UX Design & Research

Introduction
“AIOps for IBM Z® is a powerful technology approach that combines automation with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms. Tailored specifically to streamline mainframe systems management and operations it uses automation to detect and analyze events and anomalies within complex IT environments.

It is crucial for companies facing the challenges of intricate IT environments as it streamlines operations and enables quick issue resolution. By swiftly identifying potential issues isolating problems analyzing root causes and expediting issue resolution AIOps for IBM Z allows teams to focus more effectively on driving business outcomes.

https://www.ibm.com/z/aiops

Your Role and Responsibilities
We are looking for a bright and energetic person to join our IBM Z Design team.
Did you know you interact with an IBM Z system every day? IBM Z processes most credit card transactions around the world. As part of the key team member you’ll have a direct impact on the offerings we bring to market through uncovering key customer insights understanding their pain points and validating experiences we design.
As an IBM Z Design Researcher you will contribute to the design deliverables on your product either as an individual contributor or part of a team under the direction of an Advisory Designer or Design Lead. You will collaborate with cross-discipline teammates to define optimal user experiences and own the creation of low and high-fidelity design artifacts. You have good presentation and storytelling skills and can present work in an engaging compelling way. You have a passion for technology and the capacity to learn and understand complex technical details.
With an established foundation and technical understanding of the product you’ll work on your focus will turn to strengthening your craft skills deepening your domain knowledge and growing your eminence inside IBM. You will actively contribute to our design community’s health culture and success through your participation and involvement in community-focused initiatives. Finally your responsibilities will grow over time to provide you with opportunities to acquire new skills and assume greater degrees of ownership over design outcomes.

Research Responsibilities

• Independently lead research sessions and planning.
• Challenge reframe and refocus research requests.
• Assist in the recruitment of sponsor users.
• Plan and execute research activities.
• Establish new relationships with customers and users
• Conduct analysis and synthesis of research activities; tailor playbacks for different audiences.
• Actively develop and maintain personas and archetypes.
• Help designers shape scenarios and user flows through insights of generative research
• Translate business requirements into research goals and conduct research using qualitative and quantitative methods to develop actionable insights that drive both strategic and tactical decision-making
• Communicate findings as actionable artifacts such as user personas empathy maps scenarios and journeys mental models market analysis and much more.
• Key/Strategic Responsibilities:
• Conduct thorough user research and translate insights into actionable design solutions.
• Collaborate closely with product managers and engineers to define and implement innovative solutions for the product direction visuals and experience.
• Create wireframes prototypes and high-fidelity designs that effectively communicate interaction and design ideas.
• Lead design reviews and feedback sessions to iterate on designs and improve usability.
• Advocate for the user throughout the design process ensuring their needs are met and their experience is optimized.
• Gain clarity on your overall product strategy and how your product fits within it.
• Develop a deeper understanding of your portfolio / ecosystem and the relationships between its products.
• Deepen your technical knowledge of your primary product.
• Develop a basic knowledge of the platform on which your product runs.
• Acquire knowledge in and understand how to apply User Experience and Research Metrics.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise
Required Technical and Professional Expertise with relevant experience of 10-20 years:

• 14+ years professional experience
• Expertise in design thinking/human-centered design

In-depth knowledge and experience within a relevant design discipline (User Research User-Experience Design Visual Design Interaction Design)

• Expertise in design thinking/human-centered design
• Expertise in design thinking/human-centered designStrong interest in complex technical systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills (i.e. storytelling and documentation)
• Research experience with ability to scope research lead fieldwork conduct interviews perform desktop research lead synthesis and communicate findings
• Ability to facilitate design thinking workshops with diverse product and functional teams
• Strong interest in complex technical systems
• Experience using agile principles towards the delivery of product
• Develop mid-level literacy in Artifical Intelligence (AI)
• Proficiency with design and research tools such as Figma Adobe Suite Mural Airtable Keynote research survey tools and other design software

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise

• Candidates having Systems exposure and especially with IBM Z/Mainframe Systems are preferred.