Contents
The old rules don't work for women in UX.
So we're writing new ones.
The Problem.
You've been told to "speak their language," "show ROI," and "earn a seat at the table." You've learned the frameworks, done the stakeholder research, and presented your work with business metrics.
And yet. Your ideas still get dismissed. Your recommendations get ignored until a man repeats them.
You're called "emotional" when you advocate for users, but "not strategic" when you focus on business outcomes.
Because those rules weren't written for you. They were written for people who are assumed to be competent, strategic, and worth listening to by default.
What We Do Differently.
Unrule. isn't about working harder or being more likeable. It's about recognizing that the game is rigged. And building your own playbook anyway.
We create practical tools, templates, and strategies specifically for women in UX and design who are done shrinking themselves to fit someone else's expectations.
No corporate platitudes
No toxic positivity
Just actionable resources
Because you shouldn't have to be twice as good to get half as far. You shouldn't have to choose between being respected and being yourself. And you definitely shouldn't have to wait for permission to lead.
This Is For You If.
I built Unrule. for people like me. People who've been dismissed, undervalued, and talked over because of how the world perceives our gender.
That includes women (cis and trans), non-binary folks, and anyone else who doesn't fit the traditional "leadership" mold.
This is for you if:
- ✓You've been dismissed because of your gender (or how people perceive it)
- ✓You've had your ideas credited to someone else (usually a man)
- ✓You've been called "emotional," "too sensitive," or "difficult" for advocating
- ✓You know you're strategic, but stakeholders can't see past your gender
- ✓You're done making yourself smaller to fit someone else's expectations
If you've experienced these things, you belong here.
Trans women belong here. (Trans women ARE women, but I'm saying it explicitly because too many spaces aren't clear about this.)
Non-binary folks belong here.
Anyone who's been marginalized because of gender belongs here.
This is a space for all of us who are done playing by rules that were never designed for us.
Hi, I'm Naomi.
I spent 20 years learning that the rules we're taught don't work for people like us.
I'm Naomi. I've been in UX for 20+ years running my own design studio, leading research at tech companies, and watching the same patterns play out over and over.
Brilliant women doing exceptional work, being dismissed without being heard.
As a bisexual woman with ADHD, I've experienced how these systems were designed for people who aren't like me or like most of the women I know. The "traditional advice" doesn't work because it was written for people who already fit the mold.
So I built Unrule.
Resources for women in UX and tech who are done shrinking.
Tools that work for messy, real situations.
Strategies for people who were never supposed to be in the room in the first place.
Whether you're queer, neurodivergent, both, or neither: if you're tired of being dismissed, this is for you.
Unrule. is what I wish existed when I was figuring this out.
No generic advice
No toxic positivity
No playing small
Just practical strategies, real talk, and tools that work.
The old rules don't work. Let's write new ones.
* Naomi
A little more about me:
I'm a woman in tech navigating perimenopause, burnout, and the "what's next" of mid-career. I love rowing, making my own makeup, and building things that solve real problems. I'm probably dealing with the same challenges you are (which is exactly why I'm qualified to help).
Need 1-on-1 support? I offer consulting for UX leaders and teams at naominiles.com