Designers are wankers

In the land of ubiquitous user experience designers, the man with the biggest job title is still king.

posted in: culture | 0

Title: The Rise of UX Leadership
Context: The only thing worse than a CEO who doesn’t care about user experience? One who does.
Synopsis: “No one understands us!” is the plaintive cry of the lowly user experience designer trying desperately to fight off the scourges of sales driven product specs and insurmountable technical limitations. “Oh, if only we were lucky enough to work in a place where user experience was driven from the top down” they lament hoping against hope to get an executive mandate where all other considerations pale in comparison to the inviolate word of the UX design team. And then, on a day where the sun shines golden in the clear blue sky, the CEO proclaims “USER EXPERIENCE IS KING!” and the designers laugh with joy and hug each other in the shared knowledge that their day has finally arrived. “And here are the features and requirements and limitations that you will now design with and for” the newly focused CEO and freshly minted user experience devotee commands. “No one understands us…” can now be heard echoing faintly through the halls…
Best Bit: “The result: a highly-reactive product development culture in which extra features are continuously bolted on, making the company vulnerable to more pro-active competitors who have a laser-like focus on UX, which can be a potent disruptor in many industries.”

via hbr.org

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *