Leah Ryz

About Leah Ryz

You know you’re working in UX when …

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression ‘Never work with children or animals’ right? Well, after you’ve read this lot, I reckon you’ll want to add participants, facilitators and even clients to this list. 

You see, since my last blog I’ve spent a few weeks “playing journalist” sourcing weird, wonderful and downright bizarre stories from the UX (User Experience) Community. 

The idea came to me while I was telling a friend how I had to sit throughout a whole study earlier this year in Norway, trying not to crack up every time a participant had to fill in his name on a form. Thing is, he was doing it with such a straight face that for a long time I thought it really was his name.  Which it obviously couldn’t have been. 

So it got me thinking that there must be other amusing or even downright weird experiences that my fellow UX practitioners might like to share with me… and share they did! OK, some took a little cajoling but I got there in the end. 

They’re all anonymous and I hope you at least find them interesting, even if they might not tickle you as much as they tickled me.

Stakeholders: when they just don’t get it

Stakeholders, who needs them? Well, me! I need them, and if you do too I have some advice for you about how to survive the more difficult relationships.

To give some context, I recently found myself having a debate with a friend over the way in which people commicate with one another.

“It’s what you say,” she said, pointedly. “That’s all that matters.” 

I was disagreeing with her wholeheartedly because I’ve learned that it’s not just what you say, but also very much the way that you say it as well.

You see, in my job, I believe you not only need to communicate truthfully, but also effectively. It’s pointless making rubbish up and then ‘selling’ it to someone.