[IxDA Discuss] How to hire a good IxD

[Robert Reimann]

On 7/7/06, Mark Schraad <mschraad at mac.com> wrote:
>
> The real value in a portfolio review is not viewing the work, but
> evaluating the designer's ability to present it.


Agreed.

I am also not convinced that solving puzzles is an appropriate
> methodology for evaluation. Some designers are quick to the solution,
> others more methodical. Some work well under pressure, others in
> solitude and a relaxed schedule. But then I have never managed in n
> environment where speed is valued over quality.


Cooper used (and still uses, as far as I'm aware) several methods
to evaulate design capability. The online test is take-home, and
candidates are asked to take an amount of time they believe reasonable
to provide a solution. Cooper also has an "on-your-feet" exercise,
which is important to evaluate a designer's ability to deal with the
kinds of situations a designer who is a part of a consultancy frequently
finds themselves in with clients... having to make intelligent, creative
decisions in real time. This skill is also, I've found, quite valuable in
an in-house design setting.

Robert.

Mark
>
>
> On Jul 7, 2006, at 12:42 PM, Robert Reimann wrote:
>
> > [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> > material.]
> >
> > I second that!
> >
> > My additional two cents:
> >
> > As far as using portfolios to ascertain designer skill, I agree that
> > candidates should formally present their work. The difficulty is that
> > it is sometimes hard to tell what part of the work is actually theirs,
> > and also what the designer might have been capable of, were there
> > less constraints on time, budget, technology, etc.  While it's
> > important to see how a designer navigates such constraints (since
> > they are a fact of life as an IxD), it's nice to see what they, by
> > themselves, without usability feedback, etc. are truly capable of.
> >
> > That's why I also favor the kind of design tests that Cooper has used
> > for years (that shouldn't come as a big surprise). It allows you to
> > see a designer's creative process at work, and also allows you to
> > compare one candidate's approach with another's.  I find it to be
> > an extremely helpful way of getting a feel for how a design candidate
> > works and thinks.
> >
> > Robert.
> >
> > ---
> > Robert Reimann
> > President, IxDA
> >
> > Manager, User Experience
> > Bose Corporation
> > Framingham, MA
>