Unveiling the Layers of UX Design: A Journey through Company Cultures
Last week, I had a conversation with a new hire. It was her first UX role, and she had questions. She was extensively reading about UX and asked if I actually conducted user research — real data-backed research — before moving on to design or build products, considering my UX design background and current role as a product manager.
It’s intriguing how your work process is profoundly influenced by the work culture of the company and the team you collaborate with. In my initial full-time UX design role, my task was to redesign a dashboard UI. The first step was understanding the reason behind the redesign and the problem it aimed to solve. To achieve that, I sought clarity from stakeholders, who provided me with vague answers. Unfortunately, this company didn’t prioritize user experience much, so they didn’t pay much attention. Nonetheless, filled with enthusiasm for my first UX role, I proceeded to set up a research survey and interviews to hear directly from users, as it was largely an in-house product.
I was in the middle of my UX research when my manager (who had no background at all in product or UX) asked what I was doing and requested I go straight into UI design because all that UX stuff was unnecessary due to tight deadlines. So, in that role, I largely focused on UI/Product design, as my primary goal was designing UI that fits company objectives.
My subsequent role was at a more UX-focused team/company, and, you know, all that ‘fancy stuff’ — UX Research, Brainstorming, Wireframing, UX testing, and taking user feedback — was prioritized, making my work easier and delving me deeper into UX design.
It’s crucial to note that the stage a product is at, the company culture, and the intended/current target audience all contribute to how you approach UI/UX Design. However, essential steps like research, following a data-backed approach, listening to users, and taking feedback cannot be skipped to design a truly user-friendly product.
Additionally, do not let the company culture of where you work suppress your talent. Even if it is not a key deliverable, commit to doing your UX process and apply it to your UI Design, as it always, in the end, reflects in the type of products you design and put out — because your work is your work in the end.
Have any similar experiences? Please share!
