The following thesis is dedicated to the research about the evolution of the UX designer’s role and skill set requirements, with a focus on the misalignments and gaps between academic preparation and industry demands. It examines how UX Design evolved and how existing factors and emerging trends, such as AI, digital transformation, and collaborative design environments, have reshaped the expectations for UX professionals. With a usage of a various methodologies – search request analysis, digital ethnography, reflective practice, literature review, semi-structured interviews with UX experts and questionnaire for students of master’s program Digital and Interaction Design in Politecnico di Milano, the research identifies the factors which shape the understanding of UX professionals’ role, responsibilities and skills needed. In addition, it is dedicated to the reflection about key technical and soft skills, competencies, and dispositions crucial for modern and future UX designer. The findings highlight a significant gap between industry requirements and current educational programs, which often prioritize hard skills over strategic and interpersonal competencies. This thesis concludes by offering a model of the UX designer skill set and practical recommendations for educators, students, and professionals to bridge the identified gaps and help to prepare UX Designer to the constantly changing industry landscape and the future.
La seguente tesi è dedicata alla ricerca sull'evoluzione del ruolo del UX designer e dei requisiti di competenza necessari, con un focus sulle disallineamenti e le lacune tra la preparazione accademica e le esigenze del settore. Viene esaminata l’evoluzione del design dell’esperienza utente (UX) e il modo in cui fattori esistenti e tendenze emergenti, come l’intelligenza artificiale (IA), la trasformazione digitale e gli ambienti di design collaborativo, hanno ridefinito le aspettative per i professionisti UX. Attraverso l’uso di varie metodologie — analisi delle richieste di ricerca, etnografia digitale, pratica riflessiva, revisione della letteratura, interviste semi-strutturate con esperti UX e un questionario per gli studenti del programma di laurea magistrale in Digital and Interaction Design presso il Politecnico di Milano — la ricerca identifica i fattori che modellano la comprensione del ruolo, delle responsabilità e delle competenze richieste ai professionisti UX. Inoltre, si concentra sulla riflessione riguardo alle competenze tecniche e trasversali chiave, le abilità e le disposizioni essenziali per il designer UX moderno e futuro. I risultati evidenziano un significativo divario tra le esigenze del settore e i programmi educativi attuali, che spesso danno priorità alle competenze tecniche a scapito delle competenze strategiche e interpersonali. La tesi si conclude proponendo un modello del set di competenze del UX designer e offrendo raccomandazioni pratiche per educatori, studenti e professionisti al fine di colmare queste lacune e preparare i designer UX ad affrontare le sfide di un settore in costante evoluzione.
Preparing future UX Designers: bridging educational approaches with industry needs and the evolving UX skillset
Sokolova, Anna Andreevna
2023/2024
Abstract
The following thesis is dedicated to the research about the evolution of the UX designer’s role and skill set requirements, with a focus on the misalignments and gaps between academic preparation and industry demands. It examines how UX Design evolved and how existing factors and emerging trends, such as AI, digital transformation, and collaborative design environments, have reshaped the expectations for UX professionals. With a usage of a various methodologies – search request analysis, digital ethnography, reflective practice, literature review, semi-structured interviews with UX experts and questionnaire for students of master’s program Digital and Interaction Design in Politecnico di Milano, the research identifies the factors which shape the understanding of UX professionals’ role, responsibilities and skills needed. In addition, it is dedicated to the reflection about key technical and soft skills, competencies, and dispositions crucial for modern and future UX designer. The findings highlight a significant gap between industry requirements and current educational programs, which often prioritize hard skills over strategic and interpersonal competencies. This thesis concludes by offering a model of the UX designer skill set and practical recommendations for educators, students, and professionals to bridge the identified gaps and help to prepare UX Designer to the constantly changing industry landscape and the future.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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2025_04_Sokolova.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/233395