They focus on user stories. They try to drive your application on user pain points rather than requirements or features. Most of the discovery session is focused on getting as much information out of you as possible about these stories, but the subtle part of it is that they’re also trying to get you to change your mind set. Focus on users, not features, they seem to be constantly hinting, though they’ll rarely say that outright.

They do user research. This is absolutely critical, and one of the biggest differentiators. Does your UX expert go back to his shop and throw together a few comps after your initial meeting? Real experts don’t – they have a healthy respect for how much they don’t know, and they absolutely insist on observing real users at work before they ever start a wireframe.

They’re often not visual designers. Visual designers are great and the visual aspects of an experience are certainly important… A real User Experience expert might have started their life as a designer or a developer but now they’re something else entirely. They don’t live in photoshop or fireworks or Eclipse – they spend their time in something more like psychology, trying to understand the way people think.

They know that good User Experience is really the same thing as Customer Service. User Experience is the thing you provide your users, who are your customers, and so User Experience is just a specialized form of Customer Service.

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Understanding your user (or site visitor) is the key to building websites that make money for your company. It’s not magic, or a trick, but creating a website that can offer real value and provide great customer service. At the core of your company, do you provide great value and service to your customers? Could you do the same for more customers through your website? This is where you begin in understanding the opportunity your website has to be a great experience for the user, your customer.

I’m interested in hearing your ideas on the subject. How are you extending service through your website in 2009?