Thinking like a designer: Why UX belongs in every workplace

Some experts estimate that for every dollar invested in UX, you get back a whopping $100, and when products or systems fail to consider users, it ultimately costs businesses money. Despite this being true, many companies still think design is just about how things look, or worse, believe it's a luxury.

The losses materialised through frustrated employees, confused customers, and missed opportunities. Example? Data shows that 88% of users are unlikely to return to a website after a poor user experience.

In Australia, where we have a diverse workforce and consumer base, problems can be exacerbated by products or processes that disregard the experiences and expectations of many groups. Without a user-centred approach, we risk attempting to serve a mythical "average person" who doesn't exist.

Historically, businesses have prioritised efficiency over the experience of their customers or employees. The industrial age taught us to optimise for machines and processes, not for humans. 

Thankfully, this outdated view has evolved. Consumer tech businesses have led this transformation, and their success has raised the bar for everybody. 

Think about how companies such as Apple, Netflix, Instagram or Amazon have placed the consumer experience at the centre of what they do and achieved incredible success doing so. 

These businesses also helped transform the idea that design is just about products or how people interact with them. They demonstrated that we could use “design thinking” to reshape problem-solving by understanding people's needs in innovative ways. 

The unexpected consequence of this transformation is that it created a skill gap. While more companies move in this direction, most educational systems haven't adapted at the same speed.   

Australian UX designers earn salaries ranging from $80,000 to $170,000, with significant opportunities in several industries, including finance, healthcare, and government. However, the demand is not limited to dedicated UX professionals.

There is a growing need for workers who apply design thinking to solve problems with innovative ideas and tools, such as prototypes and data analysis. These skills are extremely handy whether you're designing a new product or simply trying to enhance how your team works together.

The World Economic Forum says that design and UX skills are among the top tech skills, alongside AI and big data, that businesses are prioritising.

Some forward-thinking Australian companies are already reaping the rewards. PwC Australia found that weaving UX into data strategy from the get-go leads to better user engagement, improved data quality, and smoother AI adoption.

The good news is that to benefit from these new market needs, you don't need a degree. You can start by understanding your users' needs, frustrations, and goals. For example, spend some time watching how people use your systems, not just how you think they should.

Learn to prototype quickly and cheaply. Work on your visual communication skills. Being able to sketch ideas or map user journeys helps you think more clearly. Embrace iteration. Design thinking is about continually improving. Short courses can help you grasp these concepts and apply them. 

The future is about organisations that put people at the heart of everything they do, whether it’s a product, a process, or a service. That is why thinking like a designer has never been more important and should be a part of every workplace.