by Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIME In the mid-1990s, the discipline now known as user experience (UX) began to take center stage in the world of business. It helped save us from the dot-com bust. It birthed almost an entirely new breadth of career opportunities. It even helped achieve a paradigm…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIME Introduction Over the course of my career (in and out of UX), I’ve encountered a vast list of leadership types and their associated traits. I’ve observed them thoroughly and developed a lot of sentiments about them. Fast forward to today. Now, I’m frequently asked how to…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIME Intro What is critical thinking? According to the folks at Thinknetic (one of the authors on the following list of book recommendations), critical thinking is defined as “the ability to think about connected ideas thoroughly and independently, basing those ideas on factual evidence.” A practical expansion…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIME I’ve been advocating for the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) among UX professionals for several years now. I’ve delivered a talk on the same multiple times over the past few years and am currently presenting the topic on my podcast. The most frequently asked question…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIME Have you ever discovered a nail in your car’s tire? Are you aware of the potential risk of driving with a nail in your tire? Consider the following: According to CarParts.com, “The longer you drive with a nail in your tire, the higher the risk…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIME Entering and operating in the world of UX involves a commitment to lifelong learning. For this reason, it is important for new and aspiring UXers (and even more advanced UXers, at times) to engage with viable, trustworthy, and practical sources of education, especially in this…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIME Talk to aspiring UX professionals around the world and you’ll find that the most common challenge (and frustration) among them involves the pursuit of the first job. “I’ve applied to several UX jobs and can’t even get an interview,” is echoed around the world —…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD Originally published in 2016, this piece was written as a partner post to “When a UX Professional Speaks.” It provides additional insights into the psyche and persona of UX professionals, helping aspiring UXers, stakeholders, and leaders to understand how true UX professionals are wired. After all…

by Darren Hood, MSUXD With all of the book recommendation lists I’ve created, I was a little surprised at myself for waiting so long to create this one. UX research (UXR) is extremely popular today. Most of the new and aspiring UXers I speak with express a desire to specialize…