UX Design looking ahead: 2024 mid-year evaluation

As we’ve entered the second half of 2024, I wanted to share my latest thoughts about the state of UX and provide tips for designers to make the most of the turbulent times we are in. Besides the dominant “learn AI” advice right now, here are the trends that I see helping designers thrive in the current conditions:

Partner with product to show value

People have been lamenting lately that UX and research have failed to show our value, and that designers have wasted too much time and energy trying to prove our worth. As designers, we shouldn't have to prove our worth, but we should connect the dots between product achievements and design iterations. This starts by partnering with product leaders. Find out what metrics your product leaders are tracking, and then trace product milestones back to design efforts in a regular cadence. This means paying closer attention to product roadmaps, backlogs, and development release cycles. Ask product owners what their biggest goals are, and advise them on what user experience improvements can best help them get there. As a researcher, find out what quick insights you can gather to help product leaders with their immediate needs - in addition to larger research studies - for a more multi-dimensional research approach.

Showing value through product also means keeping a close eye on whether product and development outputs match your design intentions. Most of us have designed something only to see it in production no longer looking or behaving how we designed it to. In large, siloed organizations, designers are often not expected to review user stories or conduct visual QA. At the end of the day, designers have to take ownership and have a voice throughout the product lifecycle to uphold a good user experience. Sometimes this will mean making concessions in designs after they are “final” to align with development feasibility and timelines. For critical experience moments you should advocate for the ideal UX design decision. When product leaders recognize that you care about product outcomes and are willing to work with them on a balanced design approach to meet both user and business needs, you’ll become a valuable partner in their eyes.

As budgets are tightening, expect to do less glamorous work?

Recently, many companies have been cutting budgets for innovative design work and new, large initiatives. Over the same time period that we’ve seen design budgets shrink and teams get cut, data is showing that CX satisfaction is going down and design debt is growing. More designers will be needed in the future to help fix this. That might mean more service design work to identify CX issues. However, many organizations will need to remain focused on fixing instead of innovating for a period of? time. Being willing to take on less exciting tasks - and not existing solely to design at the flashy surface level - will make you more valuable in your organization.

If you’re working in a leaner environment, focus on researching and identifying smaller design changes that will make tangible user experience improvements. Finding ways to simplify experience designs - even removing features where research shows low usage - can help reduce technical debt and accelerate bigger initiatives when budgets bounce back.?

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Be open to try new things and take on more responsibilities

Brad Frost recently wrote about “Brick” and “Mortar” roles, with bricks being clearly-defined jobs, and mortar filling spaces and needs in between. Mortar people, even generalists with a wide multi-brick skillset, have at times struggled to find roles that fit into organizations building neat brick walls. I would encourage people who are currently in brick roles to find ways to stretch and fill some of those mortar responsibilities.?

In the "early days" of UX, before bootcamps and formalized degrees, designers were continuously learning by doing, and taking on a range of responsibilities to get the job done. Over the last decade, as roles have become more specialized and organizations matured, it has become more common for practitioners to stick to their narrowed skillset. Fear and refusal to take on activities beyond one’s supposed job description is common. This has also led to disjointed processes with gaps between bricks that no one wants to own. People who are willing to step in and take on the inbetween work are becoming more appreciated and desired again.?

In these changing times, it’s important to be flexible and willing to take on something new, or something tedious, that will lead to better project outcomes. Of course, if you take on additional responsibilities, be sure to set expectations on workload and deadlines. Taking on new work is fine as long as others understand that you won’t be able to deliver as quickly on other tasks at the same time. Instead of saying “No”, say “Yes…and this is what else will need to change in order for me to do this work.”