6 BRAND STORY PRODUCED BY THE OREGON BUSINESS MARKETING DEPARTMENT It’s All About the Experience There are really only two kinds of experiences one can have when visiting a website, using an app on a smartphone or otherwise engaging with the digital world. The first is ideal: easy on the eyes, simple to use, intuitive and productive. The second is just the opposite: cluttered, unclear, impossible to navigate and often downright ugly. What’s the difference between the two? Thoughtful, well-intentioned user experience, otherwise known as UX. “It’s the overall experience that people have when interacting with a user interface and how it makes them feel during that experience,” says Franny Howes, Professor and Chair of the Communication department and faculty member at Oregon Tech. “Were you able to use it successfully and did you have a good experience using it? Or were you constantly complaining about it and cursing the name of some software developer who made you use this thing. That’s UX.” Looking to help businesses hone their UX and, as a result, land more customers and conversions while strengthening their brands, Oregon Tech offers two UX certificate programs for professionals. Offered online and asynchronously, Oregon Tech’s 18-credit UX Writing and UX Research & Design certificate programs are the first fully accredited UX programs in the state. “We believe there is a significant need for people with this training,” Howes says. “I would Oregon Tech’s UX certificate programs offer big benefits for businesses, customers and professionals. BY JON BELL
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