Embracing change in UX: insights from Jakob Nielsen

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Adaptability and forward thinking will be critical skills in the rapidly evolving landscape of user experience (UX), says UX pioneer Dr. Jakob Nielsen .?

In this Insights Unlocked episode, Jakob talked with UserTesting’s CEO Andy MacMillan about the future of UX, AI’s growing role in UX research (and vice versa), the commoditization and pancaking of UX, and the opportunities that may bring for UX professionals.

AI’s impact on UX

Jakob believes AI will do a lot of positive things for humanity such as lifting a billion people out of extreme poverty, vastly improving education for hundreds of millions of children, and improving health care coverage for billions more.??

"It's almost immoral to want to hold back AI and not make it move ahead at full speed, but it has to move ahead at full speed in a human-centered way," Jakob said.?

As Judd Antin said in last week’s episode , the genie is out of the bottle and it’s in a UX researcher’s best interest to learn the emerging AI tools in order to adapt. Jakob adds to this thought by identifying three ways AI will benefit UX:?

1. It will increase productivity
2. It will increase ideation, thereby increasing creativity
3. It will shrink skill gaps to doing the research

The commoditization and pancaking of UX

Jakob highlights how AI will significantly enhance the speed and reduce the cost of UX work. He explains that AI's role in usability and user experience is to improve existing methods, particularly in the ideation stage. "AI can assist in generating user interfaces and providing multiple design options," he said, making it easier to refine and perfect them efficiently. The combination of human and AI efforts results in a more productive workflow: "The two together, are better than either one alone."

AI's impact on the UX field goes beyond just ideation. Jakob points out that AI can handle tasks like translating and conducting user tests in multiple languages, which can be done at a fraction of the current cost. "You could drop the price of that to basically zero," he says.

This cost efficiency—the commoditization of UX—allows for more extensive user research without the significant financial burden previously associated with it.

However, Jakob emphasizes that AI cannot fully replace actual user testing with real humans. "You can have an AI that kind of simulates a user, but it's not going to be the user." Despite this limitation, the use of AI in UX work streamlines processes, making it faster and more cost-effective while ensuring that critical tasks are still validated by real user feedback.

Andy added that AI's ability to provide real-time learnings can also help designers avoid past mistakes, ultimately making the UX design process more efficient and effective.

One result of UX commoditization will be the flattening or "pancaking" of the UX industry, Jakob said, where the democratization of UX practices enables a broader range of professionals to engage in UX research and design. This shift means that instead of UX tasks being the domain of a select few experts, more individuals across various roles can now contribute.

"I honestly don't care what people's job title is," Jakob said. "I care that they use these methods of user research and iterative design."

Career advice for UX professionals to maximize their opportunities

Jakob advises UX professionals to embrace the evolving landscape of the industry. "You should accept how the world is evolving and find your best place in that rather than resist it," he advised.?

He stressed the value of joining small, agile teams that operate like "superhero squads." These teams, composed of highly skilled individuals, can lead to faster and more efficient product development. "A small team of superheroes... they’re going to go and steamroll and get it out the door," he said, comparing these teams to the Justice League comics of his youth.

He suggests that UX professionals should not assume their career path involves moving up to managerial roles but instead focus on honing their expertise and becoming "super experts" in their niche. "Don't assume that your career path is climbing the corporate ladder... become a super expert or superhero," he states.?

By specializing in areas like banking or other specific domains, professionals can leverage AI to broaden their skill set and enhance their contributions to the field. This approach not only fosters personal growth but also promotes a more dynamic and efficient UX industry.

Listen to the full episode to hear more on the role of AI in transforming UX research.