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If you're a startup, what you really want is people who can do all of the above. And even better if that person is you.

briancray 17y ago
Are their many people who know user experience design and graphic design? I admit they exist, but they are a rare bread. Obviously that is optimal, but I'd say if you are a startup you should get funding that will help you get the right people on your team instead of a jack of all trades.
- jack7890 17y ago
  I think there are plenty of people who can do it well enough considering the constraints of startup. Adobe and Apple shouldn't conflate these roles, but if you're a startup who can only hire 5-6 people you don't have that luxury.
  - shykes 17y ago
    > if you're a startup who can only hire 5-6 people > you don't have that luxury. You could (a) hire a guy to do design + usability, or (b) hire a designer and leave usability to a founder until you can afford a second hire. Startups, any feedback on what has worked for you?
  - ibsulon 17y ago
    Why not outsource the designer and find someone who has UI down? For many applications, design is relatively small as a portion of the project. UI, however, is ongoing.
- wvenable 17y ago
  All the "web designers" I've worked with lately have put significant effort into user experience design -- certainly it's much more "on the radar" than it was a few years ago. They're not completely separate concepts. As a programmer, I can manage my own PC and Network. A user experience designer should be able to do graphic design just as easily. Different skills, but none the less related.
  - briancray 17y ago
    Every programmer doesn't necessarily know networking. Similarly, and even moreso, every user experience designer doesn't have the skillset for graphic design. I see a user experience designer as analytical and a graphic designer as creative.
- rantfoil 17y ago
  I know many. Dustin Curtis is one. Its more common than you think. The idea that you can hire your way into good design / good user experience is pretty tough to implement though. If your founding team doesn't have a great visual and user experience designer to begin with, how are you going to evaluate the new hire? It's like a nontechnical founder hiring a software engineer. Can be done, but fraught with danger.
  - arohner 17y ago
    Yeah, but it's a lot easier to be the "I know it when I see it" type with UI than software. I'm certainly not a graphic designer, but I like to think I know enough about UI to recognize a good one.
- windsurfer 17y ago
  I'm actually in a university program that is focused on those two fields. It's called "Interactive Multimedia and Design".

Are their many people who know user experience design and graphic design? I admit they exist, but they are a rare bread. Obviously that is optimal, but I'd say if you are a startup you should get funding that will help you get the right people on your team instead of a jack of all trades.

jack7890 17y ago
I think there are plenty of people who can do it well enough considering the constraints of startup. Adobe and Apple shouldn't conflate these roles, but if you're a startup who can only hire 5-6 people you don't have that luxury.
- shykes 17y ago
  > if you're a startup who can only hire 5-6 people > you don't have that luxury. You could (a) hire a guy to do design + usability, or (b) hire a designer and leave usability to a founder until you can afford a second hire. Startups, any feedback on what has worked for you?
- ibsulon 17y ago
  Why not outsource the designer and find someone who has UI down? For many applications, design is relatively small as a portion of the project. UI, however, is ongoing.
wvenable 17y ago
All the "web designers" I've worked with lately have put significant effort into user experience design -- certainly it's much more "on the radar" than it was a few years ago. They're not completely separate concepts. As a programmer, I can manage my own PC and Network. A user experience designer should be able to do graphic design just as easily. Different skills, but none the less related.
- briancray 17y ago
  Every programmer doesn't necessarily know networking. Similarly, and even moreso, every user experience designer doesn't have the skillset for graphic design. I see a user experience designer as analytical and a graphic designer as creative.
rantfoil 17y ago
I know many. Dustin Curtis is one. Its more common than you think. The idea that you can hire your way into good design / good user experience is pretty tough to implement though. If your founding team doesn't have a great visual and user experience designer to begin with, how are you going to evaluate the new hire? It's like a nontechnical founder hiring a software engineer. Can be done, but fraught with danger.
- arohner 17y ago
  Yeah, but it's a lot easier to be the "I know it when I see it" type with UI than software. I'm certainly not a graphic designer, but I like to think I know enough about UI to recognize a good one.
windsurfer 17y ago
I'm actually in a university program that is focused on those two fields. It's called "Interactive Multimedia and Design".