So what exactly is UX? (And what isn’t?)

Ux is a word that gets thrown around in today’s world so much. Some may say it has lost its meaning, and others may have never known what the true meaning of UX design was to begin with. Ux designers get thrown into all types of positions because, let’s face it, so many people have no idea what a ux designer actually is! The term was coined by a great man that goes by the name of Don Norman. Norman invented the term because he thought that “ human interface and usability were too narrow”. Even Don Norman knew that UX design was a complex area of expertise. So complex that there was not a word to accurately described what it actually was, and everything that goes into it. So like any great designer, he created something new.

UX design often gets confused with UI design, CX, and product management. All of these things tend to overlap, but they are not solely UX. Let’s look deeper into that.

Let’s start off by saying UX and UI are not the same thing. As much as the world wants to claim they are basically the same, they just aren’t. Don’t get me wrong, every great UX designer should probably be a pro at UI. These two fields definitely go hand in hand, but they are not the same. So what is the difference? I’m glad you asked.

UI is anything that can be seen on the surface, it is how a product looks, while UX goes much deeper. UX asks the question “WHY does this look the way it looks?” Still with me? No? Okay, let’s put it this way. Picture your dream home. It is beautiful, big, the colors are perfect, the door is stained glass, there is a chandelier on the ceiling. Now imagine moving into this beautiful home, and after a couple of months go by you realize a few problems. The staircase is artsy and aesthetically pleasing, but you trip every time you go up them. You have a huge TV hanging on the wall, just enough space in between the fireplace, but every time you watch it for more than 30 minutes your neck is sore because it’s just too high up.

This is where UX comes in. Ux looks at the design of a product, app, or website, and decides what is best for the user. UX designers come up with solutions for problems and implements them based on user feedback.

So we know what UI and UX is, what about CX? CX is also known as the customer experience. Simply put, the customer experience is the entire experience a customer has with a company. From the product they use, to the people they interact with. Where Ux focuses primarily on the user and their experience, CX tends to focus on the experience of the company as a whole, like marketing, sales, and pricing, where UX tends to focus primarily on the product and the experience of the product as a whole. You could say that User experience is apart of the customer experience, but again, not quite the same.

Lastly, we are going to look into Product Management. Now a product manager does exactly what you’d probably think they would do, they manage. A product manager oversees and organizes everything in the process of creating the product, and it is still the UX designers job to execute that product. The product manager essentially creates the vision for the product, they make the big decisions, and they are responsible for the product being something that makes the users and the client happy.

So there you have it. A break down of what is and what isn’t UX design. Hopefully now you better understand, and this helps you moving forward in whatever you are planning to do. whether you are starting a new career or hiring a creative mind to be apart of your team. UX designers are an important part of the process and should always be considered.