MARGARET GOULD STEWART: TED TALK ABOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS FOR A GLOBAL WEBSITE

During one my usual geek moments, I was lucky to come across a TED talk by the Director of Product Design for Facebook, Margaret Gould Stewart.  A user experience expert in her own right, Stewart has worked for tech-mega companies such as Google, YouTube, and the now – Facebook.  Her high-ranking position coupled with her humble and down-to-earth personality are not only refreshing, but captivating to watch.

A quick synopsis of her TED talk… Facebook’s “like” and “share” buttons are seen 22 billion times a day, making them some of the most-viewed design elements ever created. Margaret Gould Stewart, Facebook’s director of product design, outlines three rules for design at such a massive scale—one so big that the tiniest of tweaks can cause global outrage, but also so large that the subtlest of improvements can positively impact the lives of many.

Stewart has spent her career asking, “How do we design user experiences that change the world in fundamental ways?” It’s a powerful question that has led her to manage user experiences for six of the ten most visited websites in the world, including Facebook, where she serves as Director of Product Design.

Before joining Facebook, Stewart managed the User Experience Team for YouTube, where she oversaw the largest redesign in the company’s history, including the YouTube player page. She came to YouTube after two years leading Search and Consumer Products UX at Google. She approaches her work with a combined appreciation for timeless great design and transient digital technologies, and always with the end goal of improving people’s lives. As she says: “Design is creativity in service of others.”