UX vs Product Manager Challenges: Correcting Course and Avoiding Burnout

Summary

The video script addresses the challenges faced by a designer working with an inexperienced product manager on a web-first company's mobile app project. It emphasizes the importance of long-term product vision, forming a close partnership with the PM, and using the situation as an opportunity to develop leadership and influence skills. The speaker advises against job-hopping as an immediate solution, instead suggesting proactive communication, education, and partnership building to overcome the obstacles and grow professionally.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker emphasizes the importance of looking beyond immediate parity projects and thinking long-term for the product's evolution across different platforms.
• 🔄 It's crucial to form a close partnership with the product manager (PM), regardless of their level of experience or competence, to influence and educate them on user-centered design principles.
• 👥 Building effective stakeholder relationships and partnerships is key to navigating the challenges of working with different team members, including those who may have fixed perspectives.
• 🛠 The current situation is an opportunity to learn and practice influence, design leadership, and how to handle interpersonal dynamics within a team.
• 🚀 The speaker advises against immediately seeking a new job, suggesting that the current challenges can be a valuable learning experience for future career growth.
• 💡 There's a call to action for designers to think about their growth and not to limit themselves due to others' limited views or incompetence.
• 🗣️ Open and honest communication is suggested as a way to address issues with the PM, including having candid conversations about frustrations and potential improvements.
• 🔑 The speaker highlights the importance of resilience and the ability to influence change within a challenging environment as a valuable skill set for a UX professional.
• 📈 The script suggests that the experience gained from dealing with a difficult PM can be a significant asset, enhancing one's toolkit for future roles.
• 🔍 The role of a UX professional often involves coaching and educating others, which is a valuable part of the job regardless of the specific design tasks being performed.
• 🎯 The speaker encourages a holistic approach to one's own UX, including reflecting on how to handle the situation effectively and making objective decisions for the benefit of the business and the user.

Q & A

What is the main concern of the designer working at a web-first company?

The designer is concerned about their career growth as they are mostly involved in parity projects, copying web functionality to a native app, and not getting to do mobile-first UX work.

Why is the product manager's lack of formal training a problem?

The product manager's lack of formal training in product management or user-centered design is evident in their disorganized and inexperienced approach, which is affecting the project outcomes and the designer's job satisfaction.

What is the term 'parity projects' referring to in this context?

'Parity projects' refers to projects aimed at replicating the functionality of a web platform on a native app, ensuring both platforms have similar features and user experiences.

Why is it suggested that the designer should think long-term with the product team?

Thinking long-term encourages the team to envision the future user experience across all channels and work backwards to create a more innovative and channel-appropriate product, rather than just copying web features to mobile.

What is the importance of forming a close partnership with the product manager?

Forming a close partnership with the product manager is crucial for influencing better decision-making, sharing the appreciation of user-centered design, and ensuring the product's success in alignment with business goals and user needs.

What is the advice given for dealing with a potentially lazy or incompetent product manager?

The advice is to figure out how to make the product manager care more about user experience, educate them, and help them learn, thus fostering a collaborative environment where decisions are made together for the betterment of the product.

Why is it not advisable for the designer to seek a new job immediately?

Seeking a new job immediately is not advisable because the challenges faced with the current product manager are not unique and are likely to be encountered in any work environment. Instead, it's an opportunity to learn influence, design leadership, and improve one's toolkit for future roles.

What is the role of influence, design leadership, and partnership building in this situation?

Influence, design leadership, and partnership building are essential for navigating interpersonal dynamics, making better decisions, and improving both personal and team performance, even in challenging situations.

How can the designer ensure they are gaining real experience in UX despite the current challenges?

The designer can ensure they are gaining real experience in UX by taking the initiative to drive conversations, propose improvements, and actively participate in shaping the product's user experience, even if it means stepping outside their comfort zone.

What is the significance of having candid, honest, and open conversations with the product manager?

Having candid, honest, and open conversations with the product manager is significant for fostering understanding, aligning goals, and creating a collaborative environment where both parties can contribute effectively to the product's success.

Why is it important for the designer to reflect on their situation and consider a holistic approach to problem-solving?

Reflecting on the situation and considering a holistic approach to problem-solving allows the designer to make more objective and effective decisions, which can lead to better outcomes for both the business and the user experience.