We’ve evolved on this journey of Internet exploration and we continue to learn and develop as we go. User Experience (UX) is as much as part of online as HTML and JavaScript. It should be the butter to every website’s bread, because the fact is that the web has become a lot more user focused and experience is at the center of all time spent online. Everything we develop and design needs to be created with them – the users – in mind.
UX has become a buzzword in the online world. Something that’s thrown around like a chew toy that found favor inside your dogs grubby paws. The need for UX designers has also increased exponentially, creating a niche for highly skilled individuals who make it their business to simplify experiences, amplify messaging and solidify relationships with users. But how do you know if someone truly knows what he or she is talking about when it comes to UX? Are you hiring a UX professional or someone who merely subscribes to Mashable’s RSS feed?
Define UX
How would you define UX? You’ve probably got some pretty solid sentences that you could string together that would display your knowledge on the subject. If you’ve got a thorough knowledge of what it is, then you’ll be able to explain it to someone who’s clueless. Ask the self-proclaimed UX expert to explain the subject to you as if you had no knowledge of online.
Case Studies
An exceptional UX designer will have the passion and foresight to have set up analytics on sites they’ve transformed with their magical UX capabilities. The pre and post results should show a marked difference – with an increase falling to the latter – if said designer knows what he or she is doing. A skilled UX designer would have quite a few examples of these, as they could potentially be quite proud of their feats – hopefully without displaying the slightest hint of arrogance.
Thinking On The Spot
When all else appears to elude you, turn to the web and ask for an opinion. Pick a site that’s neither ugly nor divine and ask your candidate what he or she would change about it to make it user-friendly. At face value, your potential UX employee should be able to come up with a handful of ideas or suggestions. If he or she thinks it’s “fine” the way it is… you’re setting yourself up for mediocrity.
Presentation
Let’s not forget whom we’re dealing with here… a great UX designer will (or at least should) deliver the most perfectly constructed resume, reeking of favorable typefaces and adorned in only the finest layout and formatting. The first thing you should notice about their work is form, simplicity and clean, crisp design. If it’s anything but, then you’ve got a hoax on your hands.