Irene Au

As a design leader, you work for your team—not the other way around. Learn how to keep your #UXteam happy, creative, and always on schedule. https://lnkd.in/eksZbUXM #DesignLeadership #TeamManagement #UXDesign #Productivity

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Really looking forward to Product Design Week this year. I'm doing a talk - Why Talent & Culture Are Still Your Greatest Asset - on Day 1 of Design Leaders + (12:30-1:00 on November 11th). https://lnkd.in/gH_YVJR8 Anyone working in customer experience, design, product or strategy right now will know that we are living in - ahem - interesting times. The challenges facing leaders within brands, agencies and consultancies are more complex and fast-evolving than ever before. The experience design road has never been a smooth one, but it feels particularly rocky, potholed and full of hidden hairpins at the moment! Watching the conversations play out on LinkedIn you might safely assume that many are currently feeling pretty doom and gloom. But look at any disruptive cycle of technology-led adjustment in history and you will always see growth and positive progress right in there with the painful stuff. Personally I think that real opportunity can be found in the intersection between innovative, enabling technologies and the design of human-centred experiences - and after 30 years in the digital experience business I'm still convinced that's right where it's always lived. Teams who can combine the ability to deliver compelling customer experiences with the competencies to harness data, AI and genuine insight are going to be the real unlockers of value. And organisations that are able to access and attract those people - and provide the right environment and culture to empower and retain them - will achieve true competitive advantage and return on investment. My talk on the 11th is going to focus on those factors. Ultimately, technology comes and goes. It arrives all shiny and shouty, then it gets all habitual and legacy on you. What doesn't change is the importance of the skilled talent that can build magic from base metals - and making sure that that talent is supported by an environment in which it can create and deliver that magic. Hope to see you there! #PDW24 #Talent #Culture #Experience #Design #Leadership #Technology

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🚀 Exploring AI & User-Centered Design: Where UCD Falls Short 🤖🔍 AI is transforming our world, but is User-Centered Design (UCD) keeping up? In my latest blog, I dive into my experience and challenges of integrating UCD with AI, covering key points like: 🔹 The Dilemma of Unknown Unknowns: How AI introduces new, unpredictable issues. 🔹 Data Gaps: The impact of missing data on inclusivity and fairness. 🔹 Big Data Complexity: Why designers need new skills in data analysis. 🔹 End-User Complexity: Making AI understandable for users. 🔹 AI Behavior: The need for ongoing maintenance and refinement. Drop your thoughts and experiences in the comments—I’d love to hear your perspective! 👇📢 https://lnkd.in/g9yAHQ5p #AI #Design #UserCenteredDesign

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Good synopsis of the challenge of designing for AI as well as a great list of courses and experts to follow to help designers gain the skills and understanding needed to design for AI. #UX #AI #ProductDesign https://lnkd.in/eUn2et8g

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Why not all voices should be equal in the design process. If we are serious about social change and equity, we need to start centring the knowledge and decisions of those deeply impacted. #UX #productDesign #designProcess

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What if UX Prioritized the Subjective Over the Quantifiable? The First in a Series on Reimagining UX Design through Philosophy, Embodied Cognition, and Phenomenology "But here’s my issue: have we lost sight of what UX design can and should be? If UX is at a crossroads, it’s not just because of automation or market saturation — it’s because we’ve drifted too far from the philosophical roots that make design meaningful. Instead of constantly optimizing for behavior, we should be stepping back and asking: Are we creating something meaningful? Are we enriching people’s lives? Or are we simply chasing the next KPI?" #ux #uxdesign #hci #userexperience #uxresearch #technology

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This HBR piece on "The Art of Asking Smarter Questions" struck a chord with my approach to design leadership. It echoes the Six Thinking Hats method, emphasizing structured thinking and diverse viewpoints. In design, asking the right questions fuels breakthroughs. How do you leverage inquiry in your work? #DesignThinking #Innovation #SixThinkingHats #Leadership https://lnkd.in/ettHPN4c

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