Michael McWatters@mmcwatters@me.dmme.dm

#introduction Lasers in Los Angeles. That’s where my design career started. Over 25 years later, I find myself leading product design teams for beloved brands in NYC. The path was twisty and uncertain, but I always aimed to make good stuff with good people. I write about design and other nonsense at https://michaelmcwatters.com.

As I write this, there’s a Product Manager somewhere doing a find-and-replace in their product brief, swapping MVP for MLP. Guaranteed. https://uxdesign.cc/the-most-valuable-mvp-9f7995e42323

To potential UX gatekeepers: Be of use. Help out. Return the occasional unsolicited plea for help. Offer feedback with grace and humility. Push back when you see someone else gatekeeping. Check your insecurities, ditch your pedantry. https://uxdesign.cc/no-moonpies-for-gatekeepers-265e59e7dd8b

As seasoned UX professionals, we claim to be driven to create meaningful, enjoyable, engaging experiences. Why should we limit that drive to user flows and wireframes? We should apply it to the experiences and opportunities we’re offering the designers waiting to fill our shoes. We should treat them with the care and respect we claim to offer our imaginary personas and archetypes. https://medium.com/user-experience-design-1/no-moonpies-for-gatekeepers-265e59e7dd8b

Stranger admiring my t-shirt: "Yo! Sunday nights on CBS in the 70s, right? Yeah, I remember that!" Told him he could have one, too (and I designed it). https://cottonbureau.com/p/6QC33T/shirt/special-presentation

Aqua sea foam shame

Why did I open Twitter tonight? Chunks of vitriol sandwiched between ads for drone dog walkers, inflatable t-shirts, and kits to mod your Crocs.

You know the way, right? https://uxdesign.cc/theres-only-one-way-to-design-73f3f92fcf86

A little thing I do for myself, for our team. Bonus: interesting quotes about design!
https://michaelmcwatters.com/friday-design-thoughts-e59fca2686bf

I love that this post keeps getting the occasional boost. It was a fun one to write. https://medium.com/user-experience-design-1/shhh-dont-tell-the-new-designers-590b4f891a95

This weekend a world superpower will crown a new king, a supreme leader ordained by God to rule his people. In other news, it’s also the 21st century.

Text from my kid, who’s going on an Outward Bound-type field trip today: “If I die on the ropes course, tell my Wi-Fi I love her.”

Shhh. Don’t tell the new designers. https://uxdesign.cc/shhh-dont-tell-the-new-designers-590b4f891a95?sk=a8ca5e0099a55793f3ca866b386b0a7a

Plot twist: it was just one user name and password shared with 1 million people

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-25/netflix-loses-1-million-users-in-spain-over-password-policing?leadSource=uverify%20wall

When you critique the work of a highly regarded designer, and that designer says your critique was “spot on,” well…that’s something, right? https://link.medium.com/iGp8VnPi0yb

Photogs and buffs, I’m on Glass. https://glass.photo/michael-mcwatters

Most of my Slack conversations are just me posting Gordon Ramsay gifs in response to serious business questions. Somehow it works. Mostly.

Matter is my favorite reading app. A little gift they sent me for being an early supporter. Stay caffeinated! https://getmatter.app/

For the designers and those who have to live and work with them, an older but popular post. https://onezero.medium.com/designers-live-in-a-hellscape-created-by-other-designers-8cf86593e0f0

What to study if you're interested in a career in UX / Product Design. Semi-spoiler: not available in a bootcamp program. https://uxdesign.cc/the-designers-curriculum-da9325b606ea