jes cool•baugh

One of the questions I get asked quite a bit is, “Just what in the heck IS a UX designer?”. 

Put simply, UX stands for User Experience, and a UX designer’s job is to ensure that every point of a website visitor’s journey is smooth and intuitive, and that they go where you want, when you want.

It’s my job to make certain that from the time a visitor lands on your website, they are able to accomplish their goal in the simplest way possible. Whether sales or signups are your objective, it’s my job to get ’em there.

A UX designer is MORE than just a website designer…

• A UX designer not only has to understand basic design principles, we also have to understand PSYCHOLOGY, and the role it plays in design. 
• A UX designer has to understand the role WORDS play in the customer experience.
  
  Too many, too few, or the wrong words can send your customers off in an entirely different direction than you want, or cause them to leave your site altogether.
• A UX designer has to understand more than just content optimization (SEO), we also have to understand CONTENT ARCHITECTURE.
  
  We have to understand the way the right flow of information can make a user’s experience an enjoyable and productive one – and how the wrong flow can cause a negative experience.

tl;dr – UX is about the JOURNEY, not just the design.