How Can Entrepreneurs Learn About User Experience (UX) Design
Throughout my time as a User Experience Designer, I’ve had the privilege of meeting with and talking to people from many different backgrounds. These backgrounds range from people trying to get into the UX field, visual designers, front end/backend developers, product managers, company founders, etc.
No matter the background or level of expertise I tend to get one question over and over again: “How do I learn more about User Experience and what it is?”
Now, I usually caveat my answer with the idea that it really depends why and what you want to learn about the field. There are those that want to become UX professionals. Their track of learning is obviously way different that those that just want to be able to communicate better with their UX Designers as well as to hire better UX Talent, or determine if they need that talent at all. My guess is the majority of people reading this post fall into the second track of learners. So, that is the track that I will focus on.
When thinking about how I learned about User Experience (UX), one thing sticks out: Reading. I read A LOT. Books, blogs posts, magazine articles, you name it I read it. I read to learn new processes or procedures to use with clients, to clarify questions about old topics that I’ve been wondering about, to stay on top of my game so that I can hang with other UXers, the list goes on and on. The important part for you is knowing what to read. Here is a quick list of reading material that will bring you up to speed on User Experience and Usability.
Books:
Don’t Make Me Think:A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug
The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web by Jesse James Garrett
The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity by Alan Cooper
The User Is Always Right: A Practical Guide to Creating and Using Personas for the Web by Steve Mulder & Ziv Yaar
For more UX Books check out:
20 User Experience Books you should own
The UX Canon: Essential Reading for the User Experience Designer
Blogs:
52 Week of UX
Boxes & Arrwows
The UX Workshop
UX Booth
10 UX (User Experience) Blogs to Watch in 2010
Another great way to learn is by being a part of the User Experience Community. We are social creatures who love getting together and learning as well as talking about what we do. That being said, these groups and associations put on events that are of interest to people that aren’t in the UX field, but that just want to know more about what we do. They are great ways to network and learn. Check out some of these groups in your area.
Groups:
Interaction Design Association (IxDA)
Usability Professionals Association (UPA)
UX Bookclub
This information should give you a good jump start to learning about User Experience. I’m sure I’ve left something off the list, and knowing that I will say the number one rule to learning is to keep learning! Pick up whatever material looks interesting and helpful. Reach out to anyone that you want to learn from and meet with them to learn more. If you truly have an interest in knowing more about the field, the resources that will help you do so are endless. Oh, and don’t be afraid to reach out to me for further questions… I’d love to help!
—–
About the Blogger: Lis is the Founder of Hubert Experience Design, a boutique user experience firm based in NYC. Her firm has worked with a wide range of organizations, from Fortune 500 to start-up. Hubert Experience Design takes pride in making websites better and easier to use.
No comments:
Post a Comment