What are the UX´s disciplines?

If we were talking about websites / mobile Apps, Should a UX designer be knowledgeable about all the disciplines? In other words, what "disciplines / subject areas" he should cover?

Thanks in advance!!

Ivan,

Well as a quick disclaimer I'll say that I've been in the UX industry for a long time and currently serve as the Director of User Experience for an agency in Florida... while I'm speaking to a lot of aspects to the field, that's not to say that you have to be an expert in all of them, rather just aware of their existence.

Here's the way I look at UX in general (I think this is important because of how it compares to the disciplines), to be an effective UX designer you have to have an understanding of all of the touch points a user has within the system or service you're designing. Obviously there are junior and senior UX designers, but the goal should always been to have some level of clarity with all of the disciplines.

In terms of a web site or a mobile app, questions from each of these disciplines would apply:

• Visual Design - what the site or app look like? what kind of brand recognition does it communicate?
• Information Architecture - how are things organized? are things in the place I'd expect to find them as a user?
• Content Strategy - what is the content communicating to me? does the content answer the common questions, create a single brand voice, and a personality that we want the site or app to communicate?
• Interaction Design - how does the visual design and content come together when I'm using the site? how are animations used to communicate context, hierarchy, or relevancy?
• Usability - is the site easy for most people to use? is it accessible for visually or physically handicapped users?
• User Research - are you search that the application has an appropriate user-base that will actually use the product? are you solving a problem that needs solving?
• Industrial Design - how are people likely to hold the phone while using this mobile app? based on that, are navigational points easy to access with the most likely pointers (thumbs, pointer fingers)
• Sound Design - how are we communicating tangible interactions? are we using sounds? do those sounds match the brand and design personality of the application for a consistent experience?
• Human Computer Interaction - what's the context of use for this application? when would someone be using this? why would they be using it? does it engage the user appropriately based on it's context?

So are all of these questions important? Yes. But do they all have to be figured out immediately? Not necessarily. Your goal as a UX designer should be to learn more and more about various disciplines so you can start asking more questions and further becoming an advocate for the users of the systems you're designing. And the disciplines don't really stop there. You might find concepts in building architecture, service design, or marketing that you can use to help invite a positive experience with your customers.

Enjoy Ivan and if you want any book recommendations just let me know.

I'd say where I think most people that start of with a visual design background get tripped up is in the aspects of user research. Because of that The User Experience Team of One is a great primer.

Other things that you might like would be:

• About Face (4th Edition)
• Designing for the Digital Age
• Sketching User Experiences
• Designing with the Mind in Mind
• Seductive Interaction Design
• A Project Guide to UX Design
• Don't Make Me Think
• Rocket Surgery Made Easy

The first two are huge, and largely academic, but I feel they're incredible important. And when it comes to communicating with deliverables I'd add:

• Communicating the User Experience

Now for those reading this post there are definitely more out there that I would recommend but I wouldn't want you to get lost in book so much that you're not actually just practicing design.