10 Powerful Tips for UX Designers at Startups 🤝
that can help you collaborate better while WFH.
1. Supplementing links with a good looking screenshot 📸
Every time you share a new design on Slack, export the most important frame or just the new component and attach it within the message itself.
I’ve noticed that people check out my designs sooner than expected, simply because I tempt them with a good looking screenshot. It simply works better than plain links and also builds a good first impression 👀
This works for non-UX based messages as well:
2. Adding Figma Links to your Loom’s Comment Section
Loom works really well for asynchronous feedback but most designers forget to add the appropriate Figma Link in their video’s comment section.
Adding your Figma Link simply makes it easier for people to review your design files themselves after completing your loom video.
3. Referring PRDs without leaving Figma
PRD help you prioritise efforts. If your Product Team does not write PRDs, start learning about them today and add them in your Design Process. You can use free programs like Notion or Coda for writing your PRDs.
Once you have read your PRD, use the GoFullPage plugin for Chrome to take a screenshot of your entire PRD and keep it next to your frames while designing.
Switching tabs or designing without referring your PRDs will waste a lot of time in back and forth. I use this plugin for collecting visual design inspiration as well 🚀
4. Avoid scheduling calls during lunch time 🥗
You will often find people in a hurry or unavailable between 1:30 to 3:30 PM. It is better to use these two hours for your own work or rest.
5. Run the ‘Overnight Test’ before your final Design Review
A lot of designers finish their work and decide to open their files when it’s time for review. If you finish your work early, make sure you go through your designs again after a sufficient gap. A new day gives you new lenses.
Seeing your designs the next morning with a fresh mind would allow you to spot new flaws. Fixing these flaws before the final review would bulletproof your presentation. This habit has helped me a long way.
Recommended: 3 Most Important Things To Become A Successful Designer — Sagi Haviv on TheFutur’s YouTube Channel
6. Learn how to win without hurting egos
What exactly do I mean by this? Well, I learnt this from Vizi Andrei. If there is an argument and everyone goes ahead with what you suggested then don’t think you are the winner. In reality, the right approach is the winner.
However, if you manage to steer the argument in your direction without hurting anyone’s ego or sentiments through style and finesse, then you are the winner. Just getting things done your way is not ideal. Getting them done by aligning your team emotionally and intellectually is the real deal.
7. Bookmark your Standup Room and a Personal Meeting Room
Almost all teams have a standup / sync-up meeting on platforms like Google Meet. I’ve bookmarked a personal Meet Room for quick ad-hoc meetings. All my team members have this link bookmarked as “Ansh’s Room”
It doesn’t make sense to make a new room for every lil’ meeting. Every time I wish to sync up with a colleague, I simply text him “Join room” and click on my bookmarked Room.
Tip: If you use Slack then start using Huddle. Plus, Figma’s Audio Chat is a a complete game-changer for in-File discussions.
8. Learn how to navigate difficult conversations
Because not everyone is woke enough to digest unfiltered feedback, you need to know some basic techniques to deal with sensitive people. Learning the art of communicating without hurting will help you in all walks of life. Here are a few examples that are easy to learn:
9. Use Annotation Cards / Sticky Notes in Figma
If you are still not strong with Figjam, you can always try using Flow Kits and Feedback Kits that are easily available on Figma Community. They help me a lot during Developer Handoff. My favourite has been the Annotation Kit by Mixpanel. Definitely check out their other open files as well!
10. Replace criticism with impersonal feedback
Naval says “Praise specifically, criticise generally”. Make sure that when you give feedback, you choose words that target the mistake and not the designer who made the mistake.
The objective is not to prove someone wrong, the objective is to design the best solution possible. Don’t work to become the best designer on your team. Teach everything you know to every designer on your team and then take your own consciousness to the next level.
I hear a lot of people advice others to “become irreplaceable” but that’s not scalable. How will I take a holiday without negativity affecting my product if I am truly irreplaceable?
The aim should be to teach everyone on your team the maximum, so that you can have multiple versions of you working in harmony towards designing and building great products 🤝
Hi! My name is Ansh Mehra and I’m a UX Designer & Storyteller at Zuddl.com, which is a virtual events hosting platform backed by YCombinator. This article is a part of my Foundations for UX Design Series. You can watch one of the episodes here! 📺
Follow me on Instagram for stuff on Life, Design and the Beyond. Take care!
