From Zoo-X to U-X: My UX Career Origin Story
Photo credit: Flickr user BurgersZoo
I’m a UX Research Director. People contact me via email or LinkedIn asking how to break into UX. I’ve also spoken on a lot of podcasts. Often, podcasters ask me to share my career origin story with their audience. This article will explain how I found myself working in a UX career.
TLDR Summary – I went to school. I worked in a jail. I went to more school. I did research in museums and zoos. I went to more school. I worked more as a researcher. A colleague/friend referred me to a digital design firm. Intuitive Company hired me. I had the right work and education experiences. I knew the right people at the right time. You can do this too. But it isn't easy.
The Beginning
I didn’t grow up interested in design. I wasn’t skilled at creating things. I never built Lego castles. I didn’t draw up blueprints time machines. What I have always been, is curious. I love to learn. I love to read. I love to understand things and make sense of the world around me.
My mother encouraged me to read and write. She bought me journals and scrap books. She told me I should record my experiences. I didn’t do a great job of this. Eventually I realized a passion for writing. I wrote short stories and poetry in high school. Sometimes I shared what I wrote with others. I always held high regard for published authors. I wrongly assumed they were rich and famous.
I wanted to own a business, be a journalist, and write a book when I grew up. I knew I’d be filthy rich.
My Education and Work Experience
I can’t separate my work and education experience. I had three children during the course of earning my bachelor’s degree. I worked throughout college.
I Went to School
I didn’t take any art or design courses in high school. I didn’t take any art or design courses in college. I studied people and learning. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Education from The Ohio State University (OSU). You have to use the word “The”. It’s part of The name. I intended to teach middle school language arts or social studies.
My course load focused on people, communication, and learning. I took classes in anthropology, education, psychology, and sociology. I also took courses in comparative studies, history, human development, and social work. I learned how people tick, from a textbook perspective.
I Worked In a Jail
I worked at county jails as a jailer for a total of three years. I had other jobs, but jailer is the most relevant. Why’s that? I learned how people tick, from a real life perspective.
As a jailer I learned and practiced:
Observation – my job required me to observe and record my surroundings. I conducted inmate head counts hourly. I searched bunks and rooms. I watched common spaces for signs of trouble. I kept a written log of all activity during my shift.
Interviewing – I was a booking officer. I interviewed each person committed to jail during my shift. I had to learn why the person was arrested. I evaluated their personal and health information. I told them how things went in general population. I also interviewed inmates on a daily basis. Inmate insight was key to running a smooth experience.
UX – I didn’t know it at the time, but I was responsible for the UX of the inmates. As a jailer, I determined the frequency of outdoor activities. I scheduled trips to the library. I coordinated other activities we engaged in. I made sure everyone ate and received medical care when needed. I helped maintain a safe and clean environment. Bad UX meant trouble. Bad UX might mean violence.
Respecting others – I learned the easiest way to receive respect is to give respect. Inmates were still people. Their punishment was to serve time. I was not responsible for inflicting more punishment. I was responsible for making sure they served their sentence. (Apply this to UX – your job is to respect users, not inflict extra punishment.
I got a PhD and did a lot of Research
I developed a passion to learn more about how the natural environment impacts learning. I knew I wanted to continue in school. I wanted to research how people communicate about the environment. OSU accepted me into a PhD program as I completed my master’s degree.
I enjoyed getting my PhD. I studied how people interpret communication about the environment and environmental issues. I had a hands-on PhD program. I conducted dozens of studies in settings like natural history museums, science centers, and zoos. I took courses in psychology, public policy, organizational studies, and many research methods courses.
Literature reviews are a critical piece of PhD-level research papers. I conducted many literature reviews on psychological topics. I became familiar with research on influence, persuasion, and behavior change. Three key areas of psychology.
I studied people visiting informal learning settings for my PhD research. I worked with visitors to natural history museums, science centers, and zoos. I conducted interviews. I administered pen and paper surveys. I observed and tracked people interacting with exhibits. I analyzed qualitative and quantitative data.
I took on side projects with my PhD advisor. We worked with local informal learning organizations to study their visitors. The Columbus Museum of Art hired me as a visitor services researcher while I was in school. I conducted dozens of studies for the Museum.
These experiences taught me to go beyond research and data analysis. I had to make the findings relevant to people uninterested in the academic aspect of research. I learned to translate the application of research findings to practitioners. I loved doing this.
I did more work as a researcher
I took a job as a researcher with the Institute for Learning innovation (ILI). ILI no longer exists. ILI was a leader in research and evaluation in informal learning settings. I was conducting research with people for my job and my PhD program.
I graduated with proficiency in common social science research methods: content analysis, focus groups, interviewing, surveying, observation, and tracking. I was skilled at key components of research projects:
Working with clients and other researchers
Identifying research questions
Identifying methods to answer research questions
Developing the research protocol
Gaining Institutional Review Board approval of research
Recruiting participants (often in public spaces)
Collecting data
Analyzing data
Making recommendations
Reporting findings and recommendations to academics, clients, and peers
I had four years of studying and conducting research when I earned my PhD. I also had four years of work experience as a researcher. I knew how to interact with clients, colleagues, and research participants.
I Kept Working as a Researcher
I continued with ILI after graduating. Later, I left to take a job as a Social Sciences Researcher for the State of Ohio. I conducted research and evaluation on federally funded traffic safety and criminal justice programs. I continued gaining experience in key research methods. I evaluated the effectiveness of programs designed for people. I wrote reports for an audience of policy makers and practitioners.
I met People and Stayed in Touch
During college I made connections with people who would be my research peers for the rest of my career. I met Jes Koepfler while working at ILI. She was a super star with ambition, talent, and intelligence. Jes left ILI, but she made a great impact on me. Jes started her own research consultancy in Philadelphia. We stayed in touch over time.
I reached out to Jes a few years later. I was looking for side projects. Jes told me she had a client that needed more researchers. She said it was a user-focused digital design firm. I had no idea what that meant. She was talking about Intuitive Company (IC).
I’m offered a job as a UX Researcher
Jes put me in touch with the right people at IC. IC took me on as a contractor. They offered me a full-time position a few months later. I still had no clue what UX was. But I knew damn-well what research was. I accepted the job. My fiancé and I moved from Columbus to Philadelphia.
I made sense of it all
I immediately realized how my experience was relevant to UX. I saw the connection between what I had studied in the physical world and what I was working on in the digital world. I didn’t understand the terminology of design and UX. But I quickly learned all that. I saw how psychology plays a role in design. I started writing about this. I also found sobriety. I wrote a lot more and published Design for the Mind. IC promoted me to my position as a director.
Words of Advice
What? You didn’t ask for my advice. I know. Here it is anyway.
Maintain bridges - My story highlights the importance of making and maintaining connections. I would have never known about IC if Jes hadn’t recommended them to me. IC wouldn’t have given me a chance if Jes hadn’t referred me. You never know where your colleagues are going to end up. Keep in touch.
Look for non-obvious opportunities – I had no idea how close visitor experience and user experience align. I wasn’t aware the principles of psychology I learned in school would apply to work in UX. Looking back, I see the relevance in projects I completed.
I worked with the Cincinnati Zoo. The National Science Foundation gave them money to add computer kiosks to some exhibit spaces. I tested design prototypes and did usability testing. But we called it front-end evaluation. Same tasks, different terms.
I worked with the Jacksonville Zoo. The National Science Foundation gave them money to develop a smartphone app. I stood in the Zoo and observed people interacting with the exhibits (contextual inquiry). I asked them to use a prototype of the app. I came up with design recommendations based on the research. At that time, I’d never heard the term user experience.
I set up a computer kiosk in the Columbus Museum of Art’s lobby. I asked visitors to navigate the Museum’s website to complete tasks. This is usability testing. At the time, I called it a website study.
I suggest looking at museums, zoos, and non-profit organizations for UX-type roles. They might call it something different like exhibit design or visitor research. Use this experience to hone your UX skills and create connections.
I see a lot of parallels between my past and present work. Apparently, others have also transitioned from museums to UX. I hope my experience provides insight into ways to get into UX. Please share any advice or experience you have with getting into a UX position.
