59. Finding a Meaningful UX Career With Justin Dauer

What is the key to a truly fulfilling design career?

This week, I talk with designer, speaker, and author of the new book, In Fulfillment: A Designer’s Journey, Justin Dauer about what he believes is the heart and soul of UX design.

Justin’s insights both profound and inspiring. His journey, deeply rooted in Chicago, reflects a passion for blending design with the digital world, creating a unique perspective on UX design.

We explored themes from his latest book, discussing the importance of finding fulfillment in our careers and the critical role culture plays in the design process. Justin shared compelling stories and practical advice, emphasizing the need for empathy, humility, and meaningful engagement in design work.

His approach to UX goes beyond the surface, diving into the human elements that make design genuinely impactful. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone passionate about UX and seeking to make their mark in this dynamic field.

In our interview, Justin emphasized the importance of aligning our personal values with our professional lives. We discussed how this alignment fosters a more meaningful and impactful career. Our conversation also highlighted the significance of narrative in design, encouraging us to craft and leverage our personal stories to create a unique professional identity.

Topics:
• 09:11 – Why do we want to be designers?
• 13:30 – Find a tool or framework to help you find these questions
• 14:16 – Pause with intent
• 15:44 – “Make Meaningful Work” platform
• 15:49 – Leverage your story to develop your own personal narrative
• 16:01 – Find a framework to help
• 18:43 – Create your own trading card that represents you
• 21:06 – Look at the company’s website to determine if this company fits your values
• 21:59 – Red flags for job postings
• 25:19 – You can’t help your team if you’re not helping yourself first
• 26:42 – The humility of UX design
• 34:37 – Getting objective feedback
• 44:02 – Culture is also bottom up

Helpful Links:
• anomalibydesign.com
• in-fulfillment.com
• Connect with Justin on LinkedIn

Justin Dauer
Designer / Author / Speaker

About Justin

Justin Dauer is an internationally renowned design leader, author, and speaker from Chicago. You’ll find him often engaging with the AIGA’s speaking events, interviewed in Forbes magazine and Medium’s “Forge” publication, and penning articles for Aquent, CEO World Magazine, and A List Apart. He speaks internationally on culture and design, including keynotes at the UXPA International conference, Midwest UX, and St. Louis Design Week. Justin is also the writer of the celebrated book “Creative Culture,” founder of design leadership consultancy Anomali by Design, and a former VP of Design at CVS Health.

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn

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