Education: Your Most Powerful UX Leadership Tool

UX Insights - User Experience Leadership and Strategy

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25d ago 4:22

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If I had to pick one part of this new way of working that matters most, it would be education.

Education is what makes democratizing UX possible. It’s the lever that lets you scale your influence far beyond the handful of projects you can personally touch.

When you invest in education, two things happen.

First, you raise the profile of users across the organization. People begin to see what UX actually involves and why it matters. They notice the benefits of doing it right and the costs of ignoring it. The more you teach, the more people start thinking about users every day.

Second, you empower your colleagues. Training gives them confidence to try UX activities for themselves. Suddenly, user research or testing doesn’t feel mysterious or out of reach. With a little support, they can make user-centered decisions without waiting on you.

But the way you educate is just as important as the fact you’re doing it. Too many UX teams rely on just one approach (usually formal workshops) and miss the variety of ways people learn.

Let’s break down some of the educational options available to you.

In-depth learning through workshops

Workshops are the backbone of most UX education efforts. Done in person, they create a sense of community. People ask questions, share ideas, and feel part of something bigger. That social energy makes the lessons stick.

Remote workshops can work well too, but they’re more draining. Anything beyond 90 minutes and people’s attention starts to fade. So if you’d normally run a six-hour workshop in person, break it into four 90-minute online sessions. Shorter chunks keep people engaged and give them time to process.

You can also turn workshops into self-learning experiences. That’s what you’re going through right now: a full-day session broken into smaller lessons you can dip into at your own pace. The trade-off is less interaction and community, but you gain flexibility. People can revisit the material whenever they need a refresher.

Inspiration sessions

Not every learning opportunity needs to be deep. Sometimes, the goal is to spark interest and build momentum. Think TED Talk-style lunch-and-learns. Twenty minutes, some food, and a clear takeaway.

You don’t have to be the only speaker either. Bringing in external experts adds credibility. People often pay more attention when the message comes from a known author or outside voice.

Internal conferences can raise the stakes even further. I’ve run whole-day events with guest speakers and colleagues sharing UX success stories. The highlight was always group brainstorming: getting people to come up with ways to improve the user experience in their own areas of the business. It builds energy and creates advocates across the organization.

Self-learning resources

The third piece of the puzzle is self-learning. Colleagues need practical guides they can turn to in the moment.

Quick reference sheets on how to run a five-second test.
Step-by-step instructions for creating a persona.
Short videos showing how to use a research tool.
Even simple checklists to make sure nothing important is missed.

These resources remove friction. They stop people from giving up when they can’t remember how to do something. And they help embed UX into everyday practice.

Putting it all together

When you combine in-depth workshops, inspirational events, and self-learning materials, you create an ecosystem of education. Some people will dive deep, others will take small steps, but all will start to see UX as part of their work. That’s how you shift culture and make UX sustainable at scale.

Outie’s Aside

If you run a freelance practice or agency, think about clients instead of colleagues. Education can be a huge differentiator. Offer training sessions as part of your projects. Share simple guides they can use once you’ve wrapped up. Run short webinars to keep them engaged between engagements. The more you teach, the more you’re seen as a trusted advisor rather than a pair of hands.

Your Action Step

Pick one education format you’re not currently using. Maybe it’s a short reference guide, a 20-minute lunch-and-learn, or a recorded walkthrough of a tool. Create it this month. Don’t overthink it. Even something small can kick-start momentum and prove the value of making education part of your role.

In the next lesson, we’ll look at what content to include in these formats so your education efforts really stick.

Talk soon,

Paul

P.S. You can learn more about how I approach education and training here.

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