Why UX Design? Before I answer that question, I think it is useful to first explore what UX Design is. UX stands for User Experience and is the human-first approach to designing products and services. Engineer and Psychologist Don Norman was the first to define UX design in the 1990s. Norman stated:

“User experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.” – Don Norman, Cognitive Scientist & User Experience Architect

UX design refers to, well, anything that a user can experience. This can be a website, app, or visit to a store (to name just a few). So the “user experience” part refers to the interaction between a user and a product or service. The “design” part is the process of considering the many different aspects that inform and shape the experience by the user.

CareerFoundry summarizes the role of a UX Designer as:

• User experience design is the process of developing and improving the quality of interaction between a user and all facets of a company.
• User experience design is, in theory, a non-digital (cognitive science) practice, but used and defined predominantly by digital industries.
• UX design is NOT about visuals; it focuses on the overall feel of the experience.

That gives a very quick overview about what UX Design is. So why UX Design? Like many things in life, it depends on who you ask. I can only speak for myself.

I’m interested in UX Design as it is all about putting the user first: a focus on giving the user the very best experience possible. The process of UX Design is very appealing as it is human (user)-centric while requiring both analytical and creative skills. This allows me to tap into the interests and skills I have used throughout my professional life of research, analysis, working collaboratively with others, and being creative (writing, book cover design, web design). I’m curious about human behavior and have discovered, through my work in book publishing, a passion for how design shapes user experience. 

I also like how UX Design offers variety in tasks and skills utilized day-to-day. No workday is exactly the same as another as the UX Designer is working on different aspects of the UX design process depending on where they are in the workflow of a project. This can be as varied as conducting user interviews, research, creating wireframes, polishing a design, meeting with co-workers responsible for different aspects of the project, or presenting to company stakeholders or clients.

Those are the main reasons I am interested in UX Design. It also doesn’t hurt that UX Design is one of the fastest growing fields with high demand, generous salaries, and excellent growth potential. I also live in an area (greater Boston) with one of the best markets for UX designers.

As I progress through my journey I will have more to offer on my experiences in UX Design.

Let the UX Design journey begin!