Work Experience For Aspiring User Experience Architects

So lets face it, I guess 90% of people who call themselves a User Experience Architect, except some really old, beardy types, grew up and gained all their experience in and around the Internet. The thing is that can leave your experience or designing experiences a little narrow. My tips:

1. Go get yourself a job in one of the large integrated networks for a few years, such as McCann or Ogilvy and gain an appreciation of what Media Planning, Advertising, Branding, Experiential and PR are and how they can all work together (despite what you think you wont gain this sat in a pure Web Shop even if you do have the odd meeting with your sister agencies).

2. Get a job in an Agency that does little or no web at all…. i.e. right outside your comfort zone. This can realy help re-set your perspective on what experience design is, having to frame it around other mediums that aren’t screen based.

Go on, it will make you a better person.