I was recently asked by a high school student if they should study user experience (UX) design. I wrote a quick answer why I chose UX.
"Hello!
I would suggest becoming a user experience designer because the field gives you the opportunity to add value to an organization by using your skills to acquire new customers and ultimately retain them. If you can make one customer happy and love a product, then you have done your job. Business is all about making customers happy and having them share the delight of a product with a friend. User experience is understanding how people are using products differently than they were designed and then making adjustments to make them happy. If you are creative, want to solve real-world problems and have strong problem solving skills, then you should consider exploring this field.
If you want to learn more about UX, I would suggest asking local companies like Hyland Software, that have UX teams, to join their job shadowing program and see it first hand. Even better, you can also apply for an internship; there is nothing better than learning on the job. On the other hand, if want to just keep in the loop on the latest trends, check out local groups like UX Akron and UXPA Cleveland.
Please follow up with any questions or comments.
Thank you,
Marc A. Majers
Certifed Usability Analyst (CUA)
Master of Science in IAKM (UX Design)"
