Hey Designers, They’re Gaslighting You

Prove your value. Justify your presence. Demonstrate impact. That’s the advice a lot of designers have received—and tried their best to follow. They’ve flexed their “managing up” muscles. Practiced convincing stakeholders and senior leaders. Created more slide decks than they can count. All to be told that they need to demonstrate even more impact for things to change.

This is gaslighting. It convinces designers that they’re the problem—that if they’re not getting the respect and visibility they want, it’s because they just haven’t worked hard enough.

The truth is, if your organization’s incentives or CEO’s whims don’t align with good UX, then good UX won’t happen. So instead of burning yourself out trying to win an unwinnable game, what if you shifted your focus? That’s what this talk will explore.