The State of UX in 2016

Leah Buley dives into the results of a recent study to see how different organisations use UX today

- Ben Mounsey

We have seen big investments to buy, build or bolt-on design programmes in recent years. A few events stand out in my mind: IBM’s announcement it would earmark $100m and hire 1,000 designers in 2012; the tumult of design agency mergers and acquisitions through 2014 and 2015; Mike Bracken on stage at the O’Reilly Design Conference earlier this year reporting the jaw-dropping fact that the UK Government Digital Service has saved UK citizens £4.1billion.

Despite those big moments, I continue to encounter many small moments – in hallway conversations at conferences or in phone calls with clients – that suggest lots of companies are still barely scratching at the surface of user experience design’s potential. So, before we haul out the confetti cannons, let’s stop and ask: Are the success stories emblematic of our industry overall, or are they just noteworthy exceptions?

The Study

This is a question I’ve been researching over the past two years – first as an analyst at Forrester Research, and more recently on my own as an independent research and design consultant. My latest work is a study from May 2016 that asked UX pros from a variety of organisations about the state of UX where they work.

In all 266 people participated, with titles ranging from UX designer to chief designer. The information they shared sheds further light on the variable state of UX today, and helps uncover what a strong UX practice currently looks like. It also pinpoints some warning signs that UX might be an underdeveloped capability – and consequently a risk factor – in an organisation.