People & Processes
I strive to be an empathetic leader and builder of UX teams that feel empowered to create great work and supported to be great people outside of work. We work hard and we have we fun doing it. And I know positive processes—while a little unsexy—lay the foundation needed to build a functional UX practice that impacts consumers and business.
The Challenge
Starting in the role of UX Design Manager in a company that previously had no structure surrounding its UX practice left the door open to create a framework that made room for people and designers to prosper. Having been both a ux designer and a visual designer at Columbia, I was keenly aware of the problems in our structure, and had first-hand understanding of the operation pain points the team encountered.
Getting Started
At the beginning, the UX team operated under a barrage of requests with no real organization or hierarchy. Using DesignOps principles, I started to define how the team could not only function but thrive:
Workflows
Stand-up a JIRA instance for UX with intake and workflows as well as a ticketing structures that aligns with our Dev and Business partner instances so that we have a record of work, a path to intake and prioritization as well as the ability to communicate trends and velocity of work
Tools
Onboard Figma, define a structure and model for org-wide adoption and create files for our partner visual design teams to enable rapid day-to-day design work. Also a good bit of change management and training!
Comms
Establish channels of communication & partnership between the technology squads and UX.
Brokers the relationship between the business priorities and tech teams priorities; stay in the know with our business partners, our consumers (via Voice of the Consumer feedback loops and User Research) and our tech teams
Create distribution lists and slack teams (as a fully remote team, these things just make life better)
*Friday Remote Fun: a little scribbl game.
Build processes that support people… UX the UX.
The People
In all projects, she balances her knowledge of business and consumer needs and has keen insight into where priorities should fall. She supports her team by providing quick and well rounded feedback, knowing when to step in for encouragement or advice. She also has a an eye for detail, design chops and an incredible understanding of how everything on the website works together. I feel so lucky to have JLaw as my manager, and am excited to see what the future holds.
— Direct Report
Jessi has shown exceptional leadership within the UX team, creating processes for the team, integrating in JIRA and building/maintaining cross-functional relationships. Jessi is sharp, responsive and incredibly easy to work with. Aside from managing the way the team works, she also contributes to the consumer experience, leading with data and asking consumers what they think, before recommending a solution.
— Product Owner Partner
Jessica is a valuable asset to any of the development teams. For the Content & Browse product track, she is an extension to the developers in not only communicating with the business but also acting as a teacher providing technical information over to the business and creative department. She has proven time and time again to be a necessary intermediary between the technical side and the creative side. She has always demonstrated her expertise in both areas of the business and makes the job of the developer much easier. She is always available for questions whenever I have any regarding UX and creative issues and that is very much appreciated…
— Dev Bud