The desirability of UX design
I first learned about UX design in my Digital Transformations MBA course taught by Professor Han at the University of Maryland back in 2021. There was one specific slide, just one, that I would never forget. Mind you, we covered a lot of material in the two month term, but it was this ONE slide. The slide referenced what the future job industry was predicted to look like - certain positions requiring human effort will eventually be stripped due to the rise of technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation. These advancements would allow companies to save on labor costs - hourly rates, salaries, benefits - all costs that contribute to a company’s bottom line. These jobs include anything from cashiers and receptionists to warehouse workers and accountants.
In order to enter a career field with longevity that would be difficult for technology to replace or replicate, strategic thinking, creativity, the ability to genuinely connect with others and solve problems would need to be activated. In that list of growing career fields taping into each of these skills, BOOP. UX design.
UX design is all about providing solutions to problems. These problems aren’t always the most simple ones and honestly and the solutions can involve multiple conversations that can last hours and at times months (with breaks in between of course). Iterating is a huge part of the UX design process, which involves empathy. AI can’t touch that.
Our little crystal ball - let’s look at how much the field is growing and is expected to grow.
According to CNN Money, UX design is ranked 14/100 as a job with “big growth, great pay, and satisfying work” in the US.
LinkedIn listed UX design as one of the top ten hard skills most needed by companies in 2020.
UX designer is ranked as the 24th best job to have in the US in 2022 by Glassdoor.
Adobe found that 87% of managers stated that hiring more UX designers is a top priority for their companies
This same report stated that 73% of businesses plan to double the number of UX designers in their orgs in the next 5 years
I really believe in the importance of being proactive and future-oriented professionally. The way technology is evolving in it’s abilities minute by minute, we have to reimagine where and how we can fit into this new reality. Personally, I was able to find a career that combined my love for people, problem solving and creativity, but in the tech field.
Whether you’re looking to pivot into UX design or make a career change, think about your happiness, but also consider what fields are growing and will have a need for experts in the future.
