User Experience Job Resources
Where to Find Jobs
Professional Societies' Job Sites
Other User Experience Job Sites
General Job Sites (with significant numbers of UE jobs)
Miscellaneous Resources
On Job Titles and Their Meanings
One of the more subtle things I had to learn about jobs in user experience is what they're actually called—that is, job titles. And worse than that, what do those job titles actually mean in terms of work? These were not obvious things, at least for me, so a short list of definitions follows. Most organizations will only use 2-3 of these roles, so keep in mind that the divisions of responsibility will vary. Every job is different, but these should give you a good starting point.
- Human Factors Engineer
or Human Factors Analyst
Human Factors is essentially the predecessor of modern user-centered design, and tends to (in theory) focus more on physical interfaces, comfort, and safety. Making sure that the controls in nuclear power plants don't cause accidental meltdowns, using your stove doesn't give you carpal tunnel, etc. In practice, many new positions out there labeled Human Factors are still largely working on software and web sites—they just tend to be offered at companies that already had a human factors tradition (e.g. government contractors). They tend to cover a wider portion of the design process than many other UE jobs, often including user research, design and prototyping, and usability testing.
- Information Architect
Information Architects define the structure of web sites (or, in theory, other information-rich products). IAs hold the vision for the site as a whole, and are responsible for its navigation, flow and layout. They work with the entire team (business strategists, project managers, technologists, visual designers, clients, etc.) to develop the business and functional requirements for the project, and translate the requirements into site organization (documented through site maps and process flows) and initial designs (documented through storyboards and wireframes). They spend most of their day using various drawing tools to document these high level details of the site, and hand off their ideas to visual designers and programmers to implement. IAs often work with usability engineers to gather user data, but usually don't conduct usability tests themselves.
- Interaction Designer
You actually see this job title less than one might think, given its popularity in user experience circles. Interaction Designers design how products interact in response to human behavior. They are concerned with how a product works, marrying business and user goals into a holistic unity that achieves both. Sample deliverables include briefs, wireframes, task flows, personae, scenarios, mockups, mental and conceptual models. While this description could imply a very wide scope, in practice the scope is largely defined by the type of products being designed and the culture of the company. IDs working on software or web sites will often take on some or all of the responsibilities of UI Designers.
- Usability Engineer
or Usability Specialist
or User Experience Engineer
Usability Engineers handle the evaluation side of user-centered design, spending most of their time planning, performing, and documenting usability tests of various kinds. They then communicate the results of those tests to stakeholders, while also serving as a source of advice and knowledge on user interface issues. How much UEs participate in the design process varies by company, from those that mostly communicate through thick reports to those that require UEs to attend and participate in design meetings. Ask. Many UE positions also include user research responsibilities such as interviews and contextual inquiries, but tend to focus on traditional usability testing (see User Researcher for more).
- User Interface Designer
or Visual UI Designer
UI Designers typically are concerned with creating a visual language for a product that seamlessly blends its features and functionality with the sponsoring company's brand. Usually working on software or web sites, they will often take on the duties of Interaction Designer to some extent. Ultimately, UI designers create the look and feel of the product, working with others to produce a nearly-complete specification of its functionality and appearance. Sample deliverables include style guides, mockups, prototypes, and specifications.
- User Researcher
or Design Researcher
or User Experience Researcher
User researchers seek to understand users, their tasks, and their environment(s) through research methods like contextual inquiry, interviews, and observation. They then communicate their results within the company, often helping to define requirements for new or revised products. The broader scope of their interest in users makes them more likely than Usability Engineers to participate directly in the product development process. On the other hand, they often also conduct some usability tests, making the line between User Researcher and Usability Engineer somewhat fuzzy. Check the job description to make sure you're getting what you want.
Thanks to Rob Adams, Micah Alpern, Kelli Bernard, Mark Hurst, Andrew Lin, Dan Saffer, Chad Thornton, and Abigail Travis for their advice and additions to this page.
Please send comments and additions to the email address in the header, above. |
