The phrase “user experience infiltration tactics” was enough to get me interested.
John S. Rhodes offers his advice, based on his professional experiences, about spreading the knowledge and influence of usability practices within an organization. Rhodes’ major assumption is that his reader is a usability and UX proponent who wants to “infiltrate” his or her own company with these practices. So, if that’s you: Read this book.
“Selling Usability” can be a scary term for those of us who understand it’s strengths. We are likely working within organizations who do not put the user (customer) first. Rhodes warns it’s not something to broadcast and scream about to colleagues who don’t want to hear it. It’s better to spread your knowledge slowly, methodically, and remain open as a beacon of usability and UX resources in your organization. Control the story, Rhodes writes, and be prepared when the opportunity reveals itself for you to flex your usability and UX muscles.
And never forget:
“The ideas you have about UX don’t mean much if you cannot translate them into something tangible for stakeholders and end customers … the trick is to become the intelligent link between the creative forces in the organization and the sales and marketing folks.” — (Rhodes, p. 99)
That was pulled from the summary of Chapter 17 — “Artful Intelligence: Mesign, Mevelopment, and Darketing.” It represents a recurring theme for Rhodes: Have enough empathy to recognize the needs of people (users) who only think about themselves and always inject UX to help them.
Infiltrate, infiltrate, infiltrate.
Available through Amazon: Selling Usability: User Experience Infiltration Tactics
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