for UXrs, by UXrs

« all articles

subscribe

All too often, UX designers join a large organization with little introduction as to the lay of the land at their new work place. Questions abound in their inquisitive minds; who’s that guy, where do I sit in the scheme of things, why do we do it like this, where are the files I need, where’s the briefing document?

While there is nothing wrong with getting stuck in straight away, it only takes a few hours to give them enough basic information to make their transition easier. This sets the tone right and should get them pushing in the right direction with the rest of the team from the outset.

All you need is a simple two-pager to act as the first point of contact for the UXer. The content should include as much as the following as possible:

• The company vision, usually to be found in the annual report or on the company website. There may also be some other core principles that explain how business should be done internally or with clients e.g. “speed, simplicity and trust”.
• The vision of the UX department or guiding principles e.g. “We make digital products useful, usable and engaging. We use the user centred design process to this end”. Include examples of the process they follow e.g. a diagram of the product development process and how UX fits into it.
• Description of the key people and departments within the organization. Where does UX fits? How does it operate with other departments? Org charts and intranet bios are helpful in this respect. On a more functional level, present the key contact numbers, emergency procedures, policy around timesheets, requesting days off, site security and so forth.
• Set out the location of key files, the naming and versioning conventions. Any other good practice that the team follows e.g. use art boards
• Give them the tools to start working – pens, pencils, post-its, the relevant (licensed) software, desk and chair height are all important. Read more about making a UXer happy.

Looking for amazing intern or junior UXers to join your team? Sign up to UXswitch, the go-to place for the world’s best User Experience talent. It’s for interaction, visual & motion designers as well as UX strategists, usability specialists, user researchers & more.