Vanessa explored the purpose of User Experience Design and Education, presenting examples of early technology and showing how, with the advent of the GUI (Graphical User Interface) the user experience came about, and with increasing complexity came the need to consider the user experience and their journey through a system.
Vanessa also presented a route map of how user experience design could be delivered against a backdrop of a joined-up learning journey.
Interactively, with the audience, Vanessa explored where they and she believed UX fitted in the fields of human endeavor, from Art, through Engineering to Psychology (please see slide 7).
Vanessa pointed out that UX can act as a vehicle for social good and empower people to have a say in the design of things which serve their needs when applied to Social Design and Values Based Design, accordingly UX can apply to things other than computer systems.
Vanessa finished by highlighting that the skills and standards for the field are not well established, however there are Professional accreditations for various strands in the BCS SFIA (Skill Framework for the Information Age) and exploring the current educational provisions.
Vanessa’s slides may be found by following this link.