Amazon Design

Aravind Ravi is a Senior UX designer at Amazon Web Services. We discussed how his passion for coding and experiences in software development led him to UX design, his career lessons on embracing discomfort and seeking feedback for growth, and his post-work hobbies that enhance his UX skills. Check it out! 🎤 How did your background lead you to design? My journey into UX was a bit of an accident. As a kid, I loved coding and saw it as my future. I built my first website at 10 and tinkered with C++ to make classic games like Snake and Sudoku. This naturally led me into software development, working with Mainframe, Mobile, and Web technologies. During my job as a Front-end developer, I found myself designing interfaces by trial and error, without a designated designer on the team. I then stumbled upon the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), which combined my interests in Design, Psychology, and Technology, sparking my curiosity to explore further. This led me to pursue a Master's degree in Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington, marking the beginning of my journey in UX. 🎤 What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career? Early in my career, my introverted nature was a significant hurdle. If I had known the depth of negotiation and storytelling involved in design, I might have hesitated to pursue UX. However, navigating ambiguity, bringing order to chaos, and advocating for design visions honed my creative skills to start embracing these challenges. Stepping out of our comfort zones allows us to uncover hidden strengths and improve in areas we thought were beyond our reach. I once joined a team of talented Visual Designers as the sole UX Designer. While I initially felt out of place, being in an environment with a high bar helped me learn quickly by observing others. These experiences taught me a vital lesson: actively seek opportunities that push you beyond your comfort zone and surround yourself with those who offer candid feedback, even if it's not what you want to hear. Embracing discomfort and constructive criticism has been instrumental in my success on the AWS Startups team, where innovation and problem-solving reign supreme. 🎤 What do you do after work? I find intellectual stimulation in various hobbies like soccer, rock climbing, chess, composing music, and reading philosophy.Among these, I highly recommend chess to designers looking to enhance problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Chess trains the mind to choose the right opening, quickly analyze board positions, mentally backtrack lines, and evaluate how things might turn out depending on the move you make. UX Design is often a game of Chess - making the right move at the right time is crucial to avoid being checkmated by conflicting user needs, business goals, or technical limitations. Anticipating scenarios and staying ahead strategically and tactically is key in navigating the complexities of product design. #Amazon #design

Emilia Naberezny is a Senior UX Designer at Amazon. She works on internal tools to improve the employee experience. Check out her story! 🎤 What is the biggest design challenge you face in your space? We have a lot of internal customers who have different use cases and needs. Our challenge is to make sure our design solutions work for everyone. Having open lines with our customers and creating trust is important to making sure everyone is happy and having the best experience using our tools. 🎤 How did your background lead you to design? I went to Parsons School of Design in New York City for graphic design. After working in the field for 5 years I discovered UX/UI. As a graphic designer you ship something you’ve designed and you never fully know how impactful it was. As a digital designer, you have tools and tracking mechanisms to help understand how many people interacted and areas of improvement. Nothing is ever done, it is an iteration and I love that! 🎤 What do you love about your team? I love that everyone is a problem solver. I know I can bring a problem to them and if I am struggling or torn on an approach, I can lean on them to help navigate to the best solution. 🎤 How does Amazon surprise you? I am blown away by all of the design teams at Amazon working on unique problems. Whether it be a virtual reality shopping experience, an internal design system or a tool that can help managers and employees have better and more engaging interactions. 🎤 What have you learned from working here? Customer obsession is real. Before joining Amazon, I considered myself as a representative of the customer, but after joining I realized how I could push that even further. Earning trust amongst my colleagues and taking the time to understand the customer problem leads to a more impactful solution. 🎤 How do you generate creative ideas? This usually happens when I can’t sleep at night. I have two young kids and a puppy, so I find myself awake a lot at night. My best ideas come when I can’t get back to sleep. 🎤 Tell us a fun fact about you that isn’t on your LinkedIn profile! I was born and raised in NYC and my family has been in NYC since the late 1800s. 🎤 What do you do after work? I have two young kids, so all of my time outside of work is spent with them. Recently my daughter has gotten into learning about Ancient Egypt and we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seeing her face when she saw a real mummy in person was priceless. 🎤 What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career? Always ask questions. Even if you think it’s a dumb question, chances are someone else also has the same one. 🎤 What advice do you have for designers? Trust your instinct. You are someone who interacts with physical and digital experiences all day long. Even if you don’t know how to solve a problem, think about how you would feel if you were in the customer’s shoes. #Amazon #design

Today, in honor Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we interviewed Elodie Fichet, Ph.D. - head of brand accessibility for Amazon Devices & Services. She focuses on raising awareness about our devices' accessibility features, creating accessible and inclusive content with an authentic representation of people with disabilities. 🎤 Why did you join Amazon? I found this job by chance, and it's a perfect match for my skills, passions, and values. With a background in marketing communications and accessibility, I feel fortunate to work in a role where I can make a meaningful impact. Seeing the positive effect my work has on customers with disabilities, alongside working with empathetic teams, makes my job both fulfilling and enjoyable. 🎤 What do you love about your team? They are curious and willing to learn more about topics they don’t understand in depth, like authentic and thoughtful disability representation. Amazon is fast-paced and sometimes stressful because you want to deliver bar raising work, which means pushing boundaries; but my team sticks together to get it done—all with humor and humanity, which definitely makes everything easier. 🎤 What has Amazon taught you? I have learned a ton at Amazon. Part of my background is in academia (I earned a Ph.D. and taught for a few years), so I was already familiar with discipline and demand for excellence. Amazon taught me how to bring that to the corporate world in ways that are just as bar raising but also embedded in tangible or immediate results. 🎤 Tell us about a project you were involved in! In late 2022, we re-launched amazon.com/accessibility and created several videos, including the Amazon Accessibility anthem. Our goal was to raise awareness about our accessibility offerings, engage with the disability community, and showcase how our devices can make an impact in people’s lives by making things a little easier, helping people be more connected, more entertained, and more independent. I was the lead for that project—from working on the stories we wanted to tell with creatives, to being on set, to working with PR on dissemination. It was definitely my baby and one of the reasons why I wanted to join Amazon. 🎤 What do you do after work? I love spending time with my dog, cat, and husband. Especially if it involves outdoor activities, like hiking (we’re training our kitten to be an adventure cat). I also read a lot. I read 85 books last year and my goal is 100 this year. 🎤 How do you define creativity? What recharges it? To me, creativity is freedom. Unimpeded thought. It’s a way to recharge and to feel connected to myself and to what’s around me, too. “Unplugging” recharges my creativity. Staying away from my phone and letting my thoughts wonder. 🎤 What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? Don’t be afraid to go for it - whatever “it” is. New career, new location, new direction. Just go for it... better to have remorse than regret. #Amazon #Design #Accessibility #GAAD2024

Ready to take the next step in your career? Amazon Design is hiring! Check out these exciting job opportunities: 🔍 UX Designer, AWS Marketplace: Join us in revolutionizing cloud software discovery, deployment, and sales! As a UX Designer, lead the charge in redefining customer experiences and driving innovation in one of the world's largest industries, collaborating with diverse teams to deliver impactful solutions. Apply here - https://bit.ly/3V1RAec 🔍 Senior UX Researcher, Alexa Experiences & Services: Alexa is the ground-breaking, AI-enabled, cloud-based intelligent assistant that powers Echo and other devices designed around your voice. We are searching for a Senior UX Researcher to generate insights into customer needs that inform design decisions, and evaluate usability of features in the areas of the Alexa AI experience. Apply here - https://bit.ly/3UYgJGC 🔍 Director of Research, AWS: AWS seeks a dynamic Head of Research to shape design direction across 200+ services, driving research strategy and leading a growing team, collaborating cross-functionally to enhance product innovation. Apply here - https://bit.ly/4dFb3ZA 🔍 UX Design Manager, Deals & Promotions: The Deals & Promotions team is on a mission to elevate the shopping experience by earning loyalty and trust of millions of customers world-wide. As the UX Design Manager, you will lead a team of UX designers to create simple, fluid, and engaging experiences that help customers discover and purchase the best Deals & Promotions across Amazon.  Apply here - https://bit.ly/3ypmyUY 🔍 Principal UX Design, Smart Glasses: If you're passionate about pioneering innovative experiences and upholding user privacy, join us on Amazon's Smart Glasses team, shaping the future of wearable technology with Echo Frames and beyond. Apply here - https://bit.ly/4bCgExZ ___ Interested in exploring more of our available positions? Discover all our open roles here: https://bit.ly/3yiXNK3 #design #hiring #Amazon

On this month’s Black Stories episode, we meet Jarman Hauser, a remarkable Amazon leader in business development and a vibrant artist from Seattle. We sat down with him to discuss the synergy between creativity and technology. Jarman discusses his transition from being a musician to becoming a tech leader, illustrating how creativity forms the backbone of his approach to problem-solving and innovation. He offers insights into how he bridges the gap between creative pursuits and technical demands, sharing how he maintains this balance to foster professional and personal growth. You can listen to the episode by searching Amazon Black Stories on all major streaming services or tune in directly here on the Amazon Design website: https://lnkd.in/e4whaHS8 #Amazon #AmazonDesign #design

Our latest project has been successfully launched, and I couldn't be prouder! It's all thanks to our amazing team, whose dedication and hard work have been invaluable in making this major release possible. I want to give a big shoutout to our designers for their outstanding contributions to this project! #design #uxdesign #aidesign #genAI #genUI 😊 https://lnkd.in/ehxmu84n

If someone asked what Mike Walkusky does, he would say, "I design with words." His journey from copywriting and journalism to content design and UX writing was fueled by a passion for improving user experiences, leading him to a role at Amazon, where he works as a UX writer on the Amazon Ads team. Check out his story! 🎤 Tell us about your background, and how it led you to design. Where did you start? I started my career as a copywriter at a marketing agency, while moonlighting as a sports journalist at Bleacher Report. After a few years, I took on a job as the first editor-in-chief at EDM. I built out the dance music outlet’s editorial section and managed a team of 15 writers during my time there. Also, I covered Coachella, EDC Vegas, and Comic Con and interviewed some of the biggest DJs in the world, including Armin van Buuren, Benny Benassi, Flume, Steve Aoki, Carl Cox, Martin Garrix, Illenium, Slander, and Seven Lions. After a year at EDM, I started seeing “content designer” roles posted in San Diego, and the idea of writing content that improved an app user’s experience intrigued me. I didn’t have any experience in tech, so I got my foot in the door by working at TurboTax as a customer support specialist. During my onboarding, I realized that the customer support training manual was really confusing, so I wrote new onboarding materials to make the experience easier for support specialists. I sent the onboarding material over to TurboTax’s content design lead and it helped me earn a contract at TurboTax as a content designer! 9 years later, I’m at Amazon as a UX writer after working as a content design lead at TurboTax, Mint, and Oculus/Meta Quest. 🎤 Tell us a fun fact about you that isn’t on your LinkedIn profile and what are your passions, interests, or hobbies after work? During high school, I played basketball against 4 guys who ended up making it to the NBA. After work, I love going on adventures with my wife and kids, playing basketball, eating Korean and Filipino food, watching K-dramas with my wife, and listening to a wide variety of music with my family (my Spotify Wrapped is full of hip hop, R&B, K-pop, house, techno, and Disney songs). 🎤 Have you ever given a talk or presentation? About what? Yes! I gave a talk about UX writing and hip hop at LavaCon UX in 2020. It was based on a Medium article I wrote back in 2018. Shortly after that talk, I was on a panel at UX+ Conference about how to adapt your UX in a pandemic. After the panel, I connected with one of the hosts. He invited me to join him for an episode of the Roots Podcast, which is a podcast about Filipino designers. Also, I was interviewed in 2022 for a Korean book about UX designers. The book was published in 2023, and it’s available now in Korean bookstores! 🎤 What inspires you? My family. My wife and kids inspire me to be a better person every day! #Amazon #design

Adam Elman has worked at Amazon for 7+ years as a Principal UX Designer, primarily working on enhancing Alexa's conversational abilities. He shares his journey into design and passion for the field below: 🎤 How did you get involved in Design? I’ve been interested in technology since I was a little kid, but it was an experience I had in college that led me to design. I was working the help desk at a campus computer lab, and someone came in who was struggling to get registered for classes using the then-brand-new online course registration system. As I was helping them, I was noticing all kinds of little things that could’ve been designed to be easier for the user, and I realized that this was the part of technology I’m most passionate about. 🎤 What’s your favorite creative tool? One of the reasons I’ve found that conversation design is a great fit for me is that I tend to be a verbal thinker more than a visual thinker. So I find that my favorite creative tool is just a blank text field. I start writing and let the ideas out. 🎤 Share a project you're working on. Conversation design is going through a massive technological shift at the moment with the advent of Large Language Models (LLMs). The capabilities are light years ahead of where I thought the state of the art was just a couple of years ago. It's amazing what can be done with this tech. 🎤 What do you do after work? I play trumpet in a funk/blues/R&B band. We started the band 25 years ago, and although I took some extended breaks along the way, the core group has stayed together and it’s a joy to still be playing. 🎤 How do you define creativity? What recharges your creativity? For me, creativity is really about seeing opportunities to create things that haven’t been done before in that exact way, whether to entertain or to solve problems. Performing music always makes me want to go write more music, and having really great conversations with colleagues who think a little differently from me always recharges my design creativity. 🎤 What advice do you have for designers? 1. Never get overly attached to your own approach to the problem - there may be a better way out there, and there could be a fundamental issue that you’ve gotta adapt to. 2. Don’t be afraid to tell leaders that they’re wrong. But be ready to do it respectfully, and definitely be ready to prove your case, because they probably got where they are by being right, a lot. 3. Stay on mission. At Amazon, the Leadership Principles tell us to be obsessed with doing the right thing for our customers, to earn their trust, and to insist on the highest standards. In the modern corporate world it can be easy to fall into cynicism and believe that everyone is just doing it for the money - but for me, the LPs are a reminder that the path to long-term success lies in delivering amazing products that make peoples’ lives better. Don’t give up on that! --- #design

Learn more about Maestro, Amazon Music's beta AI playlist generator! https://lnkd.in/eTrJDv6X

The Prime Video Product Design and Research team kicked off March with our annual Studio Summit. This year we “caught the spark” as we gathered at our Culver Studios campus in Los Angeles. We took advantage of the unique setting of our Studios location by hosting the Summit at the historic Culver Theater, taking tours of our Live Broadcast and Post Production Facilities and of course, the Studio Lot. 🍿 🎬 🤩 The Summit is a critical ritual for our global team to connect in person, inspire one another, celebrate wins, look towards the future and most importantly - have fun! About the Prime Video team: The Prime Video Product Design and Research team is a centralized group, led by Design VP, Kam Keshmiri. We design industry defining delightful experiences that connect our customers to the world's greatest stories. The diverse composition of our team—Researchers, Designers, Technologists, Producers, and Writers—allows us to execute an end-to-end human centered design process to become the leading global entertainment destination. Prime Video & Amazon Studios #design #Amazon