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6 Comments

  1. Christian
    18th June 2018 @ 2:06 pm

    Massively so! We have a real problem trying to unpick exactly what UX means in our company and it makes it increasinly difficult to explain to the business at large. Equally if we tried to rename our team and roles to more what they actually are, Product Design, we would have a PR nightmare on our hands as its taken so long to escalate ‘UX’ within the business and get it as a recognised area – even if it is misunderstood!

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  2. Jennifer Fabrizi
    18th June 2018 @ 8:37 pm

    I’ve started saying that CX, UX, services are things we create – in other words, they are NOUNS. User-centered design is the work we do – in other words, the VERB. This identity crisis is doing no one any favors. The model model of UX being a subset of CX is way off and assumes everyone thinks of UX as digital only. Instead, I always thought of a customer experience as being only one facet of a person’s experience because being a “customer” is a narrow, inside-out perception of a person.

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  3. Sheila Tanner
    24th June 2018 @ 5:03 am

    Honestly, I don’t think it matters much what we call ourselves. UCD might sound like a solid idea now, but give it time and it will be just another one of the myriad job titles diluted to the point of being meaningless. I could even make the argument that UCD has already become meaningless just by using the example of Apple. Years ago, Apple declared that they were against UCD, because to them it meant letting users design their own Apple products. Sadly, this has created yet another misconception I’ve run across – that UCD simply means give users who have no understanding of design, usability, that other user’s experiences matter too, or even how the product (website, power tools, whatever) is supposed to function, the ability to tell the company producing the product how to build the product and how to market it. To be perfectly honest, I think the need to fix problems of understanding a person’s role at a company by creating a new job title or buzzword is the the root of the whole problem, and will never be the solution.

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  4. Tom Idowu
    5th August 2018 @ 8:47 am

    I don’t think you could’ve stated it any better! I believe ‘UCD’ is a better terminology to use than ‘UX’ for the time being, until we can rebrand the profession of user experience design. ‘UCD’ sounds more interpersonal and more involved in artistic, innovative, and creative processes to better products, services, and environments. I believe UCD can branch out and stand alone; it should not be confused within the same family tree of the “redefined” UX Design. I’d say UX and UCD today are second cousins. Overall, I believe that UCD can be more specified and recognized as a UX/UI Innovator.

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  5. Stacey
    18th August 2018 @ 1:22 am

    This really resonates with me. It is a part of the issues I am grappling with as I consider my ‘UCD’ consulting career. However I do believe there is a need to reinforce this re-branding with the proper academic definition of the lay term UX. From way, way across the pond; US by way of Indiana. Glad I found your site!

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  6. Kasia
    21st July 2019 @ 11:50 pm

    Great article. I’m personally very conscious of using the term “UX” as it’s often associated with digital products and websites. This is limiting ourselves as designers and I think we possess a greater value to the design industry than others may think. UCD aligns better with the practice, especially if you’re like me and your passion extends beyond the digital.

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