Experienced User Experience Generalist
Gloria Petron
I specialize in employee-facing products within highly regulated industries.
What I do
I specialize in helping teams figure out complex workflows they need to build for their internal teams (for example, portfolio modeling tools), especially if they've tried and failed before and the stakes are large. I've developed this expertise from working in Financial Services and in Law over the past 20+ years. My style is 80% qualitative/20% quantitative. While I have worked on external client-facing sites and services in the past, I find internal apps offer a lot more freedom.
Rules I follow
I always insist on doing at least few rounds of 1:1 interviews with actual users of a product I'm designing, to understand their day-to-day existence and how their current tools are failing them. I will always push for a Discovery phase of any engagement. I will always push to include a way to measure and track behaviors.
What I don't do
I don't create or manage design systems, although I have done this early in my career and am comfortable directing other designers to handle this. I also prefer to partner with logistics planners for user research if screening and incentives are necessary. I don't do graphics, logos, or Town Hall PowerPoint decks (although I'm happy to provide tips). I have experience with video editing, but it's not my thing.
Rules I break
I don't take management's word for it when they declare they are acceptable proxies for speaking with actual users. I don't believe Figma should be the only tool designers are allowed to use, especially for prototyping. I don't believe contractors should be excluded from team lunches or holiday parties. And I will ask for mayo AND mustard on a turkey sandwich.
FAVORITE QUOTE
“WHEN I’M WORKING ON A PROBLEM, I NEVER THINK ABOUT BEAUTY. I THINK ONLY HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. BUT WHEN I HAVE FINISHED, IF THE SOLUTION IS NOT BEAUTIFUL, I KNOW IT IS WRONG.”
- R. BUCKMINSTER FULLER