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We are UX Designers and we strive to make sure interactions are smooth and pleasing. Have we ever thought of making people interactions also smooth all the time? Yes, it is purely dependant on the context, but to make ‘people experience’ better should also be a focus of a UX Designer. Let’s have a look at three important PX scenarios.

Case 1: People = Client

In an ideal world, UX Designers and clients should be two peas in a pod. The designer must absorb all of his client’s requirements and needs and in return, sell his designs to a happy client. In reality, it’s not a cakewalk. Designers may have to work on multiple iterations without getting frustrated. He may have to spend hours explaining design concepts and user psychology.

We come across many situations where both the requirement for a product and list of user needs are given by the client. The UX Designer may do some user research and based on his experience come up with a design that best aligns with his research and client’s requirements. Clients may reject designs solely based on their personal preference of layouts and colours. If designers mechanically make all the changes the client wants, then once the end-users start using the system, the experience may not always be a pleasing one. It’s up to designers to logically explain why he has used a specific interaction or a colour or a UI element.

Effective client communication is a major skill every UX Designer must possess. If the UX Designer persistently takes an effort in ensuring that the client interactions are smooth, he may also be able to give a positive PX to the client in the long run.

Case 2: People = End User

A typical UX Designer will have to interact with end-users in many contexts. Be it requirement gathering, user research, usability testing, it is the responsibility of the UX Designer to make sure that he creates a comfortable ambience for the end-user to talk. UX Designers should also communicate/probe and listen well to the end-user. PX in this scenario is dependent on the UX Designers skills and also on the end user’s willingness to cooperate. So a UX Designer must strive for a positive PX when interacting with the end-users.

Case 3: People = Team

Every UX Designer belongs to a team, maybe a project team or a UX team. We spend 8 to 9 hours in the office and if the PX from the team is not good, it is definitely a demotivator. Imagine if a teammate doesn’t interact with you or talk to you for no reason and if you are a hardcore team player, this is all enough to wound your team spirit. A single case of negative PX in the team is all that is needed to create ripples of negativity in the team. To create a positive PX in the team we must:

• Have a common focus/vision
• Have regular team meetings and activities
• Have transparent and open communication in the team
• There should be a mutual give and take within the team

So to conclude, it is a UX Designers choice to make sure the interactions he has with people around is smooth and pleasing. But making the effort to ensure positive PX will be worth it and help him in the long run.