UX jobs boring as shit

Out of context: Reply #14

  • Started
  • Last post
  • 36 Responses
  • fate5

    Let me give the cynical, jaded old-timer perspective:

    Nothing you are creating is of lasting value. You will constantly have to throw out your portfolio every 5 years. You will constantly be chasing the latest trend.

    You are now competing against an army of Dribbble loving clones that all think they're the next Steve Jobs. They're doing spec redesigns of Time.com while you're redesigning buttons on an insurance app.

    Half of what you create is pure and utter bullshit, and the work you put in will ultimately be of no consequence. Users personas, wireflows, use scenarios. To make yourself feel better, you start to put your personal stock in "data" and the kudos of managers in khakis. Remember when you wanted to be an artist?

    Your mom isn't proud of your work, if she even understands what it is you do. Mom's never going to brag to her friends about what you do. Strangers' eyes will glaze over when you try to explain what UX is and try to convince them that it's a real job. In their eyes, you have a boring, non-essential job.

    Maybe you try to show off your portfolio to non-designers. That's when it finally hits you that what you're doing, most people don't even care about.

    To compensate, we reference the most extreme cases, like designing interfaces for anethesiolgists to regulate blood-oxygen levels. Or wayfinding systems for museums. To try to convince ourselves of our own importance.

    But the truth is always in the back of your head - You are a pixel accountant. We have finally reduced design to a job as boring as preparing taxes or medical transcription.

    • LOL you are incredibly bitter about your job. Who cares if you're important?? UX IS important otherwise there wouldn't be jobs out there.twentyfive
    • As for being an artist?!?! Who the fk cares about that anymore I just want a fucking job.twentyfive
    • Does it really matter if you're designing an insurance or something important?? If you're finding yourself loathing your work then get a new jobtwentyfive
    • Don't diminish the work that's being done because it's not "art", it's a JOB. Who cares if it's mindless, that doesnt mean it's unimportanttwentyfive
    • Oh no my mommy isnt proud of my work! I dont feel creatively satisfied! :'( I'm owed a job that caters to my narcissism at every opportunity!!!twentyfive
    • fate, I think you have a terribly misguided view on how you provide value and the satisfaction you get from said value. Maybe you don't provide any value...mg33
    • Would be interesting to see you answer the questions I suggested below.mg33
    • Also, I don't need my mom to understand what I do. I need her to understand that I'm employed, that I'm happy, and that I provide for my family. That's all.mg33
    • Although it is satisfying to point to something and say, "see the success that company is having?" I helped make that happen. But I don't need that from her.mg33
    • Boys, I saw the writing on the wall long ago...I made moves 10 years ago to prevent getting stuck in that rut.fate
    • I love the smell of mid-life crisis in the morning.garbage
    • I transitioned to photography, film, art direction years ago. Wasn't going to be pigeonholed as the web guy or UI/UX guyfate
    • This is the kind of content that I love QBN for.Al_dizzle

View thread