What’s the Difference between UX and CX?
You’ve probably heard the terms UX and CX thrown around and how essential they are for a company’s success. But what are they? Is there really a difference between UX and CX? They are often used interchangeably and a quick Google search will give you many different definitions. It’s important to know what these terms mean and how they’re different so that you can use them to give your company an advantage.
What is UX design?
User experience, or UX, involves a customer’s experience with a specific product, like an app, software, or a website. UX designers are analytical problem solvers who do extensive research to find out how to create a platform that is intuitive and easy to navigate. Their design process incorporates topics like navigation, information architecture, and visual hierarchy.
What is CX design?
Customer experience, or CX, is much broader in that it involves the way a customer feels when they interact with an entire brand, not just a specific product. UX is like a subset of CX, since it is more specific. A customer’s opinion of a brand goes beyond just a single product, so CX involves a user’s interactions with a company’s social media, advertising, customer service, sales process, and the product itself. CX is more of an umbrella term, so it can be easy to get the two terms confused!
To make things easier, here’s a list of the biggest differences between UX and CX:
They use different metrics
A UX designer measures success differently than a CX designer. UX metrics involve how easy it is to navigate an app or website. Here’s some examples:
Success rate
Error rate
Task time
Clicks to completion
Abandonment rate
On the other hand, CX metrics look at the big picture and analyze how customers rate their overall experience with a company and how many customers they’ve gained or lost. Some examples of CX success metrics are:
Retention rate
Churn rate
Customer Lifetime Value
Customer Effort Score
Net Promoter Score
They have different day-to-day roles
Although some parts of their jobs overlap, UX and CX designers complete different tasks on a daily basis. A UX designer’s workday might include:
Designing a platform for singular interactions, like a website or app
Completing product research and creating user personas
Developing and testing prototypes
Adjusting and revising prototypes based on feedback from tests
Working closely with managers, designers, and coders to create a seamless and intuitive experience for the user
CX designers also complete many of the activities that UX designers focus on. However, because their role is so broad, they are also responsible for:
Researching and mapping out customer journeys across multiple channels
Using market research and voice of customer strategy to gain a complete understanding of customer needs, motivations, pain points, and emotions
Work with all levels of their company to better understand both the business and their customers’ goals
Encourage a culture of excellent customer service and influence employees to put the customer first, be transparent, and strengthen communication skills
Want to become a confident UX/UI designer in just three months?
Sign up to join our next Ideate Labs cohort and experience a personalized and intimate high touch learning experience. Unlike other design programs, we let students choose their own project topics which give you the leadership skills you need to get senior roles in the future. We position you for your first UX job while giving you an understanding of topics like CX, business models, tech constraints, and entrepreneurship. Apply for our fall 2021 cohort today!