Designing for Tomorrow: Accessibility in a World of Voice & Gestural Interfaces - Verne Lindner, S4 Ep. 3

In this episode, we’re joined by Verne Lindner, VP of UX and Design at Roost. With extensive experience in UX design and a strong commitment to accessibility, Verne offers valuable insights into her career journey and the evolution of design systems. She also provides practical advice for aspiring design leaders, sharing how to navigate enterprise and startup environments effectively.

Discussion Points: 

• Could you share insights into your journey in the design field, including your educational background, involvement in design academies, and the path that led to your current role as a design leader? 3:00
• How do your childhood, parental background, educational journey, and personal influences shape your UX design work, particularly for startups and various ecosystems? 8:24
• Rapid Fire Round 11:46
• You have experience working with both enterprises and startups. What is your preference between these two environments, and why? 17:32
• How critical is implementing a design system for startups, and do you believe it's essential to establish it early in the process? 23:38
• What advice would you offer to the younger generation aspiring to become successful design leaders, based on your journey and experiences? 39:00
  

Show notes:

• I love learning. My favorite thing is following something that seems interesting, and taking the time to explore the path until most, if not all, of my questions are answered.
• I believe the most significant aspect, which I've found true for other designers and UX professionals, is the level of self-reliance. Relying on your curiosity, work ethic, and resourcefulness paves a path for personal growth and improvement in life.
• The larger the organization, the longer the timelines, allowing for more in-depth research. In startups, decisions are made quickly, and research is conducted on the fly.
• There's going to be some sort of interim UI. So, your first job is just trying to make things a little more consistent, eliminating illogical patterns. You aim to bring in something that feels simple, still in the language of the existing UI, creating a cohesive end-to-end experience that aligns with the brand after thoughtful consideration.
• In terms of the design system, I believe it's critical for several reasons. Firstly, having a UI built from components that you and the development team maintain and update aligns with your goals. If this isn't the focus, and you're just patching bits of UI without a cohesive system, it could potentially slow you down in the long run. 
• The business case for accessibility lies in not excluding a portion of your market by disallowing certain individuals from accessing your app. Additionally, it contributes to creating a better overall user experience. 
• When it comes to applications, game design, or social media content creation and consumption, I believe younger designers should take the lead. Their understanding of the basic physical relationship to devices provides an advantage that might be challenging for those who don't already possess it.

Links -
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vernelindner/
Company’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/joinroost/
Company website - https://joinroost.com/