At 3Ci, we are so much more than an IT staffing and technical consulting company. We are committed to putting people first and changing lives. Our blog is an extension of that commitment. It’s a place where we share information, ideas, and insights to help our clients (and readers) succeed.
Continue reading “3Ci’s Most Popular Blog Posts of All Time”
Welcome back to the 3Ci Talent Spotlight Series where we’re shining a light on Atlanta’s most talented tech, creative, and digital professionals. By sharing the stories of those who were able to find their dream jobs through 3Ci, we hope to inspire you to make your next career move. Ready now? You can search for open positions right here.
Today we’re going behind-the-scenes with Caroline Scruggs, Marketing Coordinator at an Atlanta-based parental control phone tracker app.
Tell us a bit about your professional background.
I grew up in Valdosta and lived there until I moved to Athens for college at The University of Georgia. I graduated in 2017 with a degree in public relations and moved to Atlanta for an internship with the Metro Atlanta Chamber. After that, I went to work for a small marketing agency as an Account Manager. I worked there up until this year when I started my current role.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a babysitter. I’m the oldest of three, so it’s always been in my nature to take care of other people.
How did you get connected with the team at 3Ci?
I went to school with one of 3Ci’s recruiters who reached out to me earlier this year to ask if I knew of anyone who might be interested in the marketing coordinator job. At the time, I was in the final round of interviews for another position. After we spoke more about the role and I got the chance to speak with the team, I realized it could be a perfect fit.
What was that experience like?
They moved quickly, which was great for me. It all happened within a matter of a week—from first hearing about the job to getting hired. 3Ci was so helpful and walked me through every step of the process. They would call after-hours to check and see how an interview went or provide me with important updates. Even now the 3Ci team continues to follow up and make sure I’m happy; we actually went to lunch last month.
At the time, why were you looking for a change?
The agency was great, but because it was based in Gainesville, I worked from home a lot. That was difficult for me, because I’m a really outgoing person and find joy in interacting with my team. Working for two summers at the Metro Atlanta Chamber really sparked a passion for Atlanta in me, and I was eager to get back and contribute to this city that I’ve fallen in love with over the last few years.
Tell us more about your current role.
I’m a Marketing Coordinator and have been here for about three months now. It’s a startup, so every day looks entirely different for me. I’m responsible for managing and recruiting for our affiliate program. I also create a lot of content, like blogs, emails, decks, and presentations. I manage press inquiries, track where we’re getting hits, and make sure our investors are up-to-date about how much we’re spreading the word. Another big part of my job is collaborating and strategizing with our creative team. I make sure we’re looking at the entire consumer journey and that our copywriters and graphic designers have what they need to implement updates based on the research we’re gathering.
What initially drew you to marketing and PR?
My story is kind of unconventional. I started out as a chemistry major at UGA and got into pharmacy school. A week before I was supposed to start, I realized I didn’t really want to do it. People told me that I was good at science and math, so I always thought that’s what I should do for a career. I felt pretty lost after making the decision to give up my spot but ended up randomly joining the PR and marketing committee of a nonprofit on campus and really enjoying it. I applied to Grady and the rest is history. It’s definitely been the best decision for me. I certainly fit more in this role than I would behind a pharmacy counter.
What is the greatest reward of your work?
This company is really unique because of the nature of our product and its ability to help kids. Our team takes a lot of pride in the work that we do. I love that I get to go home at the end of the week knowing that something I’ve done could save a child’s life from a predator or a mental health issue. You won’t find a single member of our team that isn’t extremely passionate about protecting children in this digital world.
And the greatest challenges?
The most rewarding part of this role is also the most challenging. Every day I’m learning about the latest social media challenge that went wrong or news of a young child groomed over Snapchat. A big part of my role is putting myself in these parents’ shoes and being empathetic, but doing so can take a hard hit on my mental state. You have to straddle a fine line between being empathetic but also not getting too close to it that it affects your ability to stay motivated.
How do you stay informed in an ever-evolving industry?
The shift from print to digital has completely reshaped our industry, and things are constantly changing. You can learn one thing today and be behind tomorrow. I subscribe to a ton of newsletters to stay up-to-date. My favorites are Hubspot, Moz, and AdWeek.
Any advice for all the job seekers out there?
Always keep your eyes peeled for new opportunities, but be patient. If you’re in a job that you dislike or you’re a recent grad, don’t take the first thing that’s dangled in front of you. Really think through the logistics and the work that you’re going to be doing and make sure it’s a good fit before accepting an offer.
What do you like to do for fun in Atlanta?
I have a six-month-old springer spaniel named Buster who keeps me busy. I also love going to all of the amazing restaurants around Atlanta; Barcelona is a personal favorite. I also volunteer with the Red Cross.
Are you a tech, digital, or creative professional looking to make a career move? Search open positions with 3Ci and apply today.
Looking to land your dream UX design job with a Fortune 500 in Atlanta? From perfecting your portfolio to nailing the interview, here’s exactly what you need to know. Click below to learn more!
{{cta(‘3f426d18-497a-456a-91a6-c420a007d8ed’,’justifycenter’)}}To stay connected to Atlanta’s growing tech scene and get more real-life stories and behind-the-scenes insights from top tech leaders, be sure to subscribe to the 3Ci Connect Show right now.
As technology evolves, so should the way we approach the design and development of our digital products. To stay relevant in today’s market, many organizations are turning to user experience to stay relevant and competitive. What was once seen as a “nice-to-have” function is now considered central to organizational profitability, efficiency, and customer loyalty.
How mature is your organization’s #UXdesign program?
Take this quiz to find out! #UX 
A strong UX design program can help a business increase sales, reduce development costs, and keep users coming back for more. A weak, or nonexistent, UX design program can do, well, the exact opposite.
The problem? Despite the power and potential of the function, many organizations are struggling to modernize their approach to product and service development, embrace a design thinking culture, and build highly effective UX design teams.
So, what exactly does a strong UX design program look like? We believe it comes down to four main things: your current UX process, your teams’ dedication to UX research, the structure of your UX team, and overall buy-in from your leadership team.
If you’re tasked with building or managing a UX design team for your organization, you’re probably wondering how your program stacks up against the competition. To help you get a gain a better understanding of where you stand and how to take your program to the next level, we created the UX Design Maturity Quiz.
Take the quiz and remember—no matter where you are on your UX design journey, there are ways to evolve your program and create more delightful experiences for your end users.
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Why are we qualified to assess the maturity of the UX design function of your business? We’re subject matter experts with a deep understanding of what makes a UX project successful and unsuccessful. At 3Ci, we’re laser-focused on the elements that will make the biggest impact to your business’ bottom line and help you create measurable results.
Want to discuss your quiz results? Need help executing your next big UX design project? Get in touch with the UX design experts at 3Ci today.
Check out this infographic to have a sense of the current state of UX design and how your program stacks up against the competition. Check it out!
{{cta(‘8b96ba9f-0c61-469f-89a2-dbbf17029881′,’justifycenter’)}}Need help tackling your next UX design project? Our team is here to help. Learn more about our UX design consulting services today.
In honor of putting people first, we’re excited to announce the 3Ci Talent Spotlight Series. We’re shining a light on the talented individuals who found their dream jobs through 3Ci. By sharing these stories, we’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at some of Atlanta’s most talented tech, creative, and digital professionals.
Meet Matt, an experienced UX designer who currently works as a Product Manager for a major home improvement supplies retailing company.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I grew up in Southern Utah and went to school at Utah State University. Initially, I studied computer science but ended up switching into graphic design with an emphasis on digital, dipping my toes into things like web design and development and 3D modeling.
What do you do now?
I’m a Product Manager and guide a team of designers and developers to solve problems for our in-store associates who fulfill the needs of our customers. We own a handful of applications that our associates use in-store, so on a day-to-day basis, we’re working with those applications as well as any other processes that might be put in place to make sure our associates can serve the needs of their customers as best they can.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I went through a handful of different phases, but I was a huge gaming nerd growing up. I seriously considered becoming a game designer.
What initially drew you to UX design?
It was probably being able to work with people. I liked that it wasn’t just a technology job where you’re building things for the sake of meeting some specs or getting some requirements knocked out. It was all about how to solve real problems. I really liked the idea of working with users and being a part of that co-creative process to build solutions that actually work for them.
When did you start working in your current position?
A few years ago, one of 3Ci’s recruiters reached out to me on LinkedIn about the position. At that time, I’d been living in Alabama for almost five years and was starting to feel a little too comfortable. I was looking for opportunities to extend my comfort zone a bit, so the timing was ideal. We had a few calls, I came to Atlanta for an interview, and joined 3Ci as a contractor working on the enterprise UX team as a Senior Enterprise UX Designer.
What is the greatest reward of your work?
I think the most rewarding part of what I do is seeing members of the team be successful and happy with what it is they’re trying to accomplish. I get to help our software developers do their jobs in the best way they can, remove their roadblocks, and empower them to solve a problem in a way that they think will work best. It’s those kinds of opportunities that really drew me to the field and it’s those moments that I continue to enjoy the most—watching other people be successful in whatever it is they’re trying to accomplish.
What about the greatest challenge?
A lot of the challenge comes from juggling a couple dozen or more priorities at any given time while also trying to maintain healthy relationships with everyone involved. A lot of what I’m doing involves maintaining and managing relationships between my team, our stakeholders, and the end users to make sure the work that’s being done is the right work. Working with people means working with a lot of emotions and idiosyncrasies. My job is to make sure everyone’s aligned, on the same page, and moving in the right direction.
In UX, we need to make sure we’re solving problems both for the business
and the end user together. It’s that kind of marriage that ends up creating something sustainable.”
– Matt, Product Manager 
Any advice for all the UX job seekers out there?
When you’re pulling together your UX portfolio or resume, try to turn your work into a narrative. There’s a great example of this in a book called Communicating the New where the author shares an extensive case study around trying to teach children how to brush their own teeth. Whether you have experience in UX and product management or not, it all comes down to showing that you can solve problems for people. So if you can gather data points (who they were, what the problem was, how you did your research, how you designed a solution, and how you learned from what wasn’t working), you can turn that into a compelling story and make a compelling UX resume.
What qualities make a person successful in UX or product management?
I would say the soft skills within UX and product management are the hardest to find. I can teach people how to learn different tools and processes, but I can’t teach people how to have empathy, be insatiably curious about a particular problem space they’re working in, or be humble enough to take in new information and change their mental model around how something supposedly works. I think it’s attributes like that that allow people to come into this space and thrive.
“Soft skills allow you to find ways to make things work for the humans behind whatever the technologies or processes you’re involved with.”
– Matt, Product Manager 
What do you like to do for fun in Atlanta?
I have a three-and-a-half-year-old, so when we do have time to go out and do something, we like to get out in nature. Sometimes we’ll walk a few miles down the Silver Comet trail, play on the river bank at the Chattahoochee, or take a short hike up Kennesaw Mountain.
Anything you’d like to share about your experience working with 3Ci?
My experience with 3Ci has been amazing. It was immediately clear to me that they weren’t just interested in getting me placed quickly and moving on to the next candidate. They really took the time to build a relationship that has lasted beyond my time with 3Ci. They really play the long game when it comes to building lasting relationships with their people, and I appreciate that.
Looking for your next career opportunity in tech, digital, or creative? Search open positions and apply today. We look forward to learning more about you and your professional journey.
Looking to land your dream UX design job with a Fortune 500 in Atlanta? From perfecting your portfolio to nailing the interview, here’s exactly what you need to know. Click below to learn more!
{{cta(‘3f426d18-497a-456a-91a6-c420a007d8ed’,’justifycenter’)}}To stay connected to Atlanta’s growing tech scene and get more real-life stories and behind-the-scenes insights from top tech leaders, be sure to subscribe to the 3Ci Connect Show right now.
I want you to think back to the scientific method that you learned in grade school. Did you start testing on a whim? No—you remember, right? You always start with a question. Then you conduct some background research to form a hypothesis. All of this happens before you begin testing.
An effective UX design process looks a lot like the scientific method: you empathize with users to understand their problems and conduct research to support those assumptions before developing a prototype. But too many companies today are skipping this initial phase of research. As a result, they’re wasting significant time and resources.
The truth is, you should be conducting #UXresearch at the start of any #UXdesign project. 
If you’re still developing products based on what your leadership team thinks, it’s time to evolve your UX design process. Today, I want to show you the outcomes of two very different scenarios.
UX Design Process #1
The leadership team approaches the design team with a hunch that customers are going to start purchasing products via cell phones more often. They read that mobile purchases are on the rise and that shopping on the website or in retail stores is declining. We need to create a new mobile app, so let’s do it, they say. The design team jumps to it, full steam ahead. A team of business analysts gathers requirements from the leadership team based on what they think users want. A project manager delivers a spec to the software development team who estimates that the app will take a year or so to complete. The app is finally ready for testing, but the testing team quickly realizes the app isn’t well-received by users. What went wrong?
UX Design Process #2
Based on industry analysis, the leadership team has a hunch that a new responsive mobile app will increase profitability. They pull in the designer in charge of research requesting answers to two key questions: What experience do our users have now? What would an ideal experience look like? The research team gets to work, conducting user interviews, surveys, focus groups, and usability testing. They take their findings to the product manager and software engineers: Here’s the feedback we’ve gotten. This is what our users want. What is technically feasible with the budget we have and the timeline we’re working with? All three teams work together to develop a working prototype (or MVP) and take this back to the leadership team: Based on what we found through research, this is what people dislike about our current mobile app and this is what people want. Given our deadline and budget, here’s what we can do. Once cleared by leadership, the research team presents the new prototype to the same user group for feedback.
User research (or #UX research) is the bedrock of any successful #UXdesign initiative.
Of course, you could get to the end of scenario #2 and hear from your users, We hate this. The beauty is that you’ve eliminated months or years of working in the wrong direction. I see it happen all the time—major organizations investing in these massive projects that go on for years, fail and are then scrapped entirely. Research reduces the risk of that ever happening, and while it may require an investment on the front end of a project, it’s a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things.
So, remember—great UX design always starts with a question: What would an ideal experience look like? You should never build a prototype based on a hunch alone. You must be willing to dig deeper to understand the true needs of your users. Research informs great design, and great design creates great experiences.
Of course, I’m a realist. I understand that the majority of organizations who aren’t conducting UX research are limited by their leadership team’s lack of understanding or limited budget. If you’re looking for a partner to help you champion your next successful UX design project, check out 3Ci’s User Experience Design services.
Check out this infographic to have a sense of the current state of UX design and how your program stacks up against the competition. Check it out!
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Need help tackling your next UX design project? Our team is here to help. Learn more about our UX design consulting services today.
These days, you’d be hardpressed to find a designer or developer who hasn’t heard of UX. User experience (AKA UX) refers to the way someone feels when interacting with a digital product. Choosing to embrace (or ignore) UX during product design and development holds major implications for today’s organizations. First impressions matter, and a great UX design program can help businesses increase sales, reduce development costs, and keep their users coming back for more.
Continue reading “How Today’s Top Companies Are Investing in UX Design [Infographic]”
As the fastest growing field in tech, UX design is a skill that many of today’s top companies are hiring for. In fact, according to a recent study by Adobe, 87% of managers consider hiring UX designers to be a top priority this year and 73% plan to double their UX design staff in the next five years.
Why this increase in demand for UX design talent? Companies who prioritize a more modern approach to designing and developing their products are gaining a competitive edge.
Of course, to build a successful UX design program within your organization, you’ll first need to find and hire the right UX design talent. Whether you’ve already started building your UX design team or are looking to hire your first UX designer, be sure to look out for these five important qualities.
Can the candidate put themselves into other people’s shoes? Are they able to get to the heart of an issue before offering a solution? Great UX designers understand how to be empathetic to a user’s unique situation and experience to inform their design process.
The best UX designers are open to learning new things. They leave their egos at the door and strive for continuous improvement. They don’t make assumptions and know how to ask the right questions. Make sure your potential new hire is willing to learn, iterate, and push boundaries.
The design process doesn’t exist in a vacuum. To deliver the best work, UX designers need to play well with others. They should be comfortable speaking up during ideation sessions and be willing to share insights to push projects beyond the status quo. At the same time, they also need to feel comfortable working autonomously.
Does the candidate have a well-defined UX design-thinking process? The UX designers who will deliver the most value to your company will have an ability to explore and identify a problem before offering a solution. They will also be comfortable gathering and applying analytics to inform more strategic designs.
Is the candidate naturally curious? Are they ready and willing to dig deep to find answers? Research is the foundation of UX design, so in order to be successful in the role, UX designers need to be comfortable getting out into the field and interacting with users.
Need help identifying the right type of UX design talent for your organization? We’ve helped countless businesses build highly successful UX design teams, and we can help you too. Learn more about our customized approach to UX design. But if you need light on recruiting the right Tech talent, click below to learn 5 tips.
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Good news—UX design is the fastest growing field in tech. According to a recent study by Adobe, 87% of managers cite hiring UX designers to be a top priority in the year ahead and 73% plan to double their UX design staff in the next five years. Looking to take advantage of this demand and land your dream UX design job? Today, we’re going behind the scenes with 3Ci’s Managing Director, Matt Galla, to give you insight into exactly what today’s Fortune 500s are looking for.
UX design is centered around how an individual feels when interacting with a product. It’s the UX designer’s job to make sure that experience is as efficient, pleasurable, and easy as possible. Whether they’re designing a mobile app, wearable device, or a digital experience, UX designers test and iterate to design the very best user experience possible. I think the increase in demand is coming from companies realizing the importance of developing and designing their products in a modern way to stay competitive.
That’s a great question. While I don’t believe there is any one type of person that can be successful in this role, there are a few qualities great UX designers tend to have.
A strong portfolio is key. Regardless of whether you’re just out of college or a tenured executive, your portfolio is the thing that will set you apart from a sea of competition. A resume that is clear and easy to read is important, but that’s just words. A portfolio is proof and will give hiring managers a better understanding of your approach. The portfolio should be easy to navigate, easy to use, and display a level of quality that is in line with your salary expectations.
Don’t forget to use your portfolio to tell a story. These UX design job hiring managers aren’t looking for a link to a finished product. They want to understand your approach from end to end. That means answering questions like: What was the problem? Who did you work with to solve it? What research did you conduct? What competitive analysis did you complete? At what point did you pivot based on the research or testing that you lead?
They’re going to change from company to company. Some will want to conduct an interactive design session to see what a candidate’s design process looks like. You should be prepared to cite specific examples of when you’ve applied your UX design process in the past and explain why your unique approach will fit in well with the company you’re applying for.
Remember, you’re applying for a user experience role, so make things as easy as possible on your end user. Don’t get caught up creating the flashiest resume or portfolio. Put yourself in the shoes of the person on the other end of the table and be empathetic towards their needs.
3Ci partners with top Fortune 500 brands in Atlanta to solve world-class problems through modern UX design. If you’re a talented UX designer and are looking for a new opportunity, send your resume and portfolio to Anthony Oliveto at Anthony.oliveto@3cipeople.com, or feel free to browse our current openings.
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