A guide to understanding and building a career in UX strategy.
Building a career in UX strategy is one of the key ways to contribute to a business and become a valuable team member. While some UX designers pick this up as a secondary skill, very few specialize in UX Strategy. I may even be the only one in Nigeria who is employed primarily as a UX strategist. And so this article will be a guide on how I navigate the world of UX strategy and how you can too.
Source: Author
Defining UX Strategy
Jaime Levy, one of the pioneers of UX Strategy, described it as lying somewhere at the intersection of UX design and business strategy. So let’s look into these two areas briefly to see how we can create this intersection Jaime speaks about.
UX design, according to the Nielsen Norman Group, involves meeting the exact needs of customers, without fuss or bother. That is, when a customer wants to achieve a task, they experience no friction, delay, or anything else that could disrupt their flow. Beyond this, UX design also involves introducing simplicity and elegance to interfaces which produce products that are a joy to own, and a joy to use. The bedrock of UX design is knowing and understanding your users.
Business strategy according to Harvard Business School, is the initiatives a company pursues to create value for the organization and its stakeholders and gain a competitive advantage in the market. In essence, it is high-level plans the business makes to bring in success.
Now if we were to put these two(UX Design and Business Strategy) together, what would we arrive at? UX Strategy.
UX Strategy entails building a game plan that moves a company towards growth and sustainability by prioritizing great user experience and intricate business needs.
It is saying, we are going to make our product enjoyable to the user, so that in turn, we can grow the business. By understanding user behaviour, the UX strategist can tie user needs to business goals.
What does this mean in practical terms?
An example would be conversions on a website. The primary aim of most websites is to get people to take action. Create an account, download an app, make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter or some other action. Usually, these actions are aimed at benefiting the business.
But there’s something in it for the users too. They get to achieve their personal goals. So how do we make sure users get their benefits and the business also gets theirs?
UX Strategy.
Based on research and knowledge of user behaviour, we’re able to come up with a plan that guides users toward the action they need to take. This plan would typically involve identifying what value we offer, presenting this value in a compelling format, and then ensuring users do not run into any hiccups on their way.
By understanding the customer’s decision path, we can design better for them so they can achieve their goals. Most times, this goal lies behind a button. Once clicked, both the user and the business begin a journey to having their needs met.
That’s what UX Strategy is about.
Is that it?
Well, there’s more.
The description above is a very zoomed-in view. Strategy can sometimes be high level, requiring you to conduct thorough research, decide on a value proposition (along with other stakeholders), and a competitive edge, and then design or supervise the design of a product.
However, user experience does not end when design does. A lot of engineering decisions can also affect how the user interacts with the product. The UX Strategist thus must work with the engineers and QA team to ensure a good experience. You are after all in complete charge of the product’s experience.
This would mean that you also need to collaborate with other players on the team such as marketing, brand, content, customer relations, etc. If you’re going to deliver on an experience, you need to do it right.
Source: Author
What do I need to get started in UX Strategy
1. Work Experience as a UX designer
A lot of the work you will do as a UX Strategist will require in-depth knowledge of UX design, some of which can only be learned by working in a company with actual users. In addition, working in a company, particularly a startup, helps you learn certain business processes and constraints that become invaluable to your work as a UX strategist.
There are also a few ‘smaller’ areas that would require experiential knowledge such as facilitating workshops, leading meetings, negotiating and interviewing stakeholders, collaborating with engineers, marketers, etc.
To thrive as a UX strategist, it would be best to first build a career in UX design.
2. Determination
If like me, you are from Nigeria, understand that getting a job as a UX strategist will be tough. I wish I could paint a nice picture for you, but I can’t. At the start of this, I mentioned that I may be the only one who is employed as a UX strategist in the country and that is because I do not know anyone else who also does UX strategy full-time. I haven’t seen any job openings either.
This is an indication that if you’d like to get into UX strategy, it is your willpower that will carry you through. Do not quit your current job. Do not stop designing interfaces. Whatever it is you currently do for sustenance, please do not sacrifice it just yet. Look at it as gaining needed experience for when you niche into strategy full time.
How do I get started in UX Strategy?
1. Learn UX Design
As I mentioned earlier to thrive as a UX strategist, it would be best to first build a career in UX design. Study UX design as much as you can. Prioritize research as it forms the backbone of much of the work you will do. Understand user behaviour. Carry out so many product audits that you can easily tell a bad experience from a mile away. Do not neglect interface design. You should be able to tell when the aesthetics of an interface need improvement. Get comfortable in UX design.
2. Learn how businesses work
If you currently work at a company, become best friends with your product manager. If there’s a business analyst, become friends with them too. Understand what drives the business. What problems and constraints it faces and what its goals are.
Read books on business and business growth. Business Thinking for Designers by Ryan Rumsey is a good place to start.
3. Read books and take courses on UX Strategy
Search for and hold onto every resource on UX Strategy that you can find as there aren’t a lot out there. I read books like Jaime Levy’s UX Strategy and Joe Natoli’s Think First. I also took Joe Natoli’s course on Udemy as well as Andy’s.
I launched a newsletter called UX Strategy On Wheels that dives deep into the nitty gritty of UX Strategy. Subscribe to it and other newsletters by UX and Business folks. My newsletter will recommend some of these professionals you can keep an eye on.
Getting your first job as a UX Strategist in Nigeria
Getting a job will be tough but not impossible. Once you’ve learned a bit, work on projects and add them to your portfolio. Make it so damn good that anyone who looks at it immediately wants to hire you. Learn storytelling and employ this in your case studies. Don’t tell your audience what you did, tell them how you brought growth or sustainability to the company.
And once your portfolio is solid, start cold emailing companies within and outside the country. If you are targeting companies within the country, focus on those who have the funding for a new role. Write an excellent pitch on what UX strategy is (without sounding insulting) and how your skills can help the business.
I got my job by sharing content on UX strategy so you can also consider this route. However, be careful that “influencership” or going viral isn’t your goal. In your quiet corner, make posts on the things you learn and tell stories about your progress.
Godspeed on your journey!