On the 31st of January 2024, specialist design recruiter, Yasm...
On the 31st of January 2024, specialist design recruiter, Yasmin Vachet hosted a lunchtime webinar speaking with leading Directors of Design.
Together, they shared their thoughts on the outlook of Digital Design in 2024, focusing on the following topics:
To kick off the conversation, Yasmin asked our speakers for their thoughts on the UX/UI Design and Product Designer job titles and descriptions.
Oliver Eliel, Director of Product Design at Bumble, shared his unique career journey.
Starting in the graphic design world, he transitioned to client-side roles, providing valuable insights into the differences in titles and hiring practices between traditional tech companies and corporations.
Oliver sets the stage for his fellow speakers, Perry and Omar, to share their experiences in structuring UX and product design teams within their organisations.
Diving into the variability of digital design jobs across industries, the speakers draw from personal experiences in ecommerce, retail, travel, and fashion. They emphasise the evolution of traditional UX and UI jobs to include product design mindsets and responsibilities. The importance of understanding organisational needs and defining roles to align responsibilities with appropriate titles is stressed, considering factors like organisational maturity and budget constraints.
The role of titles in the recruitment process becomes a key focus, with all speakers agreeing that titles often fail to accurately reflect an individual's skills or experience.
A nuanced approach was suggested, encouraging hiring managers to engage with candidates, delve into their backgrounds, and understand their day-to-day challenges. This approach allows for a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of potential hires.
Due to differences in design job titles, our speakers stressed the importance of showcasing your skills.
They argued that while some designers possess a broad skill set, they often excel in specific areas. The debate over hiring "unicorn" candidates, adept in all necessary skills, is explored, with a focus on building teams that leverage individual strengths. The role of tools like Figma and SAS platforms in holistic design work is predicted to continue in 2024.
Shifting the discussion to a tool-agnostic approach in digital design, one designer expressed dissent with the popularity of a specific tool, labelling it a "Fanboy Club." The speakers emphasised the need for a broader perspective, advocating for a tool-agnostic approach that prioritises time efficiency and effectiveness when selecting design tools. The importance of focusing on the outcomes of design processes rather than fixating on specific tools used is highlighted.
The conversation seamlessly transitioned into the significance of portfolios in showcasing design skills and experiences. The speakers expressed a preference for portfolios with interactive elements, such as Figma prototype links or websites, over static PDFs.
They shared an example of a successful portfolio that included a user test conducted by the applicant, showcasing problem-solving abilities. The speakers underscored the need for transparency in portfolios, emphasising the importance of focusing on key project points rather than lengthy descriptions.
Finally, our speakers delved into the ongoing debate surrounding design tasks for candidates during the recruitment process.
They stressed the importance of assessing candidates holistically, considering personality and fit within a team. Concerns about the potential intimidation of design tasks for candidates were raised, leading the speakers to recommend assessing candidates' abilities through analysing and improving existing designs.
Additionally, they highlighted the significance of showcasing personality and fit within a team during the hiring process. Tasks, they argued, can be particularly useful for junior designers to demonstrate initiative and creativity.
In summary, they encouraged hiring managers to assess candidates beyond portfolios or completed tasks, considering a holistic view of skills and suitability.
Accessibility guidelines can lead to losing a large number of potential users and revenue. As such, this was an important topic for us to discuss during our webinar.
The speakers suggested that companies should prioritise educating themselves about accessibility requirements and making simple fixes, such as adequate colour contrast and clear labelling, to make their websites more inclusive for a wider range of users.
The speakers expressed their concerns about the future of digital design, particularly in regard to accessibility and the need for designers with the necessary skills and experience.
They emphasised the importance of addressing hindrances and misconceptions within organisations, and the potential business opportunities that come with making digital designs accessible to all. They shared personal experiences in introducing accessibility concepts to organisations and the importance of storytelling in gaining support.
The speakers also mentioned the vast pool of potential users with temporary or situational disabilities and the need to consider accessibility in everyday life as well as online. They encouraged expanding your mindset to better understand and prioritise accessibility in digital design.
Omar Musa discussed the role of AI in digital design, with the view of it being a valuable tool to solve design challenges and enhance workflows. Omar recommended that designers start by building a design system, essential for scaling efficiently and creating accessible designs. He reflects on the relationship between AI and design, portraying AI as a friend rather than a foe, capable of solving problems behind the scenes and improving workflows.
The discussion continued with a focus on how AI can streamline tasks and improve the design process.
The speakers shared that they believe AI can effectively solve repetitive problems, such as determining the optimal colour for a button, freeing up time for more innovative work.
However, they also cautioned that AI is not yet capable of fully replacing human creativity and originality in design. While expressing excitement about the potential of AI, they noted concerns about legal issues and the necessity for designers to possess the knowledge and skills to effectively incorporate AI into their designs.
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