2024 Challenges and opportunities for UX designers
Navigating the UX landscape — 5 emerging issues and action plans to seize opportunities
For UX designers, 2023 will be remembered as a year that posed great challenges. As the pandemic moved towards its final stages, it brought about significant economic and social changes that were not necessarily positive.
In this article, we will explore 5 topics closely related to the careers and lives of UX professionals that emerged in 2023 and discuss how we can navigate these issues in 2024.
1. Tough economic climate and job market
We are living in an era of inflation. Just grabbing a few apples, cabbages, and eggs from the supermarket, and look at the prices! I’ve had to check the receipt many times because I couldn’t believe it. Eating out has become 10–20% more expensive, and now Spotify and YouTube are asking for higher subscription fees.
To combat inflation, interest rates have reached their highest levels in this century. The industry is witnessing an increasing trend of restructuring, which is a consequence of high interest expenses and excessive business expansion during the tech bubble period of 2020–2021. Layoffs are no longer just someone else’s story; they have become a common problem for our friends and colleagues.
Companies have also increased their hiring freezes. Unless someone resigns, new job opportunities are scarce. Hundreds of job seekers are competing for limited positions, akin to trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle. They have to endure countless application rejections, and some companies take advantage of the situation by imposing unfavorable conditions on applicants or unilaterally canceling offers.
UX has been a sought-after field for the past decade. Numerous non-professionals have paid a hefty sum for short-term boot camps, believing that they can work as UX designers after completing the courses. However, with the economic downturn, entry-level hiring has rapidly declined, leaving boot camp graduates struggling to secure even their first job.
2. UX, declared dead
In the midst of difficult economic conditions, there have been individuals within the field who have declared the death of UX. Some have suggested that since UX is not perceived as contributing enough to monetization, we are now entering the era of product design, where prioritizing business outcomes is emphasized.
Additionally, there has been a debate about whether UX has lost its direction in an era where AI can identify usability issues and generate screen designs. Many designers have also raised doubts about the utility of the current role of UX and have pointed out that the proliferating boot camps are failing to nurture effective UX personnel.
On the one hand, there has been a counter-argument stating that UX is not heading towards its death but rather going through a period of transformation as it evolves from an elitist profession into a mainstream one.
Regardless of whether UX is alive, dead, or in a comatose state, surviving in the UX field without intense deliberation has become increasingly challenging.
3. The widespread adoption of AI
The various generative AI tools that emerged in 2022, such as ChatGPT and Midjourney, have completely transformed the way UX designers work in 2023. According to Nielsen Norman’s survey, 63% of respondents stated that they use AI tools multiple times a week in their work. 75% reported using AI tools for content editing, and 50% for research assistance.
AI tools have greatly contributed to enhancing the productivity of UX designers, assisting key UX tasks such as copywriting, content editing, brainstorming, research and design practices.
However, not everyone accurately recognizes the limitations of AI tools. UX researchers have often had to manage overly optimistic expectations, such as “Why don’t you replace the entire UX research process with AI?” as if AI were a magical wand. The fact that AI tools can only provide highly general and superficial results that still require domain experts’ analysis and synthesis has often been overlooked.
Ethical and environmental concerns also require further discussion. The text and images used as training data for AI are mostly scraped from the web, which raises issues of copyright infringement. Additionally, AI tools often generate fabricated responses, posing a risk of spreading politically and culturally biased information. Moreover, their data centers consume vast amounts of water and energy.
For UX designers, 2023 was a year of productivity enhancement with the emergence of innovative tools. However, due to the rapid rise of these tools, it cannot be denied that we didn’t have enough time to contemplate on how to collaborate with AI appropriately.
4. Escalating ethical concerns
It is no longer a secret that achieving KPIs is one of the most crucial goals for a company, even when their tagline, “Making the world a better place,” is prominently highlighted on their corporate website. Blindly pursuing metrics such as traffic, engagement, conversion, revenue, and profit can contradict the fundamental principle of UX, which is the user-centric mindset. Such examples are not uncommon in the industry.
When social media first emerged, companies envisioned it as an opportunity to realize the ideals of democracy by giving individuals a chance to speak up. However, today we are facing serious side effects such as fake news, deteriorating mental health, psychological manipulation, and addiction.
The geek economy also advocated for a service that empowers freelancers to work autonomously. However, it is now generating profits by promoting unfavorable working conditions and shifting legal responsibilities onto users. Just consider what happened with WeWork.
Designers, too, are not exempt from these responsibilities. The actions we take in the name of “improving engagement” often result in designs that are addictive to users. In the pursuit of increased revenue, we sometimes intentionally hide unsubscribe options and make the process unnecessarily complicated. We promote sustainable design, yet we are inundating the world with unnecessary digital waste.
I know, we all have good intentions. We genuinely want to help others. However, it’s not easy to live up to our ideals and put them into action. In our pursuit, we might unknowingly become the mad scientists, even though we believed we were the heroes.
5. Designers on the edge — Mental health problems
The value brought by UX is not immediately apparent compared to UI design or programming. It is a field that generates long-term, invisible value. Because of this, we have always felt the pressure to prove the usefulness of UX and advocate for recognition and budget allocation.
When the economy took a downturn, many organizations downsized UX positions. Decision-makers who lack understanding of the creative process began to restrict the work flexibility brought by remote work, asserting that “the pandemic has ended.” Constant Slack or Teams messages steal our focus and distract us. The responsibilities of the UX team stretch like a rubber band, and we have to handle everything from design mockups to interviews, testing, and strategy reports, ensuring timely delivery.
We worked hard, trying to prove our value, but still, people don’t fully understand what UX is and sometimes abuse the scope of our work. Poor communication and management exacerbate the situation. It has left us feeling exhausted and burnt out.
Where there are challenges, there are also opportunities. What actions can we take in 2024 to navigate the challenges and transform them into opportunities?
The economy will see a turnaround
The economy will not improve drastically in the short term, but it is always bound to cycle and eventually get better. There are signs of “gradual but broad recovery” in the job market, which has hit rock bottom.
If you are currently job-seeking, set a long-term horizon and focus on what you can do now. It is a good time to organize your portfolio, actively engage in networking, and give careful thought to your passion and career path.
Dare to be distinct to create impact
Establish your expertise in the domain of UX design. Your UX career may not be easy if you become commoditized.
Being a hybrid designer will strengthen you, so delve deeper into areas like visual communication, writing, user research, strategy, or other relevant fields to set yourself apart. By doing so, strive to bring tangible advantages and make a meaningful impact on people, businesses, and communities.
Work with AI, not like AI
Focus on tasks that AI cannot effectively handle. Take charge of complex communication, engage in critical thinking, and assimilate diverse sources to synthesize non-obvious insights.
Recognize the limitations and ethical implications of AI, and avoid relying on it as a magical solution for all problems.
Grasp the ramifications of your design
Consider the influence and impact of your design on people’s behavior and thoughts. Reflect on how your products consume resources and their environmental impact.
Embrace a humane approach and don’t be tempted to use dark design patterns. Stay updated on design ethics discussions within the industry and actively participate.
Shift your mindset
Perhaps there is no need to relentlessly prove your values. Instead, focus on enhancing your products and services, rather than trying to persuade those who may never understand your values.
Be kind and considerate, but reserve it for those who deserve it. Establish boundaries and manage expectations. Prioritize self-care and recognize the importance of taking time to recharge.
We can’t solve all the problems of 2023 in just one day, but I truly believe we can make 2024 an awesome and fulfilling year. Here’s to hoping you have an absolutely fantastic one!
