Meet Oded Klimer — User Experience Visionary
Oded is a User Experience executive who has been driving UX innovation, strategy and methodology within organizations for over 15 years. Currently he is the Chief Design Officer for Micro Focus (formerly HPE Software — $4.5B revenue)
In this exclusive interview, Oded shares his insights on how to lead design and catalyze change within large organizations to improve products and deliver greater value to customers. Oded shared his thoughts about the importance of leadership, by sharing these lessons, he hopes companies will figure out how to embed UX at the beating heart of their products and thrive. I have known Oded for a while now, and you cannot ignore his constant smile, high energy and optimism which reflects his approach toward work and life.
When you were young, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I always wanted to create things. I know it’s a bit nerdy, but at first I wanted to be an electrical engineer and build cool machines. As I grew up, I became fascinated by design and wanted to become an architect who builds beautiful buildings.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
I enjoy taking ideas and transforming them into real live working products while working with creative and talented people. I’m able to impact the design of 240 products and improve the customer experience which in turn increases productivity and generates revenue.
What was your first job? What drew you to work in this particular industry?
After graduating as an Industrial Designer, I co-founded a small company that specialized in web design.For me it was like jumping into the deep end of the pool since it was more than just design. I also was responsible for managing a business, working with customers, overseeing contractors and driving marketing. As big as the challenge was, it was a trial by fire that helped shape my path in life.
Why did you choose to relocate to the Bay Area ?
Professionally, I managed the global UX organization for HPE Software from Israel, and I felt I needed to move to the US headquarters in order to be more effective in my role. Personally, I also wanted to give my kids the opportunity to experience a new culture.
If I called members of your team, what would they say about you?
I believe they would say they see me as a customer advocate, a visionary, a mentor and coach who can move mountains when needed.
What’s your biggest challenge right now?
I recently lead a successful transformation of the company’s design system, introducing a fresh, creative and unified design for a portfolio of 240 products! Most large companies choose to outsource these processes to third party vendors, but I successfully obtained the support of the CEO and Chief Marketing Officer to execute the design innovation internally. This was a great achievement for my design team. We had only six months to create a brand new design system to serve the new Micro Focus entity following the closure of the spin merge with HPE Software. We developed a design language that encompasses the entire company and supports the products in a manner that is scalable, applicable to multiple platforms, relatively easy to implement and feels fresh. The feedback from customers, partners, R&D — as well as leadership — is phenomenal.
What are the core values that make a product successful?
If you think of any successful product, you will note that it adheres to a few basic principles: it addresses the needs and abilities of the end user and delivers value while being simple, easy to use and attractive.
How can companies use design to build customer trust?
In today’s fast paced world, we develop a perception of things very quickly, and that’s why first impressions are critical. Design is the first thing that we experience in a product — before actually using and seeing value from the product. So getting the design and UX right quickly sets the right impression and builds trust in people’s minds.
What was the most important lesson a manager/colleague ever taught you?
Early in my career, I designed a super cool UX and set up a meeting with all the relevant stakeholders to present. I was expecting them to love it, quickly approve and march out of the meeting full of compliments. In reality the complete opposite occurred. The discussion around the concept became scattered and we exited the meeting with no actionable outcome. My manager explained that the right course of action would be to have set 1:1s with each key stakeholder to obtain their feedback and buy-in before presenting to the broader forum for final approval. This was an important lesson in company process and politics that applies to any size organization and I have practiced it ever since.
What do you look for when you hire new people?
I look for open minded people who question and challenge everything they do and constantly seek to improve. One of my favorite interview questions is to have candidates describe a project they worked on in the past and then ask: ‘If you could do the project again, what would you do differently?’
What people don’t understand about design?
Great design is a delicate balancing act — you need to have the precise composition of elements, color, graphics and photos in a perfect grid. If designed properly, people will say ‘Wow’ without understanding why one design is better than another even though they may look very similar.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
I spend time with my family — typically doing outdoor activities like hiking. I also enjoy traveling, working out and photography.
What is the one thing you do every day to keep you at the top of your game?
I challenge myself daily by asking ‘how can I improve; what can I do better? I believe strongly in the old saying: ‘Aim high, get high’ in everything you do.
What’s something most people don’t know about you that you’re proud of?
I invented a unique UX patent that is still widely used across many solutions, related to the display of inbox entities as a grid of faceted tiles and how you interact with them. This may not mean something to everybody, but most everyone has interacted with it in some shape of form.
What is your Super Power?
I Dream big, empower my group and execute!
How do you find a work-life balance?
This is one of the biggest challenges we face in this fast paced world we live in where we are always connected and work with people all around the world. Pictures of my family surround me in the office as a reminder of what is important and I make an effort to be home for dinner and spend a few hours with my kids. I also schedule important activities with my kids into my calendar because they are equally important stakeholders!
In an ideal world, where money isn’t an issue, what company would you build?
A company that develops products that improve people’s lives and health. One of the most impactful projects I lead in the past was the development of a user interface for operating a mobile life support (respirator) system that allows people to live a more normal life. I still remember patients’ reactions and emotions during the design process and when using the final product. I felt a
deep feeling of fulfilment and accomplishment that I was able to improve people’s quality of life.
What is the most exciting thing about being in the Silicon Valley right now?
It’s a place that lives and breathes creation and innovation, and wherever I go I meet smart people that have a passion for creating new things. This environment fuels me and constantly reminds me that every dream is possible.
How can Israeli designers in Silicon Valley make a bigger impact ?
I think Israeli designers have a strong advantage from a skill perspective and in my experience they have the ‘chutzpah’ to break new ground. They are open to new ideas, execute very fast and aren’t afraid to doubt something or create something that may seem a bit far-fetched. While this may sound like a generalization, from my experience it reflects our community. My best advice is dream big, set clear goals for success and don’t be afraid to run as fast as you can!
Twenty years from now, you will be …
Hopefully, working on the next cool idea with a group of fun people ;)
Follow Oded on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/odedklimer
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