was offered an internship. It was an internship with a fascinating Digital Health team in Portland. Although nowhere in my internal script was I taking an internship after school, it was a great opportunity in a city that seemed like a great fit. If it worked out, it could be a full-time position. After a phone interview or two, I was suddenly on my way to Portland to start my new career! And yes, I did get that elusive first full-time gig after my internship. <br /><br />Although the job of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">UX Researcher</a> had not yet crystallized in my mind, and hadn't quite gotten the uptake it has now, I was on a team of designers, anthropologists, researchers and engineers. It was a quick match to find my home as a design researcher. <br /><br />Of course, landing at Intel was just the beginning of this career. From there, I went on to other fascinating opportunities working on product teams conducting research to inform the design of hardware, software and experiences at companies like<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"> Intel</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Providence Health Care</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield/Cambia Health</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Dexcom</a>. More to come at a later date on these experiences, the conundrum of the job titles and how to move forward in your design research career. <br /><br />I feel so lucky to have followed my childhood dreams, to see them through to working in theater, but also to have new and interesting opportunities arise that gave me a career path that continues to challenge, excite and surprise me every day. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-46148120612379894922017-08-19T11:13:00.001-07:002017-08-19T11:14:58.871-07:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZbBqh6yZCjM2Cm-TqmUeRgF8zrBSIM7ZLdKMCiG4y5jhOwV6hnCMqLsdOMaL38F0_d-9lw3C2zy-PzcmyKJexSxYCdnm8yWQp2tbm70kJt2wqUVBE1C0ZQBgSt6uSRtHyi5JkixV5loH/s1600/20170816_185102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZbBqh6yZCjM2Cm-TqmUeRgF8zrBSIM7ZLdKMCiG4y5jhOwV6hnCMqLsdOMaL38F0_d-9lw3C2zy-PzcmyKJexSxYCdnm8yWQp2tbm70kJt2wqUVBE1C0ZQBgSt6uSRtHyi5JkixV5loH/s320/20170816_185102.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Focus group participants at Gallery 114</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: 24.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
For much of my life, I've been designing things for other people. As a
kid, I drew ladies in gowns, designed board games and even designed and sold
soft sculpture pins. My first career choice was designing costumes and from
there I designed apparel for people with special needs. It wasn't until this
new century, around 2000, that I realized there was a formalized process to
understand if people would want those designs, but all along I was gathering
feedback to know what to make more of or how to alter my designs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 24.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
For the last 12 years or so, my sewing machine was in mostly
hibernation, but its siren call got loud enough this summer to bring me back. I
started to design a line of coats and accessories out of polar fleece, the
Northwest's favorite fabric. I'm a one woman shop, but I sewed up four sample coats
and a range of accessories in short order, excited to get them manufactured and
hopefully sold at craft markets and on Etsy. Before manufacturing a short run,
I wanted to see - do people even like the designs? Do the coats fit? Are the scarf
designs appealing? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 24.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
It took about a week to put together a focus group. Because I have a
wonderful Portland network, people showed up for the promise of a fun evening
and some appetizers, and two lucky winners got to take home samples. An amazing
colleague loaned me her beautiful gallery space, and we were off. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 24.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
The evening was planned as a formal focus group (although I did break
my own cardinal rule of researching your own designs) complete with a get to
know you exercise, surveys and a frank conversation as a wrap up. It was rewarding
to see others touch, use and try on the items, but it was their candid
feedback, seeing the fit first-hand and discussing the emotions around apparel
that was so valuable. Like all of you, I sit in my office, coming up with
designs and ideas (if I like them, surely someone else will). But, this group
proved, once again, that not everyone is like me in fit, taste or lifestyle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 24.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
Although there were many take-aways, the biggest learning was that it
is not time to manufacture! There is a fit issue that needs to be addressed.
Even for this little company, that saved me thousands of dollars in materials
and apparel that would have been wasted on items that don't fit right. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 24.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
So, I encourage you, whether you are in a large company or small, to
find the time and budget to gather consumer insights. Research spans from
surveys to a small local focus group to multiple in home visits across the
globe. Whatever size you have time and budget for, its value should not be
ignored. As Mark Twain succinctly said, “supposing is good, finding out is
better.”<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-29662989358850644942017-07-31T09:22:00.002-07:002017-07-31T09:23:16.129-07:00Being InspiredI missed my week #3 check in since we were out of town Friday and Monday. So on to a new week!<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>3 hours volunteering at Dress for Success</li>
<li>3 jobs applied for</li>
<li>2 networking meetings</li>
<li>1 proposal presented</li>
<li>1 interview scored!</li>
<li>1 coat finished</li>
<li>Many flowers cut</li>
<li>4 scarves finished</li>
<li>100 labels ordered</li>
<li>Finished Project Runway season 12</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>The Job Hunt</b></div>
<div>
Again, this week, I want to talk about how important networking is. All three jobs I applied for were at organizations where I had at least one connection. Two people offered to forward my resume again, which was awesome. That way, I can be sure that I get at least 10 seconds in front of the eyes of the hiring manager. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I spent many, many hours on a proposal for a project that I'm still hoping will come through. It's an organization I can help based on my years in healthcare. Fingers crossed on that one. (Much of it was written while waiting for a friend having a colonoscopy. Nothing helps you focus like sitting in a medical waiting room with nothing else to distract.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Two of the people I talked to last week were inspiring. Chris at <a href="http://evolvecollaborative.com/" target="_blank">Evolve Collaborative</a> is inspiring because he and two colleagues left a large agency to start a smaller one several years ago. From the looks of things, it's going quite well. Being in their space also reminded me how important a workspace is. they have an open space full of light, snarky sayings, lots of tea and an impressive coffee maker! It has the vibe of a positive, creative space. Of all of the places I've seen, this one really stuck with me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://journalism.uoregon.edu/member/davis_donna/" target="_blank">Donna Davis</a>, professor at U of O, and I also had a very inspiring conversation. She's taken the path of looking at technology, specifically VR/AR and showing how it is being used by seniors and people with disabilities. Her main focus is Second Life and how it's brought incredible value to these populations. Donna herself is inspiring, having earned her PhD at 50. I thought that getting my Master's at 35 was late, hah! There are many more dragons to slay. She's one of the many proving life is for learning and pushing yourself at any stage. Check out these other <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/2013/07/50115/famous-late-bloomers" target="_blank">late bloomers</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thursday, an email came through inviting me for an interview for a job I'm really excited about. It's an industry pivot and could be very cool. Stay tuned. </div>
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<b>The Stitch Is Back</b></div>
<div>
We came home from a long weekend to my <a href="https://www.sizzix.com/" target="_blank">Sizzix </a>at the doorstep! What is a Sizzix you may ask? Well, they are nifty, desktop die-cutting machines used for paper and fabric. You simply sandwich the fabric and a die between two plexi-glass plates and roll them into the machine manually. Out pops multiple cuts of the design on the die. </div>
<div>
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<div>
My intent is that with this, I can make the coat embellishments more uniform and they will be faster to cut. It's pretty darn cool. I put the finishing touches on a sample coat and am headed to take photos today. Fingers crossed this photoshoot works. </div>
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Have a great week, all! </div>
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Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-4933921188563806272017-07-14T16:29:00.002-07:002017-07-14T16:29:24.146-07:00Getting CreativeHere we are already at week #2! It turned out to be a whirlwind week. I focused a lot on getting my newly minted business up and running and of course networking and applying for jobs. I worked a number of 12 hour days this week, so much for my relaxing time of unemployment.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Stats</span></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>17+ hours of patternmaking and sewing</li>
<li>4 networking meetings</li>
<li>3 jobs applied for</li>
<li>1 job talk</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Stitch Is Back</span></b><br />
It's official! I've grabbed the name on Instagram and Facebook, so it must be true. I'll be making and selling a line of fashionable polar fleece apparel. I love fleece but don't want to always look like I'm going for a hike! Thus, this clothing line. Check out the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thestitchisbackpdx/" target="_blank"> Facebook page</a> or follow on Instagram @thestitchisbackpdx for all of the details.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKkaZphUWo6KUATIz6zgN8tICRZhdM2Mk-o31fo6B6YfixgpG4bJ6anp39Zp1Kawlgqr8VGqSQUVqXYewNLwb_SlZiqJtCJ-3Jh5d_1_s7striIDNQBcSBDVBy_21kOCszeeB1N5FVbbR/s1600/20170714_155144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKkaZphUWo6KUATIz6zgN8tICRZhdM2Mk-o31fo6B6YfixgpG4bJ6anp39Zp1Kawlgqr8VGqSQUVqXYewNLwb_SlZiqJtCJ-3Jh5d_1_s7striIDNQBcSBDVBy_21kOCszeeB1N5FVbbR/s320/20170714_155144.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mock up from new pattern</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXqZLBxSAcLo7koarS7vxs8d7PlmBzOZY4n_OB-dxfgwrf2uFK6kTgol-71Rh3ip3gRcd3_zQq1MTtoIEENejgg6ladvORzdfdsSQzIk1lpODj-NMP7S9U_OM8Bzw3KbjSptzHWMkYa_D/s1600/20170714_154935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXqZLBxSAcLo7koarS7vxs8d7PlmBzOZY4n_OB-dxfgwrf2uFK6kTgol-71Rh3ip3gRcd3_zQq1MTtoIEENejgg6ladvORzdfdsSQzIk1lpODj-NMP7S9U_OM8Bzw3KbjSptzHWMkYa_D/s320/20170714_154935.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarf designs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This week ended up in what felt like boot camp for fashion designers. I signed up for a class to create a pattern in 4 nights for 3 hours a night. It was a crazy week, but wow, I did it! I now have the pattern I've wanted for years.<br />
<br />
I also managed to sew up a few scarves and get some advice from an amazing woman who is a partner in <a href="http://www.layneau.com/" target="_blank">Layneau Lingerie</a>. Her work is insanely beautiful. She was so open about sharing process, explaining tear sheets and laydowns and how to go about next steps. Did I mention she made my wedding ring? A truly talented soul.<br />
<br />
I also was connected to a woman who seems to be my brain double. Molly Fuller works in health care and is creating a line of compression clothing to help autistic kids. Check out <a href="http://www.mollyfuller.design/" target="_blank">her work.</a> Molly is a finalist in the <a href="https://www.challenge.gov/challenge/2017-innovateher-innovating-for-women-business-challenge/" target="_blank">InnovateHER</a> challenge. Good luck Molly! <br />
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<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Job Hunt</span></b><br />
The business is intended as a side project, so I continue to search for a great fit for my next gig. I started the week at the unemployment office which was an experience in and of itself. It had the expected dull gray furniture and cubicles, but also the unexpected experience of an agent who actually knows about user experience and specialized in hi-tech workers. I had NO idea. He even has a great <a href="http://portlandtech.org/" target="_blank">webpage</a> listing jobs in hi-tech.<br />
<br />
I met with a trend analyst (hoping we can do one big primary and secondary research project together), presented my research work to a potential employer and had coffee with another potential contract opportunity.<br />
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I keep threatening to start a coffee shop rating service, as that's my office du jour right now. (Grand <a href="http://grandcentralbakery.com/" target="_blank">Central on Fremont</a> = great coffee, great service. <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/village-coffee-portland" target="_blank">Village Coffee </a>in Multnomah = cute and quiet. <a href="http://www.sevenvirtuespdx.com/" target="_blank">Seven Virtues</a> on Sandy = Delicious GF bagels and serves the new shi-shi Cortada coffee).<br />
<br />
Proving that social media works, I also re-connected with a colleague from many years ago who is looking for consulting support. Have I mentioned that I love my network?<br />
<br />
That's it! Until next week...<br />
<br />
<br />Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-27007499272808248322017-07-07T15:38:00.001-07:002017-07-07T15:40:49.626-07:00Week #1 - Cultivating Relationships<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the next few weeks, I'll be documenting my search for my next adventure(s). In business, we often have weekly updates due. Since I'm on my own right now, this blog will be a proxy for emailing management with highlights from the week. You, my readers, are now my managers!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Weekly tally:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">3 face to face meetings with new potential partners</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Newsletter sent to 212 people (sign up to the right)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 networking call</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 volunteer event - <a href="https://oregon.dressforsuccess.org/" target="_blank">Dress For Success</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Accelerate Biotech and Digital Health <a href="https://www.meetup.com/Accelerate-Bio-Tech-PDX/events/240648265/?rv=ea1&_af=event&_af_eid=240648265&https=on" target="_blank">Meet up</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Resume updated</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Presentation draft for potential sub-contract work</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Filed for unemployment (blah, but necessary)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zero sewing (next week for sure)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being unemployed isn't easy, but it can be an opportunity. A time to connect with colleagues from the past and a reason to reach out and meet new people and learn about new projects. I'm not so much "unemployed" as I am a free agent, able to pursue multiple opportunities. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last July, I received a call from a recruiter for a likely temp to perm position with the wearables team at Intel. Whoo! My thesis work 10+ years ago was in wearables and finally I'd be able to work in this field. It's a slowly growing space and I live in what is still a relatively small town. Although they found me via LinkedIn, it was a team I knew well and had been talking to the manager on and off for a year or so about the group (yes, cultivating relationships has been my thing all along). It was worth the risk to try something new. All of our work was on new devices and my focus was on the <a href="http://www.newbalance.com/runiq/" target="_blank">New Balance Run IQ watch</a> and <a href="https://www.reconinstruments.com/enterprise/jet-pro/" target="_blank">augmented reality glasses</a> for enterprise (think of hands free screens for warehouse workers). It was a new space for me and I soaked up information enjoying a multi-phased research approach from contextual interviews to human factors work. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fast forward to November and layoffs, the FTE researchers were all let go, but we contractors were spared. I did another few months of work, but slowly the project was grinding to a halt. Alas, the project was cancelled, and with it my contract. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">However... I'm excited to have the time to relax (it is summer after all) and think about my next steps. I'm having some amazing conversations and talking to interesting people, so I am going to capture some notes here to share, for whomever finds this interesting, helpful or just something to pass the time during your commute. It's so interesting to be open, to be in a place where I don't have a vision of what I must do, but rather following the path of what feels like a good collaboration and interesting work. My vision for the future is a few months of project work and then landing an inspiring FTE position. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, week #1 started out great with a 4 day weekend relaxing with my husband and exploring all the fun Portland provides in the summer (Blues Fest was fantastic). Wednesday, it was back to work. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since I knew this was coming, I had some meetings set up for informational interviews and possible projects. I met with a partner from a local agency, <a href="https://www.uncorkedstudios.com/" target="_blank">Uncorked Studios</a>, who is doing what seems to be very grounded, interesting and human centered work creating products at the intersection of physical and digital. By the way, for those of you on your own networking path, I had no real connections to him, but was really interested in their work. I reached out, and he reached back. Easy peasy. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm quite enamoured of their work and hope I get to work with them at some point. We talked a bit about networking groups, and the man I met with told me about this very cool concept of creating a party where you invite 5 people, they invite 5 people and you can go on as large as you'd like the gathering to be. Imagine how cool a room full of 5 very interesting people and their very interesting friends would be! Someone I know should do this (and invite me). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Later this week, I had the chance to talk with a local health care company and discuss a potential project. Time to wrack the old memory for information about the work I did at Cambia with personas, journey maps, and learning what people want from their health care provider. Could be another great partnership. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both meetings will likely lead to other meetings with additional team members to continue exploring how we might work together. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As my employment has waned, my ability to volunteer has increased. I've just gotten involved with <a href="https://oregon.dressforsuccess.org/" target="_blank">Dress For Success,</a> an organization that </span><span style="color: #990000;">"<span style="text-align: center;">empower(s) women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life."</span></span><span style="color: #838383; text-align: center;"> </span><span center="" text-align:=""><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's humbling and inspiring to be there at this moment. I've seen women who didn't necessarily have the resources I was given but who have worked to overcome hardships and make a living and a life. One woman even talked about her day job and her side work creating an apparel business. We are clearly more alike than different. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span center=""><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span center=""><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of which, I've also been spending more time sewing and putting together a small business of my own designing scarves and coats out of polar fleece. I LOVE that I can make something in an afternoon. Eventually, I will be selling product. I may even have a business name...but that will be revealed as I'm ready. Right now, I just enjoy sitting at my machine and creating. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I <i>love</i> my network. I put together a newsletter this week, something I've found to be successful in the past, as a way to both stay connected and share a curated list of things happening in research and design. I've gotten wonderful responses, potential opportunities, and people who, even with the glut of emails these days, appreciated the information in their inbox. I'm filled with gratitude for my colleagues, many of whom I am lucky enough to be able to call "friend." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So whether your are gainfully and happily employed or seeking a new adventure, I encourage you to reach out to just one new person next week. What can you learn? What can you share? Cultivate those relationships. They feed our body, our soul and sometimes even our wallets! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Until next week---</span></span><br />
<br />Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-29127008467317662192017-06-12T21:06:00.004-07:002017-06-12T21:06:41.930-07:0021st Century Liberation – Virtual Reality<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ia_GXfU0l-PUJiDINRYHnmewI-hJHFOlVGVbGJ-pjXmUUQYUUS9abUqXs6IMAL1lAxqk7Mey1VKVqL0aEH9FpGbmEr40XUfn4UyDL4rQJeZiKwmsBxptrFGeM-63y_o7FAQcbMDaZXVK/s1600/myAvatar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ia_GXfU0l-PUJiDINRYHnmewI-hJHFOlVGVbGJ-pjXmUUQYUUS9abUqXs6IMAL1lAxqk7Mey1VKVqL0aEH9FpGbmEr40XUfn4UyDL4rQJeZiKwmsBxptrFGeM-63y_o7FAQcbMDaZXVK/s320/myAvatar.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Avatar. I always wanted to come back in my next life as a strong, black woman. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i><br />A caveat to this
article, I’ve been working in augmented reality, certainly tried some virtual
reality, but haven’t personally taken the plunge into purchasing a VR headset,
so much my information is hearsay albeit from reliable sources. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Last week, I had the great opportunity to attend 2 events discussing
AR/VR and what some are calling XR (any kind of altered reality). In some ways,
XR has been around for a long time (although not the first example, anyone who
has used a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View-Master">ViewMaster</a>
can attest to this), yet for a mainstream technology, it’s just in its infancy.
I will be using XR to refer to all AR/VR/MR in this article. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The topics varied widely from how and when users are
engaging with XR, to how XR allows people to be something other than the
physical self we are trapped in every day. We discussed the technology and
projects people are experimenting with to find the most compelling use cases. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For me, the topics that resonated were about people – how does
this change how we learn, how we empathize, how we interact and how we think
about self and other? Today I want to talk about the last example, self and other.
Many virtual realities, and some augmented realities, allow you to create an
avatar, a version of yourself that exists only in this online world. I have never
personally given thought to these “personas” and who and what they represent. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The overarching sentiment was that virtual reality lets you
be anything or anyone you want. For many people, this is an absolutely
liberating experience. The exception to this rule – that I’m aware of – is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/spaces">Facebook
spaces</a> which apparently doesn’t allow for creating a personal avatar who is
<a href="http://www.revvrstudios.com/facebook-fat-in-vr">overweight</a>,
despite the multitude of other options for customization. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to the liberating experiences; Portland artist <a href="https://twitter.com/_liooil">Stephanie Mendoza</a> talked about the ability
to create a creature who can do and be whatever you want in <a href="http://anyland.com/">Anyland</a>. She told the story of a transgender
individual who had been bullied. Stephanie showed this (reluctant) individual
how to create an avatar on Anyland. After creating an anonymous avatar that
represented her true self, the individual felt empowered, emboldened and her
new way of being in this virtual world carried over to a new way of being in
the real world. There, she also felt empowered and emboldened. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://journalism.uoregon.edu/member/davis_donna/">Donna
Z. Davis</a>, Director of the Strategic Communication program at the U of O,
talked about her decade plus of research in Second Life. (yes, it still exists)
working with people who are often house, room or bed bound. She spoke of a 90
year old woman with Parkinson’s who gets to be her younger, vibrant self while
in Second Life. Although it’s difficult to leave her home, she meets many people
through this virtual portal, reducing the feelings of isolation. In this
virtual world, communication is leveled for deaf people who can easily have
conversations via text since typing is a common communication tool. With
additional examples of a blind person who created a custom virtual,
sound-driven environment and a dwarf who created a cute, approachable alligator
that people loved which was different than her experience being teased as a
little person in the big world. It became clear that VR allows people to not
just have a Second Life, but an entirely secondary persona. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s really powerful to be able to create an avatar, a
representation of that which represents the best in us, or the hidden part of
us, or maybe a characteristic we didn’t even know we had until the virtual
anonymity allowed us to be what and who ever we wanted. People should be able
to create their online presence to fully represent themselves if desired, as fat,
skinny, tall or short and, they should be able to create a representation that
is their best “self” be it younger, skinnier, furry or feathered, human or
other-worldly. In this way, some people are empowered by the fact that they are
in the skin that feels right to them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is, of course, a flip-side; a very dark flip-side
where anonymity allows for bullying, harassment and discrimination. I will
leave that for the next article. For now, we will focus on the positive, the
ways in which this new technology can give us wings (literal and figurative),
help us find our voice, our community and be empowered to be our best selves. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-54212538130816087292016-10-03T21:22:00.002-07:002016-10-03T21:23:12.699-07:00Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-34365380535300855162016-10-03T21:22:00.001-07:002016-10-03T21:23:05.331-07:00Lucky 13! Steps to get you to the next phase in your career<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItqrtB9F_roipxD38IR7-soq4NK51fmYdc_uruDaHjUUQ2FymhBuqtxZR1KKARd7IszlH_RCfWe-ZZVioou5eSS62tHLZ4Sl92UOe7xla7MIa9e-3cBv_9YoRP0agEIYFV9Kce3Gsi_I9/s1600/20151011_164307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItqrtB9F_roipxD38IR7-soq4NK51fmYdc_uruDaHjUUQ2FymhBuqtxZR1KKARd7IszlH_RCfWe-ZZVioou5eSS62tHLZ4Sl92UOe7xla7MIa9e-3cBv_9YoRP0agEIYFV9Kce3Gsi_I9/s320/20151011_164307.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">A friend was recently
let go from a company he's been at for 24 years. Wow. Within those big
companies you do change jobs and flex with the times, but deciding on the next
steps way outside of the comfort of a big organization is a huge deal. Having
recently left a job I was at for just 5 years, I'm finding even that shift is a
little more challenging than I expected. Change is good, but it can be
hard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">In that vein, I
thought I'd write up some of the advice I've given him, based on my own life -
switching careers several times, going from entrepreneur/consultant to
contractor to full-time employee and back again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">1) Not sure what you
want your next step to be? Volunteer or take a class. It's a great way to get
to know an organization, a field of study or an area of interest. See if it's
something you want to pour your heart into before making a big commitment. It's
also a great way in. I was able to switch from volunteering at a children's
museum to a full-time job even though it was a new field for me, because I was
a known quantity after a year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">2) Conduct
informational interviews. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and their
work. Most people will make time for you because people are generally just
nice! Reach out to people you know and the people <i>they </i>know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">3) Pick a niche and
define your personal brand - what do you want to be known for, what makes you
different from everyone else? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">4) Shore up all of
your social media to promote and support that brand (I'm xx, expert at xxx,
here's my logo, what I'm great at and you should hire me to do X) You can
always branch out but people you need other people to sell for you and you need
a succinct sales pitch/explanation. For others to be your best advertising, you
need a simple clear message and focus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">5) Put up a website,
simple is ok, but some place to point folks who want to know more (Weebly.com
is great, but you may like something more complex)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">6) Decide what you
want your life to look like. Do you want to work alone, with or for others?
Full-time, consultant, contractor or just what comes your way? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">7) Don't be afraid to
ask for what you need. Want a 30 hour a week gig? Want to work 4-10's and have
Friday's to work on your art? Ask! The workplace gets more flexible every
day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">8) Deal with the
business of business. Hire or contract with people who can do the things you
can't or don't want to like accounting and legal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">9) Get liability
insurance if you are giving companies advice so they can't come back and sue
you if someone gets hurt based on your advice.If you are setting up consulting,
figure out the legal stuff (llc, scorp, etc.), taxes (which will help you know
how much to charge) - Personally I recommend an LLC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">10) I think people
still use pesky paper business cards - again, support your brand (<a href="http://moo.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">moo.com</span></a> and
many other sites make it easy to design a simple card)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">11) Network near and
far with people you've known forever and new people. Tell them the 3 best
leads/clients/jobs they can find for you. Do the work for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">12) Go to other
people's LinkedIn and Facebook, Twitter etc and see if they know people that
you want to know/meet/interview/work with or for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">13) Try it! Jump in,
have fun and be fluid, learning from the process. You may not end up where you
planned, but I know you'll find some great opportunities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Here are a few
websites with more great information, details on starting a business, things to
think about, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Great resources from
soup to nuts: </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><a href="https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/how-start-business/10-steps-starting-business" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/how-start-business/10-steps-starting-business</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Oversimplified, but a
good starting point:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248802" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248802</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">My coach: (her advice
on changing my LinkedIn profile landed me my current gig)</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><a href="http://www.staceylane.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.staceylane.net/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">NOLO great info and
often free forms:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><a href="http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/start-own-business-50-things-30077.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/start-own-business-50-things-30077.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Those
are my thoughts on the subject...let me know your experience and if you'd add
any ideas or resources. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-59631140960167699942016-01-01T21:39:00.000-08:002016-01-01T21:43:00.815-08:00Unboxing Boxed MealsIt's January 1. I've had about a week of vacation and my brain is ready to think, do or create!<br />
<br />
Starting the new year off with a post on a healthy food option called <a href="https://www.hungryroot.com/" target="_blank">hungryroot</a>, for those of you looking for quick and healthy meals. What I love about our current economy and the state of our country is that there is a niche food market for just about any need at all. For those of us with food allergies, pre-made meals can be a bit of a drag, always including 3 things you like and 2 you can't eat. Enter hungryroot. Their plant based meals are tasty, under 500 calories and easy to prepare. Unfortunately, to keep food fresh, they are over packaged. Since they are new with a laser focus, the food choices also get monotonous.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUDCjkzXbrozIN4ZMIk16fhVPuBzmMJc52dZ4QbxcBGWR3GRywgJY5VeDX-fKE1rnIgB2ytecK3z69NbEffrqkAaaUTMN9qHq_oIMPsQiMxgWsOYw-dyUB3RAUeUGw14L_qE-JEWIv1qF/s1600/IMG_2677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image of hungry root sweet potato noodles package" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUDCjkzXbrozIN4ZMIk16fhVPuBzmMJc52dZ4QbxcBGWR3GRywgJY5VeDX-fKE1rnIgB2ytecK3z69NbEffrqkAaaUTMN9qHq_oIMPsQiMxgWsOYw-dyUB3RAUeUGw14L_qE-JEWIv1qF/s200/IMG_2677.JPG" title="simple, inviting packaging" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple, inviting packaging<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Healthy ingredients</td></tr>
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The meals consist of a plant type "noodle," a sauce, a small add-in and an optional protein like chicken or falafel. There are also a few plant based sides and dessert items.<br />
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<b>The details</b><br />
In early December, I received one order as a gift (I suggested) and one order as one I placed myself. I didn't realize that the gift order was a specific set of pre-packaged dinners and ended up giving away two of them with things I don't/can't eat. Failure on my part to read the fine print, but maybe a failure on their part for not being more explicit in the teaser email. Other than that, the online ordering process doesn't stand out, which means it was fairly painless.<br />
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The orders arrived as expected and were conveniently left on my porch in a cardboard box with several pounds of ice in reusable cloth pouches. The ice packs were great for the first order or two, but will lead to overkill and landfill in subsequent orders. I love mail order items of all kind, but am constantly upset about the waste created. Add fixing that issue to the long list of things I would change about mail order.<br />
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One box (with a chicken protein side) sat on the porch for a day since we were out of town. I don't eat chicken, (gift order fail) so I pitched the chicken, but I wouldn't have eaten it anyway after being on the porch overnight. I figured the sweet potato noodles would survive if not optimally frozen, so the whole meal didn't go to waste.<br />
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For two weeks I enjoyed a variety of meals that took about 5 minutes to prepare and were both healthy and tasty.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh food ready to heat and eat</td></tr>
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The food comes in one tray with separate packs holding each ingredient. The package design is clean and inviting. The food can be microwaved or made on the stove. Since convenience was a factor in my purchase, I mostly microwaved mine and they tasted great! The sauces were unique and flavorful. The falafel made it feel more like a meal. The crunchy chick pea "add ins" gave it added texture.<br />
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So, great food, easy to prepare and tasty. The downsides included not feeling full, the cost, and lack of variety. On feeling full -- I often felt hungry not long after eating. I appreciate the limited portion, but needed more filling food. Each meal is about $12 not including delivery (a $40 order gets free delivery). It's not expensive, but it's not a lot cheaper than eating out at my local Thai restaurant.<br />
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The company offers variety in mixing sauces and vegetables, but at the end of the day, its a lot of veggies with sauce, something I want 1-2 times a week not every day. The coconut carrot cake bites, however, should be a regular staple in my cupboard. Delicious overload.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks good enough to eat!</td></tr>
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This brings me to the expiration dates. The food needs to be refrigerated and lasts about a week. Again, given the minimums for free shipping you end up with about 4 meals to eat in 7 days and that's a few more zucchini noodles than I'm up for, personally.<br />
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So, would I order again? Yes. Will it be a regular staple? Probably not. But it was fun to try and great to know it's there when I get in a food rut.<br />
<br />Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-57266940203748384492015-02-08T19:42:00.003-08:002015-02-08T19:42:47.122-08:00Customer Experience 101Getting back to the work-a-day world on this blog. The last 6 months have been enlightening: getting situated in a new position and feeling the difficulty of changing a work culture from the inside out. To follow are some of the things I've learned in this shift.<br />
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My organization is a 100 year old, conservative workplace. Customers have always been somewhat important, but the huge shift in the health insurance landscape from plans mostly offered through a job to a free for all marketplace where average citizens have to decide between networks, deductibles and a dizzying array of benefits, is changing the game.<br />
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In 2014, I moved from being a Sr. Usability Researcher on a web team to a Customer Experience Manager working with the entire organization. In many organizations, I'd be a Design Research Manager or just a Research Manager, but Customer Experience is our buzz word of the day.<br />
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To assist that change, people like myself who are trained to integrate what we call the voice of the customer, more readily have a voice in the process. We help balance what the customer wants, what technology can do and what the business needs.<br />
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But, change is hard; really hard when you still have a culture and a bottom line that lean strongly towards doing what we've always done. The only issue is, and the realization comes from the top, that bottom line isn't likely to change if we do what we've always done. So, we try this new approach, but again, change is hard.<br />
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In my ongoing efforts to work with groups in the company to help them understand what the customer is thinking, feeling and doing at any given time in the process, I've learned a few things. So here they are, in no particular order.<br />
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<b>1. Assume you are speaking a foreign language. Speak carefully and define your words.</b><br />
This goes both ways. I use words like "personas," "journey maps," "usability testing," "recruit" - most of which have little context or familiarity to my colleagues. Much like "actuarial," "claims integration," and "stop loss," are foreign to me.<br />
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Sometimes it feels like we are literally speaking different languages. Take the time, upfront, to define your working words and those of your team mates. User acceptance testing (UAT) and usability testing are <i>really</i> not the same thing. (for those not in the industry, trust me this is a point of contention and too detailed to explain here) Discuss. Educate. Learn.<br />
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<b>2. Enthusiasm and persistence go a long way.</b><br />
If you come in to a meeting believing so strongly in what you do, others will start to follow. Eventually. You may even squeeze the necessary budget out of them. But first, you need commitment. You must unequivocally believe in the strategy you are setting out for the project. And you will probably have to believe it, explain it and sell it to at least 5 stakeholders. But do it. <br />
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<b>3. Align yourself with a change leader.</b><br />
I couldn't do my work without my amazing manager. What I excel at is making sure we put our customers first, that we focus on empathy and understanding our end user is not necessarily a person who sits in a cubicle all day thinking about health insurance (what a surprise). What she excels at is politics and moving money and resources around plus not taking no for an answer. She is firm and elegant in her "sales pitches" and has done more for this type of work in the organization in the last year than I think has ever been done.<br />
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<b>4. Then find your every day champions. </b><br />
Once my manager has helped teams understand the need to put the customer first, I start working with those teams. Those teams usually have at least 1-2 people who have either done this type of work in another setting or are just general advocates because they are forward thinking and see the value. Align with those folks as the project gets started. When the project is wrapping up, let them be advocates for this type of work with internal case studies and have them tell their colleagues the value (hopefully) of your work.<br />
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<b>5. Share your successes and use failures as lessons learned. </b><br />
To the point above, be loud and proud about progress made with your customers and in the organization. Use data and anecdotes to share the impact of thinking about how a project will work for people outside of your four walls <i>before </i>launching a product or service that everyone inside your four walls is convinced is simply awesome.<br />
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For those of you also initiating this change, does this resonate for you? If you are in another industry, are there lessons learned here? Let me know your thoughts and good luck changing the landscape. Listening to customers should make us better organizations and even increase the bottom line.<br />
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<br />Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-80481858138852345642014-01-14T23:33:00.002-08:002014-01-14T23:33:25.248-08:00Best and Worst, Part II<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This evening, I've been struggling with Chase's bill pay center which is still pretty klugy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">I decided to send them an email suggesting the simple possibility of being able to sort by Payee because most of us want to know the details of who we paid not, "oh, who did I pay that $74.36 check to?"<br /><br />Shortly after submitting the email, I got a return email. Wow, that's service! Not so much. I logged BACK into my Chase account (for the umpteenth time tonight) where I found an awkwardly written form letter. Not only that, but there's no way in that 60 seconds you actually got my feedback and "documented" it in that amount of time. <br /><br />I don't expect that they will personally respond to every query, but I'd love a friendly, readable, relatable email in return, not a choppy form letter. Perhaps tomorrow I'll hear from a human rather than a bot, although th</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is letter was "signed." When I check a box that says "contact me" I don't mean send me a form letter.</span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">contact us. I certainly understand your concern as you </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">would like to be able to sort your payment by payee name </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">as well as have a year end summary of your transactions. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Allow me to submit your suggestions. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First, I appreciate the time you have taken in expressing </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">your concerns. At Chase, we hold our customer feedback </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">very seriously. I have documented your suggestions and I </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">will forward them to the Customer Feedback Center. Because</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">of comments such as yours, we gain more insight as to what</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">our customers want. This center is in place so that we can</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">share your experience. We use this feedback to determine </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ways that we can implement changes in order to improve the</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">customer experience.</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Please let us know if there is any other way we can assist</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">you as we always strive to provide excellent customer </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">service. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana, 'san serif';"><br /></span> <span style="color: black; font-family: verdana, 'san serif'; font-size: 11px;"><br /></span> <span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have a kudo or a criticism about communication from a company? Do tell.....</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-65332512392359322632014-01-14T23:31:00.000-08:002014-01-14T23:31:10.977-08:00Best and worst of Customer ExperienceWithin the last 24 hours, I have had a great and a not so great digital customer experience. The great was a helpful email from AT&T. My iPhone4 met it's demise on a tile bathroom floor Thursday evening and Friday morning found me with a shiny new iPhone 5S.<br />
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A few days later (could have been sooner), I got a helpful email. It started with this "hey, we know you and thanks for your business" type of message which I appreciate.<br />
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<img alt="Thanks for choosing us again. Let us help you discover what your phone can do. " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhCsk24xkcLn0h3wRm1nGp9fj3h6IAYQ-WZyfN0XZDbfKXQ8FhrtnAUw4Kzth_xYLsbBLp_yM5Qheg3mjQVXwXnyAHxSd54owUxwi94QONCbqPwKFhQp_O2CsBd5DMCTNU98XuAP9w8K59klxsZLsZ5S8kKboJ168u7Bh0bVIoSHw3okDb7430cVZiZn40=s0-d-e1-ft" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The email continued with some helpful suggestions on where to go for more information. The only frustrating part was that I didn't remember my password and they use those absurd questions such as "your childhood best friend" - which I failed. I KNOW my childhood best friend but did I use her first name or first and last? It is case sensitive? Whatever the answer, I never did get it right and had to do a full password reset. Sigh. </span><br />
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My contacts were transferred and my voicemail is set, but I appreciate that they wanted to get me started. Again, my only issue is that this was a almost 4 days after I bought the phone.</span><br />
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<tr><td align="left" style="margin: 0px;" valign="top"><span style="color: #808285; font-family: helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We hope you're enjoying your new phone. To make sure<br />you've got the basics covered—from setting up your<br />phone to managing your account—we've provided some<br />helpful tips below. If you have any questions, just visit<br />us <a href="http://e.att-mail.com/a/hBS1Y61B8ZtbSB80qQzAAQKZEUz/att46" style="color: #ff7200;" target="_blank">online</a>. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="left" style="margin: 0px;"><img align="absbottom" alt="First things first" border="0" height="29" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhQFaA1nJhRNuezO0nFOaNguasf-I2vxCXOKQmvY3thvHDXy2xPPYEeXU82XJmJq61q1tGq17ynrPOyYRo9nkvgb5bwlGcZzzsIHZO4y6OMxNYjGaou8W-tuZYyAYCjmHTpjK7elvgI9S7LOZ8EBqX1AiHTrle5hcK4X8bN1VPOBJ-qjTIcX3-TZyhkmw=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block;" /></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #808285; font-family: helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;">If you haven't already, here's how to:<br />
• <a href="http://e.att-mail.com/a/hBS1Y61B8ZtbSB80qQzAAQKZEUz/att83" style="color: #ff7200;" target="_blank">Transfer contacts</a><br />
• <a href="http://e.att-mail.com/a/hBS1Y61B8ZtbSB80qQzAAQKZEUz/att42" style="color: #ff7200;" target="_blank">Set up voicemail</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="left" style="margin: 0px;"><img align="absbottom" alt="Get to know your phone" border="0" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhWfkMzrRH8ELLGpjusT2FIeEzKBchHRIPBoyZvNSefds_wbTl3pYSNbkAWBHd2yMWaksZB5pvpvsMnhYYEagIgdVRpN3nK9ONw0zJj7fvymxbQLB9_NNHnNYQs07yx4A-Sqb1JIS656WejEqDoyW97nELXt-fkfl_OdlMsZ-2jAM6rphK-MnRomVD-2Q=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block;" width="275" /></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="left" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #808285; font-family: helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Explore your phone's features at the<br />Device How-To Center with:</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="left" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #808285; font-family: helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;">• Video, interactive and step-by-step tutorials<br />• Troubleshooting tips</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://e.att-mail.com/a/hBS1Y61B8ZtbSB80qQzAAQKZEUz/att39" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><img align="absbottom" alt="Get the How-To's" border="0" height="29" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhWXofMHlobk6RszFvyawQs8tn4CZedRB-hj5L04FezK6Kjh7TwVwNjdPlW5OjpO2JsEL6uZaNV1il_ba3K11CzJXcYhOfUycm_5xG3wuIwzZu8kuBZHPEod_tSS4BtoEYuVcStIbSG1FG189mZrUzVap8QOPn0FqoTjIbPsprR85-SNdwxwA=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block;" width="77" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times;"></span> (posting in 2 parts since Blogger seems to be having formatting issues)<br />
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Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-40752867552837321552013-09-02T10:24:00.000-07:002013-09-02T10:24:40.125-07:00Customer Experience - It's not 1950 AnymoreMy work and focus is shifting recently. Although it's always centered around the needs of the "user," I've started thinking more about the customer in general. What is their total experience over the lifetime of a product, digital experience, or service?<br />
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This has, in turn, made me an even more discriminating and impatient consumer.<br />
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Case in point. I heard about an amazing place in southwest Washington where you can rent an old trailer from the 50s and stay there for the night, weekend or week - similar to a B&B, only cooler! Sign me up! But wait, it's not that easy.<br />
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The website has great images and a cute look and feel to it. Being very used to booking reservations for everything from Airbnb to a Hilton Hotel online, it seemed only natural that I could do that here. After searching the entire site, I gave up and called. Ok, so they are old school. Old trailers, no online reservations.<br />
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One of the nice things about a phone conversation vs. online reservations, is that you find out things you never thought to ask. I found out the trailer I wanted sleeps 6 (unnecessary for us), but they all have kitchens and bathrooms. I put a reservation on a trailer and felt good about it. I did put it on hold it followed up by a few rounds of phone calls (one surreptitious one since I was standing with the person I was trying to surprise with the gift of a weekend) before finally giving them my credit card. At the time of that conversation, I also decided to change to a slightly less expensive, smaller trailer that fit our needs.<br />
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After thinking about it for a few days, I realized that I never asked if the new trailer I reserved was available any time other than early October, which seemed far away. I called back (catching someone directly this time), who told me my reservation was still for the larger trailer. After much back and forth we found a date open with a smaller trailer (2 MORE weeks out than I wanted it).<br />
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Attempting to be a savvy customer, I asked for a reservation number. "We don't do that." I was told. Really?? Ok, then can you email me a receipt? "We don't do that either." Incredulous I ask how they can run a business like that in this day and age. The woman assures me that my "card" -whatever that is, is now on the date for that trailer. At this time, I picture a huge wall with plastic laminate pockets for every day of the month and every trailer they have. Hopefully, they have a big office.<br />
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It's true that everyone adopts and adapts at their own pace, but at some point and time, businesses need to grow and change and keep up with the times. Even without an online reservation system, there should be a simple, easy way to at least guarantee a reservation with a confirmation code. It's just good business. It's not 1950 in the rest of the world.<br />
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Lucky for them, they have a bit of a lock on the market as they are the only place I know of like this, so cancelling the reservation was not really an option. Now, I sit back and wait, though you can be sure I'll be calling them every few weeks to be sure we have the Spartan Mansion waiting for us on October 18!Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-3573390032290484552013-03-10T22:15:00.000-07:002013-03-10T22:15:21.331-07:00Testing out Online TestingI recently had the opportunity to test out some of the remote, unmoderated tools now being offered for user testing. Although I am an avid spokesperson for in person interviews, I also realized that setting up and running 1:1 interviews is time-consuming and expensive. We don't always test things we should because it takes too much time and money. That's where the beauty of the unmoderated, remote sessions come in.<br />
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For this experiment, I was actually able to schedule testing using two different tools concurrently with one-on-one interviews. This made sure that the team didn't lose any time or information during the process, and also allowed the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of each process.<br />
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I spent several weeks looking at a number of online tools. The ones I landed on are <a href="http://loop11.com/">Loop11.com</a> and <a href="http://usertesting.com./">usertesting.com.</a><br />
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<b>Recruiting</b><br />
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<b>Loop11</b> allows a quantitative stab at user testing. You set up a series of questions and tasks. After each task you can ask survey type questions of the users. You can invite up to 1000 participants to view your website and subsequent tasks. You can choose demographic criteria, but the more criteria you choose, the more expensive the test is and too many criteria makes it impossible to recruit. Setting it up is a little tricky. Loop11 could take a lesson from <a href="http://surveygizmo.com/" target="_blank">Survey Gizmo</a> and allow you to more easily move your questions and tasks around. my 200 person tasked with a relatively broad demographic cost around $800. Each project is $350 if you do them without a yearly package but then you add on the recruiting costs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8IecQ3AK8e3a02MEY4X6CSm7dCK1BiACyhLOJBsEfL2vSwIydf0_Plz2ZjvJmKxqonJZCxPG1FcdgMPr9uD0_YC8C41lkj2wD0ZJMaziFsK9EYkBuh901UGM49MxvvHEAUaZMCPReVVm/s1600/usertestingscreenshotPM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8IecQ3AK8e3a02MEY4X6CSm7dCK1BiACyhLOJBsEfL2vSwIydf0_Plz2ZjvJmKxqonJZCxPG1FcdgMPr9uD0_YC8C41lkj2wD0ZJMaziFsK9EYkBuh901UGM49MxvvHEAUaZMCPReVVm/s320/usertestingscreenshotPM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Conversely, <b>usertesting.com </b>encourages lower numbers, I tested only six individuals, but successfully recruited six Human Resources representatives which I wasn't sure would be possible. That particular demographic was not available on Loop11. Usertesting.com charges around $35 per recruit and the test cost no more than a few hundred dollars.<br />
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It's important to remember that you have a lot less control of the distribution of demographics when using the online tools, but the flipside is that you don't have to spend a week writing a screener and paying for that in both time and money.<br />
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If you think about a typical recruit for 1:1 moderated sessions, 5-10 individuals at $150-$200 apiece plus remuneration, a typical study usually runs at least $3000-$4000. Selling the online tools as a cost-saving measure is an easy win. But what about the results?<br />
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<b>Setup</b><br />
Both tests were relatively easy to set up. Loop11 allows you to work directly in their interface prior to collecting payment. This was definitely a trickier experience since I had to put in starting URL, success URL and any questions I wanted to ask on each landing. I found it difficult to keep track of and the numbering system doesn't differentiate between tasks and questions so your whole study runs together. (Ideally, each task would have a letter, and then associated tasks/questions might have a number like A1)<br />
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User testing.com was frustrating because I couldn't set up anything in their online tool until I paid and it took weeks to get through our organization's red tape to be able to set up payment. So I had to set it the test protocolup in Microsoft Word and then cut and paste when we were ready.<br />
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<b>Results</b><br />
The results are where you need to pay the most attention because the output is significantly different. Loop11 delivers much more quantifiable information. You survey/test hundreds of individuals and get large amounts of feedback on your site. We asked questions like whether people thought the site was easy to use or cluttered. In return, Loop11 graphs the responses that were delivered for each question. Loop11 also has heat maps which are great for the team to see a gave us great insight into where participants are focusing. Not only do you see the successes, but you also begin to see the other places on the page where participants clicked. Loop11 also provides click streams, but our beta was not set up in a way that this was valuable. In the future, I would push for better test URLs to be able to track the click streams. Without a live site and discrete URL's for each page - that is difficult. If you want to jump through a few more hoops, you can get audio and video from a collaboration between Open Hallway and Loop11.com. I ran out of time and energy and decided I didn't need video from 200 people. You also get a limited amount of information about each participant. I did find myself wanting a better way to export the graphs of feedback data in some way other than through a screen capture. There may be a way, but I didn't find it.<br />
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Usertesting.com delivers raw video along with demographic information, browser information and other key statistics for understanding your participants. The videos I got back were no longer than about 12 min. and I was able to watch them all and take notes within about 90 min. After you take notes in the area provided on the website, you can click a button to export and immediately get a spreadsheet outlining all the demographic data, the answers to the 4 written, open-ended qualitative questions at the end of this test as well as all of the notes you took as a researcher. It's a pretty sweet way to see everything all at once and the dream compared all of the cutting and pasting many of us do after a series of interviews. Because this is a much smaller set of participants, the data is clearly not quantifiable, but in some ways it is a bit richer.<br />
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<b>Recommendations</b><br />
Both of these tools have significant merit for use at the right time in development. Loop11.com seems like a preferred tool for when you have very focused questions and want to understand some limited and specific behaviors on your site and make sure people are finding what they need.<br />
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Usertesting.com is probably closer to a real world, 1:1 moderated session. You are provided with conversational feedback that is valuable a little further forward in the process when you're still making decisions and trying to see how people think when using your site.<br />
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The best thing I found in doing this is that the feedback was corroborated across platforms. The team was afraid of that we would get one set of feedback online and one set of feedback in person. I'm happy to report that both the online users (not typical users of our service) and the 1:1 participants (known users of our service) all had feedback that lined up and pointed in the same direction.<br />
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For our organization, I hope to be able to use these tools in the future to be able to include the voice of the customer more consistently and for a lower cost; not at the expense of talking with individuals 1:1, but in addition to that as touch points during the development process that keep us agile.<br />
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Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-5201290844241628822012-04-03T14:19:00.003-07:002012-04-03T15:34:34.714-07:00My Invisibility Cloak<strong>Superpower Day. If you had a superpower – what would it be? How would you use it?</strong><br /><br />I love today's question. Although I'm not sure how it relates to healthcare, it is a fun topic to think about.<br /><br />When someone grants you a wish you should probably wish for world peace or world hunger. In that vein, my initial response, given the topic, would be to have the superpower to simply lay hands on a person and have them feel healthy again. I would have the power to take away disease, disability and illness with the touch of a hand.<br /><br />However, ignoring altruism, I personally think it would be fantastic to be invisible. This definitely stems from my desire to really know and understand people. If I were invisible, I would have the opportunity to be anywhere undetected and be able to see and hear what people really do and not rely on self-report or less than realistic lab studies.<br /><br />You could also say I'm nosy. It would be fascinating to have the opportunity to "spy" on people. Not to get them in trouble but just to see what they're really like when nobody's around. It would definitely make me an in demand researcher/ethnographer! There is a great movie called K<a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kitchen_stories/">itchen Stories </a>where a researcher sits in a very high chair in a man's house to observe him. His placement is less than unobtrusive. Invisibility would grant access and allow me to view the most natural behaviors.<br /><br />When I'm in a store or in a crowded place, I sometimes wish that I could be invisible. I would love to be able to shop without the hassle of talking to salespeople and engaging in meaningless conversation. I just want to look at the merchandise. Assuming my invisibility was formless, I could bob and weave through a large crowd without having to feel smooshed and suffocated by the tall and large bodies around me. (At 5 feet tall I have been to Oktoberfest and felt totally overwhelmed by the crowd and the large people in it.)<br /><br />So hopefully I get to stabs at a superpower, one where I have the opportunity to heal and the second where I have the opportunity to observe and from those observations really begin to understand humanity.Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-989143331215515982012-04-02T13:10:00.006-07:002012-04-02T13:36:27.227-07:00In sickness and in health<strong>Today's task:Quotation Inspiration. Find a quote that inspires you (either positively or negatively) and free write about it for 15 minutes. </strong><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain">Mark Twain </a></span></p><br /><br /><p align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">America's Health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system.- Walter Cronkite </span></p><br /><br /><p align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">Health is not valued till sickness comes.- Thomas Fuller</span></p><br /><p align="left">The quote by Mark Twain simply made me laugh out loud and I had to include it. Although he did not live long enough to see the Internet (1835-1910), I imagine the quote is truer today than ever. We have a wealth of health information at our fingertips, but it can just as easily be misinformation.</p>Walter Cronkite's quote is a tough pill to swallow (pun intended) but I believe he is accurate in the description. Healthcare is seen as nameless and faceless. Big corporations, private organizations all of whom are trying to capitalize on the almighty dollar. It may seem that way from the outside, but I can tell you from firsthand experience that there are many caring people trying to do the right thing on the inside.<br /><br />But I really want to spend a moment or two on the last quote, "health is not valued until sickness comes." There are a few reasons why this quote is important. For one, it underlines how critical it is to participate in preventive care. It is only when we break a leg that we realize how easily we walk, drive or kick a ball every day. It is only when diagnosed with diabetes that we realize what an easy time we had eating whatever food was available at whatever time was convenient assuming our body will do the job of regulating our blood sugar.<br /><br />The opposite is true as well. Sick people or people in pain forget what it is to be healthy. This weekend I actually had some respite from pain I've been in for about 18 months now. I had forgotten how many things I just chose not to do or participate in because it hurts all the time. I had been putting off the simple act of repotting some plants because getting the bag of dirt out was simply too difficult and too heavy. What a joy it is to not worry about pain or injury with every twist and turn of the day.<br /><br />So the message from this quote is to celebrate each day, particularly if you are healthy. Be smart about staying healthy. Eat that apple a day, be smart about the food you put in your body and be smart about getting exercise. Get those preventive screenings, wear sunscreen and wash your hands. Breathe deeply and be thankful.Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-55500389661510025252012-04-01T08:36:00.006-07:002012-04-01T10:18:51.990-07:00Health Time Capsule<span style="font-weight: normal; "><span><span style="font-size: 100%; "><img src="http://blog.wegohealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/HAWMC_2012_badge.png" /> </span></span></span><div><span style="font-weight: normal; "><span><span style="font-size: 100%; ">I have been woefully absent at blogging. I decided to try the opportunity to join a blogging challenge this month to get me motivated. Since I saw BJ Fogg speak earlier this week, I have to "facilitate my behavior change" with "<a href="http://tinyhabits.com/">tiny habits</a>". At the very least, I will read the topic for the day. I hope to respond to at least 50% of them. Right now, let's focus on today. If you're interested in taking on this challenge yourself please go to</span></span><a href="http://info.wegohealth.com/HAWMC2012/" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "> Health activist blog challenge.</a></span><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Today's challenge</span><span> <b>Health Time Capsule. </b>Pretend you’re making a time capsule of you & your health focus that won’t be opened until 2112. What’s in it? What would people think of it when they found it?</span></span></div><span style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u1:p></u1:p></span></span><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span>This is interesting because I think we are on the brink of some major changes in the next 100 years. the medicine we have today as well as the way it is managed will likely change significantly in the next 100 years. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; "><span><b>Representative artifacts for the time capsule include</b>: photos of cancer survivors, list of support groups, and iPhone with health apps? (I'm really not sure how that would work, but this is all in theory), printouts of health websites, journals of people with long-term illness and some over-the-counter medications. Also included would be a health insurance card and a paper folder with medical records, maybe many paper folders for one person representing the disparate connections. and of course a copy of an explanation of benefits showing just how confusing the system is.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; "><span><b>Medicine today:</b> We are still looking for a cure for cancer. We are looking to understand Alzheimer's and dementia. We don't understand diseases on the spectrum including fibromyalgia and autism. We don't yet have a convenient way to manage diabetes. Maybe it's my age, but most people I talk to these days have some type of issue. Many friends have struggled with breast cancer, some have succumbed to other cancers and many of us struggle with a variety of serious diseases as well as annoying ones such as allergies and headaches. The US is only beginning to understand the value of alternative medicine. Western medicine does not have all the answers and things like acupuncture and other complementary care are just beginning to enter more of a mainstream consciousness.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; "><span><b>Healthcare today:</b> I have one word - paper. We have far too much paper for a system that relies on multiple points of view and multiple inputs in order to make a successful diagnosis and accurately manage care. Again, we are on the brink, with some offices using Personal Health Records but very few of them connecting to others. Patients still need to wait far too long to access their own personal information.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span>Health insurance is another issue that has finally entered the limelight. Far too many people go uncovered or do not have care that adequately covers their needs. I'm no socialist, but I really think that basic needs like food and water and healthcare and shelter should be available to everyone. those who have should help to cover those who have not. Not by handing out a dollar on a freeway ramp, but by the system taking care of everyone. Right now, there is a major struggle, with individuals believing that a government mandated service is "unfair". Isn't denying access to healthcare unfair?</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; "><span><b>Medicine in 2112: </b>When somebody opens my time capsule in 2112, I hope that this myriad of diseases has been cured. Of course, I can't be as naïve as to think that we won't have other diseases in its place. I hope that we will have found some astounding insights into biology that really help us understand these bodies we inhabit and how to best take care of them, and yes, possibly even alter them so that they feel healthy and strong as often as possible. I went to a conference several years ago on living to be 500. Although I'm not sure that is yet an idea our society or planet can sustain, I love the idea of living a long and healthy life. If we are going to live to even 100 or 200, we need to make sure that the quality of life follows along.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; "><span><b>Healthcare in 2112:</b> By then, I hope late-night talkshow hosts (Will there still even be late-night talk shows? And will we watch them through the glasses that have all of our streaming video by then?) are laughing at the paper that we used to push in "the old days". A personal health record is a given. From the day you are born your health is tracked on a tiny chip, maybe an embedded chip, but at least a chip that is with you always, or perhaps you have some kind of identifier that allows cloud access to all of your information because we have also solved some of the major privacy issues. The PHR allows you understand and have insight into your healthcare, you can have a dialogue with your providers, and any EMT who finds you knows quickly and easily how to access your health information. your healthcare providers, whether or not they are in the same system, can even talk to each other!*Gasp*<br /></span><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span>I'm no science fiction writer, and maybe these goals set the bar too low, but to me, if even a few of these are true 100 years from now, we will have made some amazing progress.</span></div></div></div>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-69462287884390168842012-01-02T20:16:00.000-08:002012-01-02T20:51:19.777-08:00Barnes and Noble Nook review - tablets still seem to be in betaWow, it has been a while since I've commented on this blog. As you may or may not know I had a stint up at Microsoft for several months and then landed a full-time position as the senior user experience researcher at <a href="http://www.regence.com/">Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield </a>here in lovely Portland Oregon.<div><br /></div><div>After adapting to full-time work again, I intend to add some blog entries since I've had some interesting experiences with technology recently.</div><div><br /></div><div>Most recently, I got a <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/nook-tablet-barnes-noble/1104687969">Barnes & Noble Nook</a> tablet as a Hanukkah gift. Actually, I was sent some money that I put towards the new tablet. I spent a lot of time looking, mostly at the Kindle fire and the Nook trying to decide which one to purchase. (Also note, if you are looking at these devices, there is a Nook color and the Nook tablet. Be sure you get the one you're looking for.)</div><div><br /></div><div>My first decision was, what do I want to do and how much do I want to spend? I already have two laptops plus a work laptop, so productivity is low on the importance scale.</div><div><br /></div><div>My ideal device looks like this:</div><div><ul><li>really portable: six or 7 inches like the e-readers</li><li>under $300 (trying to be realistic)</li><li>easy to read and download books and magazines including library loans</li><li>easy to check e-mail and use the Internet (Wi-Fi only is just fine)</li><li>great access to apps-ideally working with my iPhone, but that means paying Apple premiums</li><li>access to TV/movies</li></ul><div>I am generally underwhelmed by the tablet market and particularly this crossover reader/tablet. They seem to do a little bit of everything but not a lot of anything. I have to say I really like the reading experience on the Nook. The UI is really nice for looking up words or highlighting-this is where I found the Kindle failed miserably putting me in unending loops. I also really liked the contrast on the screen over the Kindle.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>However, downloading library books was a crazy experience, more unending loops and syncing with absolutely no feedback, although I guess that's more about the library website and less about the Nook itself. I also realize that at this premium price of $250 I will have to take out a lot of library books to make it worthwhile. I am still trying to figure out if a paper magazines that I subscribe to will allow me to download digital versions for free. I certainly hope so…</div><div><br /></div><div>I compromised on apps and other functionality to retain a small footprint, a lightweight device and something in a "reasonable" price range.</div><div><br /></div><div>I downloaded A copy of Real Simple magazine which looks beautiful. The only thing I realized is that I very often tear pages out of magazines with recipes or book recommendations or other interesting tidbits, and with the e-reader I can no longer do that and I'm not sure I can even print from it. I also have not figured out if there's any way to read the books that I have downloaded on my Nook on my iPhone. I don't imagine always having the device with me and would love to read when I have the chance. Although, the reason I got the tablet is that reading on the iPhone is a pretty painful experience. And I <i>love</i> to read.</div><div><br /></div><div>The touchscreen is somewhat touch and go. Some pages are optimized which is nice, but the targets are still really small, somehow even worse than the iPhone, and it seems to take one or two touches to actually get it to register. or, it may just be that the Wi-Fi is relatively slow and it's loading but I don't realize it. I spend a lot of time watching the green bar go across the top as it downloads pages.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I miss most is the ability to have many different apps. The store is extremely limited, which I only learned after my purchase. I have started bookmarking sites, but once you've gone apps you don't want to go back.</div><div><br /></div><div>The final thing that comes to mind is the e-mail program. The iPhone very kindly lets you read e-mail and then mark it as "unread" so that when you view it on another device you realize you still need to answer that e-mail. Unfortunately, the Nook does not have that option. It's an option I make frequent use of, and definitely miss.</div><div><br /></div><div>And, if you are purchasing this or any other tablet, I highly recommend a case that you can use either in vertical or horizontal position. I love that I can prop up a book and read it sitting all by itself on the table (especially given ongoing back problems). But you will also want to be able to watch a movie or video propped horizontally. The only case I have found for this device is the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/Tasume-in-Carbon/22193460">Tasume Case.</a> I returned the one I purchased my purchased the device and will be ordering this one.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, there are a lot of things I would like it to do, and many things I'm not sure that it can. my plan is to use it and adapt to it as best as I can. Heck, if in six months I don't like it, there's always eBay.</div>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795905950305351720.post-63262393745128381572011-03-20T16:53:00.000-07:002011-04-10T10:40:35.059-07:00The Patient Experience<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYI_qo4LUQs0Kzz2b2C8qxjTTqa5dLl_1NK_3gIKVqmZgpx4MdDvXM1v2ysw2ulhFN09xnDkzOzoZL2mRgcNcZ5bcdbesH1dpw5pQ4nw8dIoSYhkgSkI7RN_-EPyHtwEuXht1gWvINIBpT/s1600/doc+and+patient.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586399290141526498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYI_qo4LUQs0Kzz2b2C8qxjTTqa5dLl_1NK_3gIKVqmZgpx4MdDvXM1v2ysw2ulhFN09xnDkzOzoZL2mRgcNcZ5bcdbesH1dpw5pQ4nw8dIoSYhkgSkI7RN_-EPyHtwEuXht1gWvINIBpT/s320/doc+and+patient.jpg" /></a> <br /><p>My book group just finished reading A General Theory of Love. We seem to be a bunch of psychology nerds and fascinated by the human condition. The general theory is about how important human connection is and how intrinsic it is to our core being. The author's compose lengthy prose on the limbic system which allows mammals (unlike reptiles) to have complex interactions with their offspring. Oversimplified, we seek attachment and based on what we experienced as children, we may have healthy or unhealthy love attachments as we age. We seek connection.</p><br /><p>Towards the end of the book, the author's discuss the loss of connection in healthcare from a 1990 New York Times <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=" res="'9C0CE3DB1639F935A1575BC0A966958260&pagewanted=" gst="" com="">article:</a> <em></p></em><em><br /><p>I wouldn't demand a lot of my doctor's time, I just wish he would brood on my situation for perhaps five minutes, that he would give me his whole mind just once. I would like to think of him as going through my character, as he goes through my flesh, to get at my illness, for each man is ill in his own way...I'd like my doctor to scan me, to grope for my spirit as well as my prostate. Without such recognition, I am nothing but my illness.</em></p>I have personally done multitudes of interviews with patients and this is one of the best quotes I've run across. What patients want, in addition to and perhaps beyond healing, is to be seen. It is important that they feel cared for and connected, not just like another in a long list of issues for the day. The book goes on to quote a 1994 article in the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(94)92349-3/fulltext">Lancet</a> which advocates that even if doctors don't care, they should "act" as though they do. Many patients who desire compassion are now turning to alternative therapies. <br /><p>So, why bring this up on this blog about user experience? It hearkens back to the user experience, but a piece that we often neglect. We talk about technology and how well it works for people, we talk about product design and whether or not it is intuitive and we test web sites to be sure people can easily navigate their way through. But, we often forget to "design" or review the human component, the most variable, least understood component of any system. Whether you are a physician, customer service rep, retail clerk or barista, remember that at the end of the day it is you who makes or breaks the customer experience. Be patient, think about how you might feel in the other person's shoes. Take a deep breath and grope for their spirit, I can guarantee you will both be happier in the end. </p>Janna http://www.blogger.com/profile/18288484459992105541noreply@blogger.com3