This interview features an insightful conversation with Jared Spool, a renowned expert in user experience (UX) strategy, discussing his background, philosophy, and advice for those interested in the UX field. Jared’s current role as a “maker of awesomeness” at Center Centre involves helping organizations improve how they design products and services through better UX strategies. His work focuses on understanding why some organizations succeed in creating beloved and effective products while others struggle.
Jared emphasizes user experience as a key differentiator among competing products with similar functionalities. Using cars as an example, he explains that although many vehicles today share comparable quality and reliability, people often pay more for an enhanced experience—such as comfort, features, status, or environmental impact—demonstrating how experiential factors influence customer choices.
He stresses that the ultimate goal of UX design is not just to present products but to improve users’ lives by encouraging behaviors that offer better outcomes than alternatives. This improvement-driven perspective highlights why organizations must deeply understand the experiences they want to deliver to succeed.
Regarding entering the UX profession, Jared outlines two distinct paths:
- Creating valuable experiences independently (e.g., building websites, designing spaces).
- Getting hired professionally, which demands mastering the craft of UX design.
He warns that while many short courses claim to teach UX quickly, genuine proficiency requires substantial time and effort, much like learning to be a professional chef or comedian. The current job market is competitive due to many new entrants with certificates but limited real-world skills, making it challenging for newcomers to secure UX roles. Despite this, there remains a strong industry need for skilled practitioners.
Jared encourages aspiring UX professionals to cultivate a passion for improving user experiences and to approach the craft with patience and dedication. The analogy of cooking and stand-up comedy underscores that passion combined with rigor is essential to becoming recognized and successful in the field.
Key Insights
- User experience (UX) is the primary differentiator when products have similar functionality and quality.
- The value of UX lies in improving users’ lives through better experiences that influence behavior positively.
- Organizations succeed by understanding and delivering targeted, meaningful experiences to their customers.
- Becoming a professional UX designer requires passion for the craft and long-term commitment to learning.
- The UX job market is highly competitive, with many candidates having certificates but lacking real-world capability.
- Practical experience and the ability to apply UX principles in professional settings are crucial to career success.
- The analogy of cooking and comedy illustrates that mastery and professional recognition take years of dedicated practice.
Transcripts
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Marc: Welcome to another episode of UX Pathways. Today I have the honor of being joined by Jared Spool. Jared, how are you?
Jared: I’m good! How are you?
Marc: So far so good. I appreciate you taking time to share your perspective. Let’s start with your current role—how would you describe what you do in the user experience field?
Jared’s Current Role
Jared: Technically, my title is Maker of Awesomeness at Center Centre. That’s my job.
Most of what I do is talk about UX—specifically the strategy behind creating great user experiences—and I help organizations figure out how to design and deliver better products and services. That’s what I do every day.
Marc: Sounds like you’re doing a lot more than that beneath the surface, and we’ll get into that. But first—how did you get into UX in the first place?
How Jared Got Into UX
Jared: For me, it started with curiosity.
I wanted to understand why some organizations consistently deliver products and services that people love—things that are easy to use, delightful, and successful—while others struggle.
For the last few decades, I’ve been studying:
- What differentiates successful organizations
- How teams work internally
- What strategies enable great experiences
My work focuses on strategy—how to help organizations design in a way that increases their likelihood of success.
So that curiosity became my career.
Why Some Organizations Deliver Better Experiences
Marc: That ties to something I hear often: the “experience economy.” Is that related to what you’re describing?
Jared: I’m not sure what you mean by that phrase, but here’s what I can tell you:
At some level, user experience is the differentiator.
Think about cars. There are inexpensive cars and extremely expensive cars. All of them:
- Start reliably
- Drive off the lot
- Have solid warranties
Quality has become standardized. The old “lemon law” barely applies anymore.
So why do people willingly pay far more for a “better” car?
Because the experience is different:
- The feel of the ride
- The comfort
- The features
- The perception of status
- The alignment with personal values (like electric cars reducing emissions)
All of that is experiential.
Same with restaurants: why choose the expensive option—or sometimes, why does a cheap meal become someone’s “best ever”?
It’s the experience.
The better we understand why people value certain experiences—and why they’re willing to pay for them—the better we can design products that deliver those outcomes.
Marc: So your curiosity about human reactions drives your work. And you help organizations understand the value of that.
Jared: Exactly.
I’m fascinated by how people react to good and bad experiences—and how those reactions shape behaviors.
Advice for People Considering a UX Career
Marc: That leads to the big question: What does it take for someone to get into UX? Do you have advice for people who are thinking, “Maybe I should get into this field”?
Jared: Yes—there are two very different things here:
- Creating good experiences
- Getting a job in UX
Those are as different as:
- Being funny around friends vs. being a professional comedian
- Cooking a great meal vs. running a restaurant
Let’s break it down.
1. You Must Want to Improve People’s Lives
The goal of UX isn’t “make things look good.”
It’s:
“Improve people’s lives through better products and services.”
If your product doesn’t make life better than:
- What they would do without it
- A competitor’s product
- The workaround they already have
…then why would they adopt it?
UX is about identifying:
- What people need
- What outcomes improve their lives
- What behaviors your product should encourage
That’s the foundation.
2. Passion Comes First
If you don’t enjoy “cooking,” don’t become a chef.
If you’re not passionate about:
- Understanding people
- Improving experiences
- Solving messy problems
- Collaborating
- Iterating and learning
…then UX is probably not the right field.
3. Then Comes the Craft
There is real craft to UX. And right now:
- There’s a lot to learn
- Expectations are high
- The bar for hiring is rising
Many people took short courses or bootcamps during COVID and now claim to “know UX.” But most have only learned the very basics—enough to make a dish at home, not enough to run a professional kitchen.
Managers need people who can:
- Do the work
- Handle complexity
- Produce reliable outcomes
And that takes time.
4. Understand the Job Market
“Becoming a UX professional” requires more than skill—it also requires the ability to:
- Market yourself
- Communicate effectively
- Show real, thoughtful work
- Demonstrate problem-solving
Right now the field is saturated with beginners, and the demand is high for people who can go beyond templates and basic tools.
There is opportunity—but also competition.
The Comedy Analogy
Marc: That reminds me of something I read—the book The Art and Zen of Stand-Up Comedy. It said it takes about 10 years to become a professional.
Jared: Exactly.
You can get paid once and technically become a “professional comedian.” But making a living is a different story.
Same with UX.
You might get freelance work or an entry-level job. But mastering the craft to sustain a UX career? That takes years.
I always say:
“Don’t quit your day job.”
Not because you shouldn’t pursue UX—but because mastery takes time, and the market is competitive.
The Current State of the UX Job Market
Jared: The job market was easier four years ago. Demand for UX professionals was growing faster than supply.
Then COVID hit.
People went home, enrolled in online courses, earned certificates—and suddenly the market was flooded with junior UXers who can “make a dish at home,” but aren’t ready for a professional kitchen.
This creates a challenge for:
- Candidates
- Hiring managers
- The entire industry
Because we need more UX practitioners—but we need people who can actually do the work.
Bridging that gap is one of the industry’s biggest challenges right now.
Marc: That’s incredibly insightful. Thank you for breaking down what it really takes to enter UX—and what the industry truly needs. I appreciate your openness and your wisdom.
Jared: My pleasure. Thanks for encouraging my behavior.
Marc: Thank you again. I’m excited to share your story.
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