Meet Steve, Director of Product Design at Brivo

Steve makes it easier for people to work by helping teams plan, design, and test scalable user interactions for digital applications and hardware. Solutions he has created are used every day by thousands of companies, including dozens in the Fortune 100.

Since joining Brivo in 2022, Steve has built a team of eight product designers responsible for the entire design process - from research through launch -  for both hardware and digital products, both responsive web and native mobile. 

Brivo is the global leader in cloud-based physical access control security. Their ecosystem provides businesses and organizations with the ability to monitor and control access to buildings, rooms, and facilities. Brivo secures over 450 million square feet of space in 60 countries, with millions of users. 

What were you trying to solve?

What I was lacking was a standard for how they would learn to perform their jobs, in addition to on-the-job training. We had our own internal standards, patterns, and a design system to guide them, plus we had senior-level designers who were helping to mentor them as they grew, but in terms of their own educational path, there wasn't really a standard.

Before Uxcel, our approach to design instruction was fragmented and inconsistent. We encouraged designers to select their own sources, including IxDF, Nielsen Norman Group, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn Learning, and more. Each of these has excellent materials, and we continue to use them. But we could never have full confidence that everyone understood design principles and terms the same or that the course actually improved their skills. Also, many of these sources require a significant amount of time commitment, a luxury most don’t have. 

What are the superpowers you have unlocked with Uxcel?

1. Gamified learning – Long-form content can take months to complete and have lower completion rates. With Uxcel, learning is quick, easy, and packed with examples and interactions where other providers might not go into that level of detail.

2. Focused learning – Our team consists of various roles with different seniority levels. Having the ability to tailor learning to develop specific skills and topics that are essential to their role is crucial. It helps us foster confidence and empower skill development.

3. Data-driven team development  – I love Uxcel’s Team Skill Graph. At a glance, I get a sense of each team member’s unique strengths and skill gaps, and how they complement each other as part of the team.

4. Enhanced personal development plans – Prior to Uxcel, we were running internal skill assessments and mapped out skills on a Google Sheet. Now, we have Uxcel’s automated skill mapping, and each skill point is backed with learning materials that can impact actual project performance.‍

5. Improved team dynamics – In our weekly meetings, we have started sharing what we learned from Uxcel. This transparent sharing culture allows us to see how others are improving their skills while encouraging sharing and positively affecting our design system patterns. 

Conclusion

Brivo's Director of Product Design, Steve Arrington, faced challenges in standardizing his team's design education. Uxcel's gamified platform resolved this by offering quick, tailored learning with high completion rates, personalized skill development, data-driven insights, and improved team dynamics. Steve recommends targeted growth plans and fostering a learning addiction for design managers.