Amplifying Diversity in Design: A Discussion with Jonelle Chandler - S3 Ep.13

In this episode, we are joined by Jonelle Chandler - Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Qualified Digital.  A dynamic design leader dedicated to empowering diverse design thinkers and bridging the gender and ethnic gap in tech. She actively mentors through programs like Built By Girls, ADPList, Women in Wireless, Blacks Who Design, and the Invision Design Leadership Forum, excelling in crafting innovative digital experiences by harmonizing business objectives, technology, data, and creativity.

Discussion points - 

• What influenced your career choice, and how did you become the professional you are today? 1:50
• Can you outline the connections and distinctions between your shift from architecture to UX design, along with the transferable insights between these domains? 2:51
• What key distinction do you see between designing for Enterprise UX and designing for the typical user experience of consumer products? 6:15
• Please share your insights regarding the return on investment (ROI) of Enterprise UX. 8:23
• Rapid fire round 9:30
• How do you ensure diversity and inclusion within your design team to promote diverse design thinkers and innovative digital experiences? 16:32
• Could you share your experience with ADPList and the mentoring you've provided in general? What common themes do you often address in these contexts? 28:54
• For internal mentorship and nurturing talent towards management roles, how do you ensure continuous growth and opportunities within your team? 31:24
• How can interested individuals best reach out to you or your company regarding the positions you're currently hiring for? 35:15

Show notes - 

• Employed at an architecture firm, I discovered it wasn't my passion, gaining insights into the business. I found myself drawn to graphic design, and that's what initiated my career journey.
• What's truly advantageous in UX is its digital nature; you can create a wireframe or design concept, observing and editing it in real time—an experience not easily replicated in architecture.
• When designing for B2C or consumer contexts, it's about 95-100% focused on the user. In contrast, with enterprise design, you're navigating a balance and juggling various requirements while striving to create a robust product.
• Many of our clients primarily measure their return on investment through product sales and the leads they generate, including lead qualification. Additionally, we're observing a shift towards more people-centric communication and experiences in our approach. At times, it's challenging to directly quantify these aspects with a traditional return on investment framework.
• What I've found to be effective is having a project manager and representatives from different areas like tech, design, UX, and data analytics. We involve everyone right from the start, and although the project manager leads, each of us voices our team's perspective on what we believe should be done.
• You need to regroup; having a single person dictating won't work. Firstly, nobody would want to collaborate with that team or individual. Secondly, the outcome would be a product tailored solely for that person, lacking input from others.
• I think mentorship plays a vital role; I've gained valuable insights from my team, and we've learned collectively. It contributes to our professional growth, work-life balance, and personal development beyond the workplace.

Links- 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonellechandler  

Company website: https://qualifiedigital.com/ 

Personal website: https://www.jonellechandler.com/