Summary
What happens when your craft and your career shift and you have to adapt quickly? How do you take what you’ve learned into uncharted territory and forge new skills and new relationships? From working behind the scenes in public radio production, Emily Eagle pivoted to user experience, eventually working (also behind the scenes) on enterprise software for omni-channel retail. Public radio ethos has come in handy in the enterprise space, where the practice of listening carefully, breaking a problem into smaller parts, and telling the story of the bigger picture all help to understand complexity and build empathy for customers and employees.
Key Insights
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The importance of storytelling in user experience design
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Understanding the 'why' behind our work fosters empathy
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Listening to others reveals the obstacles they face
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Empathy and respect for users' journeys are crucial in design
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Obstacles can lead to personal and professional growth
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Community college can provide second chances for career changes
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Transformative mentors can guide career transitions
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Workarounds in enterprise applications reflect users' resilience
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Effective design requires understanding real user contexts
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Stories help us process challenges and change.
Notable Quotes
"I thrive on learning about how people overcome obstacles"
"All obstacles are invitations to grow"
"User experience is about honing in on the essentials like radio"
"The willingness to be ruthless and cut serves us when we're tackling projects"
"Every workaround is a mini story of somebody overcoming an obstacle"
"We can use stories to connect, to solve problems, and reflect on how we've changed"
"Losing my dream job was an invitation to grow"
"My story changed when I learned to listen to myself"
"Stories can be a tool for understanding while you're in the middle of them"
"We have to make sure that we're responding to what their needs are."
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