Coffee with SnapEngage 

Our clients are global and so are we. Culture is more than a word, culture is how we live and work every day. Join us in welcoming Jackson Carson, our UI/UX Director, in our Coffee with SnapEngage series which celebrates SnapEngage employee culture and our mission to connect people wherever they are.

When you chat with us, you are always chatting with a real member of our team; it’s about time you meet them. Today we learn about Jackson, all things regarding UI/UX, and exciting upcoming projects.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. 

My mission is to bring delight to the world through music, photography, and user experience design and strategy.

2. Share a bit about your role within SnapEngage. 

As UX/UI Director at SnapEngage, I help build the bridge between the founders’ vision and their customers’ needs, with delight as the magical element that binds them.

3. What exactly is UI and UX? Are they different?

Many people are confused about the difference between UX and UI. UX stands for ‘user experience’ and UI stands for ‘user interface’. I like to think of UX as being is about people. UX addresses what the user feels and thinks while engaging in your product or service. What are their expectations? What is their mental model? What are their emotions and thoughts? Is their experience effortless? Is it confusing? Are they delighted? Miserable?

UI is more about the cosmetics of the design and what the user sees or hears. How do the buttons and icons look? Is it visually integrated with your brand? A good visual interface should be pleasing to the eye, accessible by sight challenged users, and be well integrated with the surrounding environment in which the interface exists. “It’s very attractive” or “I love how the new feature looks in the app” would be praises you might hear about a UI.

The two go hand-in-hand. A beautiful interface can be ruined by a clunky or confusing navigation just as a brilliant user flow can turn sour with an unattractive interface. These days, users expect a higher aesthetic in the interfaces they use. A delightful experience requires that interfaces look good. But it’s not just about cosmetics. As the saying goes, you just can’t put lipstick on a pig. A good UX should mean that the user doesn’t have to think. Users will say “it just works” or “it’s super easy to use”.

4. What is an exciting project you’re working on currently?

I’m super excited to be working towards a more cohesive brand and experience across SnapEngage in our communications and product.

5. What makes SnapEngage stand out?

We are a strong incumbent with some of the most powerful features around. And we live our mission every day of connecting people and helping them reach their goals.

6. What is your favorite thing about working for SnapEngage?

The people! Our team is so well-intentioned, talented, and has amazing tenacity to get stuff done. I’m so proud to be working with this group of amazing people!

7. What piece of advice would you give a new employee starting in the software space?

Listen to your customer and always learn.

8. Why is chat essential to companies?

Chat is a great channel to connect with your users in a way that is both personable and efficient.

9. How do you collaborate with the other teams in the organization?

I work across most of the business. Whether it’s strategic planning with the product team or helping Sales and Marketing put their best foot forward.