UXPA Boston Conference 2018

The UX discipline finds itself at a juncture where we should, at the very least, have an examination of our name, identity associated with it, and how we view our contributions to the larger design world. This presentation strives to begin this discussion and share this presenter’s experience with the design of a major UX graduate program, survey of employer’s needs, and employment opportunities – each of these presenting opportunities for growth. This talk will also consider looming threats from emerging and potentially disrupting disciplines (customer experience, patient experience, and service design) and implications for UX practitioners. Has the “User” descriptor become limiting? Does it accurately reflect the breadth of what we can and do accomplish in the world of product and service design? Might we be better served by a less restricted name such as “Experience Design” -- consider the phenomenally successful “design thinking” movement, which is applied broadly across a diverse design landscape. The fracturing of the “experience movement” is already underway; I see it every day as I interact with employers, clients and prospective students. We see evidence in the corporate world, design practices and the world’s largest business consulting groups as well as the emergence of specialized experience conferences. The threats and opportunities are real; what remains to be seen is how the UX profession responds.