User experience (UX) is how someone feels or thinks about using a service.
A formal definition:
“User experience” encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.
This defintion is from Jakob Nielsen and Don Norman, two pioneers of user experience design and usability engineering.
The video below from Don Norman provides another definition of UX.
Most people who work in UX are designers or researchers, or a mix of both.
To learn about my UX work at the library, I’ve made a list of what I do all day.
UX resources I recommend
UX Myths: A concise list of the most common myths and misconceptions about UX
Usability.gov: Helpful articles and resources from the US Department of Health and Human Services
Don’t Make Me Think, Revisted (Krug, 2014)
A beginner textbook on the basics of usability and effective web design. One of the most recommended UX books out there.
Available at UH Downtown and UH Clearlake, and online through O’Reilly for UH users
I have a personal copy in my office too.