Summary
In this talk, Michele Wong will discuss the successes and impediments experienced working with UX vendors and share techniques that have worked for her in-house team. Having productive outcomes when working with external design teams requires a unique mindset accompanied by defined methodologies. She will talk about what has allowed her and her team to deliver really good work for their Tax stakeholders without losing focus on some key components that matter when building enterprise apps—brand consistency, quality and speed. She will share how they have helped vendors help them accelerate the delivery of consistent and excellent work.
Key Insights
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The onboarding kit simplifies the onboarding process for external designers by providing essential resources and tools.
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Acronym cheat sheets can help bridge communication gaps between designers and tax professionals.
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The discovery kit offers time-efficient methods that stakeholders are familiar with to reduce resistance.
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A unified design system is critical for ensuring consistency in design across projects.
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Engaging with the brand team from the start can prevent later conflicts in design approval.
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It's important to foster a collaborative mindset between internal and external teams for toolbox success.
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Perfection should not be the initial goal; continuous improvement is key to developing effective toolkits.
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Content creation for toolkits can be streamlined by establishing a clear structure from the beginning.
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Feedback from users of the kits is vital for their ongoing effectiveness and relevance.
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Managing toolkit updates as a dedicated project helps keep content current and useful.
Notable Quotes
"The onboarding kit is like a tax 101 kit for UX designers."
"I learned the rough way that having an acronym cheat sheet is invaluable."
"The discovery kit offers short and sweet methods that are familiar to our stakeholders."
"Without a design system, external designers were stuck reinventing the wheel."
"Always engage with brand on day one; it makes a huge difference."
"Their success is our success, especially when you treat external designers as part of the team."
"We stopped chasing perfection and embraced continuous progress instead."
"Don't design your toolkit in tools that require special licenses."
"Having a toolkit sponsor is essential for overcoming resistance to user-centered methods."
"Manage the toolkit updates as an active project to keep the content fresh."
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