Originally published in 2016, this piece was written as a partner post to “When a UX Professional Speaks.” It provides additional insights into the psyche and persona of UX professionals, helping aspiring UXers, stakeholders, and leaders to understand how true UX professionals are wired. After all, it’s never just about the work. It’s about the cognition and functionality behind the work.
Many organizations are embracing user experience, building teams and attempting to transform into design-led companies. Some efforts are successful and some are fledgling. One of the reasons for the latter involves the failure to recognize…
With all of the book recommendation lists I’ve created, I was a little surprised at myself for waiting so long to create this one. UX research (UXR) is extremely popular today. Most of the new and aspiring UXers I speak with express a desire to specialize in this arena.
This excitement about UXR is also reflected in the volume of books available on the subject. So, at long last, here are my book recommendations for those seeking to expand their horizons regarding the subject. Just so you’re aware, this will be a rather lengthy list. And…
This UXUncensored blog entry was based on observations beginning in 2003 and written in 2016. They still ring true today.
Have you ever been in a meeting where a team member (not a UXer) presented an idea and desired that it be accepted — without any data to substantiate their idea? Of course you have. You may have been the guilty party. Not to worry, though. We’re here to learn, right? …
I usually write about things pertaining to UX, but today’s musing (while overlapping and being relevant to happenings in UX) has stirred me to share my thoughts on the subject.
Would you believe me if I said that “imposter syndrome is all the rage today?” There would likely be a broad range of responses to that question, ranging from folks asking what I mean to flat our denial to the nodding of the head. How about I explain? ;-)
Have you noticed how many people there are in UX circles (and in other places) claiming to…
by Darren Hood
Introduction
With the masses rushing to get into UX, in the midst of all the skills being taught and discussed, there is a lack of soberness that’s left out of the zeal and/or the accompanying insights are omitted from the “career sales pitches.” Truth is, while UX is indeed valuable and valid as a discipline, it presents many challenges to practitioners. Sometimes, we refer to these as “nightmares,” but I’ve decided to put a spin on that mindset. …
by Darren Hood
Introduction
Some people are wondering why I would write such an article and what it has to do with user experience. Well, this article shares insights about giving and reading reviews, helping US to have and provide better user experiences in an arena we don’t seem to consider.
We read and give reviews about companies, products, books, and services, all without understanding the associated dynamics. Then, people act upon what’s provided. When reviews are not engaged with properly, it sets several destructive elements in motion (e.g., …
by Darren Hood
There are lots of folks out there today who spend time trying to convince people about what they call “the best way to learn.” One of the most interesting things about the vast majority (if not all) of these folks is that they’re not educators. They don’t have any training in learning cognition. They don’t know anything about instructional design. Yet, they present themselves as experts.
Someone might say, “Darren, you’re just a UX professional yourself. What do you know about the subject? Who are you to say anything about it?” Well, I’m glad you asked the…
by Darren Hood
How do you define UX? I’ll explain why I’m asking in just a bit. Before we talk about what UX is, let’s consider what it is not:
- Thought of by many to focus only on aesthetics.
It’s not the job of UX professionals to “make things look good.” Our focus is on things like usability, optimal cognition, and ease of use — not “pretty.” And “pretty” can evaporate quickly if the usability, cognitive load, and ease of use are all painful. - UX is not UI.
UX consists of a minimum of 120 methods, methodologies, principles, techniques, deliverables, and…
by Darren Hood
Time for another book recommendation list (and this one’s overdue). As mentioned in a recent post, information architecture (IA) has been a forgotten and/or overlooked part of user experience for several years now. This is grossly inappropriate for several reasons. Most notably, in addition to serving as a core foundational discipline to what we now know as UX, its application is the only way to ensure optimization of findability and proper implementation of information design.
While there are some who still understand, embrace, and practice IA in their UX roles, this is still a new concept to…
by Darren Hood
I spend time talking to and/or hearing concerns from up-and-coming UX professionals all over the world. The most common story involves the challenges and frustrations associated with finding their first UX job.
First things first…. I get it. Many of the aforementioned folks don’t think that senior UXers understand, but we used to be them/you. In addition to having been there once before, having come through the ranks and (for some of us) being current or former hiring managers, we have insights that can prove useful in the current push. …
