Don Norman: The term 'UX'

We asked Don what he feels about the way people are using terms like “UX” and “user experience” these days.

Don Norman, Ph.D., is co-founder and principal emeritus of Nielsen Norman Group: User Experience Research, Training, and Consulting.

[GaryCoker]

As usual, Dr. Norman hits the nail on the head. I've been using an analogy of ELEVATORS lately to help people understand the difference between UX and UI. For elevators, UI is simply the panel of buttons you use to summon the elevator or to choose your destination floor once inside, plus things like the indicator that shows what floor a car is on. UX is not only those visible/interactive objects but everything else that affects your experience of the elevator: Where do I find them? How many are there? How do I know which ones go to the floor I need? How long will I have to wait for one? Are the cars large or small? Will they be crowded? Are they noisy, bumpy, smelly, hot, comfortable, uncomfortable? Are they well-lit or dim inside? Do they move slow or fast? Can I maintain the cell signal for my phone while riding? Do the doors open too slowly, close too quickly? What factors in the experience affect my choice of the elevator vs. the stairs? And on and on. This analogy is enlightening for lots of people who don't understand the difference.

[dorjemckinnon]

Thanks NN group for getting Don in front of the camera - for those of us down under it is great to have an insight like this.

[hiqmonteiro]

It's SO GOOD to hear Don Norman, the person who "created" the term, say EXACTLY what I believe that UX really is... It's frustrating to hear everyday people using this term in a way that don't consider it's real meaning... Thanks for that!

[josemdz]

LOVE this. User experience is way more than a miserable diagram. You have to be careful with *everything* that touches your customer. Even email. Even phone calls. Everything.

[nharzic]

To me Don Norman is saying that design should be holistic rather than narrowly focused on a technology, interface or device. For me his idea is innovative because it suggests that design should investigate the entire experience of the user including he context of use and user environment. In this way new and creative design ideas can flourish. Existing patterns of design can be challenged.

[Vikyou]

Gotta show this to recruiters so they stop misusing the label when searching candidates.

[YourSupportiveBestie]

What an enlightened man. Thank you for creating a career for me

[nothinglastsforever]

I like how this can be implemented on a broader term, it's basically designing a memorable experience, dedicated to product users to ensure positive impressions of brand(s). A win-win situation.

[t.b.m.]

This guy can really teach you to think outside of the box. I never understood how people place strict boundaries between virtual and reality when talking about UX when it's basically the bridge between the two.

[jelm]

These titles often get shifted from the original: UI, UX, Front End Developer, Full Stack Developer, Web Developer, etc. Sometimes what a person does day-to-day may overlap onto other job descriptions. In the end, it's the job demands and requirements that really define the title.

[dwilliamhood]

Absolutely love this. I've been saying and practicing this approach for some time. Sadly, many organizations don't understand and it's impacting their business operations and recruiting practices. If a person truly understands the elements and principles of UX, those same elements and principles can be applied across any venue.

[nigelpaine]

What a great guy; still pumping out ideas. I think that we should distinguish between macro UX which is the system and micro UX which is the app or web page. Both totally relevant and necessary foci.

[Stadno]

Great to hear what the founding father says ;) I've always been taught those outside issues (sales to customer, opening box, loading box issues, etc) were customer experience. That's what I see flooded as info grams and overlaying circle examples about CX, UX and UI.

[UXSchuru]

It's SO GOOD to hear Don Norman... 💜

[LouiseFerreira]

I saved this video on my playlist back in 2019 when I was learning about User Experience to launch a startup at the age of 17. Now it’s 2024, the startup became a small business and it had indeed a great user experience as Dr. Norman says. I don’t work with it anymore because we went bankrupt hehe but now I’m passionate about studying UX Design and that’s what I want to pursue as a career 😊

[henricoangolera]

This video is amazing! It opens my eyes to the experiencing of the user of anything in the world.

[federov]

It's 2022, and what Don says still needs to be said. UX is still too-narrowly defined, a discipline seemingly hijacked by digital practitioners who miss the point.

[thatsFUXD]

yes! i love that Norman Nielsen calls out the disappointingly misguided usage of "user experience design." folks get so caught up in the design aspect --what's flashy, slick, new, pretty-- and completely overlook the core of UX. i've wondered if dropping "design/er" and calling it something like, "UX practice/practitionery" would be helpful to shift the understanding of what UX actually is? 🤔

[Arroisix]

I wish you are my grandpa and we can chit chat about ux a lot when I visit you as a grandson XD

[Ndriana]

And that's why I label myself a Digital Interaction Designer or Digital Product Designer now. With all due respect, this definition of UX makes everybody from a hotel manager to a movie director a UX Designer since they create experiences through usage and consumption.
If like me your job as a "UX" practitioner is about designing interactive products build with code and used on some form of computer through third party software or directly as a software running on an operating system, then you too are a Digital Interaction Designer or Digital Product Designer.
Everybody else can get the letters "U" and "X" in their job title if they want. It is going to mean anything anymore very soon.
Edit: yes I put "Digital" in the job title. That's because vacuum cleaner and toothbrush designers (Industrial Designers) will claim they are the Product Designers - which is true but for physical tangible products. We are the same but for non-physical, virtual, digital goods.