The User Experience Team of One (2nd Edition)
A Research and Design Survival Guide
Whether you’re new to UX or a seasoned practitioner, The User Experience Team of One gives you everything you need to succeed, emphasizing down-to-earth approaches that deliver big impact over time-consuming, needlessly complex techniques. This updated classic remains a comprehensive and essential guide for UX and product designers everywhere—you’ll accomplish a lot more with a lot less.
Who Should Read This Book
The techniques and advice in this book are applicable to anyone who is just starting out in user experience, as well as seasoned practitioners who have been in the field for years. In addition, anyone who read the first edition will appreciate this updated edition that features loads of new material that has changed over the past 10 years. There are tips, tools, and techniques throughout the book to improve your performance. The various methods detail exactly how to handle a variety of situations—from the timing involved, the materials, when to use that information, and how to try it out. Look for real-life sidebars from the authors, as well as experts in the field. This book applies to a team of one or a team of many.
Takeaways
- The first section covers the philosophy of the UX team of one—why you do it, how you build support, how to identify common challenges, and how to keep growing.
- The second section of the book, “Practice,” gives you tools and techniques for managing this balancing act with detailed methods.
- The 25 up-to-date methods in Part II prompt a question about a specific topic, answer the question, give the average time it will take to deal with the issue, tell you when to use this material, and give you instructions for “Trying It Out.”
- You can learn about the working conditions that a team of one often experiences.
- The book addresses difficult situations that UX practitioners often encounter (for example, the need for speed in corporate environments).
- Be sure to review the UX Value Loop[TM] that Joe created to define UX.
- Check out sidebars that highlight some of Joe and Leah’s personal real-life experiences.
- The end of each chapter tells you what to do if you can “only do one thing”.
- Finally, notes and tips give you handy techniques and tools to use in your own practice.
Available from Audible and other major audiobook sellers.
Whether you’re new to UX or a seasoned practitioner, The User Experience Team of One gives you everything you need to succeed, emphasizing down-to-earth approaches that deliver big impact over time-consuming, needlessly complex techniques. This updated classic remains a comprehensive and essential guide for UX and product designers everywhere—you’ll accomplish a lot more with a lot less.
Who Should Read This Book
The techniques and advice in this book are applicable to anyone who is just starting out in user experience, as well as seasoned practitioners who have been in the field for years. In addition, anyone who read the first edition will appreciate this updated edition that features loads of new material that has changed over the past 10 years. There are tips, tools, and techniques throughout the book to improve your performance. The various methods detail exactly how to handle a variety of situations—from the timing involved, the materials, when to use that information, and how to try it out. Look for real-life sidebars from the authors, as well as experts in the field. This book applies to a team of one or a team of many.
Takeaways
- The first section covers the philosophy of the UX team of one—why you do it, how you build support, how to identify common challenges, and how to keep growing.
- The second section of the book, “Practice,” gives you tools and techniques for managing this balancing act with detailed methods.
- The 25 up-to-date methods in Part II prompt a question about a specific topic, answer the question, give the average time it will take to deal with the issue, tell you when to use this material, and give you instructions for “Trying It Out.”
- You can learn about the working conditions that a team of one often experiences.
- The book addresses difficult situations that UX practitioners often encounter (for example, the need for speed in corporate environments).
- Be sure to review the UX Value Loop[TM] that Joe created to define UX.
- Check out sidebars that highlight some of Joe and Leah’s personal real-life experiences.
- The end of each chapter tells you what to do if you can “only do one thing”.
- Finally, notes and tips give you handy techniques and tools to use in your own practice.
Available from Audible and other major audiobook sellers.
Testimonials
“My advice: Even if you’re a cog in a huge UX team, ignore ‘team of one’ in the title and get this book. Get it whether you’re just starting out in UX, a seasoned veteran, or merely UX-curious. It’s always been one of the best books on UX, and this excellent new edition brings it up-to-date with the dramatically changed UX landscape.”
—Steve Krug, author of Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
“The User Experience Team of One by Joe Natoli and Leah Buley is a must-read for anyone in design, whether you are just starting out or are an experienced product designer trying to push your organization forward. This book is packed with practical approaches that will help your organization, no matter the size, deliver significant impact through design.”
—Andy Vitale, Chief Design Officer at Constant Contact | Speaker | Educator
“Essential. The User Experience Team of One distills the knowledge acquired from a career in UX and delivers it in plain, useful language. Whether you are a professional, a student, or looking to make a career change, this book explains how to approach a problem, what tool you should use, and why you’re doing what you’re doing.”
—Isaac Gertman, Chair, Graphic Design, Maryland Institute College of Art
“I recommend this thoughtful guide for anyone who needs to do UX work in a constrained environment, or who needs to advocate for the value of the practice while growing their own skills at the same time. It delivers a solid set of principles and methods without suggesting perfection is required, and sets you up for success with great advice on everything from choosing the right battles to exercising influence remotely.”
—Cyd Harrell, Author of A Civic Technologist’s Practice Guide
“I don’t know why they call this book The User Experience Team of One. It is brimming with excellent advice for UX professionals in any circumstance—from the lone wolf designer in a start-up to the individual contributor on a multitiered enterprise team. As a collection of methods organized by objective, it’s easy to grab just what you need for whatever situation you may find yourself in. And if you’re one of those folks who thinks wireframes are dead, you need to check out Joe and Leah’s advice on making them, using them, and sharing them.”
—Dan Brown, Curious Squid Design Lab
“Leah and Joe successfully deliver a rich compendium that balances the concrete with the intuition necessary for making a real impact.”
—Kevin Bethune, Founder of dreams • design + life and author of Reimagining Design
“Where to begin? Wide as the ocean, deep as the deepest sea, the discipline of user experience overwhelms. So let’s make it simple (but not easy). Start here, with this singular book, and never stop.”
—Peter Morville, Information architect, animal philosopher, and coauthor of Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond
“A practical, honest and incredibly approachable handbook for UX designers to build support, get off the ground and make a noticeable impact as a UX team of one. Highly recommended!”
—Vitaly Friedman, Founder, Smashing Magazine
“The User Experience Team of One, 2nd Edition is an essential book for designers as it provides the necessary tools to perform their jobs effectively. Joe and Leah help designers understand how to create user-friendly, accessible, and inclusive experiences, making it an indispensable resource.”
—Reginé Gilbert, James Weldon Johnson Professor, author of Inclusive Design for a Digital World
“An insightful guide on how to maximize impact as a UX designer from seasoned pros. Comprehensive and approachable, Joe and Leah have synthesized knowledge and tools with clarity and straightforwardness. It’s an invaluable resource for both new and experienced designers.”
—Jon Yablonski, UX designer and author of Laws of UX
“Joe is one of our community’s most prolific UX voices and contributors, and this new edition reflects his deep expertise and generosity. Were time travel real, I’d gift this to my past self. Now as a UX career coach, it is at the top of my required reading list for my growth-oriented clients, no matter their UX role or level of experience.”
—Amy Santee
Career strategist and coach for UX professionals
Table of Contents
Foreword by Jesse James Garrett
Chapter 1: UX 101
Chapter 2: Getting Started
Chapter 3: Building Support for Your Work
Chapter 4: Planning and Discovery Methods
Chapter 5: Research Methods
Chapter 6: Design Methods
Chapter 7: Testing and Validation Methods
Chapter 8: Evangelism Methods
Chapter 9: Growing Yourself and Your Career
Chapter 10: What’s Next?
FAQ
These common questions and their short answers are taken from Leah Buley and Joe Natoli’s book The User Experience Team of One: A Research and Design Survival Guide. You can find longer answers to each in your copy of the book, either printed or digital version.
- What is a user experience team of one?
A UX team of one is someone who works in a situation where they’re the key person advocating for a user-centered product design philosophy. If you’re the only person in your company practicing (or aspiring to practice) user-centered design with little to no support, you are most definitely a UX team of one. However, even in organizations with multiple UX professionals, you may find yourself part of a team where you are the only UX person…which makes you an honorary member of the UX team of one club.
