Ritzie WilliamsUX & Product Design Leader | Data‑Driven, User‑Centered, and Focused on Business Growth | Strategy, Research & Scalable Systems

I Don’t Start Designing Until This Happens

Name: I Don’t Start Designing Until This Happens
Uploaded: 2025-06-01T16:30:40+00:00
Duration: 1 min 24 s
Channel: Ritzie Williams
Description: In this concise monologue, the speaker shares a practical onboarding checklist for new UX designers joining a company. The advice emphasizes first…

1 Jun 2025 · 1 min

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1:24

In this concise monologue, the speaker shares a practical onboarding checklist for new UX designers joining a company. The advice emphasizes first building relationships with teammates, reviewing any onboarding documentation, and inspecting the company’s design system. The speaker stresses the importance of understanding the current product, distinguishing what is already in production from what is merely designed, and learning the product roadmap and existing processes. Ensuring access to required tools and software is highlighted as a prerequisite before starting design work. Finally, the speaker warns against making radical design changes without first grasping the team’s established workflows, urging new designers to ask questions, observe the existing landscape, and integrate thoughtfully into the collaborative environment.

Chapters

You just joined a new company. What's the first UX thing you look for? I mean, the first thing I do when I join a company is probably just get to know everyone, say hello. If I had an interview with them, I say hello again. After that, it depends on their onboarding experience. If they have some stuff to do, learn about the company, things like that. Something I think is important is to look and see the structure of their design system, or if they have a design system. Or just really familiarize yourself with the product or the area you're going to be working on. That being said, you should see what's in production versus what's designed. Maybe find out about the roadmap, find out more about what you're going to be working on. Make sure you have access to your software and a computer, things like that. I don't think like, you know, rushing into design, you know, is quick, but I think trying to make sure you have the context so that when you start getting projects, you're in a position to actually discuss things and work with people. Make sure you also know about the process too. I think if you come in and try to make radical changes, it becomes problematic and people have a hard time like adapting. So make sure you understand how people are used to working. It's the same thing for like designing, designing products. You are also working with people too, so you have to think about their experience. So that's the first thing I do is really just start talking, asking questions, and just figuring the, uh, the lay of the land.