Digital Insights

I’m not sure if it’s just me, but it feels like a strange time in UX right now. I’m noticing many layoffs in our field, budget cuts, and a decline in work for external suppliers. It seems we’re going through another shift in our industry, which tends to happen every few years due to technological advancements or economic factors.

In this email, I’d like to share my thoughts and best guesses about what might be happening and what the future could hold.

However, I want to begin by clarifying what I don’t believe is happening: I don’t think the user experience field is being replaced by AI.

While AI may streamline processes and reduce job numbers in the field, I believe the risk of AI replacing you anytime soon is minimal.

This is due to the current nature of AI. It excels in areas like data analysis and written language but remains weak in other domains, such as:

• Strategic planning.
• Emotional intelligence.
• Creative thinking.

Fortunately, these are the three core skills essential for user experience design. Therefore, I see no reason to worry about the impact AI may have on our jobs. While AI will inevitably change how we work, it won't diminish the need for our roles.

So, if AI isn't driving the changes I'm observing, what is? It could simply be economic and political factors.

There is a lot happening in the world right now that creates uncertainty. We have the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, a cost of living crisis, and upcoming elections in the US. Additionally, the long-term effects of COVID have changed business operations and put significant economic pressure on governments.

It's not surprising that organizations are looking to cut costs and are hesitant to start new initiatives. They are waiting to see how these issues unfold.

However, we can't solely blame the broader economy. There is also issues specific to UX that are affecting the situation.

To begin with, we are witnessing the end of the honeymoon period in user experience design. For some time, user experience was the buzzword in business. Similar to digital transformation, senior management became aware of this discipline. Success stories from companies like Apple and Uber sparked a frenzy of investment in user experience.

They were further seduced by statistics we all threw around like:

Every dollar invested in UX results in a return of $100, representing a 9,900% ROI.

Many of these companies did not prioritize user experience effectively. They either underinvested or had a culture that hindered genuine user-centric delivery. As we know, you can't just bolt on UX to an existing organization.

As a result, it has often fallen short of management's expectations. Now, we see them starting to cut back, drawn in by the allure of the next big thing—AI.

To complicate things further, this initial excitement, along with the maturing of the discipline, has led to another issue.

The excitement around UX has attracted many people to the field, especially with the rise of UX bootcamps.

Meanwhile, significant progress is being made in the discipline. We are discovering what works and what doesn’t. UX patterns and best practices are emerging, leading to fewer problems that need solving.

Of course, every project has its nuances. However, we can achieve results faster than ever because we build on the solutions found by others in the past.

These two factors—more professionals and fewer problems—have created an oversaturated market. At least that is my current working hypothesis.

So, what comes next?

Well, your guess is as good as mine. In the short term, we will probably see more of the same: more layoffs and more budget cuts. Unless the current economic and political uncertainty decreases, we are unlikely to see any improvements.

However, it ultimately depends on how organizations choose to integrate UX in the long run. The importance of user experience is here to stay. Consumers now expect a good user experience, and that expectation will only increase. Bridget van Kranlingen from IBM consulting put it well when she said:

"The last best experience that anyone has anywhere becomes the minimum expectation for the experience they want everywhere."

The question is: how will organizations choose to deliver on it?

As I see it, they have three options:

• They could recognize the importance of user experience and create strong, well-supported UX teams. While I believe some will take this approach, I doubt it will be the majority.
• They may abandon the idea and outsource everything to external suppliers. I think more will take this route, but it will come with challenges. This approach doesn't address the internal barriers to creating a great user experience. As a result, they will only achieve superficial improvements, mainly in user interfaces.
• They could democratize user experience by creating centers of excellence that promote best practices across the organization. These centers would empower others to become UX advocates. While this approach may work for some organizations, I don't see it becoming the mainstream solution.

I believe most will adopt a hybrid approach. Organizations will likely have some in-house staff while also relying on outside resources for support.

To make this work, organizations will need strong in-house UX leaders to tackle internal issues that undermines the user experience. That's why I'm focusing on this area. It has the potential for meaningful improvements that can deliver the largest return on investment for organizations.

But what about you? What should you be doing?

I don’t think you need to worry too much. Yes, things may be tough for a while, but if you hang in there, they will stabilize.

Newcomers to the sector are at the greatest risk. You may be forced to shift to related fields as job openings decrease.

However, experienced UX designers can feel secure in their roles. You may work externally instead of in-house, but your job is safe.

As for experienced UX leaders who have a track record for delivering results, the future looks bright. UX is here to stay. As long as you demonstrate your value, you should be fine.

Demonstrating value is crucial for all of us. Now that the initial excitement has faded, we must show management that our work makes a real impact. We need to focus on delivering what matters to them, not just on user needs.

For those who advocate for UX but don’t work directly in the field (I’m looking at you, marketers), we need your support now more than ever. You know that user experience is vital for delivering on your objectives. So, I would encourage you to keep promoting the importance of UX design. We need to ensure it isn’t seen as a failed experiment or reduced to making superficial changes on the website. If that happens, your job will become so much harder.

Of course, these are just my opinions, and I could be completely wrong. I would really like to hear your thoughts on the future and any downturns you might be noticing.

Hey all,

This topic could prove controversial, but I've had a couple of conversations recently that make me think this is a subject worth discussing. It's about the role of user researchers in organizations.

Now, I know a lot of you reading this will be thinking to yourself that you'd kill to work somewhere willing to invest in hiring a dedicated user researcher. But be careful what you wish for, because I'm not sure it's always a good idea. Especially if it ends up creating a gatekeeper between stakeholders and users.

You see, I've worked with a few companies over the last year or so where the roles of user researcher and user experience designer have been separated. On the surface, this looks like a good idea. After all, generally speaking, the more specialized you are, the better job you'll do in a particular niche. And that's true for user researchers. There are many nuances to carrying out user research that a more generalist user experience designer may overlook.

However, by separating the roles, you can create a couple of problems that I've witnessed recently.

First, precisely because of their expertise, some user researchers carry out such in-depth research that it doesn't always sit comfortably with the timescales allocated to projects internally. The result is that user research can become time-consuming and so only happens once or twice during the project. Instead of facilitating a culture of testing and iteration, you end up with a piece of upfront research and a sanity check towards the end when it's too late to change things.

Although in theory, this kind of in-depth user research should provide benefits, in my experience at least, a leaner, more iterative approach tends to win out. Put another way, I favor a series of lightweight research and testing exercises throughout the project over more in-depth research at the beginning and end.

If this is an approach you are interested in learning more about, I have a workshop that I can run in your organization.

Second, and probably even more significantly, the involvement of a user researcher reduces the interactions that the UX designer has with users. Instead of running user testing themselves, they get back a report from the user researcher and often don't experience the user frustrations firsthand.

Admittedly, the user researcher's observations may well be more in-depth and insightful because of their experience and expertise. However, I believe you lose something when the UX designer isn't observing and interacting with users firsthand. They'll learn a lot more this way than from reading a report.

Of course, this won't always be the case. In some organizations, the user researchers will go out of their way to involve the designer. However, in my experience, this is the exception and not the rule. That's not because of reluctance on either the part of the designer or researcher, but instead for the sake of efficiency. The pressure to deliver will often mean it's seen as excessive to have the designer involved in testing when it's seen as the job of the user researcher.

None of this is meant as a criticism of user researchers. Neither am I suggesting that there isn't a place for separate user researchers.

However, I see the role of user researchers to be focused on the bigger picture. They should be gathering insights that apply to the wider organization, while project-specific testing should be done primarily by UX designers.

See Also: Rethinking The Role Of Your UX Teams And Move Beyond Firefighting

User researchers can support them by providing training and advice, but I think it's dangerous to centralize all user research with the user researcher. Doing so, in my experience, results in less research and testing for the reasons I've given.

That said, I recognize that I'm drawing on my own experience here, and maybe things are different where you work. I'd therefore love to hear from you on this one. Do you have separate user researchers, and if so, does that still allow for lots of lightweight research and testing to refine ideas and answer questions throughout the project?

Hello all.

If you work on websites, rather than web apps, the chances are you want people to do something on that site. It might be sign up for a newsletter, buy a product or getting in touch. Whatever it is you want people to do you will find them cautious. That is just human nature. We are always looking for the “danger” in any situation. People fear making the wrong decision or wasting their money. They worry about what will happen if they act and how things might go wrong.

You can have an amazing product, great design, and compelling content. But if you fail to address people's concerns, they will hesitate to act.

A vital skill when working on websites is the ability to address these concerns. Even if content creation is not your main job, you need to guide those who create content. Otherwise, you might end up receiving the blame if the website underperforms.

Objection handling is useful not only for creating websites but also in everyday life. You may need to persuade people to do something, whether it's convincing a child to eat vegetables or getting a manager to approve your pay raise.

Identifying objections and knowing how to respond are valuable skills in many situations.

So, how do you find out what objections your audience might have?

1. Demonstrate empathy.
2. Talk to those who know your audience well.

For example, to improve a website's conversion rate, talk to the sales or customer support teams. They can help you understand people's objections better.

You can also ask your audience directly. I often run exit-intent surveys on landing pages to find out why people choose not to act. This feedback can provide valuable insights for improving the page and increasing the conversion rate.

Once you know their objections, you can start working on how to address them. It may be tempting to ignore objections, but this rarely works. Addressing objections directly shows that you understand your audience. This approach not only addresses their concerns but also builds trust.

When speaking to people directly, it’s helpful to preempt objections. Don’t wait for them to raise issues. If you address their concerns before they mention them, they have the opportunity to remain silent. This means they will not lose face in front of others, something especially important with senior stakeholders. They really do not like being corrected by someone below them!

On your website, link your responses to objections with elements that might trigger them. For example, if you're asking for credit card information, reassure users about security at that moment. Don't expect them to look for answers in your FAQ section!

There is much more to say about objection handling. I have just published a comprehensive post on my website that explores this topic in depth.

However, the reason I have raised the issue here is that objection handling is a crucial skill that anybody working in marketing or UX needs to know. In fact, it is a good skill to have no matter what your role. And yet, somehow it is not a skill you hear people discuss very often.

Hello all,

I've always been a strong advocate for establishing measurable success criteria in every project. The digital world offers us a wealth of metrics to track - from conversion rates and lifetime customer value to engagement and user experience. It's a data goldmine!

But recently, I've been reminded that adopting metrics can be a dangerous game, especially if we become too obsessed with them. Let's explore four key dangers of metrics and how to navigate them effectively.

I'm currently working with an insurance company that's fallen into this trap. They're tracking the number of quotes sent out rather than actual sales. Consequently, they're making decisions that boost quote numbers at the expense of real conversions.

How does this happen? It's called the McNamara fallacy - our tendency to measure what's easy to measure and, over time, assume it's the only metric that matters.

Be wary of this trap. While measuring something is better than nothing, avoid placing too much weight on easily accessible metrics. They're just part of the equation, and the metrics you can't easily measure (like lifetime customer value) are often the most important.

Quarterly targets are common, but they can lead to dangerously short-term thinking. If you're fixated on this quarter's sales target, you might prioritize costly customer acquisition over more sustainable strategies like customer retention and word-of-mouth recommendations.

When we focus on a small number of short-term metrics, it's easy to misinterpret what's happening. You might miss seasonal variations or fail to see that the overall picture is healthier than it appears.

I once had a client who pulled a feature after just three days because it caused a dip in a single metric at launch. There was no time to understand the full impact or whether it was having positive effects in other areas. They jumped to conclusions based on limited data.

Metrics should guide our decision-making, not dictate it. Our actions shouldn't be reduced to simplistic if/then statements (If [metric] goes up = good. If [metric] goes down = bad).

We need to make informed judgment calls, take calculated risks, and have the nerve to give ideas time to succeed. For instance, it's common for website changes to receive initial negative reactions as they disrupt users' procedural knowledge. But if you give people time to adjust, the results often improve.

So, how do we harness the power of metrics while avoiding these pitfalls? Here's my advice:

1. Use a range of metrics: Work with your team to establish metrics that encompass conversion, usability, and engagement. This gives you a more complete picture.
2. Allow time before reacting: Agree upfront on how long you'll wait before responding to data after implementing changes. Expect short-term negative impacts and plan accordingly.
3. Align metrics with overall goals: Challenge short-term metrics by asking whether they truly support your organization's broader objectives.

Implementing these strategies isn't always smooth sailing. Many organizations are deeply entrenched in their thinking, and changing established metrics often falls outside my direct control.

However, by laying these foundations early, we create a reference point for when things go awry. We can revisit these conversations and adjust course as needed.

Remember, metrics are powerful tools, but they're not the end goal. Use them wisely, and they'll guide you toward meaningful improvements and sustainable success.

What are your experiences with metrics? Have you encountered similar challenges? I'd love to hear your experiences! Drop me a reply.

If you would like a transcript of this episode, access to the links I mentioned, or any additional information, please visit the associated blog post.

Let’s talk about experience. I have a lot of it - 30 years of working with websites and web-based apps. But how useful is all that experience actually? More broadly, how much should we consider experience when hiring staff or working with a particular agency? Does sector experience matter?

We presume that more experience is better, but is that actually true?

Experience certainly has its advantages. When you've worked on web projects for as long as I have, little surprises you anymore. I've encountered and worked out solutions for the majority of related challenges.

I also have enormous experience across a huge range of sectors, from government and charities to luxury brands and startups. I understand many of the nuances of these sectors. I can see challenges or opportunities that a less experienced professional might miss.

But I'm not here to blow my own trumpet, because I also believe that experience can carry with it large downsides.

For a start, I've met many people who have decades of experience and yet they suck at their jobs. Doing something for years does not always equate to competence. To succeed in any job, you need more than experience. You need a strong work ethic, a passion for the role, and consistently produce results. I have encountered many people who have been doing their job for too long and don’t care anymore.

Also, it's easy to become entrenched in certain ways of thinking. You know what works and you stick with it. Unfortunately, the world isn’t static and what once worked may well no longer do so.

I see this from those who have worked in a particular sector for a long time. I will suggest something, and they will reject it because they've tried it before. Of course, that's no guarantee it won’t work today.

Not that I am any better. I have my ways of working that have proved reliable, and other techniques that haven't worked for me. And despite knowing things change, I have a tendency to rely on what has worked in the past and avoid things that haven't.

Experience also brings with it complexity. You understand the nuances of a situation. So, you may overcomplicate things or get bogged down in details instead of focusing on the core issues.

Baggage like this can make those with experience hard to work with when they are unable to adapt to the approaches used by different teams. If you're hiring, there's something to be said for hiring somebody with potential, but not a lot of experience. That way, you can shape them to fit your organization.

Equally, when hiring an agency or freelancer, asking for someone with sector experience isn't always the best move. It's useful to have a supplier who understands the sector's challenges. But, it reduces the chance of unique solutions that will set you apart from your competitors.

But let me be clear. I'm not suggesting you avoid people with experience. I'm just pointing out that it is a two-edged sword. If you are hiring somebody with a lot of experience, make sure they are flexible, adaptive, and self-aware. Their experience should not become a drawback, but an advantage.

As for those of us with a lot of experience, well we need to nurture that self-awareness. We need to realize we may well be stuck in our ways or not as open to giving things a go and seeing what happens.

And finally, if you're reading this and lack a lot of experience, I'm hoping this will prove an encouragement. Experience isn’t everything, and I'd suggest you ignore those years of experience requirements found in job ads. Instead, show enthusiasm and commitment. Make those with more experience look stale, unenthusiastic, and inflexible by comparison.

If you would like a transcript of this episode, access to the links I mentioned, or any additional information, please visit the associated blog post.

https://boagworld.com/emails/charity-web-design-and-psychology

If you would like a transcript of this episode, access to the links I mentioned, or any additional information, please visit the associated blog post.

https://frontendmasters.com/blog/fast-and-budget-friendly-user-research-and-testing/

If you would like a transcript of this episode, access to the links I mentioned, or any additional information, please visit the associated blog post.

https://boagworld.com/emails/recruiting-user-test-participants-doesnt-need-to-be-a-nightmare/

.If you would like a transcript of this episode, access to the links I mentioned, or any additional information, please visit the associated blog post.

https://boagworld.com/emails/the-rise-of-the-voice-and-conversational-interfaces