This book bridges the gap between academic and applied User Experience (UX) research, offering a fresh perspective on uniting these two communities. Drawing from their extensive professional experience in both realms, the authors delve into the varying definitions, models, and methods that distinguish academic and applied UX practices. Through a thoughtful analysis of communication styles and research dissemination, the book highlights how the disconnect and differences hinder the progress in the UX field.  More importantly, the authors emphasize the urgent need for greater integration between the academic and applied UX communities. To address this, the authors present a  comprehensive framework for converging these perspectives, fostering collaboration and innovation. By bridging this divide, the book seeks to  strengthen, advance, and empower the UX discipline, making it an essential resource for researchers, practitioners, and anyone invested in the future of UX.

In addition, this book:

• Examines the concept of UX as defined in both academic and applied research settings, highlighting the gaps between the two
• Explains how inconsistent definitions, methods, and communication strategies hinder UX research progress
• Proposes actionable steps to bridge the gap between academic and applied UX,  benefiting  both communities

Rong Tang, Ph.D., is a Professor Emerita at Simmons University’s School of Library and Information Science. She received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her research focus includes research data management, open government data, usability and UX research, mobile news information seeking behavior, and paradigm shifts in the field of information science.

Graham Herrli, M.S., is a user experience designer. He earned his B.S. and B.A. degrees from Stanford University in Computer Science and English Literature, and his M.S. in Library and Information Science from Simmons University. He has experience in formative research, information architecture, interaction design, and usability studies for desktop enterprise software, web, and apps.