UX Makes For Better Engineers

Engineers have the ability to create solutions for problems. Every product requires a certain level of expertise in design, analysis, troubleshooting, and production. The best engineers are methodical, detail-oriented, logical, and advanced problem solvers.

I am trained as an engineer, but I have been transitioning into UX design over the past several months. UX may be in a more creative industry, but it lends itself nicely to technically-trained minds. I am still a problem solver with a sharp attention to detail. I can still dive into technical work with a methodical approach. But I am choosing to do so with a focus on the user experience of a product.

A number of people have asked me why I am leaving engineering. Technically, yes, my role is changing to align with my interests, but I do not believe that I am no longer an engineer. If really wanted to change my focus back to technical work, my learnings from UX would make me a better engineer than I was before.

Engineering Without User Experience

You can create a product that performs a function. But it’s more difficult to create a product that performs a function in a way that works effectively for your end users.

In one of my old jobs, I maintained simulation software. The development of its code solved a number of customization and convergence problems that had plagued the software from running smoothly over the years. However, despite the immense skill that went into this development, the software remained undesigned for the end user. Without any effective visual aids, instructions, or training, virtually all of the end users struggled to use the software as intended. They would often ask for support from the developers.

You Can’t Develop Things Without Design

This isn’t the fault of the developers — they did their job. The problem lies in the fact that no job was even available for a designer, let alone it being a lower priority. The development improvements were a necessary step forward, but they needed to happen in parallel with design work that focused on what the users needed from the software.

There are several instances in engineering where the end-user is not a priority. They may say that they are focused on their customers, but they aren’t implementing the exercises needed to actually get to know them. These exercises allow them to effectively learn about their needs and challenges throughout development. And no, this learning has to happen through its own design process — it cannot be captured in meetings alone.

Interviews weren’t conducted to highlight user needs. Personas weren’t created to capture each type of user. User-centric specifications weren’t defined for each persona to highlight their objectives and motivations. Sketches and prototypes weren’t tested on the end users.

At a high level, no feedback was generated during the design process on what worked and what didn’t. The end users just received the product at the end of its development and had to work with whatever they got.

Balance Technical Skills With ‘Soft Skills’

For all of their many strengths, there are a significant number of engineers that struggle with the ‘soft skills’. Those things like effective communication, being a team player, showing empathy for others, and creating authentic connections.

I saw managers more apt at solving technical problems than addressing the needs of their direct reports. I witnessed groups trying to fit their employees into a box, rather than carving out tasks that worked to their strengths. I watched technically brilliant people struggle to communicate their work effectively. This isn’t to say that engineering doesn’t have people who are well-versed in these skills — my last manager was brilliant with them. But there weren’t enough people like him.

Organizations need to develop both technical and soft skills in order to create better products. This doesn’t mean forcing your technical gurus into people-management roles, where their technical strengths are not aligned with their primary responsibilities. Not only would they hate it, but they will focus less on their responsibilities in favor of work that uses their strengths. It is more important to be well-rounded as an organization, rather than as an individual. Put people-focused individuals in the roles that require soft skills, and put technical folks in the roles that require technical skills.

This is not to say that people shouldn’t be well-rounded, but they should perform the work that they’re good at. Well-roundedness, to me, is developing awareness and appreciation for the skills that aren’t strengths. In practice, have a technical person involved in a people-centric project, rather than a people-centric role. They will become more well-rounded through exposure to this type of work, and will remain engaged by contributing with their strengths.

People Come First

If you boil UX down to one concept, it is this — people come first. If you want to improve the quality of your engineering, introduce individuals who will focus on the user experience. It’s a natural complement to the technically rigorous side of engineering.

In the end, engineering will never be able to shed its human factor. We have emotions (despite our affinity for logic and efficiency) and we will always seek connections. Because of this, people will always opt for products that are less technical/more intuitive, over their more technical/less intuitive counterparts.