Resources
Books
This is my all-time favorite UX book. It is so practical and concise and beautifully designed. And funny.
The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition
A classic from Don Norman, the man who originally coined the term “user experience” in the 1990s when he worked for Apple.
The User Experience Team of One: A Research and Design Survival Guide
As someone who has often had to be a UX team of one, I found this book to be amazingly helpful. Plus Leah Buley’s writing style is conversational and easy to read.
Intuitive Design: Eight Steps to an Intuitive UI
Everett’s “Eight Attributes of Intuitive UI” is a modern set of principles that we can all strive to design to and test our designs against. Very practical book with lots of great examples.
Stop Thinking Like a Freelancer: The Evolution of a $1M Web Designer
If you decide to go the freelancer/consultant route, this one is a must read.
Another great read if you’re thinking about freelancing/consulting.
Rocket Surgery Made Easy: The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Finding and Fixing Usability Problems
Steve Krug’s follow-up to Don’t Make Me Think. This one focuses on usability testing.
A practical high-level overview of the user-centered design/UX process, and all the players (and deliverables) involved.
Experience Required: How to become a UX leader regardless of your role (Voices That Matter)
Real-world straight-talking advice from UX veteran Robert Hoekman Jr.
Discussing Design: Improving Communication and Collaboration through Critique
How to collaborate with other UXers and give/take design feedback in a positive and productive way.
UX Strategy: How to Devise Innovative Digital Products that People Want
I rented this ebook three times and finally bought the paperback copy because I kept wanting to refer back to it.
Great premise – Sierra argues that products are the most successful when they make their users feel like a badass (versus making them feel stupid or inept). People who can get awesome things done with your product will sing its praises to the world.
Web Form Design: Filling in the Blanks
An oldie but goodie (and still applicable today). LukeW always does a great job combining insight, metrics, and practical advice.
The OG book on user experience, by the guy with the coolest name in the industry.
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
Using design thinking to design your life, from two professors at Stanford. I love this book, have read it three times.
Lean UX: Designing Great Products with Agile Teams
Less documentation for the sake of documentation? Yes, please!
This is where the concept of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) comes from.
Letting Go of the Words, Second Edition: Writing Web Content that Works (Interactive Technologies)
Great book about writing for the web, recommended by Steve Krug in Don’t Make Me Think.
Articles
15 More Companies That No Longer Require a Degree—Apply Now
Glassdoor. Jan 5, 2018. By Amy Elisa Jackson.
How to list accomplishments on your resume when your job doesn’t have easy measures
Ask a Manager blog. June 24, 2013. By Alison Green.
Uber case study – from Simon Pan’s UX portfolio
Great Design Portfolios Are Great Stories
Medium. Feb 24, 2015. By Simon Pan.
The Rise of the UX Gold Rush
Forbes. July 15, 2017. By Modicum.
A Simple Formula for Answering “Tell Me About Yourself”
The Muse. By Kathryn Minshew.
2018’s UX Designer Salary Forecast
Medium. Nov 26, 2017. By Justin Baker.
In Head-Hunting, Big Data May Not Be Such a Big Deal (interview with Laszlo Bock)
The New York Times. June 19, 2013. By Adam Bryant.
Learnings from Product Design Interviews
Medium. Oct 3, 2017. By Weston Karnes.
Corporate UX Maturity: Stages 1-4
Corporate UX Maturity: Stages 5-8
Nielsen Norman Group. Apr 24 and May 1, 2006. By Jakob Nielsen.
Salary Trends for UX Professionals
Nielsen Norman Group. Jan 2, 2015. By Jakob Nielsen.