the state of ux in the uk by nick fine
TRANSCRIPT
The State of UX in the UK
Nick Fine
UX Bournemouth 2016
@doctorfine
My UX Journey1996 BSc (Hons) Psychology
2004 MSc Human Computer Interaction with Ergonomics
2009 PhD Human Computer Interaction, Personalisation
2010 User Experience Executive, LV=
2011 User Experience Consultant, Redweb
2013 Head of User Experience, SAS/MSLGROUP
2014 Lead User Experience Architect (contract), Virgin Media
2016 Lead User Experience Architect (contract), Camelot
2016 Lead User Experience Architect (contract), VML London
1 POINT SAMPLE
ENGLAND 2016
ENGLAND 2016
(ABOUT TEATIME)
A CIVIL WAR ISRAGING
art director
developer
creative director
visual designer
UX architect
UX consultant
UX researcher
UX UI
UX UI
UX ARCHITECT
UX DESIGNER
UX
How did it come to this?
SKILLS SHORTAGE1
DEMAND > SUPPLY• “We need UX now” • Limited UX education
• Seniority takes time• Limited mentorships• Rare research skills
• “Putting the customer at the heart…”• Trendy/buzzword
SKILLS GAP
COOL PROJECTS
FREELANCE DAYRATES INCREASE
UX IS COOL
UX IS CASH
+ =
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE
UX
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE
UX
visual designers
developersart directors
creative directors
project managers
account managers
recruiters
social media managers
marketeers
technical directors
How did it come to this?
2
SUBJECTIVE DEFINITION
OF UX
“the feeling I get when I use something”
“the way the screen is designed”
“making sure computers are easy to use”
“the experience you have when interacting with technology”
“everything related to the experience from first contact to ongoing
support”
The problem is:
What is UX?
Name another career or industry where the area has no clear definition ?
The problem is:
What is UX?
Why is a commonly accepted definition of UX so important?
• Talent management Team building nightmares
• Role definition Specialisation v generalisation
• Project practicalities Matching skills to projects
• Ensure user centricity It’s all about the user
User Experience
user experience
User Experience
user experience
The profession
The sensation/feeling
Psychology
psychology
The profession
The sensation/feeling
I have experiences, I can do UX
I have a mind, I can do psychology
I have a hammer, I can do carpentry
I have a brain, I can do neurosurgery
I have a photoshop, I can do design
I have Axure, I can do UX
How did it come to this?
SUBJECTIVEDEFINITION
OF UX
SKILLS SHORTAGE
+1 2
= new people are redefining UX according to their own needs
= hybridisation of roles
DESIGNER + UX = UX DESIGNER
DEVELOPER + UX = UX DEVELOPER
PROJECT MANAGER + UX = UX PROJECT MANAGER
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER + UX = UX SOCIAL STRATEGIST
The Recent History of UX
HUMAN FACTORS
ENGINEERS
INFORMATIONARCHITECTS
USER EXPERIENCE
CONSULTANTS
USER EXPERIENCE DESIGNERS
1980s 1990s 2000s 2010 2016
USER RESEARCHERS
UX DEVELOPERS
UX STRATEGISTS
UX PROJECT MANAGERS
DEM
AN
D E
XCEE
DS
SUPP
LY
UX/UI
USER EXPERIENCE
RESEARCHERS
The Evolution of the
Wireframe Monkey
“UX” “DESIGN”
“UX” “DESIGN”
“UX” “DESIGN”
“UX” “DESIGN”
“UX” “DESIGN”
DESIGNERS GET SICK AND TIRED
OF COLOURING IN UX WIREFRAMES
UX
DESIGN
UX / UI IS BORN
DURING THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THE MOST MONEY WEREN’T THOSE DIGGING FOR GOLD BUT THOSE SELLING PICKAXES AND SHOVELS
1848–1855
Completely anecdotal, 2016
UX UX/UI• User centric • Practitioner centric
• Facilitator and investigator • Expert
V
• Obsessed by tools• Obsessed by behaviour
• Insight driven solution • Best practice driven solution
• Involves users throughout • No user involvement
The UX Recession: UCD to DCD
HUMAN FACTORS
ENGINEERS
INFORMATION ARCHITECTS
USER EXPERIENCE
CONSULTANTS
USER EXPERIENCE DESIGNERS
1980s 1990s 2000s 2010 2016
USER RESEARCHERS
UX/UI DESIGNERS
UX DEVELOPERS
UX STRATEGISTS
UX PROJECT MANAGERS
UX PRODUCT MANAGERSD
EM
AN
D E
XC
EE
DS
SUP
PLY
USER CENTRIC DESIGN
DESIGNER CENTRIC DESIGN
PROTECTINGUSER CENTRICITY
UX Wireframing
UX UI
Information Architecture
Accessibility
Usability
Interaction Design UX =
the process of creating
optimal interaction
UX =
UX =
Requirement GatheringCompetitor & Market AnalysisPersona DevelopmentService Evaluation
ScampingWireframingPrototyping
User testing• Local (lab based) • Remote (web based)
RESEARCH
INTERACTION DESIGN
VALIDATION
Requirement GatheringCompetitor & Market AnalysisPersona DevelopmentService Evaluation
ScampingWireframingPrototyping
User testing• Local (lab based) • Remote (web based)
RESEARCH
INTERACTION DESIGN
VALIDATION
UX =
?
2016
THE USER HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE UX PROCESS
2016
THE USER HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE UX PROCESS
THE USER HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE UX PROCESS
What does this mean?• Designer centricity • UX by proxy • Unused and unloved • No local insight • Poor performance • Bye bye ROI
= Good looking, awful UX
How can you put the customer
at the heart of everything you do
if you don’t talk to them?
WE NEED TO GET BACK TO USER
CENTRIC UX
THE FUTURE
UX ARCHITECT
RESEARCHDESIGN
SOLUTIONINSIGHT
‘FULL SERVICE’ USER EXPERIENCE PRACTITIONER
UX RESEARCHER UX DESIGNER
SPLIT ROLES: RESEARCH INFORMS DESIGN
RESEARCH DESIGN
SOLUTIONINSIGHT
USER CENTRIC, FULL SERVICE PRACTITIONERS
BECOME RARE AND FOUND ONLY AT USER CENTRIC AGENCIES ONLY
DEMAND
UX/UI BECOMES UX DESIGN
FULL SERVICE PRACTITIONERS FIND THEIR RESEARCH SKILLS ARE VALUABLE AND IN HIGH
DEMAND
UX ARCHITECT
UX CONSULTANT
UX RESEARCHER
UX DESIGNER
UX/UI
UX DESIGNER
UX PSYCHOLOGIST
SERVICE DESIGNER
?
ROLE EVOLUTION?
DESIGNER
?
TAKE AWAYS
FIGHT FOR USER CENTRICITY
Challenge designer centric approaches
How do you know that?
How did it test?
FIGHT FOR USER CENTRICITYEducate and demonstrate
Lab sessions for TRANSFORMATION
https://vimeo.com/134560844
FIGHT FOR USER CENTRICITYEducate and demonstrate
• research strategy • test scripting • information architecture • workshop facilitation • persona development • remote user testing • lab based user testing • ethnography • insight report writing
GAIN AND EXTEND RESEARCH SKILLS
GAIN AND EXTEND RESEARCH SKILLS• Participate in user testing sessions
• Seek out research-specific mentorship
• Learn from Psychology graduates (BSc not BA)
• Get into Psychology and HCI literature searches
GAIN AND EXTEND RESEARCH SKILLSOverlooked Goldmines:
DESIGN v SCIENCETHIS ISN’T ABOUT
SCIENCE
DESIGN
DESIGN v SCIENCETHIS ISN’T ABOUT
DESIGN + SCIENCETHIS IS ABOUT
SCIENCE DESIGN
DESIGN + SCIENCETHIS IS ABOUT
DESIGN + SCIENCE =
KILLER UX