In social settings, this is one of the most common questions. Especially in America, we tend to define people by what they do for a living. With UX people, that’s actually quite apt. Like teachers, we don’t leave our work at home.
However, the answer to the question, “What do you do for a living?” is a faceted truth for a UX person, and we should apply the principles of user experience to it. Not everyone will understand what we mean when we say “I am a user experience designer/researcher/evangelist” and it’s unkind to make people look at you with that head-cocked-to-the-side-puzzled-dog expression.
So, to each type of person, you can give a different answer without in any way being dishonest. After all, they don’t really NEED a treatise on the entire umbrella of UX.
- To a layman who knows nothing about computers, you might say “I work with computers. I try to make them easy to use.”
I also say this if I don’t know anything about the person I’m talking to, since this is the safest of the answers. - To an artist, you might say “I’m a graphic designer.”
- To a psychologist, you might say “I’m a software usability researcher.”
- To someone who doesn’t know much about computers, or isn’t interested in them, you could say “I make software/websites.”
- To Cory Doctorow, when getting a book signed with a long line behind you, you might say “I’m a UI Designer.”
- To a person who might possibly hire you someday, you say “I’m a [give your exact title]. I do [brief list of the things you do].”
Why? Because this might be the only time you ever get a chance to talk to that person, and they should have all the information they need to know whether they want to continue talking to you. You should keep your description of what you do to two sentences, and only expand if they ask you to. My own example:
“I’m a Director of User Experience. I do usability research, interface design, information architecture, evangelism and ux team management.”
I hope this helps you have smoother conversations, and helps you see that the principles of user experience apply to everything you do, not just software design.
Today’s Interesting Link:
www.punypng.com is a useful PNG compressor for those who have trouble using other tools. It’s easy to use and does a darn good job.
Today’s Usability Quote:
“Our role goes beyond just making visible products; we need to make objects that are relevant, meaningful, and empowering.” — Stuart Karten
Today’s Music To Design To:
Flamenco Arabe by Hossam Ramzy is exactly what it sounds like – Flamenco music performed by an Arab musician. If you enjoy either style of music, you are certain to love this album. I find it evokes warm colors and intricate designs when I listen.