disclaimer

The views expressed here are solely my own and do not reflect those of my employer or any government agency. As a UX designer, I share my personal perspective on enhancing human experiences across industries.

UX Is for Everything: Why Every Industry Needs Human-Centred Design

In tech, we iterate.
We launch, we listen, we improve.

If something frustrates users, we fix it.
That’s the heart of user-centred design: doing the hard work so the user doesn’t have to.

But outside of digital product teams, that mindset rarely exists.

Dentists. Hospitals. Transportation systems. Public restrooms.
Most industries haven’t rethought their core experiences in decades.

And users feel it.

This post is a call to every field, not just software.
If real people interact with it, it deserves design thinking.
Because UX isn’t about screens. It’s about empathy.

Ultrasound: Built for Doctors, Not Patients

A man lies on a medical bed receiving a knee ultrasound from a doctor using traditional equipment. The patient looks tense and uncomfortable, while the doctor focuses on the screen. The scene reflects a clinical environment with no signs of warmth or patient-centred care.

Ultrasound technology was introduced in the 1940s by Austrian neurologist Karl Dussik. Over 80 years later, the experience remains mostly unchanged.

  • The gel is still freezing cold
  • The wand is still pressed directly onto the pain point
  • The user — the patient — is rarely considered

The device was designed for doctors, not patients.

A UX approach would:

  • Warm the gel
  • Reduce unnecessary discomfort
  • Provide clear guidance and emotional support during the procedure

Good design doesn’t just work. It cares.

Dentistry: A Full-Sensory Failure

A tense patient reclines in a dental chair, looking nervously up at a harsh, glaring overhead light in a dim, sterile clinic. His expression shows clear discomfort and unease.

Dental drills date back to the 19th century. While tools have evolved, the experience hasn’t.

  • Harsh, sterile smells
  • Anxiety-inducing high-pitched sounds
  • Discomfort from unnatural posture
  • Painful procedures with little warning
  • Paperwork handed to you while you’re visibly in pain

Designers are trained to consider all sensory touchpoints: sound, smell, taste, light, mood, and emotion.

The current dental experience fails at every level.

Design isn’t just about utility. It’s about dignity.

Emergency Rooms: No One Should Wait in the Dark

A crowded hospital emergency room with patients sitting in rows of chairs and lying in beds, facing a lone medical worker standing in the center. The hallway is dimly lit, with a bright light at the far end, creating a stark contrast between the waiting area and the unknown beyond. The scene conveys anxiety, uncertainty, and the feeling of being left in the dark.

Emergency care systems were formalized in the 1960s. Most still treat patients like anonymous numbers.

  • You check in with pain
  • You sit in silence
  • You have no idea how long the wait will be

Even a simple update like:
“You’re next. Doctor arriving in 12 minutes”
can radically reduce anxiety.

UX is not decoration. It’s transparency. It’s reassurance when people need it most.

Public Bathrooms: Designed Without Humanity

A person stands alone in a dimly lit public bathroom with scattered paper towels on the floor, empty dispensers, and broken fixtures, symbolizing neglect and lack of human-centred design.

Public restrooms are some of the most neglected human experiences.

  • Soap dispensers are empty
  • Paper towels run out
  • Floors are wet
  • Urinals lack privacy
  • No one knows when or how often they’re cleaned

Bathrooms are rarely cleaned based on usage data.
There is no feedback loop for maintenance.

Now imagine a smart bathroom:

  • Sensors track supply levels and trigger alerts
  • Foot traffic data triggers automated cleaning
  • Full privacy panels in all stalls
  • Touchless entry, faucets, and dryers
  • A design that respects human dignity

We have smart homes. Why not smart restrooms?

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Driving & Parking: Too Much Stress

A woman driving a car on a road, illustrating the stress of parallel parking and the need for better vehicle UX.

Parallel parking has existed since the 1920s. The experience hasn’t evolved much.

  • Check multiple mirrors
  • Strain your neck
  • Judge angles
  • Hope you don’t hit anything

Why doesn’t every car have an Auto Park button?

Tesla does. Some newer models do. But most cars are still UX disasters on wheels.

Bad UX increases stress. Good UX removes it.

Plastic Key Cards: Lost, Damaged, and Still Everywhere

A man stands with luggage in front of an open door, symbolizing the challenges of outdated key card systems.

Hotel room keys. Office access cards. Apartment fobs. They’re fragile, outdated, and everywhere.

Lose one and you’re locked out.
Forget one and you’re stuck.

Why haven’t we moved on?

Modern options include:

  • Smartphone-based digital keys
  • Temporary QR codes for guests
  • Biometrics for secure entry

Systems that anticipate failure and offer alternatives — that’s UX.
Just because something works doesn’t mean it works well.

Prescription Labels, Real Impact

An elderly woman holds a medicine bottle, highlighting the importance of clear prescription labels for safety and accessibility.

Most pharmacy labels are:

  • Hard to read
  • Poorly structured
  • Confusing under stress

In 2004, Deborah Adler redesigned prescription labels after her grandmother took the wrong medication.

Her system introduced:

  • Clear, bold patient names
  • Large, readable text
  • Colour-coded rings for families
  • Visual hierarchy and icons

This wasn’t a branding exercise. It was life-saving design.
So why hasn’t it been adopted everywhere?

Why These Problems Persist

A man sits at a desk with a computer and a car model, reflecting on user experience challenges in product design.

Most industries:

  • Design for operators, not users
  • Stop improving once something “works”
  • Don’t observe real people using their product
  • Don’t hire UX designers
  • Don’t measure user pain

If your product causes stress, confusion, or fear, it’s not finished. It’s just been normalized.

What UX Designers Actually Do

Two women collaborate at a table, surrounded by sticky notes on the wall, brainstorming user experience design ideas.

We don’t decorate. We research. We empathize. We listen.

We:

  • Interview real people
  • Map their journeys
  • Turn pain points into actionable insights
  • Iterate based on feedback
  • Improve over time

UX isn’t about visuals. It’s about comfort, clarity, and care.

If You Build Anything for People, UX Belongs There

A woman holds a blueprint while presenting to a group, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful design in user experience.

You don’t need to be a tech company to hire a designer.
If your product touches a human being, it deserves thoughtful design.

Ask yourself:

  • When was the last time you reimagined the experience?
  • Are you solving user pain points, or just preserving the status quo?
  • Are you designing with empathy, or for efficiency only?

If you want to improve people’s lives, start here.

Design shouldn’t stop when it works. It should continue until it feels right.