Want to get into UX? Just open the laptop and do it!
This article was first published on Medium on Feb 1, 2016
UX is one of the things most people don’t think about, but once they start, its magic will set them on fire. The probability that the hairdresser, pizza delivery place, local newspaper, or any service provider in your neighborhood has ever considered implementing User Experience into their workflow is close to zero. But would they love getting tips on how to make their customers happier people? Probably. So why is this potential still not used? Freelance UX research and design is not a thing yet. Make it your thing.
A great number of people struggle getting into UX. They tried for years but their lack of formal education and/or experience will not let them get hired for a UX position. And not every company opens UX related positions anyway. When it comes to building a UX research lab, many companies would rather save the money. So if you can’t start big, start small. If you want to get into UX, you need nothing but a laptop and your brain.
No matter if you are already sitting inside the office in which nobody asks for UX, or whether you are sitting at home willing to start working in UX, you can just start today. All you need is a method.
Step One: Define your method.
OK, let us start. First of all, we need to define who the people are you want to sell UX to. And we have to define the product. You should start with digital, easily optimizable products such as websites. Websites on which you can actually do stuff, such as order products, get information on certain topics etc. The website should be a relevant part of the interaction with customers.
Now that you know what the product is that you will analyze, define your method on how to sell it. Besides my full time job as a UX researcher, I create monthly UX Report magazines individually crafted for my clients. I build them in InDesign, they contain analysis on their website and social media statistics, articles on UX and expert reviews on usability issues which I found.
My UX reports contain data analysis, UX related articles and a list of usability issues with recommendations.
So why do I get them printed? Because a printed magazine feels more valuable than a PDF or text in an email (they can still download the digital version of course). The chance that it just gets ignored is lower, it can be collected, I can refer to older versions. My clients are people who let their websites built from external agencies, who are zero into design, I have to pick them up in their natural environment. So a magazine they can take notes in makes a lot of sense.
So my method is a monthly magazine, maybe yours is different, maybe a powerpoint presentation. Find method that suits your (potential) clients.
Step Two: Light a UX fire.
This is probably the hardest part. You need to get people fascinated about UX - or better: You need to get people fascinated about the consequences of great UX. Make people understand that you have identified certain aspects of their website which might lead to lower customer satisfaction, but you know what to do about it. Do not talk about drop-down menus, inconsistency, flows and all that kind of nerdy stuff. Use easy metaphors such as
“Your website does not explain what it does. You have to tell people who have never visited your website why they should stay here and come back once in a while. You would not read a newspaper article with no headline, right? Because you don’t know what it is about and you don’t want to waste your time on things you probably don’t care about. An introduction on the homepage is like a menu on the wall outside a restaurant. It gives people an idea on whether they will be happy here. And look at Facebook: Even the big players explain their purpose on the login page.”
Just go to the potential clients in your neighborhood, ask for the manager and tell him the whole story. You are that dude or dudette and you are working (which is now true) in the field of UX. Light a fire. I bet you already have found tons of usability issues you could talk about, but at first focus on the ones anyone would agree on that they are essential. Your client must be internally motivated to fix that issue. He must understand why you are important to have. Give him one of your reports (or whatever you call it), for free of course. Ask him to read through and get back to you if he is interested. And since references are more important than some cash: Money should not be a problem here, right?
Step Three: Don’t get too involved.
As I said before, one of the biggest strengths of a UX researcher is that he is not emotionally attached to the product he is testing. This is not only valid inside a company, but also when working with clients. Of course you should spend time with your clients explaining them what certain issues are and understand why they do stuff the way they do. Don’t be happy with answers such as “we fixed it because you said so”, that will not help you for the future.
But once you get the foot in the door, the chances are high that you will be asked to directly communicate with IT or the external agency which built the website. Do not get too involved. Stay outside. Don’t do the shit work writing back and forth with SEO trying to explain them why their Google keywords suck.
Always remember: Your job is to look at a product from the user’s perspective. This is the only perspective in which you can be great at doing UX. Do not get into company politics, into “we have always done it that way” discussions. Stay outside, stay focused, stay independent.
Step Four: Collect references.
Awesome. You just got into UX. Congratulations. You have a method, you have some small clients and you might even earn some small money. N0w, spread the word. And let your clients spread the word. You want to be recommended, you want some bigger names on your list. Of course we are still far far away from companies that have actually heard of UX before you came, but that is fine. Because you know how to light the UX fire.
In this phase, start connecting yourself. Use LinkedIn, connect yourself with all clients, ask them to drop a line on your profile, connect with other UX people, optimize your method, make your work more efficient so that you can send out some reports (or whatever you call it) to some bigger companies in your city. You might be lucky.
Step Five: Apply for jobs.
You wanted to get into UX, right? Wasn’t that the reason why you started the whole thing? You did a great first step, you gained experience, you have written plenty of reports for a few clients. You improved their products. But still, you have not yet tested with real users, you have not yet written a testing script, analyzed data and debriefed a group of designers. You still have a lot to learn. Be aware of that, when you now start applying for jobs. You will not be head of research, but with your references and your experience as a freelance UX dude or dudette, you can apply for some internships and Junior positions.
I know, these for steps sound a lot easier than they are. But how else could you overcome the lack of experience which HR is asking for? That is why I say: Just do it. You can do it. All you need is a laptop and a brain. Good luck!
Want to learn more?
If you’d like to become an expert in UX Design, Design Thinking, UI Design, or another related design topic, then consider to take an online UX course from the Interaction Design Foundation. For example, Design Thinking, Become a UX Designer from Scratch, Conducting Usability Testing or User Research — Methods and Best Practices. Good luck on your learning journey!
