OhioX launched this morning (December 9th, 2019). I knew it was coming. I like the OhioX mission, vision, values, goals, etc. Check out ohiox.org before proceeding.
“We envision Ohio as a world leader in technology and innovation which creates a vibrant economy and opportunities for all.”
I believe Ohio needs to be a world leader in user experience as well.
Our companies, startups, non-profits, government agencies, and workforce all need to be great at defining, designing, and delivering creative experiences for users, from customers to employees to citizens to patients to students, and more.
It has been an “experience economy” for a while now. It is not enough if the technology only “works,” it has to be part of a system that provides value to users and connect at a deeper, emotional level.
Companies that are committed to design are more profitable. Innovation programs are being based on design methods. Startups that focus on user experience are more successful.
As software automates more of the repeatable parts of work, the good jobs will require a combination of technology and human-centered design skills that occupations in user experience already excel at. Various forms of user interface and interaction design are the hot jobs now, for example.
User experience teams are expected to be leaders at designing for diverse audiences, helping organizations make their technology more accessible. That creates both economic and social opportunities.
To my user experience colleagues across the state: do you agree that Ohio needs to be a leader in UX? (You may not agree!)
If so, should we participate in OhioX? How? Would your company or organization join if you asked them?
What are some things OhioX could help us with? I feel like we already excel in some areas of UX but we are not telling that story well. We have some UX events in the state, but need more. Maybe what we really need is to raise awareness of the value of UX within various technology & innovation communities in Ohio.
I suspect you have lots of questions about OhioX: I know I do! Tell me what you want to know more about and I will help get some answers.
Then we can see what we as the “user experience community in Ohio” may want to do with OhioX, what sort of role in building the future of Ohio we want to play.
