We, those introverted UX designers

Extroverted UX designers take center stage. They try to draw the lights towards them: they speak loudly to defend their attitudes, they lead debates, etc. Their developed taste for animation is very suitable for commercial actions.

However, after several years of working with these profiles, I realized that introverted UX designers are the central link in the coordination between the stakeholder teams and they are the ones who assume a great responsibility to understand the users' needs in order to realize better human-machine interfaces (HMI).

The UX designer: an extrovert profile ?

I would like to highlight the vision and working method of some UX designers who do not work on a user-oriented design, but rather on a design that focuses on their visions and ideas. I am referring to the extroverted designer. This professional puts himself in the shoes of the end user, to express his expectations and beliefs, to himself.

However, this is in contradiction with the principles of the user-centric approach of UX design, which aims to base itself on the expectations and needs of the target users. The goal here is to introduce the human dimension into the design process, to personalize the digital interface as much as possible and adapt it to the intended context of use.

The humanization of the interface becomes an essential component to facilitate the exchange with the man-machine interface and increase the performance of the interactive system. Thanks to humanization, the user's path will be clearer, more flexible and user-friendly. It saves him the time and effort of learning how to handle the device.

True UX designers are truly introverts, because their ultimate goal is the success of the project. They take ownership of the project and immerse themselves deeply in it, with the goal of making users more satisfied and less tense when interacting with the interactive systems (with which they work 7-8 hours a day or even more).

The true UX designer does not need to be inundated with multiple stimuli to do a quality job. This will limit the potential of his critical thinking and the effectiveness of the optimization solutions he can propose.

The true UX designer: an introverted profile

My expertise and interactions with the different project teams helped me see things more clearly. We think of extroverted UX designers as the ones who drive projects and are responsible for a great digital customer experience. However, this is not true.

It's true that we introverted UX designers don't shout loudly and we don't seek out large mandates and assignments. Instead, we take on very important responsibilities quietly.

The introverted UX designer fits this profile :

• It places the user/customer at the center of its design
• They must be very emphatic to meet the company's requirements. Some companies are looking for efficiency at all costs and ask UX designers to perform certain tasks that sometimes go beyond their scope of functions. However, these tasks can be automated to let UX designers focus on their core business.
• He is very humble and modest with his colleagues and clients.
• It quickly adapts to new UX design trends and abrupt changes that may arise during the design process.
• He has a developed sense of curiosity. He is always listening to new news and trends in UX design. He is always looking for new tools and techniques that facilitate his work and keep him constantly updated.
• He has an excellent creative sense that allows him to seduce his client with his modern and original designs.
• He has a good team spirit that allows him to ensure a coherent coordination with his colleagues (web developers, UI designers, project managers, etc.) to agree on the mock-ups and prototypes to be developed, the optimizations to be considered, the corrections to be made, etc. This good understanding is essential to be able to collaborate with agility and succeed in conceiving the right design that meets the needs of the end user.
• He/she is a good listener and interacts effectively with the client. This phase takes considerable time and requires empathy, patience and flexibility. This is where the real skill of the UX designer appears. He must know how to capture the essential in order to transpose it perfectly into the digital interface. Spending the necessary time to listen and understand the client, allows to create a stronger relationship with him and makes it easier for him to adapt the functionalities and the graphic aspect of the digital interface to his needs.
• It takes charge of rectifying problems produced during certain missions carried out by other UX professionals. These problems are mainly due to a misunderstanding of the users' expectations.
• It builds a rich database of relevant information about users, especially about their behaviors, thoughts and feelings. This data is obtained from user tests and regular interviews with customers. Usability testing consists of gathering information through qualitative methods (such as individual interviews and observations) and quantitative methods (through questionnaires). This step allows the UX designer to fully understand the users' needs and to translate them faithfully into the user interface. This helps him to bypass their motivations, identify the blocking points in their path (user flow) and optimize them. This is the key to ensuring an optimal user experience (UX).

All these arguments prove my point. The introverted UX designer has an eminent responsibility, on the one hand to satisfy the end user and on the other hand to design an ergonomic and efficient ihm interface.

The UX Designer: an approved versatility

We, the UX designers, occupy a prominent place in the UX design process. Our versatile profile allows us to wear several hats to promote the efficiency of the project implementation. We are:

• Intelligent designers who are not satisfied with designing modern and visually appealing interfaces. We go further, because we work on simple and functional design, and above all on user-centered design.
• DesignOps that employ all the tools and techniques necessary to operationalize design and standardize the design flow. The biggest benefit of this discipline is that it helps the UX designer to focus more on his or her craft and offload tasks that don't belong to the overall responsibilities.
• Interface analysts who deploy relevant UX assessment tools to review the GUI and identify usability issues. This UX audit is important to inspect the health of the system's interfaces and identify friction points that lead to user dissatisfaction. This is done while using standard usability criteria (such as Nielsen's heuristics) or customized ones, in order to look for the best improvements required to provide a positive UX.
• People in the field who are in constant contact with customers to observe their interactions with the interactive system in a real-life setting. We collect all the data concerning their needs and concerns to optimize the performance of the interfaces in an incremental and iterative way, according to their aspirations.
• Good communicators who master the exchange and sharing of information. This is essential for the rapid circulation of information and to improve the synergy between us and our collaborators.
• UX strategists who are in charge of creating wireframes and interactive prototypes, scripting user tests, contacting clients, developing navigation plans, designing information architecture, creating analysis reports.
• Strategic advisors who actively participate in the decision-making process. We are required to accompany the managers to advise them on the most relevant choices. We carry out feasibility studies, business diagnoses and development plans. We also provide information on the best sources of financing and the best policies for implementing development strategies. .
• Guarantees of a good Customer Experience (CX). We identify customer expectations through the analysis of the different points of contact with the company (customer relations, advertising, website, etc.), with the aim of creating an exceptional user experience. Our objective here is to improve all aspects of the interactive device: the hierarchy of information, accessibility, content quality, ease of use, etc., in order to optimize conversions and build customer loyalty.
• Information architects who ensure a coherent organization of the content (simple navigation, prioritization of important information, uncluttered interface, etc.) thus offering a fluid path to the user.

Through this post, I would like to demonstrate the prominent role that introverted UX designers play in simplifying design procedures with the sole objective of making the end user happy. These professionals work quietly and unobtrusively to create more efficient and enjoyable interfaces that ensure user-friendly interactions with the digital system.

The strength of the introverted profile of the UX designer is mainly manifested in his ability to create strong bonds with colleagues, clients and all stakeholders and to use his skills to create the perfect user-oriented design.