Her name is Jamie Whelan. Her game is UX Strategy. And in this Meet-a-Slider post, she describes her ideal client, why she’s all about delightful details like micro-animations, and why she’d choose Erin if she had to be stuck on an island with someone.
Fun fact: Jamie is happiest when there’s a plate of good food in front of her.
Name: Jamie Whelan
Title: UX Strategist
Start Date: June 2018
What drew you to this field?
I'm one of the few Sliders with a background not in UX (my background is in marketing), so nothing drew me at first, to be honest. I didn't even know UX was a thing until I interned at a marketing and digital agency during my last year of college!
But design overall has always been an interest of mine, and UX applies great design in a useful way (which appeals to the practical side of me). And while working at Slide UX, I've learned the value of UX even more and have transitioned into a research role.
What one piece of advice would you want to give to aspiring UX designers?
Don't be afraid to try everything and anything. There are so many aspects of UX design to explore whether you want to find your niche or keep your skills sharp.
What's the biggest challenge we face as an industry?
Two fast-paced industries (tech and design) coming together leads to a super-charged, trend-filled industry. The challenge is navigating what practices are actually good and useful versus being swept up in all the trends.
What's new in the industry that's catching your eye?
Micro-animations - I'm all about delightful details. Not only do they give products and brands a more playful touch, but they elevate the digital experience to be more than purely utilitarian.
Working at Slide UX
What are the most challenging parts of your job?
For client projects, it's keeping them all straight in my head! Since each project has unique goals and are typically in different phases with similar tasks, it can be challenging not to confuse them with each other.
For internal projects, making sure they don't take the backseat to client projects too often. While client work takes priority, it's important that we're giving our own agency self-love.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your job, and how did you learn it?
Know your audience and explain the "so what?" of your message. Whether I'm sharing findings or asking a simple question, I've learned getting to the point of your message or what's most relevant to your listeners is important. It makes you a stronger communicator and consultant and people feel like you truly listen to them.
What makes Slide UX different?
Besides being a 100% remote company (which I haven't experienced in previous jobs), it's the emphasis on continual improvement and collaboration. Bringing the most value to everyone - both clients and Sliders - is important and I see that happening through project stand-ups, retrospectives, and the openness to hearing how others would do things.
Describe the ideal client or project?
Dream clients engage in communication throughout the project by sharing feedback, thoughts, and reply in a timely manner. Nobody likes radio silence, you know?
Ideal projects have clear goals and meld together research and design sooner rather than later. Research is the foundation for design, so smoother knowledge transfers between the phases strengthen the confidence and capabilities of the project overall.
Jamie, Lindsay, and Megan enjoying the (freezing cold) night at Team Week 2019.
What's the most powerful part of our design process?
The willingness to adjust course to better suit the project goal or bring the client more value. Yes, it's nice to have planned deliverables to set expectations, but sometimes new information or findings can show that a different way would be even better. Sliders strive to bring value to our clients rather than simply doing our job and calling it a day.
What's your typical day look like?
I join the herd of 8 AM CST Slider arrivals and catch up on any Slack messages, emails, and see what tasks and meetings I have for the day. Then, I like to take some time to read UX/research articles to stay informed and discover anything interesting.
From there, my tasks can be anything depending on where my client projects are. Sometimes it's conducting an expert review, prepping to review designs with the client, or moderating user interviews. I usually have at least one meeting, which is a great chance to connect with fellow Sliders and help break up the day of deeper work.
What tools do you use for your job that you could not live without?
My actual laptop, I literally can't do anything without it.
But if we're talking about specific software, then it has to be Slack and Google Calendar! For Slack, it's the easiest way to reach Sliders and to share anything and everything (notes, links, Giphys). Google Calendar is the key to schedule and keeps all meetings straight.
How do you stay inspired and creative?
By balancing the input and output and variety of my entertainment, creativity, and learning consumption. On one hand, I expose myself to new things by listening to podcasts, watching movies and TV shows, reading fiction and non-fiction books, spending time in nature, and talking with friends and family. On the other hand, I create things through photography, writing, painting, cooking, etc. I try not to let myself be burned out by any one thing and ensure I give my mind time to relax!
Lightning Round
• Do you have any hidden talents?
I don't think this counts as a talent, but I've never thrown up in my life…
• Cat or Dog?
I'm that person who has to point out every dog I see in public.
• BBQ: sauce or no sauce
A lil' saucy.
• Hot Dog Toppings:
Ketchup, dijon mustard, and relish.
• Favorite coffee shop
Genuine Joe's! Very casual, home-y vibe.
• How do you like your coffee?
When it's not actually coffee actually haha, I just never got into it!
• Who on the team would you want to be stuck on an island with and why?
That's a hard one, but probably Erin. She's a quick thinker, so I'm sure we'd figure out a way off the island sooner rather than later.