Project Details
Name: Illustrator for UX Researchers
Client: Newell Brands UX Research Team
Team: Solo effort
My Role: Content Creator, Instructor
Type of Project: Team Education
Challenge
The Newell UX Research team exceled at creating impactful research, but lacked skills in using programs like Adobe Illustrator which put them at a deficit when trying to communicate their ideas and recommendations to designers. They needed basic skills with Illustrator to open and manipulate files so they could more effectively collaborate with the rest of the design team.
This set of exercises is the second part of a two-part series, building on the basics introduced in the first part, which unfortunately is unavailable.
Goals
- Assist the Newell UX Research team in acquiring basic Adobe Illustrator skills for improved collaboration with design teams.
- Ensure the team understands and can use the tool.
- Help the team have fun with the learning process.
Having skills in Illustrator makes creating wireframes of varying fidelity much easier.
Process
I conducted some hallway research to determine which skills would be most beneficial for the team in the to learn in the second set of exercises. I spoke with researchers and some of the industrial designers to understand what challenges they face and what they’d like to accomplish. I created a set of exercises tailored to blending UX recommendations into existing design files, covering tasks like matching colors, creating complex shapes, and familiarizing them with the pen tool – a powerful but intimidating tool for beginners.
I set up a two-hour group learning session for the team, conducted remotely due to the pandemic. I walked everyone through the presentation, providing live demos as we went. I frequently paused for questions or to have them share their screen if they needed help. As we went through the exercises, the team posted pics of what they made to the Teams chat so they could share and help each other. I also encouraged direct messages in case anyone felt overwhelmed or didn’t want to ask a question in the group. In case the team had questions at a later date, the presentation also included videos that the team could reference showing exactly where to find the tools and how to use them.
Example exercises from the presentation.
Outcome
These exercises helped the team learn the basics of Illustrator. They could more effectively work with existing files and confidently share recommendations visually with the designers – which went a long way in building stronger connections to the design team. The researchers even started exploring more of the tools on their own. I was (and still am) excited for their growth and willingness to learn.
I’ve included the instructional PowerPoint and exercise files in the zip file below.
