Communication continuum in a user’s experience…

One of my favorite parts of my UX Design program is constant communication from professors. It ranges from things about class assignments to anything that might be interesting such as events, tools, and job opportunities. Just the other day one of the professor’s sent an email about a wireframe tool that we can use for free as students. The tool has really nothing with our assignment but it can help later in our careers. To me, these communication points are critical to my great experience in the program so far.

The above mentioned was an example of communication done right. Just recently, SMS text messaging through AT&T was down almost an entire day in my area. Not a single email or telephone call from AT&T. Nothing to communicate to their subscribers that their system is down and they are actively fixing it. Despite responding on their Twitter feed, it would have been much better if they just proactively reached out to their users via email or voicemail. Many companies and job duties rely on the ability to receive text messaging. There are paging systems where receiving a text message for an individual can have an impact on a person’s life (e.g. healthcare systems). This is less about technology failing and contingency plans not being in place but its more about AT&T not actively communicating their issue. If they would have done that, the impact and the negative feeling towards the company would have been lessened.

As a future UX practitioner, I myself need to take these lessons and ensure I provide that communication continuum. Whether it be talking with users or informing the client on design changes, by being proactive in both formal and informal communication can I then be an effective change agent.