RVA Content Strategy

May 20 2022

[Virtual Event] Lightning talks: Tools of the trade

Join Richmond Design Group, Ladies that UX Richmond, and RVA Content Strategy for our next round of lightning talks for 2022. ⚡

In May, our theme is tools of the trade. We'll explore different design tools you can add to your toolbox and use in your projects starting today.

Don’t fear the spreadsheet: A guide to content audits for product teams

Emily Wachowiak, Senior Content Designer, Mozilla

Product content audits may seem overwhelming, but there are practical strategies for planning, performing, and summarizing your audit so that your findings become real product improvements—not just lines on a spreadsheet.

Don't rule it out: The power of ordinary tools for extraordinary results

Shannon Leahy, Senior Content Design Manager, Capital One

What do Word docs, Google slides, and spreadsheets have in common? They're some of the most powerful design tools around. Learn how using everyday software yields better collaboration and makes design work more accessible to partner teams like product management, tech, and legal. Simple things like spreadsheets can help you map user journeys and maybe even nab a promotion (yes, really).

Using Jira as a tool for product and design collaboration

Rachel Rique, Senior Product Manager, Capital One

Jira is a widely used tool throughout the tech industry and, when used collaboratively, it can really help teams stay in touch and get work done together. I'll be going through a few ways we used Jira at Capital One to make sure team members have the information they need, when they need it to deliver quickly and efficiently.

Apr 29 2022

[Virtual Event] Portfolio AMA

Join Richmond Design Group for a discussion about portfolios and ask us anything!

Wondering what you show? What format to use? How to differentiate yourself when it comes to senior or leadership roles? How do you create a portfolio if you're a career switcher and want to transition to design from a different field? No question is too big or too small.

This event is free and virtual for all.

Nov 12 2021

[Virtual Event] In Your Shoes: Job Seeker Stories

In Your Shoes: Job Seeker Stories

Join Richmond UX, Ladies That UX Richmond, and RVA Content Strategy for our final Navigating Design Careers event of 2021. This time, we'll dig into the perspective of people just like you--people who are looking for a new opportunity in the UX or product design fields. Our panel of job seekers will talk about things like: what motivated them to make a change; how to highlight transferrable skills from past experiences; what it's like looking for a new gig in a pandemic; how they address imposter syndrome or not getting a job offer; and more.

Panelists

Phoebe Atkins, Senior User Experience Designer, Adobe

Pollie Barden, Senior User Experience Strategist, Veracity Consulting Group

James "Sully" Sullivan, Senior Product Designer, WillowTree

Ameerah Jones, Senior UX Writer, Etsy

Tyrone L. Frye, UX/Product Designer

Motti H., Product Designer, Listener Experience, Sirius XM & Pandora

Oct 15 2021

[Virtual Event] What Makes a (Job) Winning Portfolio?

Join Richmond UX, Ladies That UX Richmond, and RVA Content Strategy for our second Navigating Design Careers event of 2021. Designers representing UX/UI design, research, strategy, and content design will talk about how to put together a portfolio that showcases your skills and stands out from other candidates. We'll also have the opportunity for 1-2 attendees to share their portfolio and get some feedback live.

Panelists

Kristin Cooke, Senior Interaction Designer, Google

Dane Robertson, Product Design Manager, Facebook

Melanie Seibert, Senior Content Designer, Indeed.com

Sep 17 2021

Finding & Applying for a Design Job: Hiring Manager & Recruiter Tell-All [Virtual Event]

Navigating Design Careers

The design industry has quickly become attractive, yet it's still a nebulous field to navigate.

Richmond Design Group is committed to increasing the accessibility of design and technology to the Richmond community.

With that in mind, we're excited to bring back Navigating Design Careers for 2021. This 3-part event series aims to demystify what it's like to start and grow in a career as a designer—particularly if you're new to the field. Navigating Design Careers is geared toward career changers who want to transition to design; early- and mid-career designers seeking insight into how to grow and advance; and students who want to break into the design field.

This event series is a collaboration between Richmond UX, Ladies That UX Richmond, and RVA Content Strategy—also known as Richmond Design Group.

Finding and Applying for a Design Job: Hiring Manager and Recruiter Tell-All

Join us for our first Navigating Design Careers event. In a Q&A-style panel, hiring managers and recruiters will share some real talk about what to expect when you're job hunting. We'll dig into things like: how to highlight transferrable skills from different industries; the one mistake people don't know they're making; what sets applicants apart; how to get ready to interview; and more.

Panelists

Jessie Buncy, Talent Acquisition Manager, Veracity Consulting Group

Phil Hertzler, Senior Manager, Experience Design, Capital One

John McCarron, Director of Product Management, CoStar

Sarah-Tyler Moore, Market Manager, Vitamin T

May 21 2021

Civic Design & Changing Institutions [Virtual Event]

So many designers go into UX to make the world better. While making delightful commercial products can fulfill this ambition, there’s also an important role for UX in the work of public institutions.

In this inspiring talk, Cyd Harrell will discuss how UX practitioners can partner with public servants to shape institutional experiences that honor people’s time and human dignity. She will share frameworks from her book and talk about the best ways to foster trust with public sector partners new to UX, as well as sharing stories of frustration and success from her years designing with governments. She'll invite all practitioners to make service a part of their career, and show how to realize that goal.

Cyd Harrell is well known in industry and government for her creative approach to user research and service design. Since 2012, working with the Center for Civic Design, Code for America, and 18F, as well as independently, Cyd has helped multiple executive- and judicial-branch agencies in the US apply research techniques and user-centered practice to serving the public. Her new book, A Civic Technologist's Practice Guide, is an onboarding guide and survival manual for tech people joining public sector work. When not at the office helping public servants use design for good, Cyd is a mentor for mid-senior UX practitioners. Her favorite tools are metaphor and (metaphorical) duct tape.

Nov 20 2020

UX Design Careers: Networking and Roundtable Discussions [Virtual]

RVA Design Group is committed to increasing the accessibility of design and technology to the Richmond community.

With the effects of racial and social injustices and a looming pandemic, we are experiencing a time of uncertainty where we finally recognize something that has been missing. We are hosting Navigating Design Careers to focus on people who we have overlooked for far too long. This 3-part series of events is for professionals who want to shift careers and students who have not been allowed to consider design for their future.

Join us for our upcoming event on Friday, November 20, 2020!

Session 3: UX Design Careers: Networking and Roundtable Discussions - November 20 @ 12 pm - 1 pm ET

During our final session of Navigating Design Careers, attendees will have the opportunity to join a virtual breakout room to discuss a specific career path with established professionals in different disciplines or aspects of working in UX.

This is your chance to dig deeper into things like how someone transitioned into their desired field; how to gain or deepen skills in a certain craft; books, meetups, conferences, and other resources that have helped; tips for crafting your resume and portfolio; and much, much more.

Pick from 1 of 4 tickets:

- Product/In-House Designer Roundtable

- Agency/Design Consultant Roundtable

- Content Design Roundtable

- User Research Roundtable

Richmond Design Group Code of Conduct

Oct 28 2020

UX Careers – Panel Discussion [Virtual]

The design industry has quickly become attractive, yet it's still a nebulous field to navigate with high barriers and low diversity. RVA Design Group is committed to increasing the accessibility of design and technology to the Richmond community. With the effects of racial and social injustices and a global pandemic, we're experiencing a time of uncertainty where we finally recognize something that has been missing. We're hosting a series of events, Navigating Design Careers, to introduce and design for people we've overlooked for far too long. These events are for professionals who want to shift careers and students who have not been allowed to consider design or technology for their future path.

This installment will be a panel discussion with students enrolled at Reynolds Community College. We'll explore what different disciplines exist in UX and how different people have navigated their journey as designers.

Oct 23 2020

Navigating UX Career Decisions [Virtual]

There's plenty of resources on how to land your first job in UX--we want to help you take the next step...and the next. When you're getting started, every new project is an opportunity, but how do you identify the ones that will prepare you for your next role? What skills and experiences are hiring managers looking for in mid-to-senior level positions? And once you achieve senior-level, what's next?

Sunny Stueve - Senior UX Architect

Sunny Stueve is a Senior User Experience Architect in Washington, DC. For the last several years, she has focused on incorporating human-centered methodologies, intuitive design, and research into the agile processes of complex, large-scale, enterprise applications in support of National Security missions. She’s currently leading a UX team in support of the US Customs & Immigration Services. Sunny is a user advocate, a UX evangelist, a minimalist designer, an empathetic listener, and a lifelong learner.

Jabali Williams - Director of User Experience

As Director of User Experience, Jabali’s impact spans both clients and disciplines. From working on multiple award-winning website redesigns to leading the growth of the user experience discipline—to include both content strategy and UX/UI design—Jabali walks the line between hands-on support and strategic oversight.

Jabali can be found regularly at local UX events and has spoken at several meetups, conferences, and institutes of higher education including: GoodGovUX, UXPA, and the University of Maryland.

Apr 11 2019

Happy Hour with Richmond Design Group

Richmond UX (RUX), Ladies that UX Richmond, and RVA Content Strategy have decided to join forces as one group to rule them all: Richmond Design Group!

Join us at Ardent to celebrate this new merger. Featuring good beer and food, discussion of design hot topics, and networking.