In this edition of our Meet-a-Slider series, you'll find out what advice our UX Managing Director Jeff Schanzer has for aspiring designers and see why his dog, Dilly, is destined to take over Instagram.
Name: Jeff Schanzer
Title: UX Managing Director
Start Date: March 2019
What drew you to this field?
Drew, ha. I grew up drawing any chance I got—animals, cars, people, you name it. I also liked to paint and build stuff, but drawing was really my thing. I always knew that I wanted to do something with art, but I wasn't sure what sort of career would support that desire and allow me to eat.
As I transformed from a shy kid into an angsty teen, I started spending a lot of time on computers. In high school, I took a design class where we learned a bit about tools like Photoshop and PageMaker (yep). Eventually the path of graphic design seemed obvious and it was full steam ahead. I later earned a BFA in Communication Design, and shortly after graduating began exploring different roles within the creative field, allowing me to build my skillsets. Eventually I landed freelance, contract, in-house and agency work. The rest is history, I suppose.
What one piece of advice would you want to give to aspiring UX/UI designers?
If you have a passion for pixel perfection and a desire to improve digital experiences from beginning to end, this may be a great path.
Working at Slide UX
What's the biggest challenge we face as an industry?
Trends. Everybody wants to be current and relevant, but a lot of time and energy goes into quality design. It's often not a lightning fast process, but the pace at which trends come and go can be. It's important to find a balance between tried-and-true and what's hot.
It’s hard to tell whether Jeff likes Nikki or Dilly more. He likes them both an awful lot.
What's new in the industry that's catching your eye?
Accessibility comes to mind. It’s not new, but discussions around it seem more prevalent now, and that’s great. Inclusivity should be a give-in, not a nice-to-have or afterthought.
What are the most challenging parts of your job?
There are typically many moving parts, and most are dependent on others. When one thing changes, at any given time, it affects everything that follows and quite possibly what came before it. That said, this a natural part of the challenge when designing just about anything.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your job, and how did you learn it?
Don't freak out when your first attempt isn't perfect. Your initial pass at something will likely lead to changes anyway, so it's crucial that you don't get hung up on a little piece of the big picture. Also, it's important to hold yourself to a high level of accountability, but be careful to not put too much pressure on yourself. You want to produce good work, but you want to live through it.
What makes Slide UX different?
The level of support amongst the team is unparalleled, and everyone has the same goal of quality in mind. Sliders aim to lift others up and offer help along the way. You’re never alone in any process.
Describe the ideal client or project?
The ideal client knows and appreciates the value of good design. They have ambitious ideas, but also faith and trust in the process. You work with them, not just for them.
What's the most powerful part of our design process?
No stone is left unturned. I really appreciate the level of detail at which all stages of exploration are approached. That, and structure. Every aspect of the design process is addressed from the start, so you don't find yourself in the dark further down the road.
What's your typical day look like?
I grab my coffee and get to the usual email parsing, task organizing and base-touching with the team. I then get to designing, revising, researching, etc. based on the most urgent priorities. Sprinkle in some Slack chatter, internal standups and background noise, and that's pretty much my typical day.
What tools do you use for your job that you could not live without?
Figma. I come from an Adobe and Sketch background, but Figma is a great tool for the pixel-obsessed and great for project-sharing amongst teams. I’ve really grown to love it.
How do you stay inspired and creative?
Working and collaborating with a team is key in my experience. Having a group to bounce ideas off of or simply share new and exciting stuff with is super beneficial.
Queen Dillith and gnome peasant.
Lightning Round
• Hidden talents: I can walk on my hands fairly well.
• Cat or dog? Dog, no question. And that's not even because I'm slightly allergic to cats. Oh yeah, shoutout to my fur-child, Dilly.
• BBQ: Sauce or no? Sauce. In fact, BBQ sauce is one of the few condiments I do like. That said, a good brisket may not require sauce at all.
• Hot dog toppings: BBQ sauce? Also, dill relish. Or plain.
• Favorite coffee shop: My kitchen suffices.
• How do you like your coffee? Iced typically. Throw in some homemade dark brown sugar simple syrup and Oatly, and I'm good to go.
• Who on the team would you want to be stuck on an island with and why? Anybody who’d be down to just binge on crime docs, assuming we’d have a TV.