Are you getting in your way? Don't let YOU limit your IA and UX thinking and designing abilities; and ultimately, the impact you can have on making the world better. As a user experience (UX) and design professional, I’m committed to designing experiences that humanize technology, enrich people’s lives and lead to a better world. And through doing this for 15 years, I’ve realized that UX change-makers (whether the focus is on users or oneself) must remain aware and deliberate as they seek to do better and be better. I hope these ways help keep you successfully pivoting to become a better you, creating a better world for all.

1. BETTER YOU,
BETTER WORLD.
13 Ways to Get Out
of Your Own Way.
@monapatel

2. MY STREET CRED:
15 YEARS OF
MANAGING UX
PEOPLE AT
AGENCIES
HIRING FOR
MOTIVATE
DESIGN
UX HIRES
HIRING
MANAGER
MEETINGS
THIS
TALK
“MOPRAH”
RESEARCH
WITH UX
MANAGERS
UX HIRES
CANDIDATE
INTERVIEWS
TRAINING &
WORKSHOPS
#UXI14
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3. 13 WAYS TO GET OUT OF
YOUR OWN WAY
B
YOU
ARE
HERE
A
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4. 13
THINK BIG
“
IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE
THINKING ANYTHING,
YOU MIGHT AS WELL THINK BIG.
–DONALD TRUMP
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”

5. DESIGN A
vs.
DESIGN B
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6. 12
KEEP LEARNING
MAKE LEARNING
A LIFELONG GOAL.
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7. 11
EMBRACE CONFLICT
“
THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO AVOID CRITICISM:
DO NOTHING, SAY NOTHING AND BE NOTHING.
–ARISTOTLE
”
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8. LEAN IN
10
“
STAY UP LATE. STRANGE THINGS
HAPPEN WHEN YOU’VE GONE TOO
FAR, BEEN UP TOO LONG, WORKED
TOO HARD, AND YOU’RE SEPARATED
FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.
–INCOMPLETE MANIFESTO
”
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9. HOW DO YOU FEEL
AFTER WORK?
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10. 9
LOVE
YOUR
JOB
“
I REFUSE TO ACCEPT
OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS OF
HAPPINESS FOR ME, AS IF
THERE’S A ‘ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL’
STANDARD FOR HAPPINESS.
–KANYE WEST
”
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11. 8
EVERYONE
IS NOT
A STRATEGIST
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12. “
ARE YOU LOOKING
TO SWITCH JOBS?
”
“
I’M ALWAYS
LOOKING.
”
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13. EATIVES
CR
EARCH
ER
RES
S
8 RESEARCHERS:
BE CREATIVE.
CREATIVES:
LISTEN CAREFULLY.
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14. STOP HATING.
GROW THE COMMUNITY.
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15. 7
FITTING IN IS
OVERRATED
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16. #UXI14
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17. “
A TREND IS ALWAYS A TRAP.
INSTEAD, GO FOR THE NEW...
–GEORGE LOIS
”
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18. “
RESEARCH IS THE ENEMY OF
CREATIVITY, UNLESS IT’S YOUR OWN
“CREATIVE” RESEARCH. (HEH, HEH.)
”
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19. 6
“
BE AGILE &
INNOVATIVE
IF YOU DO WHAT YOU’VE
ALWAYS DONE, YOU’LL GET
WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS GOTTEN.
–TONY ROBBINS
”
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20. 5
GO WITH YOUR GUT
“
YOU HAVE TO TRUST IN SOMETHING – YOUR GUT, DESTINY, LIFE,
KARMA, WHATEVER. THIS APPROACH HAS NEVER LET ME DOWN,
AND IT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE.
”
–STEVE JOBS
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21. 4
LEAD
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22. ...& FOLLOW
DON’T BE THE ONLY LEADER.
LET OTHERS LEAD WHEN IT
MAKES SENSE.
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23. 3 OUTCOME < PROCESS
“
WHEN THE OUTCOME DRIVES
THE PROCESS WE WILL ONLY
EVER GO TO WHERE WE’VE
ALREADY BEEN. IF PROCESS
DRIVES OUTCOME, WE MAY
NOT KNOW WHERE WE’RE
GOING, BUT WE WILL KNOW
WE WANT TO BE THERE.
–INCOMPLETE MANIFESTO
”
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24. 2
DON’T TAKE THE
COMFORTABLE JOB
“
THE MARKET AND ITS OPERATIONS
HAVE A TENDENCY TO REINFORCE
SUCCESS. RESIST IT. ALLOW FAILURE
AND MIGRATION TO BE PART OF
YOUR PRACTICE.
–INCOMPLETE MANIFESTO
”
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25. 1
EMBRACE FEAR. EVERY DAY.
“
DO THE ONE THING YOU THINK YOU
CANNOT DO. FAIL AT IT. TRY AGAIN. DO
BETTER THE SECOND TIME. THE ONLY
PEOPLE WHO NEVER TUMBLE ARE
THOSE WHO NEVER MOUNT THE HIGH
WIRE. THIS IS YOUR MOMENT. OWN IT.
–OPRAH WINFREY
THANKS!
Tweet us and tell us what you
think! (Should this be a book?)
@Motivate_Design or
@monapatel
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”