From UX to UXL (User Experience Launcher), Evolving in the AI Launcher Era

Header Image sourced from 3 Steps to Create and Sell AI-Generated Midjourney Art

In the ever-evolving landscape of user experience (UX), a seismic shift is on the horizon — one that will redefine career trajectories and set a new standard for competitive edge in the industry. The realm of UX is on the cusp of a transformation akin to the revolution brought about by the advent of DevOps, where speed and agility in development have outpaced traditional methods. This shift heralds the dawn of the UXOps era, where research, design thinking, and UI design will emerge as the vanguard of user experience.

As UX becomes increasingly integrated into the mainstream, the cost of achieving “good enough” UX diminishes, reducing the risk of tackling more niche problems. This mirrors the trajectory of the DevOps industry, which democratized market performance and search ranking capabilities for smaller agencies and SMEs with niche services and new technologies previously impossible for small-budget startups. The ripple effect of this democratization is a landscape where UX professionals can scale up to more luxurious, high-end products or pivot to entirely new industries.

The strategic move for those in UX is to gravitate toward the most lucrative aspects of the field while the opportunity is ripe. The competition at the entry-level will intensify, and the pace of change will outstrip even the most ambitious moonshot projects envisioned by tech giants like Google. In this new era, innovation is not a rarefied pursuit but a playground of possibilities, amplified a trillion-fold by the advent of artificial intelligence (AI).

Envision a world where the youthful vigor of 20-year-olds is channeled into launching not one but 30 nano startups annually. In this world, UX professionals fall short of being a key piece in the value chain of this new customer, for which pivoting and iteration become the norm.

In this brave new world, the “Launcher” — the individual who launches new ventures with the frequency of a monthly routine — becomes the archetype of the modern professional. This new entrepreneur requires no capital, team, or extensive research — merely a week to launch what they can.

This paradigm shift redefines entrepreneurship; businesses become leaner, experiments are shorter, and emotional attachment to products and brands is a relic of the past.

Prestige in this new order is measured not by the accumulation of successes but by the rate of failure and the quality of learning derived from it. Stumbling, recovering, and gleaning insights rapidly become the hallmark of excellence. In the launcher era, pitching is the new currency of prestige, and those who navigate this landscape with agility and insight will lead the charge into the future of UX.

With the advent of AI into the mainstream, the entrepreneurial landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, moving away from the traditional, slow-paced nurturing of single ideas to a dynamic model where rapid launching and iteration are the new norms. This evolution is giving rise to a new breed of entrepreneurs known as “launchers” — individuals who are redefining success not by the longevity of their ventures but by the frequency and agility with which they introduce new concepts to the market.

The Launcher: A New Entrepreneurial Archetype

Launchers are characterized by their lack of attachment to any single idea. They thrive on the constant motion of creation, viewing each project as a stepping stone to the next innovation. This approach is a stark departure from the classic image of the entrepreneur who is deeply invested in the perfect execution of a singular vision. Instead, launchers are the epitome of adaptability, embracing a portfolio of ventures where speed and flexibility are paramount.

The Implications for UX Design

In this fast-paced “launcher era,” the traditional role of the UX designer is being challenged. The speed at which launchers operate demands a UX approach that can keep up with the rapid cycle of product releases. UX professionals must evolve from methodical designers to UXOps specialists — experts in facilitating quick navigation to key information, ensuring scalability, and supporting robust and intuitive structures within digital products.

UXOps, akin to the revolution brought about by DevOps in software development, represents the fusion of user experience with operational efficiency. It’s about integrating research, design thinking, and UI design into a seamless process that aligns with the launcher’s need for speed no matter the technology or tools needed as new ones appear. As UX becomes mainstream, scaling up to more expensive and high-end products or transitioning to another industry will become the norm.

Adapting to the Speed of Innovation

For UX professionals, this means embracing new methodologies that allow for rapid prototyping, user testing, and data analysis. They must become fluent in the language of quick launches and product iterations, understanding these processes as critical layers of a well-delivered service. The UX designer’s role expands to include strategic visioning for product adaptability and growth, ensuring that each iteration is informed by real-time user feedback and market trends. The product becomes the means, not the end, the user, a visitor to an ever-evolving market fit experiment.

The Service Layer of UX in the Launcher Era

In this new era, UX professionals are the architects of the service layer that underpins fleeting product interactions. This layer must be robust to support rapid product evolution while remaining flexible enough to accommodate the launcher’s cadence. UX designers must guide products through their lifecycle with a focus on scalability, adaptability, and user-centricity, ensuring that the user’s journey is enhanced with each new release.

Conclusion: Embracing UXOps for Future Success

The launcher era is a renaissance for user experience, demanding a new breed of UX professionals adept at UXOps. These individuals, which I would call Experience Launchers, will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of entrepreneurship, where the ability to quickly pivot and iterate is the hallmark of success. By embracing this new paradigm, UX designers can ensure their place at the heart of innovation, driving the rapid evolution of products in a world where change is the only constant.

This is part of my Futurism series, where I dare to tap into the unknown and imagine the future where UX once again changes for good.

If you need help or mentoring building a killer pitch, don’t hesitate to contact me on Linkedin: Javier Alcivar UX Strategy Lead Consultant