Without a doubt, the user experience (UX) component in software development is critical in driving user satisfaction, retention, and adoption. In this podcast episode, we are joined once again by Janice Alexander and Brittney Samuels to discuss the findings of their latest UX in the Caribbean study. During our conversation, the duo shared, among other things: important findings from the current research; the “talent paradox” the survey revealed; the certification versus formal qualifications conundrum that exists; and the supply versus demand dynamic in today’s job market.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

When online or engaging with digital tools, we rarely tend to appreciate the effort and attention given to ensuring that users have a good experience, unless it is poor. Over the years, the user experience (UX) component in the software development process has evolved into its own discipline, and a critical aspect that can make-or-break an application—regardless of how good the coding is or how valuable the application may be.

According to a study conducted by Forrester Research, every $1 invested in UX yields a return of $100, resulting in a return on investment of 9,900%, and a potentially lucrative career path (Source:  Essential Designs). Further, other compelling studies suggest inter alia that a well-developed and frictionless UX design could increase conversion rates by as much as 400%, and that customer experience-focused companies tend to outperform other businesses by considerable margins

In September 2025, the first report on the State of UX in the Caribbean was published. This report follows the State of UX in Jamaica, which was published in 2022, and seeks to provide insights into the user experience landscape from over 80 Caribbean digital professionals. We have the main researchers and authors of the report back on the Podcast to discuss their findings and the implications for UX in the wider Caribbean region.  

 

Introducing our guests

Brittney Samuels

Brittney Samuels is a UX Manager at Jamaica’s largest financial institution, Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited, where she leads a team of 10+ design professionals. She has been instrumental in advancing the organisation’s design maturity by introducing design systems, developing research processes, and embedding UX practices into product development. With a passion for innovation and user experience, Brittney is dedicated to pushing boundaries and crafting solutions that deliver meaningful experiences and drive large-scale social impact.

Beyond her corporate role, Brittney actively mentors emerging designers and volunteers with the UX Network Caribbean, collaborating with regional professionals to strengthen the design community and inspire the next generation of talent. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and growing her own food, an activity she likens to her work in UX: both require patience, care, and a vision for long-term growth.

 

Janice Alexander

Janice Alexander is on a mission to prove that exceptional user experience isn’t just for Silicon Valley – it belongs everywhere, especially in the Caribbean. As an independent UX consultant, she draws from her deep experience at major financial institutions like GraceKennedy Financial Group and CIBC Caribbean, where she built powerful research and UX capabilities to drive user-centric innovation.

Janice now channels that expertise into helping small and medium-sized businesses across health, education, and fintech create digital experiences that actually work for their users. When she’s not consulting, she’s building the region’s only design community, UX Network Caribbean, to establish the Caribbean as a serious player in the global UX landscape—one thoughtfully designed experience at a time.

 

Insights into our conversation

Although the number of UX positions in the Caribbean region’s job market might still be relatively small, it has been growing. In addition to UX practitioners seeing more opportunities for professional growth, these results also suggest that organisations are beginning to appreciate the unique role UX plays in the software development process, as well as the skills that must be brought to the table.

One of the interesting aspects of the most recent UX report is the inferences and recommendations geared towards UX practitioners. The data is accompanied by some narrative text to explain the findings, but in some sections, pink pullout boxes have been inserted that appear to prompt the reader on how to distil the findings and consider them strategically.

Below are key questions posed to Janice and Brittney,= that drove our conversation

  1. When you were last on the Podcast, the state of UX in Jamaica had recently been published. What pushed you to expand the scope of the report to the Caribbean region?
  2. Talk to us about the methodology employed and the objectives that guided the research.
  3. Generally, what was the size of the organisations that employed the UX practitioners who participated in the research? Were there freelance UX practitioners and roles also represented? What industries were represented in the research?
  4. Another challenge observed appears to be one of nomenclature. Positions may have UX related titles, but the majority of the work is UI-related. What does that say about the landscape?
  5. What were the important findings from the current research?
  6. What does “The UX Talent Paradox” say about the state of UX in the region?
  7. Regarding “Just Enough Research”, it seems UX practitioners are not leveraging research as they should. Were any reasons given for that?
  8. In terms of credentials, practitioners are getting specialist certifications, but the industry seems to be asking for university degrees. What does this dichotomy suggest?
  9. To what degree is there scope for upward mobility in UX in the region?
  10. What role is brain drain playing in the job market, both on supply and demand?

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that were mentioned during the episode, or might otherwise be useful:

 

 

Images credit:  J Alexander;  B Samuels;  Freepik;  Firmbee (Pixabay);  rawpixel.com (Freepik) 

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez