It’s really difficult when people ask me to show them cool stuff that I have done. Not that I haven’t done any cool stuff, because I like to think that I have, but the really cool stuff, the stuff I have worked on the hardest, is so subtle it’s impossible to show how cool it is. The best response I could hope for is, “Yeah, but that’s was so easy, how hard could it have been?”

I think that this is the biggest difference between a UX company and an advertising agency. Agencies want to (and are able) to show off their work. It stands out from the rest by being clever, attractive and load. Even though they don’t like to say it, it’s goal is to POP! A good piece of UX work on the other hand tries to be so simple it’s pretty much invisible. It has dealt with the complex things so cleanly and efficiently you hardly even realise its there.

This relates closely to our goal of getting over the complexity curve of a project, to the simplicity that lies on the other side, but it’s not only that. It’s about how in a world of tits and feathers, flashing lights and award shows, how does great experience, from a portfolio point of view, really shine? I suppose what I saying is, how does great UX win awards?

And the answer is, it doesn’t really, or rather, it should try to. The goal of great UX is to disappear, fall into the back ground and remove anything that makes the customer feel like they are actually doing anything. The ridiculously simple home loan application or the effortless accommodation booking process shouldn’t stand out as amazing, it should add to the brand and the brand should stand out. The experience the customers have is brand and that should be the thing that wins awards.