Episode 83 | July 17, 2023
In this week’s Insights Unlocked, Sarah Doody talks with UserTesting’s CEO Andy MacMillan about navigating your UX career over the next 1 to 2 years.
In today's fast-paced digital world, the user experience (UX) and experience research (XR) fields are constantly evolving, presenting both challenges and exciting opportunities for professionals.
In this week’s Insights Unlocked, Sarah Doody talks with UserTesting’s CEO Andy MacMillan about navigating your UX career over the next one to two years.
The episode delves into crucial themes that resonate with UX researchers, designers, and product managers. From coping with tech layoffs to understanding the impact of AI, this blog post explores the key takeaways and practical insights shared in the episode.
To tee up their conversation, we asked UX professionals in the UserTesting Contributor Network how they viewed their job outlook over the next two years. Their responses were a mix of long-term optimism and near-term angst (watch the video below).
Layoffs in the tech industry have become a reality for many people. But on the positive side, recent news shows the overall labor market is still pretty strong. And in our podcast interview with Jakob Neilsen, principal and co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group, he forecasted the UX profession is expected to grow from the current approximately 1.5 million people, to a whopping 100 million people by 2050
“I think what people need to realize is there are so many other companies in industries outside tech that are hiring, that have digital products, that need researchers, that need designers, and specifically, I think about healthcare, education, government and energy,” Doody said.
MacMillan agrees. “You mentioned things like healthcare and government. Think of all the places where we would all benefit with a better customer experience and you could literally touch millions and millions—tens of millions—of people with the things you could be working on.”
By broadening their horizons, candidates can uncover exciting opportunities with companies that value digital products and innovation.
AI is transforming many industries, including UX design and research. While AI has its place in the UX process, Doody said, it is crucial to understand that it cannot replace the ingenuity of human researchers and designers. The human touch, context, and business acumen play a pivotal role in making informed decisions and solving complex problems, she said.
Doody said whether it is the latest AI tool or the trendy design platform, the output is only as good as the person's knowledge who is using the tool. While it is important to know how to use the latest tools, she said just as important is continuing to invest in the timeless skills that will make you a more in-demand professional such as your written and spoken communication, critical thinking and research skills.
To address near-term challenges, Doody offered 3 tips for making yourself recession proof:
If you do this once then it's just a matter of refreshing them every year or twice a year. “And it won't be this Herculean task that you have to take on every time you're thrown into a job search that you initiated or that was initiated for you,” Doody said.
Listeners can learn more about Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab can visit her website, www.careerstrategylab.com or listen to her Career Strategy Podcast at www.careerstrategylab.com/podcasts