UX: Start to Finish
UX is integral to product design and the holistic experience. We are there from scribbled idea to shiny debut and beyond, as the user feedback from real world users rolls in. UX is not an after-thought, can not be tacked on to tick the boxes. Accordingly, I think of all my teammates as part of the UX process: from the blue sky designer to the QA tester to the Customer Service representative. Every one of them will see the product from a different point of view, and have a different mental map on how to best create and use the product or experience. My job as a UX Designer is to sift those experiences, to winnow ideas to the simplest, strongest, and most intuitive, and to constantly keep a weather eye out for improvements.
Everybody Sees Our Work
...but ideally, they don't realize it. Designing and displaying information in a seamless experience can be tricky, but if the UX and UI designers work in synch with user expectations, the end result is one where every action is intuitive. All the information is right where you expect it to be. Onboarding feels swift and informative. Flow derives from the user's needs.
Balancing Creativity with Stability
The wheel has been improved upon many times, but the fundamental shape and physics remain the same. A good UX designer balances known user expectations while striving for improvement. Part of our job is to generate a lot of ideas and test them to see what works. But I also have to know when to abandon unproductive trails and when to minimalise a process in order to have the broadest impact. As a designer, I nurture my creative side and use metaphors, narrative, and story to guide users on a journey. I explore so I can give them the map.