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Am I trying to hire the wrong designer?
almost 7 years ago from Tobin Harris, Director at Pocketworks
Mike Wilson, almost 7 years ago Have to agree about the use of junior level descriptors combined with senior/management level expectations (i.e. Like running client workshops). It's fairly confusing.
I doubt you'll be able to fill that role with someone competent in all those areas without raising your salary offer significantly beyond standard industry offers.
I know things like "training" and "mentorship" are bad words in today's business culture, but....I'd recommend hiring a more 'visual' designer and training them in the UX oriented tasks and the client workshopping.
If you hire a UX/research person hoping they'll come through on the visual work I think you'll be disappointed. Research process can be taught but taste can't as it's tied to things like culture and personality.
Tobin Harris, almost 7 years ago
Thanks, good thoughts.
Yes, I was hoping for someone who's thinking and experience was going in that direction, even if they hadn't accumulated tons of experience.
In my opinion, Design is a spectrum with (roughly) strategy/research at one end and front end coding at the other. Lots in between of course. In the past, there was what I would call a lot of specialization/focus on one part of the spectrum in a typical design career path. Recently there has been a shift to design roles covering a much larger part of the spectrum. I would say your role is pretty broad covering client interactions, workshops, strategy, planning, user research, ux, visual design, and prototyping. The broader you go, the closer you get to that mythical "unicorn" zone and smaller your pool of potential prospects gets.
Your role probably equates to what most would identify with as a "Product Design" role, but your descriptors kinda indicate more junior level experience ("run a few", "tried some", "if needed"). Do your expectations match this?