I am putting the finishing touches on my User Experience Spins presentation for CodeMash (this Thursday).
I’ve been looking for an example discussion within a UX community that shows the many interpretations of the term “user experience”, the types of debates that break out as a result, and the underlying issues and challenges which then surface.
This happens daily on “design Twitter” but it is hard to reference them and follow along.
I discovered a poll asking What is your opinion of the term “UXer”? in the UXPA Facebook group that I think will be a good example to use in my presentation with software developers.
First, the discussion shows different interpretations of the term “user experience” that line up with the spins in my presentation.
Most people view “UX” in the poll’s context around a role for a practitioner, since one of the options is “I proudly call myself a UXer”. But some in the thread interpret UX as a label for teams or a profession (which I think are important distinctions). Others commented about it being “only” a set of skills, not something referring to a rigorous field of study (“a degree”).
One person (correctly) points out that the core definition of user experience is about what people experience when using something (what I call “an impression”), and in that context, “UXer” makes no sense at all.
Thus, trying to follow along requires dealing with different interpretations of the term just to try to make sense of what people are saying. This happens all of the time.
Second, another interesting aspect of the poll commentary are the issues that surface related to the various aspects of UX. Some that surface here:
- “UX” and “Design” becoming synonymous, which makes the people who don’t call themselves designers feel left out.
- The perception that UX is being taken over by visual design.
- The influx of people practicing UX without deeper knowledge or experience, and the impact that has on the value of UX as a practice, profession, etc.
- What to do about the above, such as regulating the profession (more, or at all)
So, thanks to everyone who commented on the Facebook poll! Later this week, I will see if this example was useful in my CodeMash presentation, and perhaps useful in my other UX Spins talks in 2020. spin.dexterityux.com is where you can follow my journey exploring the many spins on UX.
