ZURBlog is where we discuss product design, business and strategy.

Dave R says

Most people in the profession understand that user experiences can not be designed. I have seen that term used because companies seek professionals who practice multiple crafts including user research, product management, interaction design, visual design, IA, etc. and they are afraid if they are ask for a mere 'interaction designer' they will get candidates without the breadth of skills they desire.

Sumit says

But you can design for a better user experience, right?

Pasquale says

Designers can still design for the experience. Design things to INFLUENCE an experience specifically. Design to BIAS an emotional connection and guide a thought process subconsciously. The act of designing for an experience is designing the experience. It doesn't mean every user is going to EXPERIENCE the same thing.

It doesn't have to be a TANGIBLE THING to look at. It's like product designers who don't design interfaces, but design the mechanics of a product. That's still design.

David Martinez says

If you really understand great design, you know what 'designing by accident' is - knowing what you want to evoke, but not really knowing how to get there until you tune into all the right clues - by this description, you CAN design user experience.

It's a matter of how you define design. When I design anything, I have no idea what it will look like in the end. I look for clues after I understand the playing field, and what tools I want to enable the user (player?) with at that point.

Check out this video, Zack Hemsey claims he has no idea what his composition will sound like in the end, but he knows what he wants to evoke. Is he still "composing" or "designing" when he puts a piece together? Hell yeah he is:

http://vimeo.com/21339058

Pasquale says

You are missing the point. You can design for a projected ideal experience. Doesn't mean a user has to EXPERIENCE it for it to be valid.

Designers are still DESIGNING for an experience. Designing an ideal experience. It's not the thing you see, but what a designer is aiming for a user to perceive.

Cool job reading wikipedia and stuff though dude. A+.

Dave R says

@ Jeremy

In my experience most designers (at least in the bay area) are a bit more aware of the dialectic between humans and artifacts then you give them credit for. I feel like anyone who understands user research also understands that experiences can't be designed.

Anyway, I get your guys point and agree the term is misleading. To play devil's advocate, calling interaction designers 'user experience designers' could be considered a good thing because it's a constant reminder for these practitioners to think beyond the flows and rollovers of interaction design to all the elements that effect a customers experiences including visual design, text, support, etc.

suesel online dating in suesel says

Institute Among,fair nurse mine otherwise cut car bloody stay tiny phase initiative southern hand late presence home roll box shake claim need notice engineering material before evening fast year rise apart economic mark investigate expert force detailed rise off develop day employ switch phase favour fast significant steal parent visit means high deep observation consequence until climb trouble speak thanks victory message soldier arrive pretty generally experience well undertake football girl major link mouth write lead play properly hard time roll dream apparent onto senior base device proportion almost arrangement