Enabling consumers to make sustainable choices by buying and selling used goods, is one of the reasons UX designer Michelle Cheung loves working at Schibsted’s Norwegian marketplace, FINN.no. Working on new and exciting features that will help shape the future is another.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize how big of an impact FINN.no has in Norway. Some might think we are “merely” a place to sell used stuff. But it is very interesting to look at the role we actually play in people’s lives, and how we are involved in so many of their important moments, she says. “People come to us to find their first job, looking for their first car. At FINN they find their rental apartment when they move out for the first time, and later they find their first home – not to mention their first baby stroller when their family is growing.”
Working in cross-functional teams gives her an opportunity to be close on decisions and to have a say in the user experience and other decisions on the product, FINN.no. There is ample opportunity to make an impact through your work at Schibsted, she says.
“I’m currently working at the car subscription service Honk, which started out as a discovery-case at FINN.no. Discovery cases are projects where we discover, explore and build totally new services for FINN. This project was about mobility, and what role this can play for FINN in the future, ” she says, and continues: “Right now we are working on car subscription, where customers pay a monthly fee to have access to one or more cars, which is still pretty new in Norway. There is a lot of exploring and testing on how we can make a service that will give the most value to the users and customers. It feels impactful to have a role in shaping how something important like car ownership can be in the future.”
Not two days are the same
The work at FINN is varied and exciting, says the UX designer: “One day I will be working by myself and designing digital solutions, another day I will be doing interviews or user tests with users and the next day I’m facilitating a design workshop with the team.”
Michelle works closely with her cross-functional team, which is a part of the UX department at FINN, a driving force for both professional development and a good social environment. “We do a lot of fun social activities, like eating dinner at each other’s houses, learning how to make spring rolls together, and even walking alpacas. It is the most interesting, engaging and funniest workplace I have had!”
Being a part of Schibsted, employees at FINN are also encouraged to be a part of the strong Schibsted UX community that stretches across brands and borders. Employees from all parts of the organization are welcome to take part in activities and opportunities for growth and development.
Alpacas aside, it’s the feeling of doing meaningful work that really keeps Michelle going.
“I think it is important to feel that the work you do has an impact and that you are doing things that people actually care about,” she says.
