You’re the One Who Asked for Fewer Meetings
The “Pre-Meeting” Email
OK, so you usually appreciate a heads up before blindly walking into a meeting, but this email is the definition of “overboard.” It’s basically a transcript for the meeting you haven’t had yet and it includes an agenda, questions to consider, risks, blockers, next steps, and even retorts to your snarky comments. Why even have the meeting? How about replying with a thumbs up emoji and calling it a day so you can get back to scrolling LinkedIn for a new job?
The “Post-Meeting” Email
Now that you wasted an hour of your life, the last thing you want to do is relive…
The Science Behind Startups
Growing up, science bored me to death (and this is coming from someone who had a research scientist as a dad).
As a kid, I couldn’t have cared less about molecules, natural selection, or nebulous clouds — I was too busy with my head in another type of clouds, daydreaming while doodling away during class.
I was pretty oblivious to the value of science until one fateful day in 6th grade when we were taught something that would change the rest of my life:
The scientific freaking method
I know, I know — this isn’t all that earth-shattering. After all…
Don’t Worry — You Still Get A Shit Ton of Branded Swag
Meeting co-workers
Before:
You and and a bunch of white dudes with beards got ushered around the office like some sort of homogeneous parade as people uncomfortably called out, “Fresh meat walking!”
After:
You and a bunch of white dudes with beards take turns awkwardly introducing yourselves during the company’s monthly all-hands video call, doing your best to prove you’re not a complete dummy as you talk on mute.
Company swag
Before:
Your new desk was covered with branded t-shirts, branded water bottles, branded stickers, and, if you joined one of those edgy, progressive companies, branded USB sticks (does anyone still use these?)
After:
Your home office desk…
Using Design to Mitigate the Risk That Comes With Change
Now is a great time to be a UX designer.
Don’t believe me?
I’ll wait as you Google “ux design jobs.”
…
OK, now that we’re on the same page, it’s obvious companies are (finally) wising up to the idea that UX design has actual value (apart from creating badass PowerPoint decks…joking…mostly).
Whether or not decision makers at these companies can tell you the value, it’s there, and it’s only becoming more and more tangible.
As the rate of change ramps up into the future (thanks to the internet and Moore’s Law), companies will face more and more uncertainty.
In…
“Can You See My Screen?”
Where are your pants?!?!
It’s 8:58 AM and you haven’t even brushed your teeth yet! (Eh, that can wait until after).
It’s now painfully obvious 11 PM was too late to open (another) bottle of wine on a Sunday night. What made you think last night was going to be any different?
You run into the bathroom, frantically drag a wet come through your hair, and wonder how the hell you’ve made it this far as an adult.
After juking around your kitchen island and leaping over two pets, you stumble into your office chair.
While you do your best…
When Your Home Becomes Your Office
Shoddy WiFi Is the Least of Your Worries
Now that many of us have been working from home since last March (Or was it May? What month is it now?), it’s pretty clear that remote work is working, at least for those of us who hate talking to people face-to-face around the water cooler.
Whether you work for yourself or someone else, remote work (in some capacity) is here to stay.
Instead of fighting it, put on your “nice’ sweatpants, make yourself an extra cup of coffee (or five), and make sure you’re off mute.
Here’s how to survive working from home:
Take a shower.
Some of you might be thinking…
And It Will Make All the Difference
Reviewing portfolios in 2021 looks very different.
A few weekends ago, I hopped on Zoom to review design portfolios as part of a local student conference, and like everything else these days, it was anything but normal.
Network issues aside, the biggest difference was everyone’s comfort level. Maybe it was because we were all sitting at home on our computers (and probably in sweatpants), but every student I met shared their work with a certain nonchalance instead of the nervousness that usually comes when meeting in-person.
Personally, I thought it was great. I’m a fan of anything that lowers pressure…
More than just words on a wall
Have you ever wondered why companies create vision statements?
After all, many of these lofty words live on walls or websites, never making their way into the day-to-day lives of real people.
These companies are made of humans (at least for now) and as we all know, humans crave purpose and direction.
Most of us want to know the thing we’re doing will eventually make a difference. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Vision statements are meant to be the north stars of business, guiding us towards something bigger than ourselves.
Unfortunately, many managers struggle with turning those north stars into next…
Don’t Count Yourself Out — Let Someone Else Do It
If you’ve ever looked for a job, then there’s a good chance you’ve seen the same qualification we all have:
3–5 years of experience required
It’s easy to see this, roll your eyes, and move onto the next job post.
After all, there’s a good chance you haven’t worked 3–5 years in the industry and you would feel guilty about lying to a potential employer.
I’m here to peel back the curtain and let you in on a (not so) little secret:
They couldn’t care less if you have 3–5 years of experience.
Do you know what they care about?
…
Billy Frazier
I’m a designer and writer who enjoys making people smile. https://www.billyfrazier.is/
