Robin Klaus

I wanted to spend some time considering the business case for accessibility. I remember reading somewhere that people, on average, tell five other people about an experience they have. Consider this scenario. I decide I want to head to sunny Queensland for a holiday. I need to book accomodation and find a site that is accessible and easy to use. Because I didn’t spend all of my energy trying to navigate the site, the accomodation is booked in no time. I tell five friends and family about my experience and they subsequently use the same site to book their holidays. They tell five people, who tell five people. You get the picture. It is important to remember that telling five people isn’t restricted to people who are blind so potential to gain business because of this experience is across the population at large. Now let’s look at a scenario that actually happened. I needed to purchase more 4Cyte for my retired Guide Dog. I use a site called 99petshops.com.au which does a nice job of listing product prices from low to high. I found the product and the lowest price (if factoring in shipping) was on the PetPA site. I was able to successfully choose the size of the product I was after and add it to my cart but unfortunately I was not able to check out. Some of the issues I encountered included: 1. heading levels that were not presented in a hierarchical order, affecting ability to understand relationships of items on the page. 2. links that are images with no alternative text and 3. a “cart” button that I could not seem to activate with a screen reader. From what I could ascertain during the limited time I was on the site, they used ARIA in a creative way. My screen reader automatically made an announcement when somebody purchased a product. I can see the marketing value in this, but it unfortunately added to the busy nature of the page. Generally speaking, I have limited time to navigate barriers and it is my policy to explore comparable options if access is an issue. How could sites presenting these issues be designed in a way promoting access? 1. Add text to image links. Image links can be useful when there are language or learning barriers. 2. Add alternative text to the images or hide them to a screen reader, depending on the context. 3. Make sure that all elements of the page can be accessed by a keyboard. 4. Work with designers within your sector who create accessible designs. 5. Carry out market research and get feedback on the usability of the page. 6. Enjoy the profits as people share their positive experiences and business increases.

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Weekends are not the same when job-hunting! 🙈 🎨 Job-Hunting Tips for Designers: Tried, Tested, and Absolutely Aussie 🎨 Alright, fellow designers, let’s have a chat about the art of finding a job (pun intended). Whether you’re fresh out of uni or have years of experience under your belt, job hunting can feel like that moment when your WiFi cuts out mid-Zoom—frustrating, right? But fear not, I’ve been there, done that, and got the branded company T-shirt. So, here are a few mega mind thinker tips to help you land that next big gig! 1. Leverage your skills like you’re MacGyver with a paperclip You’ve got the tools: UX, CX, wireframes, sketches, service design… the whole shebang. Now, show them off. Use your portfolio as the best storytelling tool you have. I once made a wireframe that even got my cat’s attention (true story). Make sure every piece of work tells the story of not just what you did but the impact you had. 2. Contacts, network, and the power of a coffee chat ☕️ Networking is key, and no, I’m not just talking about those cringey “can we connect” LinkedIn messages. Be genuine! I once had a casual coffee with a former colleague, which led to a project down the line. Be open to chats, even if it’s just to catch up. You never know where they’ll lead (sometimes to job offers, sometimes to really good banana bread). 3. Positive thinking: Channel your inner Steve Jobs There will be moments when rejection emails pile up faster than unsolicited spam. But keep your chin up! A while ago, I got knocked back for a role I thought was my dream job. Fast forward six months, I landed something even better. The right opportunity will come—stay positive, keep refining your craft, and don’t let setbacks become full stops. 4. Discipline: Treat job hunting like your 9-5 It’s easy to feel discouraged, but discipline is your best mate here. Set goals—apply for 3 jobs a day, reach out to 5 people, etc. Stick to the plan, and yes, give yourself a knock-off time. I found balance by setting aside time for upskilling in the mornings, job applications by lunch, and, of course, Netflix after 5 pm. Bonus Tip: Don’t forget to have a laugh This process is tough. Keep things light when you can. For me, cracking a joke during interviews or even a bit of self-deprecating humour about the joys of design challenges has worked wonders. After all, who doesn’t want to work with someone who brings positivity into a team? Now over to you lot—what are your go-to tips for nailing the job hunt? Share your thoughts, and let’s help each other out on this wild ride of what’s next! 🎢 #DesignLife #JobHuntTips #CreativeCareers #NetworkingLikeABoss #PositiveThinking #UXDesigner #ServiceDesign

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Designers - how are you championing accessibility best practices in your team? More and more, I'm seeing this become a listed requirement in job descriptions. Front-and-centre too, rather than a tacked-on afterthought. With more conversations happening around neurodiversity and disability, universal usability has come to the forefront of strategic design teams' minds. With accessibility becoming a high-priority requirement for designers, I want to hear from you. How have you adapted to this change in the market, and what would you recommend to new designers to bridge this skills gap?

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What are the best design, product and alround tech events these days? I've been out of the loop since covid but would like to get out and about more. AND if anyone is interested in hosting me talk about how designers should move into product, let me know!

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So I'm seeing alot of UX/UI Design/Research/Lead positions being advertised (and sent to me by recruiters) around Australia. Something that I'm a little puzzled by, is the blurb and skillset tags in every single advert, omits any mention of accessibility. While I certainly wouldn't consider it the biggest part of my job, given that I have been working in the higher ed/govt space for a long time now, it's kinda essential to at least have SOME knowledge - or at least some grasp of the legislation around it. Because UX without accessibility just becomes "some user experience" - which SUX (see what I did there?). So, out of curiosity - hirers and recruiters - why is there no conversation around accessibility in the UX/UI space in the recruitment/talent attraction space? Genuinely interested to hear your thoughts! Would love to find a way to get it more spoken about in the recruitment space. As a reward (and maybe as a bit of a lure), here's a photo of my new pup, Henry - devoid of any context. You're welcome 😉

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Design is not limited to a screen. Culture, services, even relationships (sad as it sounds) have much to gain from design thinking. I’m hosting a panel next Wednesday in Melbourne called “Design Beyond Boxes” where I’ll be interviewing three people who have taken their UX design skills into new domains. The problem is, I’ve had a late drop-out that I need to replace. If you know a Melbourne-based black-belt professional who has gone from UX into legal design, org design, spatial design, designing AI products or things you can touch, please introduce me. Bonus points for interesting journeys or diverse perspectives

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Will I ever stop talking about the business value of design? NEVER. Designers are under selling themselves if they don't know how to connect the dots. It only took me first half of my career working directly with founders to build business through different stages, plus 7 years to build my own side hustle from nearly drain out my life savings to turning over multi six figures to figured out:👇 Designers absolutely need to know more than design to succeed in the business eco system. so where do you even start? All will be revealed in this session. Warning: this talk will be filled with relationship analogies. come for a laugh 😂 ✌️🌈🚀 #businessdesign #designcareer #productdesign #uxdesign

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Next week. I'm talking about disconnection of business and design Atlassian Sydney. Looking forward to share few nuggets about getting these two to talk to each other. Thank you for the crew behind the scene Kevin Wilkins, Lydia Bradshaw, Sylvia Luk, Ashlee King, Sarah Stokes, Tim Dixon, PhD, Timothy Parker for organising. Reminder for everyone, I also run a half day in bootcamp on 21st JUNE in Sydney on - Mastering Business Acumen for Designers. Link in comment. 💬🔗 #businessdesigner #productdesigner #productstrategy

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"1) When hard decisions need to be made, have bias towards the customer, 2) Customer discovery should not only ask questions from the customer but how you innovate on behalf of the customer, 3) Observe and find that emotionally held customer pain point even when the customer cannot see it, 4) Leverage techniques from other industry leaders and finally, 5) Commitment to measuring customer's love for the product and iterate until you get it right" https://lnkd.in/g6zu7NAH

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It doesn't matter how good your design education is, if the business doesn't understand design, or why it needs you! Frustratingly, organisations just don't seem to understand that when they want to change something, or do something new, they are embarking on a design process, not a build process. Design shouldn't be seen as an operational cost, it's an investment in future outcomes, and that process requires the effective product management of designers, developers, architects, analysts, and business SMEs all working together! Even developers are are part of the design process because until it's in production, there are still unknowns, and challenges. I often say, if your business was a hotel, would you employ your operational staff to build it for you? Or would you buy bricks, and hire bricklayers and give them a fixed deadline? Or would you want to hire expert designers, and architects, surveyors, engineers, electricians etc etc?! #design #productmanagement #strategy #whatisproduct

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Oof. I feel this one in my bones. The ‘forever war’ of all the labour input above and beyond doing the actual job can be demoralizing. The Canadian public service sorely needs UX and design talent to modernize services to a standard that meets public needs and expectations, but we won’t succeed if UX is simply relegated to a single team or function (or better yet, several siloed teams 😜) within a broader organization that needs to shift its ways of thinking and operating. While we rarely question the expertise of lawyers, doctors, or engineers, expertise in UX, design, and digital communications areas is dismissed and invalidated on a regular basis. Over time, some grow tired of fighting. I’ve watched friends and colleagues leave lucrative government jobs due to burnout and a lack of institutional support and understanding for their work, a lack of respect for and recognition of best practices established over decades of research that have flown under the radar of those who are unaware of or only recently learning about this entire field. So far, I stay because I’m passionate about the mission. I believe we can provide better services to people who need them. But it needs to be a group effort with everyone on board —from the top down and bottom up, across siloed verticals. I hope we can build mutual understanding, be dissatisfied together, and collaborate as agents of change. I deeply wish I could just do my job without disrupting the status quo, but that’s just not how it works. Take care of yourself and support each other out there. ❤️✌🏻

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The Note Taker - Unsung hero in user research 💥 💡 🔥 Over 15 years in UX research, the work I’m most proud of—and that’s had the greatest impact— involved the support of a note taker ... whose regular role ranged from BAs and engineers to designers, fellow URs, PMs, DMs, and engagement leads... you name it! But sometimes I still get asked: ❓“Why do you need a note taker?” ❓“Can’t you just take notes yourself?” ❓“Aren’t automated transcripts enough?” Here’s the truth ... 👉 a good note taker is so much more than just someone who jots down notes. 👉 In fact, the term ‘note taker’ seriously undersells the value they bring. 👉 Their true impact? Better research, better business outcomes, and stronger teams—ultimately benefiting the users who rely on the products and services we create in tech and beyond. Why a note taker is good for business 🔹 Higher quality insights leading to more informed decisions. 🔹 Faster turnarounds, keeping projects on track. 🔹 Mitigating risks of delays by avoiding single points of failure, especially during research-heavy phases like discovery. Why a note taker is good for morale 🔹 Prevents burnout by supporting the researchers’ wellbeing 🔹 Encourages collaboration and shared understanding 🔹 Provides support and camaraderie that can be more impactful than any team-building exercise. Why a note taker is good for quality 🔹 Reduces biases from only one person being familiar with the research data e.g. sunk cost fallacy, availability heuristic, recency bias, attentional bias, and more! 🔹 Prevents siloed work by opening up the research process to others on the team 🔹 Research knowledge continuity, speeding up onboarding and reducing ramp-up time on follow-up projects. 🔹 Ensures richer insights and stronger recommendations. Two heads are indeed better than one. So... is a note taker always needed when doing research? No, not always, but here's when I think it's particularly beneficial to bring in a note taker: ⚡ The phase of the work is generative/discovery research. ⚡ Timelines are ambitious, quick research turnaround is needed, single points of failure are high risk. ⚡ High-quality insights are a top priority ⚡ The researcher is new to the project and/or domain, a note taker who helps sense-make adds perspective and value. ✨ User research is a team sport, and note takers are star players. Thank you to all the note takers everywhere! We see you and appreciate you 👏 🏅 ❓Have you worked with an exceptional note taker who elevated your research process? Or maybe you’ve taken on the role yourself? Share your experiences or thoughts below—let’s celebrate the unsung heroes of UX together! 👇 #UXResearch #Collaboration #Teamwork #Wellbeing #UserExperience #BusinessNeed Image by Ash Lamb ---- 💬 Want a friendly chat about all things UX or how I might help you in your career? ➡ DM me or book an intro chat here: https://lnkd.in/erzqHcX8

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Who likes free stuff?! Me, me, me 🙋‍♂️ Generation Australia welcomes everyone to join our free 14-week course for web development. This inclusive opportunity is perfect for those looking to upskill and venture into the world of digital products. Moreover, we provide dedicated #mentorship to neurodivergent individuals, ensuring they have the support they need to succeed. Given the staggering statistic that 4 out of 5 #autistic individuals are currently unemployed, this course could be the catalyst for a promising new career in web development. https://lnkd.in/gZxFzYn7 Aron Mercer, thanks for pointing this my way. Xceptional #ActuallyAutistic #Autism #Autistic #AutismAdvocate #Advocate #Advocacy #ADHD #AuDHD #ASD #AutismSpectrumDisorder #DEI #DisabilityRights #Disability #Inclusion #Diversity #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent #NDIS #LivingOnTheSpectrum #Training #WebDeveloper #Developer #DEI #FreeStuff

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❓If you were a designer starting their UX journey where would you turn for training/upskilling? I’ve been speaking with a few junior-mid designers recently - all digital natives who want to transition to a more product focused design career. Back in the day General Assembly would come up a lot in conversation when discussing UX courses. More recently CareerFoundry & Coursera have been bandied about. “I’m sure my network would have some brilliant recommendations”, I thought 💡 So over to you. Where would you signpost aspiring Product/UX designers in 2024? #uxdesign #productdesign #uxdesigncourses **please share recommendations in the comments 🙏🏼

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When you include Accessibility from the start… 1. You will make navigating your website easier for everybody. 2. You will have more inclusive discussions with your clients. 3. You will work better with your suppliers. 4. You will be able to support a more diverse and inclusive workplace. 5. You remove the need to fix accessibility barriers because they don’t exist. #Accessibility #Digital #Inclusion #BitesizeAccessibility #DisabilityInclusion

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Design Systems doing less. What’s that all about? Has anyone read anything compelling about the trend for design systems that I’m seeing which is to “do less”, “make less”, and even go as far as “we’re not making anything new”? I don’t currently understand it. If there’s a need for a thing, why not make it/centralise it. I’d like to understand it.

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