The UX Pioneers

So, what sets apart companies that invest in UX design from those that don't?

"When looking at enterprises, the emphasis is often on achieving business goals," explains Aviram. "An internal system with a better user experience leads to higher efficiency, reduced costs, and improved customer experience—critical aspects from a business perspective. In startup companies, UX can be the critical boundary between success and failure. We have assisted dozens of early-stage startups in designing their applications from start to finish, even before writing a single line of code. In fact, we provided them with a fully operational mockup that helped them make better business decisions and persuade investors to fund their product development. There is a significant difference between entrepreneurs who present a high-fidelity product demo and those who rely solely on PowerPoint slides. Most of the time, this difference determines whether they secure the desired investment or not."

User Experience is not an afterthought

Aviram's journey into the world of UX began in 2000 after completing his MA studies in Behavioral Economics. He was seeking a field that combined his interests in the flourishing digital world and consumer behavior psychology, which had always been his true passion. He found a position at a medium-sized software house that provided information system and website development services. However, he quickly realized that the approach to website and system design, in his opinion, was flawed and neglected crucial aspects of the design process, which were often left under the direct responsibility of programmers and developers. This approach seemed distorted to him.

Aviram explains, "The problem with this approach is that programmers and developers do not specialize in human behavior, decision-making, or psychological patterns of users. They excel at programming, but without someone responsible for the psychological side of the website or system—the users themselves—it would be overlooked and neglected. This difference between Technology-Driven Design and User-Centered Design is significant. Technology-Driven Design treats UX as a byproduct of the development phase, leading to poor user experiences on many websites and systems at that time. Over the years, companies have come to understand that UX is not an afterthought. If you neglect it, it won't magically improve on its own. UX design is a deep and thorough process that starts with in-depth research and involves various phases and crucial aspects. This was not just an Israeli problem; it was a worldwide phenomenon. Looking at websites in the US and EU, I realized the story was similar. It was a pivotal moment in my life—an ‘enlightenment’—where I knew I had found my calling.”

Did this realization lead to the founding of TZUR – UX Design?

"Yes," Aviram confirms. "When I realized my behavioral thinking diverged from the prevailing technical thinking at that time regarding UX design, I knew I had to leave my job and establish my own UX agency, even though no one else understood what a UX agency meant back then."

Initially operating as a freelancer, Aviram soon asked his younger brother Reely to join him. Reely was a natural choice due to their strong personal and business partnership. He also had a keen interest in working in the behavioral field of website and information systems, making it an excellent match.

"We worked tirelessly to develop our UX methodologies, acquire new clients, and manage our innovative and revolutionary business," Aviram recounts. "Since there were no other UX agencies like us, we had to start from scratch. Initially, we conducted numerous 'Expert Reviews' based on our in-depth UX methodology and behavioral knowledge, which involved identifying UX problems on websites and information systems. Looking back, this period was a tipping point for us because every report we submitted resulted in an impressive UX project. This marked the beginning of an era in which our office phone never stopped ringing."

Did companies start investing in UX projects as a result?

"Yes," Aviram confirms. "Once companies became aware of the UX problems identified in our reports, they were determined to make things right and approached us to design their UX from start to finish using our in-depth UX methodology, which combines user and consumer behavior analysis with their business goals. We quickly gained several success stories, and due to the growing demand for our UX services, we started hiring more employees. Since then, we have successfully completed over 1,400 UX projects, including large websites, e-commerce platforms, complex systems, startups, and mobile applications. You can find recent examples of our UX design projects in our portfolio."

Team brainstorming and employee development

How did you recruit employees for an unknown field?

"That's a great question," says Reely, who currently serves as the CEO at TZUR, having dealt with every possible challenge over the past 20 years. "Back then, there were no UX courses, and most people hadn't even heard of it. So, we reached out to individuals we considered well-suited for the job, even though it was a subjective assessment. We also tried job advertising, but without explicitly using the term 'User Experience.' Instead, we focused on describing the job itself. Each employee we recruited underwent a comprehensive internship period and, over time, began working directly with clients.”

“From our early days to the present,” Reely emphasizes, “our work methodology has consistently relied on team brainstorming. Even when our employees engage directly with clients, every UX solution is a result of collaborative efforts within the team, especially when faced with challenges like creating new UX concepts, designing innovative products, or improving UX business outcomes. We invest a significant amount of time and effort into each project and deliverable without compromising or taking shortcuts.”

Have any employees started their careers at TZUR and now hold senior positions in the UX market?

"Absolutely," Reely confirms. "Many of our former employees now hold senior positions at well-known companies such as Google, Amdocs, LivePerson, and many more. It's a great honor and extremely satisfying to witness their remarkable progress in the field of UX design."

Roles and responsibilities

What are the actual roles of each of you, and how do you allocate responsibilities?

"When it comes to business or strategic decisions, we make them together," Aviram explains. "We are both logical individuals, and we strive to make deliberate and reasonable decisions by eliminating emotional biases."

Reely adds, "Beyond that, our roles are quite distinct. Aviram focuses mainly on academic matters such as conducting research, writing articles, giving UX courses and lectures, and mentoring UX students. I oversee the daily operations of the company, working closely with our UX teams and clients. My schedule is much busier than his," he says with a smile.

Do you notice any significant trends in the field over the years?

"Undoubtedly, the UX field has become much more prevalent and flourishing over time, which is quite satisfying," says Aviram. "However, we have observed a new trend of trying to combine multiple roles into one position, such as UX design, UI graphic design, and front-end development."

Reely agrees, saying, "We believe, based on our 20 years of experience, that this is not a positive direction. These roles should be viewed as separate and managed by different experts. Although there may be some overlap, each role requires distinct expertise and knowledge."