GUIDING Principles

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When I discovered UX, the field was still brand new. There were no courses, few resources, and no mentors—so I learned by diving in, experimenting, and making plenty of mistakes. Those early lessons shaped my inclusive, iterative, experimental, and data‑driven approach to design today.

Over the years, I’ve built a set of core principles that guide my work and the teams I lead:

DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVITY – Design works best when it isn’t just designers at the table.
Multidisciplinary teams bring fresh perspectives and a broader range of skills, leading to more effective solutions. Like genetic diversity strengthens a species, team diversity strengthens ideas. My role is to create a safe, structured space where everyone can contribute—and avoid the pitfalls of groupthink and dominant voices.

BRAVERY – Embrace mistakes, own them, and grow.
“Fail fast” sounds good in theory, but it takes courage to admit errors without deflecting. As leaders, we need to model this by creating an environment where people feel safe taking risks, learning, and improving.

EMPATHY – Apply user research principles to your colleagues, too.
To influence an organization to adopt design thinking, start by gaining a deep understanding of the people you work with—their goals, pain points, and needs. Change occurs more rapidly when people feel heard and understood.

HONESTY – Let the data speak.
Detach from your designs enough to measure them objectively. Pick meaningful metrics, test regularly, and don’t lean on opinions—no matter how senior the voice. People may have agendas; data doesn’t.