The Nielsen Norman Group has published a report called “User Experience Careers: How to Become a UX Pro, and How to Hire One.” The report is free, but it is copyrighted so please do not distribute the file or host it elsewhere. You can download the report here. User Experience Careers is based on a survey of usability experience professionals conducted in 2013. It is compilation of professional advice based on experience gained over the years from Usability practitioners. I bring this report to your attention because the Usability SIG has never provided career-oriented information, and I believe it is helpful for you to make a career decision.
You will be pleased to know that the skills you have as a Technical Communicator are important to Usability. For instance, Technical Communication is a common background for Usability and User Experience (UX) professionals, but it often hides inside other programs as a subspecialty or as elective courses, for example in English, general science, engineering, and communication programs. One of the respondents wrote that what was most helpful was being a member of the Society of Technical Communication.
The disciplines of User Experience Design include Information Architecture, Architecture, Content (Text, Video, and Sound), Visual Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Sound Design, Human Factors, Interaction Design, and Industrial Design. These disciplines overlap, meaning that there’s no one dominate discipline that you can specialize in and have all the answers. You may already possess two or more of these disciplines, and need only to broaden your experience and take on a few projects that earn you recognition of your skills and abilities to transition into the UX profession.
To become a Usability Experience professional you can choose formal education or informal education.
- If you choose formal education, pursue a degree in Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, and Psychology. A background in HCI is essential to understand the methods to design computer interfaces to optimize a design for designed properties such as learnability and efficiency of use. An understanding of Cognitive Science is essential to understand how the mind and brain work to acquire and manipulate knowledge. A background in Cognitive Psychology is essential to understanding how we think, remember, and make decisions.
- If you choose informational education, mentoring is very helpful either by on-the-job or by consultants. You might follow formal education and half-way through your studies discover that your on-the-job training will advance your skills and experience. If you are undecided which path to take, attend a meeting of your local chapter of the Usability Professionals Association (www.uxpa.org) and network.
The report does not recommend universities or online training. You will have to make those decisions on your own. Whatever choice of education you choose, reminder that you have better credibility with a prospective employer with a diploma or certification. If you choose informational education, rewrite your resume to show experience in user interface design and bring samples of your work to job interviews.
According to the report, many respondents got started in the UX profession by attending workshops, conferences, internships, taking on UX-related responsibilities at work, doing projects and getting feedback, and mentorship. I can attest that mentorship from an experience UX professional is essential to professional development. Once upon a time, Dick Miller coached me through my first usability test. Without his help I never known how to recruit testers, facilitate testing, and report test results in a way that made management take notice.
The report concludes with a list of what interviewers look for in a candidate. It wasn’t surprising to read that interviewers are looking for candidates with relevant educational background and certificates, effective communication skills, writing skills, creativity, ability to explain the rationale behind design decisions, research experience, and experience in user-centered design.
Whether you pursue a career as a User Experience professional or not, take advantage of every opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills. You are never too old to learn something new.