*Note that depending on the organization, a UX/HCI professional may serve many of the roles below simultaneously.
Product Designer/Interaction Designer
Product designers work collaboratively with user research and engineers to craft the experience and look and feel of systems through prototypes. Designers shape an interactive and innovative user experience that considers different interaction paradigms (e.g., touch interfaces, voice user interfaces, GUIs), contextual or cultural factors, and accessibility. They have a sensibility for the business needs and outcomes of designs. Product designers are adept at rapid prototyping systems of different fidelities.
User Experience (UX) Researcher
A UX researcher engages in qualitative (e.g., interviews) and/or quantitative (e.g., experimental designs) user research methods to help their product teams understand users, identify their pain points with technologies, and suggest design opportunities to improve technologies for users. As user advocates, UX researchers also engage in methods that allow users to be co-designers of technologies and identify unconscious bias in design (e.g., systems that disproportionately harm some while benefiting others). UX researchers do both formative and summative research to influence multiple stakeholders in technology development and product strategy.
UX Engineer/Prototyper
UX Engineers have a strong mix of design and technical skills who can rapidly engineer novel and high-quality prototypes (e.g., AR/VR, IoT prototypes) of varying fidelity levels to help craft product experiences. UX Engineers often bridge discussions between design and engineering stakeholders.
Product Manager
Product Managers guide new product features and ideas from concept to launch. They understand and balance user needs and business needs. They work closely with multiple stakeholders like designers, engineers, and research to shape product strategy.
