Importance of Prioritization:

• Prioritization is straightforward in simple, static environments but complex in dynamic, large-scale settings.
• Under stress, people revert to familiar but outdated methods.
• A consistent methodology, using tools and frameworks, is essential for effective prioritization.
• Prioritization is often confused with time management or productivity but encompasses much more.

Common Organizational Challenges:

• Many individuals are unaware of how prioritization happens within their organizations.
• Effective organizations have clear visions and mature operating models that guide prioritization.
• Learning and recognizing prioritization patterns at different levels (individual, team, organizational) is crucial.

DEGAP Strategy:

• DEGAP stands for Decide, Engage, Gather, Arrange, Prioritize.
• It helps close the gap between current and desired states.
• Harry uses examples, like his experience at AllClear ID, to illustrate the practical application of DEGAP in high-pressure scenarios.

Balancing Personal and Team Priorities:

• Recognize false urgency and assess the cost of delay.
• Focus on personal priorities first, then align with team and organizational goals.
• Addressing avoidance and high-cost delays can improve individual and team performance.

Advice for New Leaders:

• Make prioritizing prioritization a daily habit.
• Start the day by identifying and addressing avoidance.
• Develop a routine that includes focusing on high-impact tasks before tackling less urgent ones.

Notable Quotes

• "Prioritization is deceptively tricky because as you move into larger, more complex environments, we rely on outdated methods."
• "It's not just the fact of prioritizing, but the process involves multiple critical stages."
• "Start with self-prioritization to enhance your team's and organization's performance."
• "The false sense of urgency often drives poor prioritization decisions."

Reference Materials

• Harry Max's book: "Managing Priorities"
• Luke Holman's "Speed Boat" visual framework
• Scaled Agile community concepts on cost of delay

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

In this Tent Talks session, Meghan Casey delves into her journey from her early career to establishing Do Better Content Consulting, emphasizing the importance of content strategy and modeling. She shares insights on how content modeling enhances content consistency and efficiency, and discusses common challenges and effective collaborative strategies for implementation.

Content Strategy Journey:

• Meghan's career began in roles such as Communications Manager, Website Editor, and Marketing Manager.
• She often asked strategic questions about audience, goals, and key messages, leading her to content strategy.
• Joined Brain Traffic in 2008, transitioning from web writer to content strategist.
• Authored "The Content Strategy Toolkit," which boosted her career and reputation.
• Founded Do Better Content Consulting six years ago, working with clients to solve various content-related problems.

Explaining Content Modeling:

• Content model bridges the front-end experience and back-end content management systems.
• Helps determine what content to display and how it relates together.
• Important for resource efficiency, consistent information delivery, and confidence in content creation.
• Examples include creating multiple versions of a CEO's bio for different contexts while maintaining a centralized source of truth.

Enhancing Audience and Team Experience:

• Ensures consistent, accurate, and relevant content, preventing conflicting information.
• Example: A medical facility had differing post-surgery instructions on their website and physical handouts.
• Helps place content where it is most relevant and useful for users, like serving up specific parts of a product page in various contexts.

Challenges in Implementing Content Modeling:

• Enormity of the task and lack of time or leadership support.
• Solution: Start with small pilots to demonstrate efficiency and benefits.
• Changing content creation mindset to think in structured chunks rather than linear pages.
• Disconnect between content creation and visual/UX design needs.

Collaborative Strategies for Content Modeling:

• Workshops and collaborative sessions with diverse teams (product owners, marketers, developers, designers, content creators).
• Mapping out all necessary information about a product across its lifecycle.
• Using tools like Airtable to prototype content structures and having iterative discussions with developers.
• Important to involve legal, innovation, and product development teams for future-proofing content models.

• "Content is a key part of solving all manner of problems from business issues to people and process problems."
• "The content model helps figure out what to display and how it all relates together."
• "It's crucial to provide consistent, accurate, and relevant content to prevent conflicting information."
• "AI reminds me of the early 2000s when everyone wanted an app. It's important to ask what problems AI can solve for you, rather than just jumping on the trend."
• "Helping people think about content in a more chunked-out way can start the process of effective content modeling."
• "Collaborative working sessions and conversations are key to successful content modeling and ensuring everyone is on the same page."

• "The Content Strategy Toolkit" by Meghan Casey
• "Content Strategy for the Web" by Kristina Halvorson and Melissa Rach

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

Common pitfalls leaders face when creating alignment:

• Definition of alignment: Varies among individuals based on their experiences.
• Strategic understanding: Importance of knowing why a task is strategically important.
• Role clarity: Everyone should understand their contribution to the desired outcomes.
• Key barriers: Misalignment in vision and strategy, shaky planning, misaligned incentives, and emotional challenges in decision-making.

Balancing diverse viewpoints and common goals:

• Shared understanding: Ensuring everyone understands the outcomes and actions agreed upon.
• Healthy discourse: Encouraging evidence-based discussions without fear of social pressure.
• Psychological safety: Creating a safe environment for proposing ideas and viewpoints.
• Learning culture: Emphasizing learning from failures and supporting open communication.

Simplifying complex messages:

• Repetition: Necessary for messages to sink in, especially in larger organizations.
• Cartoon clarity: Boiling messages down to simple, clear points that can be quickly understood.
• Multi-channel communication: Using various mediums to reinforce messages.
• Written comms plan: Ensuring clarity and thoroughness in messaging through written plans.

Achieving alignment in challenging situations:

• Case study: Building a new product with high technical and regulatory complexity.
• Design sprint: Using system maps and OOUX activities to align teams on a shared model.
• Rapid testing: Iterative testing with customers to refine and validate plans.
• Micro shareouts: Regular updates to keep stakeholders informed and involved.

Signs of losing alignment and steps to realign:

• Indicators: Vague reporting, stalled progress, tensions, and finger-pointing.
• Diagnostics: Speaking with ICs, maintaining cross-functional relationships, and understanding different perspectives.
• Timeline creation: Tracking changes and decisions to identify points of misalignment.
• Role clarity: Using frameworks like DACI for decision-making and accountability.
• Celebration and recognition: Acknowledging achievements to boost morale and reinforce positive culture.

• "Healthy alignment means you've built a shared understanding of the problem to be solved and people know the desired outcomes."
• "Teams should have flexibility on how to achieve outcomes, rather than being given prescriptive plans."
• "Psychological safety is crucial for healthy dialogue and team identity."
• "Leaders owe teams clarity on decision-making processes and expectations."
• "A lot of companies will say something like it is our strategy to increase sales by 40 percent, and that is a goal that is a desired outcome, but it is not exactly a strategy."
• "Alignment does not mean that everyone does something the same way."
• "It's okay to have an idea that turns out to fail or to be wrong as long as you learn from it."
• "You can always tell comms went well if you get back, 'Okay, cool. That makes sense.'"
• "Help your team understand how to bring rationale and really help people see what you see."
• "At the end of the day, alignment health comes down to strategic clarity."

• Books:
  • "Good Strategy, Bad Strategy" by Richard Rumelt
  • "Turning People Into Teams" by David and Mary Sherwin
• Podcasts:
  • Amy Edmondson’s podcast on psychological safety (Harvard Business Review)
• Articles:
  • Christine Perfetti’s Tent Talks episode on strategic rallying

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

Background on the CIA and Patel's Role

• The CIA's core missions include foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, all-source analysis, and covert action.
• The agency is organized into directorates and mission centers, integrating different functions for regional or functional focus.
• Patel's Transnational and Technology Mission Center (T2MC) synchronizes with the private sector and addresses global strategic technology issues.

User Experience in the Intelligence Cycle

• UX plays a critical role in presenting intelligence to policymakers in a digestible and usable format.
• Key elements of effective intelligence presentation include:
  • Bottom-line upfront: presenting the most crucial information first.
  • Conciseness: limiting reports to one or two pages.
  • Structured storytelling: ensuring a clear narrative with a story arc and relevance to national security.
  • Visualization: using maps, charts, and graphics to aid memory retention.
  • Accessible formatting: maintaining white space and larger fonts to enhance readability.

Evolution of Technology in the CIA

• Technological advancements have significantly impacted intelligence operations, with ubiquitous technical surveillance becoming a norm.
• The PRC's rise as a tech competitor and the shift of innovation from government to the private sector and academia have influenced CIA's approach.
• Collaboration with private sector and academic entities is increasingly critical for staying abreast of technological developments.

Challenges in Applying UX and HCD in Intelligence

• Predominantly paper-based dissemination requires maintaining effective traditional methods while exploring interactive products.
• Policymakers' varying levels of expertise necessitate adaptable presentation formats, balancing detailed technical information with simplicity.

Opportunities for Transforming Intelligence Gathering and Analysis

• Tailoring information to user needs is crucial, distinguishing between detailed technical explanations and concise summaries.
• Understanding what level of detail is necessary for users to grasp the significance of intelligence findings.

Advice for UX and HCD Professionals Interested in National Security

• The CIA seeks a broad range of expertise, welcoming applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds.
• Opportunities for contributing to national security extend beyond employment, with the agency open to external insights on technological trends.

• "Your bottom line is up front. Your first sentence of your paragraphs, your first sentence of your briefing is going to tell a policymaker literally what the bottom line is."
• "Visualization comes in, maps, charts, graphics, however it is possible to get that information in a format that is not only quickly digested, but remembered."
• "Since World War II, a lot of the tech innovation was happening in government. And what has happened in the last decade, 15, 20 years, I think, there has been a shift."
• "You don't want to lose the audience before the message has been downloaded."

• CIA's official website: CIA.gov

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

Common Misconception About Form Design:

• Forms are often undervalued despite their crucial role in user interactions.
• Many UX professionals and budget holders fail to see the value in investing in form improvements.
• Poorly designed forms can lead to high error rates, inefficiency, and user frustration.
• Digitizing a bad form doesn't fix its inherent issues; it just transfers them to a new medium.

Impact of AI and Modern Technologies:

• AI and machine learning have been integrated into form design since the early '90s, with technologies like OCR.
• These technologies have improved but still face significant limitations, especially in understanding context.
• AI should assist rather than replace human judgment in form design, ensuring critical nuances are captured.
• The balance between automation and human intervention is crucial for effective form design.

Strategies for Ensuring User-Friendly Forms:

• Conduct usability testing by observing users in real-time as they fill out forms.
• Focus on where users direct their attention and identify points of confusion or difficulty.
• Avoid placing labels inside form fields, as they disappear when users start typing, causing confusion.
• Consider the various contexts in which users might fill out forms, such as poor internet connections or different accessibility needs.

Challenges in Form Design Projects:

• Creating design systems that not only include effective components but also guide their appropriate use.
• Encouraging designers and developers to consider the broader context and usability, even under tight deadlines.
• Developing guidance and materials that balance the need for quick implementation with thoughtful, user-centered design.

Emerging Trends in Forms and Surveys:

• The overuse of surveys has led to user fatigue and decreased response rates, undermining their effectiveness.
• AI-driven form filling by browsers can introduce new errors and reduce data accuracy.
• Enhancing user control over browser autofill features to prevent incorrect data entries and improve reliability.

Adding Helpful Friction to Forms:

• For serious forms, like living wills, incorporate steps that require users to reflect and have necessary conversations.
• Use signing ceremonies to create a formal pause, ensuring users consider their decisions carefully.
• Recognize and design for scenarios where multiple people are involved in completing a form, adding layers of complexity and consideration.

Difference Between Forms and Surveys:

• Forms are designed to collect individual responses for specific actions.
• Surveys aggregate data for broader analysis and insights.
• The distinction lies in the intended use of the responses, though the tools and formats can overlap.

Notable Quotes:

• "Your people will hate you if the forms are difficult, and yet everything we do is mediated through forms."
• "AI is basically a giant autocorrect that works on paragraphs, not words."
• "The reading pattern for forms is very different from other materials. It's a laser beam to the input box."
• "Poor form design can lead to error rates over 100%, where forms are repeatedly returned for corrections."
• "We often overlook the importance of forms, even though they are essential to effective business processes."
• "AI technology has advanced, but it still can't replace the nuanced understanding a human brings to form design."
• "Usability testing is vital. Watching real users interact with your forms reveals insights you can't get any other way."
• "The overuse of surveys has led to user fatigue; we need to be more thoughtful about when and how we ask for feedback."
• "Creating a good form is not just about the design but understanding the user's context and needs."
• "Adding friction to forms thoughtfully can ensure users reflect on their answers, especially for serious matters like living wills."

Reference Materials:

• "Surveys That Work: A Practical Guide for Designing and Running Better Surveys" by Caroline Jarrett
• "Forms That Work: Designing Web Forms for Usability" by Caroline Jarrett
• "User Interface Design and Evaluation" by Caroline Jarrett

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

How is AI reshaping the future of UX design, particularly for newcomers?

• AI advancements are rapid, with new updates and integrations across various tools and environments.
• New designers may feel overwhelmed by the abundance of tools and the rapid pace of technological change.
• Despite economic instability and layoffs, integrating AI into workflows can enhance competitiveness.
• Jakob Nielsen's concept of "pancaking" in UX design emphasizes the evolution rather than the replacement of core UX principles.
• AI helps lower skill gaps, promotes a wider range of skills, and leads to more agile, less hierarchical teams.
• Smaller teams can achieve more with AI, as demonstrated by successful startups with minimal staff.

Kai Tran's journey from print design to AI product design: Key lessons and influences

• Transitioned from film and gaming cinematics to merchandising design for retail, gaining a holistic understanding of user experience.
• Emphasized the importance of understanding end-to-end user journeys and strategic thinking in AI product design.
• Highlighted the need for immersive, multimodal user experiences that go beyond the screen.
• Encouraged designers to think strategically and anticipate future AI experiences.

Effective strategies for incorporating AI in design sprints at Sprintfolio

• Hands-on, project-driven learning is essential for gaining practical experience with AI.
• Encouraged designers to engage with AI projects to stand out in interviews and gain firsthand experience.
• Integrated an AI UX mentor, Leo, to guide designers through thoughtful questioning and problem-solving.
• Highlighted the importance of prompt engineering and understanding the technical aspects of AI models.
• Emphasized continuous learning, collaborative projects, and addressing ethical considerations in AI.

Advice for transitioning into UX design with AI projects in portfolios

• Start with real projects to gain practical experience and stand out to employers.
• Leverage pre-existing expertise to add value to AI projects and solve specific design problems.
• Showcase data-driven decisions and highlight experience with AI tools and technologies.
• Demonstrate continuous learning and involvement in collaborative, cross-functional projects.
• Address ethical implications and show awareness of data privacy, bias, and human oversight.

Challenges and rewards of mentoring new talents in leveraging AI

• Balancing the demands of running a business while guiding new designers was challenging.
• Mentoring provided valuable insights and reinforced the importance of resilience and iterative improvement.
• Witnessing the transformation and confidence growth in designers as they master AI tools was highly rewarding.
• Fostered meaningful professional relationships and saw impactful career advancements among mentored designers.

• "The pace of AI advancements is staggering... This impacts our tools, our work environment, significantly."
• "Understanding how to incorporate AI into their workflows enhances their competitiveness."
• "AI lowers skill gaps and boosts seniority, providing everyone with a broader range of good enough skills."
• "Designing for AI is like a delicate puzzle... designers need to practice their strategic skills."
• "Our extensive experience distilling complex user requirements and clearly communicating needs is a strength."

• Jakob Nielsen's writings and research on AI in UX design.
• UX Design Institute statistics on UX job market trends.
• Theory Ventures projections on AI software company growth.

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

Overview of the Inclusive Tech Lab:

• The lab is located on Microsoft's campus and serves as a space to engage with the disability community.
• The lab has hosted over 16,000 visitors and focuses on including people with disabilities in the design process.
• The facility includes a sensory room designed to meet the needs of the neurodiverse community.
• The lab's primary goal is to involve the disabled community directly in the design process to create more inclusive technology.
• It emphasizes the principle of "nothing about us without us," ensuring that designs are made with input from those who will use them.

Most Impactful Project – Xbox Adaptive Controller:

• The adaptive controller, introduced with a prominent Super Bowl ad in 2019, began as a project to include veterans who were gamers.
• The design addressed the limitations of the traditional Xbox controller, which required the use of two hands and dexterity.
• The project was driven by the need to support veterans' mental health and social integration.
• The adaptive controller helps veterans and others with disabilities maintain social connections through gaming.
• The project involved extensive collaboration with the disabled community to ensure the controller met their needs.

Challenges in Designing Inclusive Technology:

• Awareness and stigma around assistive technology are significant challenges.
• Functional fixedness, where people find it hard to see new uses for existing objects, is a barrier.
• The lab focuses on creating devices that are familiar yet optimized for specific disabilities.
• There is often a lack of understanding about the importance of assistive technology in mainstream society.
• Overcoming preconceptions and educating both the public and other designers is an ongoing effort.

Future of Inclusive Technology and AI:

• Inclusive design is about personalization and accommodating human diversity.
• AI can help create interfaces that adapt to individual needs, enhancing accessibility.
• Future interfaces might be multimodal, adjusting to different input and output methods based on the user's environment and abilities.
• The potential of AI to transform user experiences by providing tailored interactions is immense.
• Multimodal input and output can make technology more accessible for various disabilities.

Advice for Designing Inclusive Technology:

• Engage with the disabled community directly; design with them, not for them.
• Embrace the principle of "nothing about us without us" to ensure designs meet real needs.
• Involve users early and often in the design process to gather authentic insights.
• Understand that true inclusivity requires ongoing learning and adaptation.
• Foster a culture of inclusivity within the design team to ensure diverse perspectives are considered.

• "Nothing about us without us."
• "If people couldn’t use [the traditional controller], they couldn’t play Xbox."
• "All accessibility is personalization that takes into account human diversity."
• "We need to remind people that you can do anything in Windows with a mouse."
• "Our inclusive design methodology strives to design with and not for."
• "I don’t want to tell people to go read these books or watch these YouTube videos. All of that is decent advice but it never takes the place of actually engaging with the disabled community."
• "The adaptive controller wasn’t just about making a controller for disabled kids; it was about including everyone, including veterans, who grew up playing games."
• "We have a responsibility to make sure that we're including people with disabilities in the products that we create."
• "When I think about the evolution of computing devices, I ask what if the objects that are with me all the time could do more for my sensory needs?"
• "Assistive technology should be familiar yet optimized for specific disabilities."
• "I think one of the challenges in assistive technology is when things get unfamiliar, it becomes hard for people to understand and use them."
• "The lab prioritizes people with disabilities; we told Walmart they couldn’t come in because we had a transition program for the disabled community."
• "Functional fixedness is a challenge; we need people to see beyond the traditional uses of objects."
• "Awareness and stigma are significant barriers to the adoption of assistive technology."
• "We need to get to a place where the whole way people interact with computers can be different for everybody."
• "All the input all the time can be overwhelming; we need to be thoughtful about how we design for accessibility."
• "One of my favorite examples is a woman in the military who needs context and narratives rather than tabular data and bullet points."
• "We need to ensure that the way we design interfaces allows for flexibility and personalization."

• Xbox Adaptive Controller
• Microsoft's Inclusive Tech Lab
• Inclusive Design Methodology at Microsoft
• Xbox Accessibility Guidelines

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

Navigating Varied Tech Environments:

• Cassidy emphasizes the importance of self-audits to determine personal and professional likes and dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses.
• She mentions that these audits help her decide when it's time for a change, ensuring she's always aligned with her interests and skills.

Side Projects and Balance:

• Discusses the genesis and development timeline of her side projects, such as W9 Crafter and Jumbly.com.
• Highlights the use of the Obsidian app to organize ideas and manage time efficiently, especially around her responsibilities as a new mother.

Passion for Education:

• Cassidy shares her drive to provide learning resources she wished she had when starting in tech.
• She recounts impactful moments in education, like helping friends secure jobs through her guidance and resources.

Organizational Techniques and Productivity Tools:

• Describes her reliance on digital tools like Obsidian, Brainstory, and others for productivity and organization.
• Cassidy values scheduled planning and strategic use of apps to manage her diverse commitments.

Adapting to Technological Changes:

• Cassidy uses her newsletter as a tool to stay updated with new technologies, ensuring she reads the materials she recommends to her audience.
• She explores building projects from scratch to deepen her understanding of new technologies without relying on libraries.

Notable Quotes:

• "Do a life audit regularly to figure out if you are where you want to be."
• "I want people to have the resources I didn’t have when starting out in tech."
• "Using a calendar and obeying it helps me stay organized amidst my busy schedule."
• "Having a baby has made me very efficient with my time."
• "Seeing people succeed as a result of my help is immensely gratifying."
• "It's fun to build something from scratch, to be close to the metal with the browser."
• "Paying it forward and lifting as you climb benefits everyone."

Reference Materials:

• Obsidian: A versatile note-taking application that allows users to create a linked network of notes. Cassidy uses it extensively for organizing project ideas, writing newsletters, blog posts, and general note-taking.
• Brainstory: Described as "rubber duck debugging as a service," this tool helps users articulate and refine their thoughts through Socratic questioning. It was developed to facilitate deeper thinking about projects or problems, simulating a conversation with a bot instead of a human.
• W9 Crafter and Jumblie.com: These are examples of Cassidy's side projects. W9 Crafter was developed over a few years and aims to simplify tax-related processes, while Jumblie.com is a fun word game created in just a week to accompany a video project.
• Raindrop: A bookmarking app that Cassidy utilizes to save and organize web resources effectively. This tool is handy for keeping important links accessible and categorized.
• Sukha: An app that combines Pomodoro-style timers with focus music, helping to enhance productivity through structured work and rest periods.
• Dabble.me: A journaling app that Cassidy tries to use daily. It helps her keep a personal log of her thoughts and activities, which is beneficial for reflection and mental organization.
• todometer: Another one of Cassidy's creations, this app is essentially a glorified to-do list with a progress bar feature. It visually represents task completion and allows for task pausing, enhancing the satisfaction of seeing tasks completed.

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

Design Leadership and Mental Health:

• Tanya underscores the importance of designing the team member experience, advocating for personalized approaches to feedback and recognition.
• She suggests practical strategies such as setting clear boundaries, creating a code of conduct, and establishing fixed times for team accessibility to improve mental well-being in the workplace.
• Emphasizes the necessity of leaders being proactive and mindful about the mental health of their team members, rather than just offering standard support programs.

Signs of UX Theatre in Companies:

• Tanya defines UX theatre as the adoption of UX terminology and superficial processes without substantive user-centered methodologies.
• Critiques the misuse of design thinking as a replacement for comprehensive UX strategies and the tendency of some organizations to test UX concepts with executives rather than actual users.
• She warns about the dangers of UX theatre in diluting the effectiveness of UX practices and misleading stakeholders about the maturity of UX integration within the company.

UX Theatre in AI Integration:

• Discusses the potential for AI to contribute to UX theatre, particularly when AI solutions are oversold as replacements for comprehensive design processes.
• Highlights risks such as executive misunderstanding of AI capabilities leading to reduced support for UX teams.
• Advocates for informed executive decision-making on AI integrations to genuinely support UX outcomes rather than just cutting costs or replacing human insight.

Supporting Mental Health in High-Stress Situations:

• Tanya provides strategies for design leaders to support their teams during high-stress situations, such as performance reviews.
• Discusses the importance of leaders being transparent about their own mental health challenges and setting an example of self-care and boundary-setting.

AI and Genuine User-Centric UX Design:

• Emphasizes the need for AI in design to be deeply integrated in ways that truly enhance user experience rather than just automate existing processes.
• Shares examples of successful AI applications in government services that improve efficiency and user satisfaction.
• Suggests focusing AI development on user needs to prevent it from being another form of UX theatre.

Notable Quotes

• "Leaders need to actually design the workplace experience with the same care we design user interfaces."
• "UX theatre often happens when companies talk about user-centered design but don't walk the walk."
• "AI should be a tool that enhances, not replaces, the human elements of UX design."

Reference Materials

• Tanya Snook's articles and presentations on LinkedIn about UX design, leadership, and workplace mental health.
• Recommended readings include studies on AI integration in UX processes and critiques of UX theatre practices.

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!

Shift in Researcher Activities:

• Researchers are becoming more involved at the executive level, driven by organizational changes and the impact of new technologies like AI.
• Effective communication and business understanding are crucial for researchers to influence executive decisions and strategies.

Impact of AI on Research:

• AI and large language models are expected to become essential tools for researchers, enhancing their productivity and expanding their capabilities.
• These technologies will likely lead to a significant transformation in research practices, making them more efficient and less labor-intensive.

Centralized Research Functions:

• There is a growing trend towards integrating research functions more deeply within the product development process.
• Empowering non-researchers with research skills can reduce communication overhead and lead to more insightful and effective product strategies.

Role of Learners Platform:

• Learners is designed to support ongoing professional development and community engagement among researchers.
• The platform adapts to the changing educational needs of the research community, emphasizing practical, community-driven learning experiences.

Future Technologies in Research:

• Emerging technologies, especially AI, are poised to dramatically impact user research by enabling more dynamic and comprehensive analysis of data.
• Researchers and organizations need to embrace these tools to stay competitive and maximize the value of their research efforts.

Notable Quotes

• "Research is the only function that creates value indirectly, by enabling others to make better decisions."
• "The reality is that it's not just all these super wealthy people who are invested in these companies. It's your grandma's mutual fund too."
• "AI will not only automate some of the research tasks but will also enable a broader participation in the research process across different roles within the organization."

Reference Materials

• Mention of AI and its impact on various sectors like Getty images, which suggests a look into how AI is transforming industries.
• Discussion of Slack's research-driven approach to expansion in Japan, highlighting the nuances of adapting products for different cultural contexts.
• Alec's emphasis on the evolving educational and community-building roles through platforms like Learners and events like UXRConf.

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!