The UX That Got Us Here Isn't the UX That'll Get Us There

From Jared Spool's weekly UX strategy talk (5 Sept. 2023), "The UX That Got Us Here Isn’t the UX That’ll Get Us There"

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow UX enthusiasts, and anyone who's ever tried to convince a stakeholder that a mobile or website filled with advertising and marketing jargon isn't user-friendly—listen up! The world of User Experience, or as the cool kids like to call it, UX, is going through a transformation. And trust me, it's about time.

Remember the good old days when convincing people that users actually had needs was considered a groundbreaking revelation? Ah, the early 2000s, when UX pioneers were basically the Indiana Jones of the internet, discovering the lost treasure chest of user needs buried deep within the digital jungle.

But fast forward to today, and we're in the era of the third-generation UX leaders. These folks aren't just leading UX teams; they're leading UX revolutions. If you're wondering what's changed, well, we're here to tell you that the UX that got us here isn't the UX that'll get us there.

Navigating the UX Obstacle Course

Imagine being a UX leader. You wake up every day, ready to tackle the obstacle course that is preventing you from doing your best work. It's like a never-ending episode of "Wipeout," with stakeholders playing the role of the ruthless giant foam fists knocking you off your game.

Your team is bursting with potential, but it's a struggle to convince the higher-ups that you need space and time to make UX magic happen. It's like trying to convince a toddler that vegetables are way cooler than ice cream. We're just not making the contributions to our organizations that we hoped for. Sorry, but it's not all rainbows and user-friendly unicorns.

The UX Revolution: Third-Generation Leaders

But hey, there's hope! Enter the third-generation UX leaders. These trailblazers are transforming UX from a tactical, reactive, product-centric, sprint-level, output-focused, and discrete research-driven endeavor into something more strategic, proactive, experience-centric, vision-level, and outcome-oriented.

Remember the journey we've been on? We started with the pioneers of the 1970s who discovered that users had needs. Then came the second-generation leaders of the 2000s who built actual UX teams and made UX a working component. They were like the MacGyvers of usability.

And now, the third-generation leaders are here to bring UX to a whole new level. They're not just building teams; they're building strategic, proactive centers of expertise. They're not just focused on products; they're all about creating exceptional user experiences. They're not delivering outputs; they're achieving outcomes. And research? It's no longer a luxury; it's a continuous expertise builder.

Conclusion: Embrace the UX-volution

So, if you're a UX professional feeling stuck, it's time to embrace the UX-volution. The world has changed, and so has UX. It's time to upgrade from the tactical past to the strategic future. And if you ever doubt the importance of UX, just remember: convincing someone to click a button is practically an Olympic sport. We're the unsung heroes of the digital realm, and our time to shine is now.