When it comes to User Experience you don’t have to be a UX Professional to participate. In fact, it’s often more important for you to care if you’re NOT specifically in the field.
User Experience Professionals (hopefully) know what they’re talking about. (Note the “Professional” part). UXers have chosen to make a career out of ensuring the user has a great experience and that fact should be embraced across every aspect of your business.
Sure there are business goals, financial projections and ROIs to meet. User Experience Professionals are well aware of this. But you know what? Part of their job is to ensure this happens as well. You see, if the company isn’t reaching it’s goals, they are out of a job too! :)
So what if you’re not a User Experience Pro? What can you do?
Embrace a customer/user-centric culture
This doesn’t necessarily mean the customer is always right. It means do what IS best for them and not what you want to be best for them.
Test, Analyze, Iterate
Sometimes we can’t all agree on the above. So, test it. Analyze the metrics. Improve the experience. It is arrogant to think you know what will work with nothing to back it up.
User Experience is not just a person or a team. It is how we present, interact, and offer value or usefulness to our users.
So you see, User Experience really is everyone’s business.