Coming to Terms—Part 3
Finally, as we try to define what we do, it's equally important to define what we don't do. Both "IA" and "usability" (and probably other fields as well) have been guilty of defining almost anything related to a user-centered design process as being part of "what we do."
It's important to dismiss the argument (all too often made by usability people) that "usability" equals "efficiency" equals "satisfaction." To provide a simple example, when driving between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the most efficient route is Interstate 5-the shortest route with several hundred miles of straight-as-an-arrow highway through flat and dusty farmlands, dotted only by small functional clusters of gas stations and motels. In contrast, the more satisfying route is the coastal Highway 101, about an a hour longer, but a scenic drive through rolling countryside and ocean views, passing through or near several picturesque towns along the way. Usability is a goal, admittedly an important one, but only one of many goals that need to be balanced. A highly usable interface to a product that's irrelevant to user's needs, or too expensive for it's intended users, or can't turn a profit is just as much a failure as one that's impossible to use.
It's also important to note that being user-focused is an approach, not a job and not one limited to one field. One of the better books on journalism was titled "Writing for Your Readers," and newspapers have experimented with "reader-centric" coverage of political campaigns where they polled voters to find out what their issues were and relentless grilled political candidates about these issues before letting the candidate spout off on their issues. Likewise, at their best, marketing and branding focuses on listening to the customer.)
When we overreach in our turf battles, I think we again confuse clients and co-workers. They may not know exactly what we do, but they do know that some of the jargon and arguments we're using violates common sense.
And it gets worse when we start staking claims to other fields where we're not qualified-for example someone once argued that UXs should get involved with setting pricing on products, since after all that was part of the user experience… Feh. Yes, it's part of the "experience" in the broadest sense, but I for one aren't qualified to do product pricing and I doubt many other UXs are unless they've got an MBA. Talk like that undermines the credibility we're trying to establish.
Here's a starting list of some things we don't do as UXs (although we may be familiar with it, and may even be qualified to do some depending on our background—for example someone who was formerly a graphic designer is probably qualified to do visual design.)
- » Visual design—While we probably deal with "form" (the "functional" aspect of appearance, visual design used to aid usability, such color coding sections), we don't deal with the "aesthetics," surface "look and feel" of appearance—which is the domain of visual designers who generally have more experience in these areas. However, we need to be careful not to marginalize visual designers into simply "making things pretty." Ideally, they can be partners in interface design, navigation design and information design-particularly as design schools (hopefully) stress these skills.
- » Other "sensory" design - These include animators, audio and video artists and others.
- » Marketing/branding—While I've argued that it's important that we're familiar with these two areas, they aren't our specialty. Marketing traditionally deals with: product, pricing, place and promotion. UX deals with a subset of "product" concerns—we don't deal with things like customer service, warranties, etc. let alone things in the other areas, such as distribution channels, price point, or advertising. That said, the user research part of UX can certainly help the user research part of marketing Proctor & Gamble's famous definition of marketing is that it "is the discipline concerned with solving people's problems with products and services for a profit" (emphasis mine).
- » However, marketing and user research typically use radically different methods due to their different concerns. Marketing is typically much more survey-driven and quantitative, focusing its efforts on understanding how people's attitudes whereas user research is more akin to clinical diagnosis aimed at understanding people's actions.
- » Business strategy—Again, this is something UXs should be familiar with—if for no other reason to understand the business context in which your working. For example, if your company's focus is on competing on price (i.e. being the cheapest), it's a good bet that UX will be sacrificed to meet that goal. But while we can suggest how improving UX might create a competitive advantage, or we might do a UX-focused competitive analysis, at best we deal in only a small subset of the things business strategists do. For example, we don't decide whether launching a new project is likely to be profitable enough to justify building the new plant required to make that product.
- » Business analysis—Business analysts gather requirements and some of our modeling techniques are similar, and when interaction design involves process re-engineering the two fields can converge. However as the name implies, business analysts focus on the business needs, not the user needs.
- » Systems analysis—Just as with business analysts there's similarities in requirements gathering and modeling techniques, however systems analysts are concerned with the flow of data through the system, not necessarily those using the data. (Yes, good system analysts, particularly those here, but the field generally gives lip service to users.) This focus in fact is quite evident in UML, which displays a system-centric bias in the way it handles use cases. (UML is actually less biased this way in the language itself, but in practice users typically get the short end of things.)
- » Data modeling—Yes there's a database job of "information architect" and interestingly it's starts getting close to the "info sciences" thesaurus/taxonomy-oriented branch of "our" IA. (And there's probably some things we could learn from database models, such the various types of data relationships.) However, data modelers are focused "behind the scenes" whereas "our" IAs are focused on what's on stage.
- » Technical communicators/content strategists—On the content-focused end of things, particularly "little IA" there's overlapping concerns, but while information architects typically help structure the content, they're not as concerned about the tone, etc. (Yes we may end up doing this because there's no one else, but an IA typically won't bring as deep a knowledge here as a writing specialist.)
- » Industrial/product design—Yes there are lots of similarities here (and probably a lot we could learn from industrial design, which has a couple more decades of experience on us). These similarities are closest at the front end of UX, in user research and interaction design phases. However, product designers are generally quite tactile and deal with issues of materials engineering and manufacturing process. (Yes, we also need to make sure that our projects can be developed on-time and under budget, but our decision don't require reconfiguring a factory production line.) more »
What's in a name?
Why UX?
What we don't do
So what do we do?
Your thoughts…
It comes to my mind that in another field of creative and communicative production there is a role that may be akin to the User Experience Architect.
The job description (modified for effect) reads somewhat like this:
Interprets content, directs technicians, and conducts mock-ups to create site presentation: Confers with Site Author and Producer to discuss content changes. Confers with Site Manager to coordinate production plans.
Familiarizes production staff in individual roles to elicit best possible performance. Suggests changes, such as 'voice' and 'placement' to develop presentation based on content interpretation and knowledge of usability techniques.
Approves graphics and text designs, sound, special effects, and site architecture. May hire. May select Site Designers.
???Wanna guess
http://www.stepfour.com/jobs/titlesd.htm
see #338 in the list
– Donimo @ 07.13.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .George's quote below reminded me of something Don Norman said on CHI-WEB a while back.
Olsen: A highly usable interface to a product that's irrelevant to user's needs, or too expensive for it's intended users, or can't turn a profit is just as much a failure as one that's impossible to use.
Norman: Usability is NEVER the goal. Get over it folks. Usability is always secondary to the task or enjoyment you are trying to have. Is usability important? Of course, but it is les important than many other things.
– Michael Angeles @ 07.16.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .It may be just me, but the right side of this page gets chopped off in the bullet point section above.
– Jim Jones @ 07.18.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .As an interaction design consultant since the early 1980s, and having created interactional architectures (physical, visual, and informational) for everything from room-sized machines to wearables to medical, industrial, and military equipment to phones to PDAs to gestural pads to televisions and movie theaters and on and on, and having never spent very much time coming up with elaborate theories for what it is that I *DO*, I would encourage more people in this field to spend less time talking, and more time demonstrating the depth and success of what it is that you've *DONE.*
The one thing that most sets "interaction architecture" or "information architecture" apart from traditional "building architecture" is that in the latter's field, it's generally *actual architects* that get the most press, not non-producing/non-architect writers of *BOOKS* that hold themselves out as *EXPERTS*. And the endless arguments in the field have grown more than tedious. ENOUGH! Forget the lofty theories and meaningless buzzwords. Just do the work for crying out loud!
I've never understood this problem of "clients not understanding what IA is." I find that if one shows them actual work and results, and refrains from the verbose prose, they consistently have no problem.
– Jim Leftwich @ 07.18.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i am wondering where visual design fits into your defn of ux?
visual design is just as much part of the experience as i.d, i.a., and interaction design. the visual design is what users see first. no matter how strong the info or interaction design, weak visual design will fail to provide visual cues that inform users of how the system is designed and works.
and weak visual design reflects on the overall brand and the user's experience with the site.
the writing also affects the user's experience with the site.
– ani phyo @ 07.21.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I definitely think visual design (and other sensory design) is a crucial part of UX -- and there's huge overlaps with not only branding (in the broad sense), but also informing business strategy. What I was trying to get at in the essay was that I don't think someone who working as a UX [whatever] will normally have the visual design skills, nor the time, to replace a visual designer/art director. I definitely think it's important for them to be familiar with visual design (especially if they're a "supervising UX"), but it's not their core area of expertise -- just as I think visual designers who want to work in this space, as opposed to print, need to be familiar with IA, interaction design, usability, branding in the broad sense (beyond just logos and image) etc. but likewise these aren't their areas of core expertise.
Same goes for writing and content strategy. And the same for things like animation, A/V and interaction multimedia specialists.
There's definitely an overlapping meeting areas where these disciplines can and should collaborate. Where the dividing line between tasks occurs will depends on the project and the people involved. For example, I've worked with some graphic designers who'd been doing web work a long time and had picked up a good understanding of UI, so with them I could simply identify what elements needed to be on a page, what priorities and proximity was needed among the elements, and trust them to do a good job of it. With others right out of school, I've had to do a fairly detailed page layout -- just as I'd done had to do sketches to show junior designers how to do a marker comp back in the print days.
However, since it's someone from a different discipline rather than same discipline doing it -- and because people seem to have forgotten the agnecy/studio hierachies of the bad old days of print, where junior designers started out by filling in the details of designs created by art directors and senior designers -- designers seem to complain and moan about this more. In fairness, because it's a converging industry, there definitely are project leads (whether IAs or otherwise) who do think designers are just there to make things pretty.
But one reason I think is that design schools are doing a huge disservice by continuing to promote the cult of individuality among designers, when in reality you're working as part of a team, especially in this space where the problems are too large to be solved easily by one person.
– george @ 07.21.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .How did individuality become cult? Individuality is the antithesis of cult, is it not?
The individual characteristics of the ideal candidate for the role we are seeking to name would have those qualities that are diverse enough to correctly comprehend the needs of each team member in a way that can be beneficially applied to a group goal.
And, yes, sensory design must take into account sensibilities derived from social organs of perception, as well as the base physical that most do have, but some lack.
A team of thus qualified individuals would, by nature, be burdened rather than assisted by the imposition of a catalytic overseer of this sort. Fat chance that will occur very frequently, so the need to cultivate this skills package in individuals who can effectively see to it that the work gets done correctly.
Some of these problems stem from the generally slave-ish atmosphere generated by individuals who don't want to work, but feel that they must, for whatever reason.
But that's a whole different problem set.
– Donimo @ 07.22.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Realized I forgot to add another thing we don't do -- project management.
While project management skills are obviously important to have, project managers typically focus on making sure the project is staffed properly, is on time, and is under budget. And the project manager is typically focused on pleasing the client rather than pleasing the user.
– george @ 07.26.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .That's a decisive line of demarcation.
That clarifies much.
There are other specifics of not doing that apply, as well.
I mean, that do as fine a job of succinctly sculpting the role.
Business consulting.
Hardware evaluation and procurement.
Vacation planning.
Commingling of funds.
Legal advising.
Shareholder recommendations.
Puts on margin.
Wedge shots from the rough.
No, wait! we do that.
Uh, sorta.
– Donimo @ 07.26.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I'm realizing that the "What we don't do" list, probably is better called the "Who we aren't" list.
I'm not trying to imply that we don't actually do the things I've listed, instead my point is that these shouldn't be our primary responsibilities -- and that are other disciplines that focus on each of these areas in far more depth than we do.
And on a large enough team, ideally each job I've described would be done by a different person. Yes, there's overlap, but each person brings a different perspective to the overlapping areas that's valuable.
On a smaller team (or for a solo practioner), there's not the luxury of having separate people to do these other things, so often times we end up inheriting these other tasks -- going back to my comment that we're often the "foot soldiers of user experience."
But my point is that these tasks aren't the core of what we should be doing as a "UX professional." There are other people who can do these tasks, often better than we can. Where we add value is bringing in something that's outside the core expertise of the other professions I've listed.
– george @ 07.27.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .We can only aspire to comprehend what Jeffrey Zeldman meant
. . . and know that we are Happy Cogs.
– Donimo @ 07.27.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I think if I were going to use one term and one term only, to describe the job, it would be Web Maker.
It sounds flat, though. There is an almost irresistable cumpulsion to want to icon-o-cise it with the image of a spider, too.
Other than that there is no better description than Making Webs.
It just needs some marketing conceptualization.
"Hi, I'm a Web Maker. Can I help you?"
"Yes, please. Will you make me a Web?"
"Okay, would you like fries with that?" (audience laughs)
– Donimo @ 07.27.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Very timely. My boss and I recently had a two hour meeting to come up with a new title for what I do. We finally chose "User Experience Specialist". It seemed to best encompass most of what I do.
I agree with much of what you said, but remember in smaller companies you'll end up doing more than just the User Centered tasks. I'm currently the visual designer, the content approver, part-time BA and HTML developer as well as the person responsible for the tasks you mentioned as appropriate for UX.
I'm hoping for a staff soon. Wish me luck!
– Toni @ 10.30.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Yeah, but can you get the kids to school on time, bake bread and still have a life?
Huh!? Well?
(: or would you ever want to? :)
Then there's the how to deal with it actually working so well that we obviously need to bring in the rest of the design team.
You know, the users.
They can be so unlikely at times.
(Some can't even float a div, let alone balance.)
– Donimo @ 10.31.2001
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .What about the pay ranges involved in all of these fields and employment law?
– Larry Wood @ 06.30.2003
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .