The difference between defending and gatekeeping UXD
Are you a unicorn or just a troll?
A few years ago when I began the transition from web design to user experience design, I saw a lot of contention over the definition of a UX professional. There was a never ending laundry list of things that I needed to know to be a “real UX person” (research! content design! design systems! visual design! HTML! leadership!)
As soon a I finished a course or a project in one discipline, I would find another requirement, and I was left to wonder when I would become an official UX designer. Naturally, all major opportunities, responsibilities, promotions, and salaries would be withheld from me until I achieved this mysterious status.
As a young woman getting started in a tech field, it was heartbreaking.
To be a UX designer, you must answer these riddles three
I still see high-level professionals who are upset that the industry is getting oversaturated and “just anyone can call themselves a UX Designer.” These trolls lurk at conferences, on webinars, and in my LinkedIn network. For a time, they even lived in my chain of command at work.
Most of these grumps are harmless, ranting in articles or holding up meetings for a tirade. A few are not so innocent — they campaign to get “UX” removed from a job description resulting in a lower salary range, or discourage people with diverse backgrounds (especially young professionals) from applying for UX jobs.
These more deliberate actions dangerously border on “gatekeeping,” a process that has no real benefit.
Why all the knights in shining armor? As UX grew as a discipline, there was a tendency to slap it on everything (what even is a UX Developer and how are they different from regular developers?) For a while UX was in danger of becoming a meaningless corporate buzzword. There was a push to return to form and remind people that we have a defined process and scope. We may be diverse, but we are not a junk drawer of job titles.
But why is this battle imposed on individuals, the new and slightly different?
A unicorn is born
UX covers lots of ground. At minimum, it includes:
- Research
- Assessment (both summative and formative)
- Information architecture
- Content strategy and design
- Writing
- Readability (including typography)
- Behavioral psychology
- Interaction design
- User interface design
- Accessibility
- A basic understanding of data management
- A basic understanding of technology
- A basic understanding of business and marketing
- Laws, legislation, and research ethics
As we keep adding technologies, this list will keep growing —think of all the specialties that VR and voice have added alone.
Managers are not shy about asking for all of these requirements and more when looking to hire or promote. But be honest with yourself — how much have you used every skill on that list in the past year?
The real treasure was…
I work at a digital agency as the only UX person, a job that requires the broadest set of UX skills. Every day, I am learning about and applying many of the fields from the list above.
One of the graphic designers I work with is also extremely good at interaction design. IxD is a UX field, so it falls within my purview. I would be completely within my rights to ask him not to design interactions. However, I would be an idiot to do that. This designer actively seeks my feedback to make sure that his interactions are intentional, well-executed, and accessible.
Why would I create more work for myself, risk delivering a sub-par product to my clients, or upset this talented designer just because he is not a “UX person”?
By focusing on the best end product instead of gatekeeping what is and isn’t UX, I’ve opened the door for collaboration and creativity. This only makes my projects stronger.
My new mantras for UX collaboration are:
- Don’t disregard someone’s ideas because they aren’t a UX Designer, especially if they are transitioning into the field.
- Stop dismissing new ideas from new UX professionals. Bright new minds are entering the industry every day, and they are our greatest asset.
- Share your experience with others. As we get new voices in UX, they will need our knowledge and experience. If you have the chance, become a mentor.
Happily ever after?
Speaking of mentoring, I’m privileged to mentor smart young woman. She comes from a research background and is making the transition to UX while obtaining her Masters degree. It’s been interesting and delightful to be her mentor. While I came from a design background and had to learn proper research technique, she is an ace when it comes to research and has to learn the design process.
During our calls, she tells me about the obstacles she is running into. They sound tragically like the obstacles I encountered — people playing down her experience and discounting her point of view because she is not a “real UX person.” Although sometimes I offer tips on her projects or portfolio, most of my role is to affirm her status and build up her confidence in her skills.
My hope is that by the time she is ready to mentor someone, the UX field will be free of qualifiers, wide open to everyone who wants to contribute.
