{"id":10128,"date":"2024-03-07T13:25:08","date_gmt":"2024-03-07T13:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=10128"},"modified":"2025-03-07T10:14:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T10:14:21","slug":"women-in-ux-iwd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/women-in-ux-iwd\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating women in UX: 10 design leaders who inspire us"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each year on the 8th of March, International Women\u2019s Day celebrates the achievements and contributions of women all over the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This year, the official theme is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inspire Inclusion<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; a reminder that, when we inspire others to understand and value women\u2019s inclusion, we forge a better world. And, when women themselves are inspired to be included, this creates a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the spirit of inspiring inclusion, we\u2019re highlighting 10 phenomenal women in UX design. All of these women are shaping the industry in their own unique way. Collectively, they\u2019re breaking barriers, challenging norms, and empowering the next generation of women designers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Join us as we shine the spotlight on their invaluable contributions and celebrate their impact\u2014on International Women\u2019s Day and beyond.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10130\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Brenda-1.png\" alt=\"Brenda Laurel Quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Brenda Laurel\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/blaurel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brenda Laurel<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: a name synonymous with innovation, tenacity, and thought leadership.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brenda is a pioneer in human-computer interaction and interactive media, best known for her work in the video game industry. She started her career at CyberVision, a small games company, in 1976, followed by posts at Atari, Activision, and Apple.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After two decades in this typically male-dominated field, Brenda set out to tackle the gender gap. She co-founded Purple Moon, a studio dedicated to creating video games for girls. In doing so, Brenda sought to combat gender stereotypes, encourage young girls\u2019 interest in technology, and \u201chelp girls feel better about themselves and celebrate their diversity.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brenda is a firm proponent of designing for good\u2014but she acknowledges that that was only really possible once she\u2019d worked her way up in the industry and started her own company. In reality, many designers will struggle to reconcile their ethical aspirations with the work they\u2019re being paid for. If that\u2019s a situation you find yourself in, Brenda has some advice:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;If you\u2019re trapped in a situation where you feel like your life and your design work are being run by the company\u2019s desire for profits, one thing you can do is say, well right now I\u2019m just going to watch this as closely as possible and learn my chops because when I get out of here, I\u2019m gonna kick some ass and I\u2019m going to change some things. That\u2019s how I spent 15 years in the computer game industry before I created a computer game company for little girls that wasn\u2019t Barbie.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides being a game designer, entrepreneur, and all-round advocate for diversity and inclusion, Brenda has held academic positions at prestigious institutions like the California College of Arts and the Art Center College of Design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She is also an esteemed author, with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Computers as Theatre (1993)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Utopian Dreams and Dystopian Realities in the Video Game World (2014)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design for Everyone (2016) <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">among her most influential titles. And, fortunately for us, she continues to share her expertise and candid words of wisdom on various panels and event stages around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brenda is an exceptional leader\u00a0 in the design industry. Her career is full of remarkable achievements\u2014and, beyond that, it\u2019s a testament to the importance of empowerment and forging your own path.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Watch: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fW3Rsg11rXA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design for a better world: an expert panel discussion with Brenda Laurel, Irene Au, Don Norman, and Aarron Walter<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10131\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Irene-1.png\" alt=\"Irene Au quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/h2>\n<h2><strong>Irene Au<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No list of UX leaders would be complete without <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ireneau\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irene Au<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Irene has been instrumental in shaping the industry as we know it\u2014and she\u2019s literally had a hand in designing the internet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irene started her career as an interaction designer at Netscape, the world\u2019s first commercial web browser. Here, she says, it became immediately apparent that she wanted to focus her life\u2019s work on making the internet as accessible as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irene spent the next 14 years of her career working at Yahoo! and Google respectively, where she built out their human-centred design practices and headed up their global UX efforts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irene is not just a designer by trade, though; she\u2019s a designer by nature, driven by a desire to make the world a better place. She recalls how she discovered her passion for UX while studying electrical and computer engineering in the mid-90s:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;I found that my peers were all very interested in creating technology for the sake of technology\u2014they were just in love with the technology without giving a lot of thought to what they were building and why it might be relevant. I was especially interested in studying how technology can serve people so that we elevate our own existence here in the world and make our own lives easier.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This passion, it seems, has never waned. Throughout her career, Irene has been a vocal advocate for user-centred, empathy-driven design. And, in addition to being an incredibly talented practitioner, Irene is a driving force for diversity and inclusion within the industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following her tenure at Yahoo! and Google, Irene\u2019s desire to democratise higher education and create \u201cmore and better pathways into the tech industry\u201d led her to Udacity, where she worked as the VP of Design for several years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irene believes that designers have a great opportunity\u2014and indeed a responsibility\u2014to make a positive difference in the world:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Whatever we put out in this world is a reflection of who we are and what we value as important. Designers play an important role in helping the makers of technology to remember that we live in an ecosystem. It\u2019s multivariate, there are many lives at stake, and we need to look at the whole ecosystem and how everything is interconnected in order to preserve a balance that\u2019s optimised towards the wellbeing of all living things on this planet.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irene is a truly inspirational design leader. Her commitment to designing for a better world and uplifting others has had a profound impact on the industry\u2014and will no doubt continue to do so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Watch: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fW3Rsg11rXA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design for a better world: an enlightening panel discussion with Irene Au, Don Norman, Aarron Walter, and Brenda Laurel<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10132\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Kim-2.png\" alt=\"kim quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Kim Mackenzie-Doyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kim-mackenzie-doyle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kim Mackenzie-Doyle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a product design powerhouse and tireless entrepreneur. She studied Industrial and Product Design at the Institute of Technology, Carlow, in Ireland, and has been making waves in the industry ever since.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kim has held many pivotal roles throughout her career, including that of Industry Design Specialist at her alma mater, Design Lecturer at Maynooth University, Chief Design Officer at Hub Controls Ltd, and President of the Institute of Designers Ireland, where she currently serves as a board member.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An impressive resum\u00e9 indeed\u2014but it doesn\u2019t stop there. Kim\u2019s talent and dedication have won her numerous prestigious awards, including the Creative Industries Leader of the Year Award in 2019 and the IDI Best Product Design Award in 2017.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kim is at the very top of her game, but she doesn\u2019t want to be there alone. Throughout her career, Kim has worked tirelessly to pave the way for more women in UX.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2017, she founded <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/whydesign.ie\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WhyDesign<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014a platform dedicated to showcasing influential women designers in Ireland. WhyDesign is both a celebration of women in the field and a call for greater diversity and inclusion within the design community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking on WhyDesign\u2019s mission, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/whydesign.ie\/blog\/kim-kelly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kim says<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;If you can\u2019t see it, you can\u2019t be it\u2014an old adage and a true one. Showcasing role models and celebrating their achievements allows women of all ages to see that it is achievable.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2019, Kim launched another venture: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thebigidea.ie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Big Idea<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This groundbreaking initiative seeks to nurture creative thinking skills among Transition Year students in Ireland, with a focus on inclusivity and innovation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;For years, I\u2019ve been frustrated with how creativity is valued in Ireland. We have massive social issues facing us and the generation coming up, yet we\u2019re not teaching the skills they need to tackle these issues. Employers are looking for creative thinkers, but you are just expected to be creative. It\u2019s approached like a talent, but creativity is a skill that can be taught and The B!g iDea grew out of that. I wanted to find a way to teach creativity in our schools, and I wanted to deliver it free, to make it as inclusive as possible. I also wanted a course to suit all learning abilities and styles.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Kim, design is not just about creating beautiful products. It\u2019s about driving social impact and addressing critical issues like gender equality, diversity, and climate change. Kim is an inspiration to designers everywhere\u2014and exactly the kind of role model we need in the industry. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10133\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Sarah-1.png\" alt=\"sarah doody quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Sarah Doody<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re active on social media, you\u2019re likely already following <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sarahdoody\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarah Doody<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Sarah is a top voice in UX with over 70,000 followers on LinkedIn alone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarah is known for her work as a UX designer, researcher, and passionate educator.\u00a0 She spent the early years of her career on the New York City startup scene before embarking on a highly successful journey as a self-employed designer and strategist. Sarah has had a hand in shaping the UX for major brands such as CitiBike, WeWork, The Muse, Dow Jones, and many, many more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarah\u2019s remarkable career as a UX practitioner has gradually evolved to focus on education and mentorship. In 2017, she founded <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.careerstrategylab.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Career Strategy Lab<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014a UX career coaching incubator aimed at helping professionals in the field advance their careers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarah is also currently working on her new book, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sarahdoody.com\/the-product-of-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Product of You: How To Design, Market, And Sell Yourself In Your Career<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The book will help creative and tech professionals apply their problem-solving skills to their own careers, and is due for release in 2024. Watch this space!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the issue of getting more women into UX, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uxdesign.cc\/ladies-that-ux-on-women-in-design-and-diversity-f668e469e127\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarah talks about the importance of representation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;As the UX community grows, we must work hard to increase awareness of other women in UX. Once I said to someone, \u201cWhy should I teach UX, aren\u2019t there enough UX courses out there?\u201d, and the person replied, \u201cYes, but some people want to learn from you.\u201d We\u2019re drawn to and connect with different types of people\u2014personality, background, life experience. By promoting a diverse range of women in UX, we increase the awareness of many great people to learn from.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, if you\u2019re already working in the field, Sarah urges you to back yourself when it comes to taking the next step in your career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Apply for the job even if you don\u2019t meet all the criteria. So many people disqualify themselves before they even apply, especially women. By not applying, you\u2019ll 100% not get an interview. Your job search is not the time to be bashful. So take a chance on yourself and apply.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through her teaching and coaching, Sarah has empowered others to pursue a career in UX design and make meaningful contributions to the industry. Her work continues to ensure that UX becomes the diverse space we need it to be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Watch:<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=i1l8txKPvPA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding UX roles outside of the tech industry with Sarah Doody<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10134\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Morgan-2.png\" alt=\"morgan chin quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Morgan Chin<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Five years ago, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mchin922\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Morgan Chin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was an elementary school teacher. Now, she\u2019s a product designer at Meta, taking the VR industry by storm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s quite a career change\u2014and a testament to Morgan\u2019s ambition, curiosity, and relentless drive to learn new things. To set the wheels in motion, Morgan completed a master\u2019s degree in Human-Computer Interaction at Georgia Tech. While studying, she took an internship at Meta (\u201cNEVER thinking they would respond to me when I applied!\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This marked the first time that Morgan had worn a VR headset, and she was completely hooked from that moment on. Now, she\u2019s once again working at Meta; this time as a full-time product designer for virtual reality (VR).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both in and outside of her role, Morgan is passionate about increasing diversity in the field and creating experiences that are accessible for all. She takes her responsibility as a designer seriously, and her desire for a more inclusive world underscores her day-to-day work:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cVR still has a long way to go in terms of being accessible for everybody. When developing products, we try to think about the risks and impact a product might have on different groups of people, and if it\u2019s actually inclusive of different people. Are we leaving anyone out? Are we testing it with different types of users? Are we representing everybody when we create avatars?\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Morgan\u2019s fledgling career has already been a remarkable success. However, she speaks candidly about the realities of imposter syndrome\u2014and urges others not to let their newcomer status hold them back.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It took some months for me to be like, \u201cOk, you\u2019re doing a good job, you got this, you\u2019re killing it!\u201d It did take some time and a lot of reassurance to know that I belong here\u2014and I want you all to know you belong here. It\u2019s easy to be intimidated by people who have been doing this since they were 12; people love to say \u201cI\u2019ve been drawing my whole life!\u201d or \u201cI\u2019ve been coding since I was 12.\u201d Well, I haven\u2019t. I just discovered this a few years ago, and I want you to know that you can do this, starting today if you want to. You do belong here, and don\u2019t let anyone make you feel like you don\u2019t.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While building her own incredible career, Morgan is continuously empowering others to make their mark on the industry. She documents her career journey on social media and shares invaluable tips and advice for breaking into tech. Follow her now!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Watch: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=MClUS7kZb4Y&amp;list=PLnnlP22pcIEUiW6eSr5GkciwRgESgyk78&amp;index=7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The UX of VR (Virtual Reality) with Meta\u2019s Morgan Chin<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10135\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Emilie-1.png\" alt=\"emilie quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Emilie Mazurek<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of the best UX designers come from unconventional backgrounds, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/emilie-mazurek\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emilie Mazurek<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emilie studied biochemistry at university and was on track to become a medical doctor. However, the further she got down that path, the less certain she became. During a session with a careers counsellor, she discovered UX\u2014a turning point she describes as a light-bulb moment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wasting no time, Emilie completed her UX diploma, landed her first design role at Proposify, and was promoted to senior product designer shortly after.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emilie\u2019s story highlights the value of transferable skills for a career in UX. She identified her unique strengths and used them to her advantage\u2014and she strongly urges aspiring designers to do the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Find what makes you unique. Look at your background and identify what sets you apart from everybody else applying. Lean into that; that\u2019s going to be your biggest asset moving forward. My background is in science, and I was in school with all these graphic designers. The work they were producing was phenomenal. I was like, how am I going to compete with all these people? But I was looking at it from the wrong angle. When I got hired for my first position, I was chosen over somebody else who had five years\u2019 experience in UX, because of my background as a scientist. They wanted somebody who would be comfortable running experiments and had an analytical mindset.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emilie is passionate about breaking down barriers and helping others launch their own UX careers. When she\u2019s not working, you can find her mentoring junior designers, passing on pearls of wisdom through panels and public speaking engagements, or sharing her expertise across various industry publications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Watch: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GNulyzzxNE4&amp;list=PLnnlP22pcIEUiW6eSr5GkciwRgESgyk78&amp;index=9&amp;t=28s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlocking your UX career with Emilie Mazurek and UX Design Institute<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10136\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Jenny-1.png\" alt=\"jenny bjorkmann quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Jenny Bj\u00f6rkman<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jennymoorebjorkman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jenny Bj\u00f6rkman<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a founder, UX consultant, active mentor, facilitator, guest speaker and panel member for various design and tech organisations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a profile like that, you might think Jenny has spent her entire career in the industry. But actually, she transitioned into UX much later on\u2014a testament to the fact that it\u2019s never too late to break into the field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jenny was working in project management and marketing when she discovered UX; a discipline she instantly fell in love with and had to pursue. She obtained her UX diploma from the UX Design Institute and has been unstoppable ever since.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After working as UX Lead at a fintech company for three years, Jenny co-founded <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/interaktiv.studio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interaktiv Studio<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a boutique design consultancy dedicated to app and website design.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only is Jenny a successful entrepreneur and UX leader; she is also an active advocate of tech for social good. At Interaktiv Studio, Jenny donates a portion of her time each month to help charities and not-for-profit organisations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She is also committed to helping others break into the UX industry. Jenny is a passionate career coach and mentor, working with organisations such as Mega Mentor, Women in Banking and Finance UK, and the UX Design Institute to coach and empower her fellow designers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For women starting out in UX, Jenny has some sound advice:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Get out there and find your tribe through networking. Have a look at UX meet-ups in your area. You\u2019ll be surprised by how many are out there, both face-to-face and online. You\u2019ll meet like-minded UXers, learn about the latest developments in the industry, and hear about more career opportunities.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jenny entered the UX industry from a seemingly unrelated field and has well and truly taken it by storm. She\u2019s an inspiration to us all\u2014and reminds us just how much the UX industry benefits from diverse perspectives, brought from all different educational and professional backgrounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Read: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/uxdi-alumni-success-stories-jenny-bjorkman\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From project manager to UX designer: Jenny Bj\u00f6rkman\u2019s career-change story<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10137\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Rachael-1.png\" alt=\"rachael joyce quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Rachael Joyce<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t have great UX without great user research\u2014and you can\u2019t have great user research without people like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rachael-joyce-0b8a6a177\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rachael Joyce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With her background in psychology and over a decade of industry experience, Rachael has carved a successful career in UX research, leveraging her expert understanding of human behaviour to bridge the gap between users and businesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In her role as Head of Research &amp; Insights at the UX Design Institute, Rachael is not only shaping the critical field of UX education. She also serves as a powerful example of women in UX leadership.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking on the importance of representation and diverse perspectives within UX research, Rachael explains:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Working in user research is a hugely rewarding career. Your work is dedicated to unearthing user problems and finding solutions to them, so you do feel like you are making a difference in people\u2019s lives. Inclusivity is essential when we conduct research, so we can understand what different kinds of users need, and how we can make our products and services more appealing and accessible to them. This kind of inclusivity is also essential when it comes to research professionals. The UX research industry needs the best minds from diverse backgrounds, and women have important perspectives and insights to bring. Particularly when it comes to research leadership, we need more female voices at the table.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When she\u2019s not uncovering valuable insights, solving user problems and driving innovation, you may be lucky enough to catch Rachael sharing her advice and expertise in webinars and panel discussions. If you\u2019re aspiring to work in UX research, you only need to look at Rachael to see what\u2019s possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Watch: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/webinars\/master-user-interviews-hotjar\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to master user interviews<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with Rachael Joyce, Head of Research &amp; Insights at UX Design Institute and Sara Hefny, Senior Product Researcher at Hotjar<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10138\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Grace-1.png\" alt=\"grace ling quote\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Grace Ling<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/graceling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grace Ling<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a product designer at Electronic Arts (EA), a video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. She is also a founder, illustrator, content creator, and passionate community builder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a background in computer science and engineering, Grace has carved out an incredibly varied career path spanning research, design, virtual reality, and events (to name just a few).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grace is making her mark on the UX industry\u2014and she\u2019s empowering others to follow in her footsteps. In 2020, she founded <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.designbuddies.community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design Buddies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a community dedicated to helping UX designers land jobs, improve their skills, and make friends. With over 150,000 members to date, Design Buddies is the world\u2019s largest community of its kind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And Design Buddies isn\u2019t the only place to benefit from Grace\u2019s expert insights. She also has a podcast and a newsletter, and regularly speaks at live events. You can find a selection of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grace-ling.com\/podcasts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grace\u2019s best interviews and keynotes here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grace\u2019s passion for UX is infectious, and her dedication to uplifting others in the field is commendable. Speaking on the importance of community, collaboration, and courage, Grace shares advise\u00a0 on her LinkedIn feed:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Instead of looking at other people as \u201ccompetition,\u201d focus on what you can learn from them. Maybe even collaborate and create something cool together. Stop comparing yourself with others. You have so many great things yourself. Try new things. Don\u2019t wait for anyone\u2019s \u201cpermission\u201d to do so. It\u2019s fun and will help you build more skills! It\u2019s your life, not someone else\u2019s. Own it.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grace is a true leader in the industry. And, thanks to her openness and willingness to share her journey, we can all learn and take inspiration from her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Watch: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3AGNnSiahhM&amp;t=347s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting hired in UX\u2014Personal branding, content creation, and networking 101 with Grace Ling<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10139\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IWD-blog_Molly-2.png\" alt=\"Molly mahar quote\" width=\"5000\" height=\"2617\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Molly Mahar\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the age of AI, UX designers increasingly find themselves navigating new frontiers. Leading the charge in this exciting domain is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mollycmahar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Molly Mahar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a seasoned product designer and AI and machine learning expert.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Molly has been designing AI and enterprise products since 2016 and currently works as a product designer within the AI Group at Intercom. She has played a pivotal role in designing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mollymahar.com\/fin-ai-chatbot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intercom\u2019s AI chatbot, Fin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014a groundbreaking project that speaks to Molly\u2019s ability to solve complex problems and craft intuitive user experiences with AI technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond excelling in her career, Molly is passionate about passing on her knowledge and expertise. She regularly shares actionable advice and insights into her design process through articles and interviews, both guiding and empowering others to navigate the complexities of designing for AI.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, when it comes to creating AI-based products, Molly emphasises the critical role that designers have to play:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Don\u2019t leave the contents of the output to your engineers\u2014the experience of it should be designed. If you\u2019re working on an LLM-based product, this means you should experiment with prompt engineering and develop your point of view on what the shape and scope of the output should be.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With her commitment to great UX and fearless approach to innovation, Molly is a trailblazer in the industry\u2014and a true role model for the next generation of UX designers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Read: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intercom.com\/blog\/design-ux-machine-learning-ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new age of UX: Evolving your design approach for AI products<\/span><\/i><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by Molly Mahar.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Looking beyond International Women\u2019s Day to a more diverse and inclusive future<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we reflect on the remarkable achievements of these UX leaders, one thing is for certain: the industry would not be where it is today without each and every one of them\u2014and the countless other women who are working in UX right now or aspiring to do so in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We hope their stories have inspired you to harness your own potential, embrace new challenges, and drive positive change in this exciting industry. And remember: while International Women\u2019s Day is just once a year, we must continue to amplify, uplift, and empower women in the industry every single day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Are you feeling inspired to start your own career in UX?<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Check out the UX Design Institute\u2019s <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Professional Diploma in UX Design<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You\u2019ll learn flexibly online with a university credit-rated curriculum written and vetted by industry practitioners. And, while the course is flexible, you won\u2019t be going it alone. You\u2019ll have the support of expert mentors, a community of fellow UX students, and one-to-one career coaches every step of the way.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meet the incredibly talented women making waves in UX. From mentorship and empowerment to inclusive research and design for social good, these leaders are driving the industry forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":10145,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[348,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10128"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11793,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10128\/revisions\/11793"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}