UX som tankesätt istället för arbetssätt : En studie om hur designers hos SME-företag i den svenska designbranschen förhåller sig till UX-design och användarmedverkan i designprocessen

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to find out if the gap between theory and practice is also visible in the Swedish design industry and how the gap could then be reduced. Previous research describes a lack of UX (User eXperience) work in design processes and a study has therefore been conducted with the aim to formalize guidelines for how companies, which do not include UX and users in their design processes, should develop their UX work in order to offer better artifacts. The results of the study shows that the majority of designers have UX as a design approach. Designers in the industry often know what UX means and why it is important but seems to find it hard to make customers realize the value of the UX work, which force designers to use UX as a way of thinking instead of the way of working. The results of the study presents new guidelines that companies can use to develop their UX maturity and work which is necessary for survival. We can make several conclusions from the result. UX is necessary to deliver high quality products and services to users but restricted by the customers motivation, time requirements and financial resources. Because of that, designers must have rhetorical knowledge and be able to shape and function communication that leads the client to understand the value of UX. If design companies do not involve UX in their design processes, possibly through user tests and demonstrations, the company's risk to losing important competitive advantages. This study provides a good basis for further research in the subject. The study ends with recommendations until further work on topics that were to be done for this study.