Nearly 60 professionals were in attendance for the UX Design for Inclusion event hosted by Digital Diversity Network (DDN) and McCann Worldgroup (MW) on Tuesday, October 30th at the MRM//McCann offices in New York City. The evening included a networking reception and program focused on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the UX and product design fields.
Following welcome remarks from Singleton Beato, Chief Diversity & Engagement Officer, MW and Kedma Pognon Brown, SVP, Operations & Project Management, Zenith & Chair of the DDN Board Directors, MRM//McCann’s Chief Creative Officer & EVP, Sung Chang delivered an overview of the agency’s work, including specific campaigns that are exemplary of their diversity, inclusion and engagement practices.
Chang’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Darline Jean, Chief Digital Officer, Essence Communications and featuring:
- Whitney Browne, SVP, Group Director, UX Strategy, McCann New York
- Peter Gallo, SVP, Director of UX, MRM//McCann
- Clarence A. Perera, Executive Director – Digital Product Lead, Consumer Banking, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
- Hena Siddiqi, Director of Product Design, AMC Networks
- Jaclyn Smith, Senior UX Designer, MRM//McCann
Key takeaways from the conversation included:
- Inclusive design is not only ethical. It increases your bottom line.
- Ensure that diversity & inclusion are incorporated into your design strategy from the start. You are designing for a broad audience and therefore need to include broad perspectives in the design process.
- Recruit talent from different places and with different experiences. Don’t just hire your friends!
- Educate more young people about design as a career option.
- Promote a work culture that celebrates and embraces diversity and inclusion in all dimensions.
- If you are seeking a job in UX Design, ensure that your portfolio tells your story in a way that distinguishes you from the competition.
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