Lean UX: Getting Out Of The Deliverables Business, With Jeff Gothelf January 18, 2011

Traditionally, User Experience design has been firmly grounded in paper-based documents. Meticulous wireframes, heavyweight specs, granular flow diagrams, and branded presentations have been accepted as the de facto products of information architects, coders, interaction designers, and visual designers. But do these deliverables solve business problems? Jeff Gothelf, User Experience Director at TheLadders.com, says no. While each artifact provides documentation and a tangible work product to stakeholders, too much focus on their perfection has caused us to be measured and compensated by the quality of our documentation instead of by the success of the experiences we design.

Enter Lean UX. Inspired by the Agile methodology, Lean UX is the practice of bringing the true nature of our work to light, faster. In this talk, Jeff will explain the iterative strategy and team communication model that characterizes Lean UX, where documentation is not discounted but instead transformed into a practical and usable tool. Jeff will also explain how to introduce Lean UX to your team, whether you’re in a large corporation or an interactive agency.

ABOUT JEFF

Jeff Gothelf is a user experience designer based in metro NYC. He has spent his career designing engaging experiences for clients big and small. He is currently the Director of User Experience at TheLadders.com where he helps executive jobseekers and recruiters make meaningful connections with each other. Previously Jeff helped shape the designs of AOL, Webtrends and Fidelity. Jeff publishes his thoughts on his blog (www.jeffgothelf.com/blog) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/jboogie).

AGENDA
6:00 Refreshments & Networking Exercise
6:45 Announcements
7:00 Presentation and Q&A
8:30 Post-Event Drinks and/or Dinner (Cash Bar)