Twitter Discussion on Web Industry Job Titles: Designer

by deconspray Jul 19, 2011 0 Comment

There’s two things that befuddle me (well, there are more, but I digress…). Job titles in the web/internet industry and Twitter.

I love Twitter. I primarily use Twitter to follow my mentors and peers in the web/Internet industry. One thing though that frustrates me to no end is that lack of dialog, discussion. I’m also frustrated by the lack of engagement when I post items/questions of interest. I’ll eventually figure that out. But discussion on Twitter is lacking. Sharing online resources and Instagrams is hot, but not opinions and discussions (@mollydotcom, excluding you for now, but you’re my fav).

This was true until this morning. A fantastic thread started between Andy Budd (@andybudd) and Mark Bouton (@markbouton), then spread to a few other luminaries in the web design and user experience industries. For now, I’ll leave them nameless. Below, I’ve attempted to capture the thread in its entirety for posterity, awareness and a note on how a proper debate should be handled. Apologies in advance for any inaccuracies/order discrepancies. Maybe our politicians should consider Twitter during the upcoming campaign. Keep rebuttals down to 140 characters … HA!


@andybudd Andy Budd: In case you missed it, why I think there’s too much focus on UX design and why visual designers should be proud also – http://t.co/Q96nLjP

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @andybudd In that post, you’re assuming ‘visual’ designers label themselves as such. I, for one, don’t. Not because i’m not proud…

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton Sorry if I wasn’t clear. “Visual designer” is really just my title.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton I know we’ve not always agreed on this in the past, so would value your comments on the article.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton I realise that others go by different names, be that “graphic designer”, “interface designer” or even “web designer”.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboultonWhat I’m trying to say is that people should be proud of their visual design skills and not feel pressured by the UX lable

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @andybudd Oh, I get the post. I just despise the term. It implies those with strong graphic design skills concern themselves with the pretty

@adactio Jeremy Keith: @danielmall +1. Like. Me too. What you said. Amen. Yup. So say we all. cc @markboulton @andybudd

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @danielmall me too. @andybudd

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton not saying that’s why you’re doing btw. Us there a term you prefer?

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton oh I agree with that. I just don’t think that calling oneself a UX designer is the appropriate response.

@ soyrex Alex Holt: @andybudd seems to me you’re calling foul on the term UX designer.. I’m not convinced they should ever be different ppl. cc/@markboulton

@andybudd Andy Budd: @soyrex of course you dint, because your not a UX designer. That’s my point 🙂

@ soyrex Alex Holt: @andybudd aren’t I? i think that would in fact be the point of the debate. 😉

@andybudd Andy Budd: @soyrex but you just said they don’t exist. How can you be something you don’t think exists 🙂

@ soyrex Alex Holt: @andybudd never said they didn’t exist. I said they i’m not convinced they should be a different person.

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @andybudd Just ‘Designer’. Not sure we need to make ourselves so tied to our processes and tools.

@VladGeorgescu Vlad Georgescu: @markboulton you can’t just name yourself a Designer. It’s too vague. Are you a fashion designer? Or maybe you design cars? cc @andybudd

@leisa Leisa Reichelt: @markboulton just designer might work when you’re hiring an agency that should have the full set of skills. It breaks elsewhere.

@markboulton Mark Boulton: Just to be clear. I’m not saying UX isn’t a thing. Of course it is. What I’m saying is that Visual Design *shouldn’t* be a thing.

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @VladGeorgescu I regularly do. Either that or web designer. What I do is broad, by its very nature.

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @leisa i use the term to describe what I do. The output and activities then differ, but they don’t define my role.

@NikLP NikLP: @markboulton Perhaps the easiest option is to decide what you want to do (or be called) & show people who don’t want that the door? 🙂

@ralphsaunders Ralph Saunders: @markboulton I’d argue that anyone claiming to be a designer that doesn’t concern themselves with function is in denial.

@sumank Suman Kumar: @markboulton Nomenclature Mark. Didn’t imagine you’d get trapped in it.

@lukejonesme Luke Jones: @markboulton visual design should be a thing as much as auditory music making should be a thing.

@leisa Leisa Reichelt: @markboulton you’re also saying most ppl with good visual/graphic skills also do most things a UXer does, which has not been my experience.

@danielmall Dan Mall: @andybudd Title ≠ duties. I’ve been doing content inventory all week, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be called a designer. + @markboulton

@andybudd Andy Budd: @danielmall my main concern is people using titles like UX designer when they don’t do UX roles.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @danielmall true, although it is helpful if your title has some relationship to your role.

@markboulton Mark Boulton: Seems there’s a sematics issue on Twitter again. Funny, that.

@achrafieh George Munayer: @markboulton enjoying this conversation cause i am at just in the part in your book where you say you wouldn’t hire a jack of all trades 🙂

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @andybudd Titles are obviously important for clients or potential clients. Or recruiting. But they little difference to us internally.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton when applying for a UX job I expect to see a UX designer and not a graphic designer who doesn’t know UX design. Tis all!

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @andybudd We all call ourselves designers here, but for different projects we have different roles because we have different strengths.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton not what your website says 😉

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton within a ore existing team, folks know what thrush so or doesn’t matter.

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @andybudd Then we agree. What I disagree on is that ‘visual design’ is a clear and distinct ‘thing’ that is a job title.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @markboulton when applying for a UX job I expect to see a UX designer and not a graphic designer who doesn’t know UX design. Tis all!

@markboulton Mark Boulton: @andybudd When, in fact, strong graphic designers do UX, IA etc. They just don’t call it that. They lump it all together under ‘research’.

@sblakeborough Steve Blakeborough: @markboulton I’m with you. Good designers should *always* concern themselves with how things work and content, context and audience

@dAttrache David Attrache: @markboulton @andybudd Yes. I think the need for labels comes from clients’ difficulty to separate the various parts of the design process

@danielmall Dan Mall: @markboulton Surely I’m oversimplifying (or maybe overcomplicating), but I call that “design”. /cc @andybudd

@khoi Khoi Vinh: @andybudd Are you arguing it’s not helpful to young designers not to be able to nail down highly specific job titles? If so, I’d disagree.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @khoi no, I’m arguing that it’s bad for new designers to take on highly specific job titles (like UX) designer when it’s not what they do!

@khoi Khoi Vinh: @andybudd Ah, sorry, I jumped in late. Should’ve done my homework and read back first.

@jmspool Jared M. Spool: @andybudd is tweeting about how designers don’t need to be programmers. It must be Tuesday. 🙂

@jmspool Jared M. Spool: Can’t wait until Thursday when @andybudd offers conclusive proof that Designers aren’t Lobster Fisherman.

@andybudd Andy Budd: @jmspool you jest, but I do think it’s important for people not to misunderstand what other do or misrepresent what they do.

@jmspool Jared M. Spool: @andybudd Well, I, for one, am glad you’re out there fighting the good fight.