Interview with Melissa Smith PhD
Dr. Melissa Smith is a Senior User Experience Researcher at Google, working as lead researcher for the Artist and Industry at YouTube Music. Previously, she worked on devices and controllers for Stadia (Google’s cloud gaming platform) and on the monetization and video watching experience teams for YouTube. Outside of work, Melissa actively volunteers with FIRST Robotics, an international non-profit aiming to get kids interested in STEM through annual robotics competitions. Melissa holds a PhD in Human Factors & Applied Cognitive Psychology from George Mason University.
We catch up with Melissa ahead of her Conference talk at UX Fest.
UX Fest: What did 2020 teach you about design leadership?
Melissa: 2020 taught me how important communicating the value of UX is to product teams, and how valuable having a strong UX presence as part of the product development cycle can be when world-altering events like a global pandemic cause real-time changes to your products’ audience and the general marketplace. Having an established practice of connecting with and learning from the people using one’s product made it easier to connect with them about how their perspectives had been altered during the pandemic and how their needs and priorities had evolved.
UX Fest: How has your approach to your role evolved over the years? / With more experience?
Melissa: I always used to be (and still default to being) a person who likes to dive in and have impact right away, such as through completing easy-to-answer research questions in an effort to show quick impact for a new project/team/position. I’ve gotten better about taking more time to understand a problem space and being more deliberate and strategic with my first and subsequent projects. This allows me to be both more knowledgeable and impactful in the long run by getting to know all the various perspectives of both primary and connected teams and lowers the possibility of redoing work that may have already been done.
UX Fest: What are the greatest opportunities to improve accessibility in your field/ in design?
Melissa: We can improve having more people from different backgrounds within UX and design by improving education about, and championing the field itself. Ask 10 UXers how they first learned about the field of UX and more likely than not, you will receive 10 very different answers, typically with people stumbling into the field via some indirect or corollary path. Increasing education about the career path that is UX, how it applies to every kind of product that humans interact with, and how its multidisciplinary nature means one can really find the parts that appeal most to them is a way to improve accessibility to the field of UX.
UX Fest: What are the common challenges you see faced by product teams?
Melissa: A common challenge is thinking that you (as a member of a product team) are a typical user of the product. With very few exceptions for a few very niche products, many modern tech/software companies are designing for users who are not reflected in the people on the product team. This is not a disparagement, per se, it is a truth. Realizing that many users will not necessarily have the latest, cutting edge technology, the fastest/most reliable internet connection, or even multiple devices is already a big step to realizing that you are not the user and need to keep that in mind when making decisions about the users of the product. This is a place where UX Research can be especially helpful.
UX Fest: What advice would you give practitioners who are just starting out in their careers?
Melissa: Keep learning! Always keep intaking information and expanding your perspectives. Whether about new methods in your field or breakthroughs in completely unrelated areas, inspiration and breakthroughs can come from anywhere and help you gain ideas to get through those day-to-day mental blocks and ruts.
Don’t underestimate the power of a positive mindset.
UX Fest: Lastly, what’s the best thing you read/watched/listened to in 2020?
Melissa: Factfulness by Hans & @Anna Rosling
We’re delighted to have Melissa Speaking at the conference on
Thursday 3 June, with her talk on the psychology of Dark Patterns. Tickets here.
- On the web www.mabsmith.com
- On Twitter @mabsmith
UX Fest is brought to you by Clearleft, a strategic design consultancy based in the UK. We work with global brands to design and redesign products and services, bring strategic clarity, and transform digital culture.
