Building a UX team
The UX design team at RBI UK
THE CHALLENGE
Reed Business Information (RBI) is part of RELX group, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professionals. As the company underwent a digital transformation, the design function needed development, process and skills. The brief was to hire and lead a community of UX designers to drive product development forward in the c. $1billion revenue business.
My ROLE
Lead UX Manager
THE PROCESS
Gained executive buy-in to UX design as a discipline
Worked with HR and other function leads to establish a graduate scheme
Decision maker in recruitment and selection for designers
Led education and training for company on UX and design topics
People management and leadership of global UX community
Established and ran annual UX Day conference
The team running UX Day, an annual internal conference about design
OUTCOMES
UX as a function grew from one specialist to a highly-skilled global community of 25 UX designers based in London, Paris, the US, Singapore and the Netherlands. Our work raised the standard of product design, resulting in higher NPS and revenue growth. Our annual conference UX Day ran for 4 years, attracting 100 attendees from around the business.
TESTIMONIALS
“Jess is a true champion of design, innovation and community. She is quick to adapt and injects herself fully in any project, group or company. While she is a team player she is not afraid to challenge the status quo and advocate for change when and where it is needed. I couldn't recommend her enough to take on difficult challenges, mentor and manage others in any discipline, for she is a born versatile leader.”
Ori Becker, Product Designer“Jess has been instrumental in driving the growth and maturity of UX across RBI. She has competently and confidently lead the UX team, championed user centred design and demonstrated the value of UX by embedding it within the product development process. Thanks to Jess' efforts, UX has been cemented as a key function throughout RBI and resultantly, the graduate scheme that she managed grew to well over double its original size.”
Jordan Hughes, UX Designer