Leadership, Thought leadership
Kayla Heffernan
Supporting people and building capacity

Whether I’m coaching an associate designer or managing an experienced team, my role is to build trust and psychological safety and help people thrive. The same curiosity I bring to understanding users is the mindset I bring to understanding the people I lead.

I’ve collected tactics over many years through self-directed learning (talks, readings, podcasts), structured professional development (conferences, courses, Melbourne Business School) and from other leaders.

You’ll notice a pattern in every tactic. None of them involves guessing.

They also aren’t forms to complete or assessments to run. They’re structured conversations to have with your team members, individually, early in your journey together

Supporting people and building capacity
Leadership, Thought leadership, Work example
Kayla Heffernan
How to set up a design practice from scratch

Design hire number one and don't know what to do? Read about the 6 steps I used to set up a design practice from scratch

How to set up a design practice from scratch
Work example
Kayla Heffernan
Why no one is following your instructions (and ...

If no one is listening, it's probably a design problem. The tips in the article will help you craft messages people can actually understand and act on.

Why no one is following your instructions (and how to fix it)
Work example
Kayla Heffernan
Consistency isn’t optional — it’s core to ...

Is your style guide being ignored? It’s not just a branding issue — it’s a usability problem. Learn why consistency is core, not optional — and how to get teams on board.

Consistency isn’t optional — it’s core to usability
Thought leadership
Kayla Heffernan
From 2015 to 2024: how real estate websites ...

In 2015, I embarked on the journey of buying my first home. At that time, I wrote a blog post critiquing the UX of real estate websites through a, somewhat sarcastic, persona named ‘Kayla’ and listed out ‘her’ (my) user needs and how they weren’t being met. Discover how real estate websites have evolved from 2015 to 2024 through a personal lens. Spoiler alert – it still sucks, but it sucks a little less.

In this blog post, I evaluate how current real estate platforms address user needs such as viewing new properties, staying within budget, accessing accurate information, and managing inspection schedules. It suggests key improvements and practical recommendations for improving real estate website UX.

From 2015 to 2024: how real estate websites have evolved

UX

7 lessons for building your career

Advice for year 12 students at UoMs Careers Fair

Read the full post on Medium for free

  1. Lesson 1: Find a way to follow your passions

  2. Lesson 2: You don’t need to know what you want to do or be

  3. Lesson 3: Try different things to find what you like, then find ways to do more of that

  4. Lesson 4: Your career is a jungle gym, not a ladder

  5. Lesson 5: Use social media with intent, only if it brings you joy

  6. Lesson 6: Your mental health and wellbeing is more important than digital exposure

  7. Lesson 7: Promote yourself and share knowledge in a way that is comfortable for you








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Accessibility affects us all: Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day

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Accessibility affects us all: Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Discover why digital accessibility matters for everyone — not just a few — and how small design changes can make a big impact this Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

From 2015 to 2024: how real estate websites have evolved

From 2015 to 2024: how real estate websites have evolved

In 2015, I embarked on the journey of buying my first home. At that time, I wrote a blog post critiquing the UX of real estate websites through a, somewhat sarcastic, persona named ‘Kayla’ and listed out ‘her’ (my) user needs and how they weren’t being met. Discover how real estate websites have evolved from 2015 to 2024 through a personal lens. Spoiler alert – it still sucks, but it sucks a little less.

In this blog post, I evaluate how current real estate platforms address user needs such as viewing new properties, staying within budget, accessing accurate information, and managing inspection schedules. It suggests key improvements and practical recommendations for improving real estate website UX.

It’s not a bug, it’s a feature… no really

It’s not a bug, it’s a feature… no really

Bugs, put simply, are errors or defects in a software system. If you work in tech, you’ve probably heard someone say the half-joke, half-truth line “it’s not a bug, it’s a feature”. Often this is used in jest or to justify not wanting to fix a particularly difficult bug. But when is a bug really a feature? And what does this mean for your users?

The different types of messages UXers need to remember to design

The different types of messages UXers need to remember to design

Handed off your designs only to find many questions raised during development? Remembering to design these 5 types of messages can help make development smoother and ensure better user experiences.

What does a T, a broken comb and a spider web have to do with design?

What does a T, a broken comb and a spider web have to do with design?

When to use the T-Shape designer model, the broken comb model and how a spider web helps assess competencies


Don’t forget design research in design thinking

Don’t forget design research in design thinking

“Design thinking” and “the double diamond” are perhaps some of the most abused terms in tech today. While exploring more than one solution is a step in the right direction, design thinking without design research is only a quarter of the way there…

Where are the ethics in design ethics?

Where are the ethics in design ethics?

So often when we state “this is unethical” we really aren’t applying ethics at all. At best we are saying “I think this is wrong, so doing this is against my ethics”. In my latest post I give an overview of ethical theories and apply these theories to some “unethical tech” scenarios. I show most of them can be argued as ethical by applying these theories. I end with what is, I hope, a better frame to have these discussions going forward.

https://medium.com/@kaylajheffernan/where-are-the-ethics-in-design-ethics-1a9f5bc5641f?source=friends_link&sk=2512284a7a216d140aa4f7130c6089b1