Successfully Promoting UX Design within Corporate Organizations: Lessons from LivingSocial

Introducing a team portfolio or relying solely on best practices isn't always enough to create awareness in a corporate organization about UX design. A more impactful approach involves championing the concept from the top down, much like the Internal UX initiatives at LivingSocial. In this article, I'll share the strategies and tactics used to sell UX as a core concept within corporate tools and how to communicate its value to all levels of management and employees.

Breaking Down UX within LivingSocial

At my time at LivingSocial, the apps were raw and rudimentary, with no significant design. Most applications utilized basic scaffolding from Rails apps, and a few had minimal branding with just a header and footer. As a front-end developer converted to a UX lead, I recognized the opportunity to improve the user experience by focusing on user flows and key interactions.

The process began with dreaming big about radical changes to five screens, prioritizing user flows over aesthetics. We presented these ideas to the CTO and various department heads, highlighting the potential for a 18-month project if they were interested. This strategic presentation was crucial in garnering support from the company's top leadership.

Leveraging Metrics and Metrics for Success

The sell was further strengthened by focusing on a specific project: the Customer Service Suite. With direct and measurable metrics, we were able to demonstrate significant improvements in user efficiency. By reducing the header and footer heights to 50px and optimizing real estate usage, we were able to enhance user satisfaction and streamline workflows. These changes were codified into a Ruby Gem called "Wilde," which provided a streamlined and consistent design language for internal engineers.

The introduction of "Wilde" made it easier for engineers to build user interfaces without needing extensive design time, simply by installing the gem and running two generators. The gem even included built-in documentation, ensuring that everyone on the team was aligned with the UX principles.

Getting Top-Level Support and Spreading the Word

With top-level support from the CTO, the push for improved UX spread down to the rest of the organization. The directive to "get that team to help you" became a reality, transforming individual projects into a unified effort to improve the overall user experience. The success of this initiative demonstrates that creating an awareness of UX within a corporate organization requires not just a top-down approach but also a consistent framework for implementation.

Educating the Team: Beyond the Team Portfolio

While a team portfolio can be a valuable tool, it's often not enough to educate the broader team about UX design. At my previous position, we took a proactive approach to promoting UX within our department. We created a website explaining what UX is, what services we could offer, and examples of our work. We also offered short workshops on various UX topics, aiming to teach DIY UX methods that teams could implement on their own. This educational effort was not just about promoting our department but about fostering a culture of continuous improvement and user-centric design within the organization.

For many organizations, the journey towards widespread UX awareness involves a combination of clear messaging, tangible examples, and practical training. By demonstrating the value of UX through visible improvements and providing the tools for teams to take ownership of their own UX initiatives, we can create a lasting impact and drive meaningful change.

Final Thoughts

Every organization is unique, and the path to UX awareness will vary based on the company culture and resources available. However, the key lessons from LivingSocial and my previous experience remain applicable: the importance of top-down support, the power of direct and measurable results, and the necessity of ongoing education and training. By combining these elements, any organization can begin to build a culture of user experience excellence.