What is UX, why UX, and is UX for me?
I have a Bachelor degree in Architecture, yet I did a career shift when I decided to get into UI/UX. Now I’m working in one of Indonesia’s top-funded technology companies (highlight on the ‘technology’).
Almost every person who asked me about my job ended up asking the ultimate question:
“Why not be an Architect?”
I honestly couldn’t believe it myself. I was the least tech-savvy person back there in my architecture class. I have almost always preferred to use my hands to draw, never really wanting to utilise any kind of software if possible.
The question didn’t end there. They’d usually draw up another question:
“What is UX?”
Trust me, it was a new thing for me, also. I am a person with high curiosity and I dedicated my last two years of university to explore things. Prior to finally focusing on UI/UX, I once freelanced as a mural painter and as an interior architect. I’ve had several internships also, ranging from being an architect intern, graphic design intern, to being a UX & product research intern. What I can draw out from my exploration is that:
It’s hard to find a common ground in design — be it spatial or digital design. It’s a subjective field with no right and wrong.
— And that’s where User Experience (UX) design comes in. Yay!
User Experience Design — better known as UX Design — is very wide, as with every different project comes different experience. I feel like UX Design is about shaping unstructured conditions into useful, tangible products. I don’t just know how to utilise a lot of software, but I get to know how things go together. UX designers don’t just design something just because someone likes it. Rather, we have to design something which is really needed by the targeted users, something that is built by considering the technical capabilities, something which also has a sustainable business model.
The picture below is a good illustration of what UX actually is. (yes, it is a mixture of lots of different things…even the things you didn’t imagine before, ha ha)
UX Design might be for you (as it is for me) if:
- You like talking to people
You’ll have to talk to a lot of people. Trying to be in the shoes of the targeted audience, the software engineers, the product managers, the business development specialists, and other relevant stakeholders. - If you enjoy learning new stuffs
You’ll be exposed to a lot of new stuffs, yay! Abstract tools to generate the idea (such as thinking in abstraction, art concepts, user flows, research, ideating, mocking up, mapping users) and concrete tools to deliver your design (Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma, Protopie, Principle, Miro, Balsamiq, Invision, etc…) that you will end up getting familiar with.
There are also several terms that you’ll end up using on a daily basis, such as Sprint, Backlog, Bug, Usability Test, Conversion Rate, KPIs, MVP, etc, etc. - You enjoy problem-solving
Not only you will design to solve a specific user problem — but you’d have to create the optimal product within the given time and technical constraints, and how you wrap up the design for the user as well as fulfilling the business objectives at the same time. - You hate being bored
UX is an iterative process where you might even experience change on a daily basis. If you like your brain being stimulated in a field brimming with new technologies along with the changing trends, you’ll rarely feel bored and can always find new directions to take yourself to.
Here’s What You’ll Do as a UX Designer:
…..and so on. Trust me, it will never get boring.
Good Design Is Good Business
From a business perspective, designing first-class user experiences is absolutely key to ensuring customer satisfaction and building brand loyalty. Only if a product or service is hassle-free and enjoyable will the user want to return.
“Good design is good business.”
— Thomas Watson Jr., CEO, IBM
Want to learn more?
These are several links that helped me to know better about UX, it would probably help you too!
