Many organizations pigeonhole candidates into specific industries or roles when hiring a UX professional. They seek out individuals who have “experience in healthcare,” “experience in fintech,” or “experience in e-commerce” to fill particular gaps in their UX team. While this approach might seem logical initially, it can often lead to missed opportunities and suboptimal results. Instead, you should consider a different strategy: hire a UX professional with a broad strategic knowledge base and who has worked across multiple industries. Here’s why this approach can be more beneficial in the long run.
The Power of Versatility in UX
User Experience (UX) is not merely about designing aesthetically pleasing interfaces or creating smooth user flows—it’s about understanding human behavior, solving complex problems, and aligning design decisions with business objectives. The best UX professionals bring a strategic mindset to their work that goes beyond the confines of a specific industry. They are adept at translating insights from one sector to another, leveraging cross-industry knowledge to innovate and solve problems in new ways.
For example, a UX professional who has worked in both healthcare and fintech can apply principles from user-centered design to streamline patient check-ins in healthcare settings and enhance the user experience of complex financial transactions. Their experience in navigating diverse regulatory environments, managing data privacy issues, and understanding the underlying business models of different sectors enables them to think critically and creatively, which is invaluable in developing effective solutions.
The Risks of Industry-Specific Hiring
Focusing solely on industry-specific experience can limit a UX professional’s ability to think critically about the bigger picture. By confining their expertise to a particular sector, you risk hiring someone who may need more adaptability to tackle unique challenges in your organization. For instance, a UX professional with only e-commerce experience might need help to apply user research methods developed for retail environments to the B2B sector. They may also overlook opportunities to integrate emerging technologies or best practices from other industries that could benefit your product or service.
Moreover, an industry-specific hiring strategy can perpetuate groupthink within your team. When everyone shares similar backgrounds and experiences, it can stifle creativity and prevent diverse perspectives from contributing to innovation. A UX professional with a broader background can bring fresh ideas and alternative approaches that challenge the status quo, ultimately leading to better outcomes.
The Benefits of Strategic Knowledge
Hiring a UX professional with a strategic approach and a varied background offers numerous advantages. These professionals are skilled at translating user needs into actionable design strategies that align with business goals. Their cross-industry experience means they can identify patterns, trends, and opportunities others might miss. They can also act as translators between technical teams, stakeholders, and end-users, facilitating communication and ensuring all parties understand the design vision and objectives.
Additionally, strategic UX professionals are more likely to drive user-centric innovations. They are comfortable with uncertainty and can adapt their strategies based on user feedback and market changes. This agility allows them to experiment, iterate, and refine solutions more effectively than those who have only worked within the confines of a single industry.
When hiring a UX professional, don’t just look at their industry background. Instead, they prioritize their strategic knowledge, problem-solving skills, and ability to apply insights across different contexts. A UX professional who has worked in multiple industries brings a wealth of experience that can transform your product, drive user satisfaction, and ultimately contribute to your organization’s success. Investing in a versatile UX professional might be the best decision for your team.