In meetings with UX designers, other people often start sentences with, “from a UX perspective…" And I can’t help but wonder: what is their other perspective?

This happens all the time.

Maybe they are asking a question. Maybe they are stating a belief. Maybe they are trying to keep people focused.

When someone begins with "From a UX Perspective…” their intentions are usually good, but it reveals a deeper assumption.

As the UX designers, we interpret this as someone asking for our expert opinion. Because we’re humans, and that is the most flattering way to interpret the situation. So we don’t question it.

But let me ask you this:

What is the alternative to the “UX Perspective”? If you’re not looking at something from a UX perspective — whether you are the designer or not — how are you looking at it?

UX includes business.

It includes design.

It includes branding.

It includes functionality and technical concerns.

It includes solving a real problem and benefiting real users.

It includes strategy, marketing, and sales.

It includes past, present, and future.

It aims to make everyone happier.

… so what other perspective could you have?

We are not responsible for all of those things, but if the UX design works against any of those things, it’s just not good work.

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UX is just the name we use to describe good priorities in a product-based business. Service-based businesses say CX, or customer experience. Same thing. It is not always easy or intuitive to have good priorities though, which is why someone has to focus on it.

Us.

UX is the process of defining our perspective.

The only true alternative to the “UX Perspective” is no perspective. And when you have no perspective you make choices based on laziness.

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Without perspective, you will…

…do what you want to do, just because you want to do it.

…ignore people that disagree, just because they disagree.

…sacrifice function for beauty.

…sacrifice quality for speed.

…sacrifice long-term trust for short-term profit.

…design something that is cool, but not useful.

…design something that satisfies your boss but not your users.

…design something that is hard to sell.

…design something that will be hard to improve later.

…design what your users ask for, instead of what they need.

…design for the users you want, instead of the users you have.

…add to existing crap, instead of replacing it.

…avoid testing or measuring, because it might reveal your laziness.

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None of those things are good UX.

So: What is your perspective?