{"id":5225,"date":"2021-01-06T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/uncategorized\/ux-after-covid-19\/"},"modified":"2024-12-18T16:40:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T15:40:54","slug":"ux-after-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/ux-design\/ux-after-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"How Covid-19 Changed UX Design"},"content":{"rendered":"

The past few years were challenging for many industries\u2014and tech is no exception. While the tech industry has always been quick to evolve, Covid-19 has required professionals across the industry to adapt even more rapidly\u2014and of course, this doesn\u2019t stop as we turn our calendars to 2025.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re already working in the world of UX, studying and preparing to land that first UX role, or considering a career in UX\u2014you\u2019re likely wondering (or experiencing first-hand) what it\u2019s like to work in UX in a \u201cpost-Covid\u201d world.*<\/p>\n

And we have good news: While the pandemic has and will continue to require the field of UX as a whole to adapt, what it all comes down to is UXers amplifying the thing that they already do best\u2014getting the pulse of their users\u2019 needs and goals and finding design solutions to match.<\/strong> Then there\u2019s the reality that the pandemic has had an effect on what we design, who we design for, how we go about that work, and even where we work.<\/p>\n

This leaves many UXers (aspiring, new, or seasoned) with a lot of unknowns and a lot of important questions that are well worth asking: How will the pandemic affect what jobs are available? How will it cause how and where we work to evolve? How will it change who we work for, what products we design, and how we design those products?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve done the research, taken these questions to our experts, and distilled our findings into this guide. It\u2019ll give you a sense of where the compass needle is pointing for aspiring, new, or seasoned UX designers, researchers, and writers as you rise to the occasion to meet the design needs of the times.<\/p>\n

*We are aware and sensitive to the fact that Covid-19 is not a past reality for most parts of the world. When we say \u201cpost-Covid,\u201d we mean the industry as it stands after the initial outbreak in 2019-2020 and as it\u2019s developed since then.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. How is the pandemic changing where UXers work?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. What are the job prospects in UX post-Covid?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. How might Covid-19 change what and how UXers design?<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. How will the pandemic affect the skillset UXers need to be successful?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Before we dive in, special thanks to the experts who weighed in\u2014including Camren Browne<\/a>, UX designer, mentor, writer, and career specialist; Mike McCulloch<\/a>, Head of Career Services at CareerFoundry; and Vale Querini<\/a>, UX Designer, consultant, and mentor. Their input was integral to our research.<\/p>\n

    \"UX<\/strong><\/p>\n

    1. How did the pandemic change where UXers work?<\/h2>\n

    One of the most obvious changes was the rise in remote work. What used to be less common and more monitored (applying for remote time or negotiating it with a manager or team) has become the new normal for many companies. According to an August 2020 report from Glassdoor<\/a>, there was a significant uptick (around 60%) in remote job offerings after August 2019. And McKinsey’s 2021 Future of Work After Covid-19 report<\/a> found around “four to five times more remote work than before the pandemic.”<\/p>\n

    Companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter led the way, announcing that they\u2019d work remotely through 2021 at least\u2014some indefinitely. In the case of Microsoft, remote work is there to stay<\/a>. If you’d like to set yourself up to become a remote UX designer, we’ve created a useful guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    With record numbers of companies going remote or offering more fully remote, partially remote, or remote-friendly jobs, where<\/strong> UXers work is changing. But this has also effected how<\/strong> they work and what skills they need (more on this in sections three and four)\u2014perhaps even what kinds of products they design and the job market for UXers.<\/p>\n

    2. How did Covid affect job prospects in UX?<\/h2>\n

    The demand for digital products and experiences (and thus the people who design them) actually grew.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    This isn\u2019t at all surprising if you look at how you, your friends, and your family adapted to the times\u2014and how so many of our habits have changed this year. From online shopping and streaming entertainment to food delivery and gaming\u2014tech is a great place to be right now. According to the same (August 2020) Glassdoor report, following the pandemic, tech saw an overall increase in job postings\u2014more than any other industry:<\/p>\n

    \u201cTech job openings increased 13.4 percent month-over-month. This large increase is driven primarily by shifting consumer demand for e-commerce and other online services.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    And McKinsey reported<\/a> that e-commerce has grown 2-5 times faster than it did pre-pandemic. So there are many more digital products on the market, which means an uptick in the demand for UX professionals who can advocate for users’ needs as those products are developed and refined.<\/p>\n

    In sum, it stands to reason that as the demand for digital products increased, so did the demand for the people who design them\u2014today, several sectors are ripe and ready for your expertise in empathizing with users and designing products and experiences that are more considerate, effective, and efficient than ever.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/p>\n

    3. How did Covid-19 change what and how UXers design?<\/h2>\n

    As we mentioned in the previous section, the increased demand and growing job market in consumer services overlaps with tech in some interesting ways.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    There was already a lot of overlap between many sectors and digital product design\u2014look at food delivery apps like GrubHub, Postmates, and Uber Eats; travel apps like Airbnb, Hopper, and AllTrails; and education apps like Duolingo and Quizlet. These products exist in the overlap, and we\u2019ve barely scratched the surface. There\u2019s also strong overlap between digital product design and finance, entertainment (streaming, gaming, etc.), social\/professional networking, healthcare, and many other sectors.<\/p>\n

    Many of these sectors found ways to adapt. Take Airbnb as an example. Lockdowns around the world made travel impossible for most of us, bringing more attention to more localized tourism and \u201cstay-cations.\u201d One look at Airbnb\u2019s website would have given you an idea of how they pivoted to meet users\u2019 needs. They offered online experiences (\u201cA new way to travel from home\u201d) and even the microcopy that appears on their homepage resonated with many users: \u201cGo near. Settle in somewhere new [\u2026].\u201d It all spoke to life post-Covid, our desire to continue discovering new things, and the restlessness that came from too many days at home.<\/p>\n

    \"Screengrab<\/p>\n

    While it\u2019s true that many in these sectors already found ways to adapt, many lost jobs as a result of the pandemic\u2014a reality we do not take lightly\u2014it is also true that these are areas of industry that are full of opportunity to explore user needs and discover truly innovative design solutions.<\/p>\n

    By way of example, let\u2019s have a look at the intersection of education and digital product design.<\/p>\n

    With the start of the standard school year in many parts of the world, teachers everywhere are adapting their teaching to the new normal\u2014whether they\u2019re trying to communicate well while they and their students are masked all day, or they\u2019re looking for ways to teach effectively through a screen.<\/p>\n

    Even though there are already some great digital solutions out there (learning apps, Google Classroom, Canvas, Moodle, etc.), there\u2019s a learning curve for many institutions and educators\u2014many emerging needs, and a digital gap to be filled. Schools and other educational institutions are recognizing the need<\/a> to invest (more) in quality learning management systems and other classroom technology, and there\u2019s an even larger market now for MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), augmented and virtual reality, and gamification.<\/p>\n

    These are some intriguing areas for exploration. What kinds of solutions could some skilled UXers discover by digging deeper into the needs and goals of students, teachers, and administrators alike?<\/p>\n

    \"UX<\/p>\n

    4. How will the pandemic affect the skillset UXers need to be successful?<\/h2>\n

    As we\u2019ve discussed, there are some sectors that will be intriguing to watch from the perspective of tech and, more specifically, UX design. Depending on how these unfold, or how you decide you want to prepare for work in these sectors should you find an opportunity, this could mean learning some new skills. That will be a matter of where your curiosity takes you!<\/p>\n

    There two other trends that have emerged that will impact the day-to-day work in UX\u2014as well as the skills employers will expect new and aspiring UXers to demonstrate. One is a shift towards more socially conscious buying, and the other is (as you might expect) the shift toward remote work. Let\u2019s have a closer look at these.<\/p>\n

    More conscientious users create a greater need to design inclusively, accessibly, and with a focus on users\u2019 values.<\/h3>\n

    Beyond creating that \u201chomebody economy\u201d and changing overall user habits, the pandemic\u2014and subsequent events, such as the Black Lives Matter protests\u2014also generated a heightened awareness of social, racial, and economic stratification and, with that, a desire to spend in more socially conscious ways.<\/p>\n

    According to another McKinsey report<\/a>, Covid-19 has created a more mindful consumer mentality across the board\u2014people are more selective about what they spend money on and who they give their money to. There\u2019s a shift toward more socially responsible spending<\/a>. People are prioritizing companies and products that they trust to be in line with their values, and that treat their customers and employees well.<\/p>\n

    For the world of UX design, this means paying even greater attention to customer values (that may or may not seem related to the product itself) and designing products that are even more inclusive and accessible than ever\u2014in their purpose, features, visual assets, and language. Forward-thinking tech professionals should consider learning more about inclusive design<\/a> and how this creates more values-forward products and experiences.<\/p>\n

    More remote work changes the nature of collaboration and communication, and reveals new skills to master.<\/h3>\n

    Another clear impact is the shift toward remote work. This has far-reaching effects, so we\u2019ll break it down into five key areas.<\/p>\n

    1. For many, remote work means more juggling of the boundaries between work and personal life.<\/h4>\n

    This could easily become an entire set of articles and guides in itself. But if you\u2019d like resources for learning this balancing act, we appreciated these tips from Forbes on how to maintain a work life balance while working from home<\/a>. There are also some great apps that promote mental well-being<\/a>, and we\u2019ve got some great tips for how to stop procrastinating<\/a> and how to stay focused<\/a> despite the many distractions that can come up during the day.<\/p>\n

    2. Remote work also has a significant impact on how collaboration takes place.<\/h4>\n

    So you\u2019re not in the same room as the users you\u2019re interviewing, the stakeholders you\u2019re meeting with, or the team members to share ideas\u2014this doesn\u2019t mean that collaboration has to stop. There are some amazing tools on the market that make remote collaboration easy and effective. Tools like Miro, Slack, and Figma can make all the difference. Here are some of our favorite tools for remote collaboration:<\/p>\n