As part of my Master’s in Content Strategy at FH Joanneum in Graz, I've had the chance to explore many new perspectives. One concept that stands out to me is the debate over the term "user," which user experience (UX) is based on. Even Don Norman, the father of UX, now suggests retiring the term, arguing that we should use more human-centered language.

My lecturer, Jerome Ryckborst, introduced me to this idea during a UX workshop. He explained that "user" can be seen as jargon and even pejorative. This was surprising to me since "user" is so common in the UX field that we often don’t stop and think about its connotations.

Norman himself now advocates for alternatives like "people" or "humans," emphasising that language shapes how we perceive those we design for. “We are human beings, people, so why not call us people,” he shares in his LinkedIn post.

Critics argue that "user" lacks precision and is impersonal, reducing individuals to mere components in a system. For example, it fails to capture specific roles like "patients" in healthcare or "students" in education.

However, as Taylor Majewski notes in MIT Technology Review, the term "user" is unlikely to disappear soon due to its deep roots in tech industry language. For decades, it’s been used as a convenient, catch-all term.

So what can we do? We can take baby steps by using precise terms to describe people’s roles in various contexts. We are “customers” in retail, “employees” in the context of internal communications and "citizens” when engaging with governments.

Being specific also helps to convey deeper connotations. In gaming, for instance, people are called "players," reflecting active engagement. Airlines refer to their customers as "passengers" or "travellers," emphasising service and hospitality. These terms make interactions feel more authentic than the abstract "user."

In my opinion, regardless of the term used, the focus should be on having empathy for who we’re designing for. Whether we call them users, customers, patients or people, as long as we maintain the essence of UX, we’ll be on the right track.