UX is a relatively new profession online and while I appreciate its existence it also makes me a little uneasy.
I am a Senior UX Designer at Deepend Melbourne and I love doing stuff online. I spend probably 60 hours a week on a computer and I am fully aware that makes me what others would describe as a “complete nerd.”
My passion for everything online extends to a number of areas – design, coding, user experience, new technology and new products (that’ll do for now).
If you are reading this post, it probably means you too are an internet “super-user” and have had at least mild exposure to the thought process involved in creating a product online.
User Experience continues to be a slightly misunderstood area of expertise (don’t worry, I’m not about to launch in to a UX vs. The World rant).
The reason UX is difficult to explain and consequently misunderstood (at least to a degree) is also the reason it is fascinating and it can be summarised in one word: psychology.
Psychology is the study of mental process and behavior. Studying the psychology of users online is challenging to say the least and it is this study that draws so much discussion and interpretation from professionals at Deepend (as well as every other digital-related company).
Whether we realise it or not, when we offer our opinion on colours to be used, layout to be employed, copy to be written or questions to ask, we are really suggesting a solution in accordance with our own understanding of the psychology of the user.
But how many of us really know what the user wants? How many of us can accurately judge which web layout will be easier for a user with minimal computer literacy? How many of us judge the success of our campaigns purely by the numbers represented in Google Analytics? How many of us can think like the users we hope to build solutions for?
A good UX professional will politely discern opinions that provide valuable insight from the rest. And that discerning nature should be applied both inwardly and outwardly.
For example, I am fully aware that my insight in to the psychology of a 45 year-old housewife from Ireland looking to buy shoes online is different (and most likely less appropriate) than women in my office who have no doubt bought items online…maybe even shoes.
It is this simple realisation – the one where I put my ego aside and attempt to find out more about the psychology of users from people who probably understand it better, regardless of their age, location, title or status – that affords me the title of UX Designer.
Armed with a balanced and people-oriented attitude towards building an online product, a UX professional can truly help create something of value and excellence that is appropriately beautiful and engaging.
This is where I start to feel a little uneasy.
The concept of relating to people and the need to produce good stuff is not new or particular to UX. It’s not even particular to an industry.
How can something that is not particular to an industry be a recognised specialisation within the online industry?
The answer is simple.
The UX profession was born out of poorly made products – products that were confusing, uninteresting or hard to use.
At some stage, creators of products realised they were building things that people didn’t like, products that didn’t succeed as they’d like them to and UX was deduced as the solution.
A greater focus on user behaviour and user data ensued and the world moved towards better quality online products.
But the problem still exists and is perpetuated in some corners by the same average quality thinking that bore the UX profession in the first place.
Albert Einstein: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” *
* The website I got this from was dodgy and I’m not sure if this is a real Albert Einstein quote but I’m going to say it is because it fits my argument perfectly and Albert Einstein was a really smart dude.
I am going to be bold and suggest the existence of the UX profession is the direct result of average quality thinking amongst product engineers (designers and developers) world-wide and that the real solution lies in the concept that all people involved in building products online should be striving towards being user experience experts.
After all, products are meaningless if not for their use.
Final thoughts
As a member of Deepend I’m looking forward to the continuous challenge of building stunning solutions for users (and clients).
As a UX Professional, I’m looking forward to building engaging products that people appreciate using and, at the same time, perpetuating the concept that UX is the sole responsibility of the UX Professional…so that I may keep my title for a little longer.
