"He does something with computers. The internet etc." - moms & dads, everywhere.

"I design apps and websites"

I mean, that is what you do. Don't make it complicated. No one cares to know the difference between UI/UX or why hierarchy is important.

From my experience:

I am a graphic designer!

Result: “Excellent! I need some business cards designed…”

I am a web designer!

Result: “Awesome! I’m trying to build a website…”

I am a user interface designer!

Result: Strange look and disinterest.

I am a UI designer!

Result: Strange look and disinterest.

I design software!

Result: “That sounds interesting.”

After lots of A/B testing, I'm sticking with “I design software”.

So, what do you do for a living?

"I design and develop websites and apps."

Oh, computers and that?

"Yeah."

"He fixes printers."

"I make internet."

It's funny because I had this same discussion at work earlier. When describing my job, I give people the top overview "I'm a UI/UX Designer and it's my job to visually design the interface and make sure the user has an easy time getting from point A to point B" Then I ask if they have any questions, I'd be more than happy to explain in further detail what I do.

But isn't that enough? I get that it's not ALL of what you do and it's a catch-all term I think most of us use when explaining to people out of our industry. But if at the end of the day, you DO make websites, I would have thought that would suffice?

At 100 Shapes, we work for broadcasters, making internal tools for production, marketing, media teams, as well as epic interactive experiences, branding, some print work, UX training.. I usually show my parents the work to let them decide what it is I do - usually "magical internets for BBC" or "A to-do list for ITV".. which suits me just fine.

UPDATE I wrote to my family on whatsapp asking, first, how do they describe my job to someone and my mother said: "You design something like websites... but trying to do something nice because you know what people want" I think that it is a nice upgrade because "something like website" means "everything in a display".

Then I wrote about this post and my mothers said: "We are happy to know that we are not alone... if you are going to post my answer on that website please say that your father wrote that"

Here is the screenshot: http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img908/5301/BjKZed.jpg

I work for Match (aka Tinder, OKCupid, Meetic & cie), so what I tell people to explain my everyday job (Lead UX product designer) is :

I help people find the right person to spend the rest of their life with

It doesn't explain what my tasks are, but it helps people really understand the goal and the meaning of my job.

So maybe you could try this, not explain your everyday job & tasks, but what your work is about, its goal and its meaning.

It could be something like :

I help people feeling better when they use digital product

And if you want to add something, maybe you could try this :

I help people feeling better when they use digital products by understanding their goal and make it easier, and nicer (more beautiful?), for them, to achieve it.

Hope you liked it!

I simply tell people:

I make websites and apps for the finance industry.

What everyone else said..just don't say your are a storyteller or changing the world. ;-)

"I make sure that my company is building a website or app that people will understand and want to use."

Tell them you make websites/apps similar to what they are familiar with. Then you can describe more about what you do within that website/app whether its just design or making it work.

You could probably go with something like "to make a website or app, you need a team of people. I'm the one in the team who decides where everything should go and how it should look so it's best for people who use it".

That's how I explain UX/UI usually.

Dear Davide, great to know you're living here, I'm from Milano too. And as many of us, I feel embarrassed whenever someone approaches the topic whilst mum or dad are nearby. I got educated my mum to say something like "he's a web designer" and I feel this is the greatest achievement so far. I've to make some more efforts, though.

"I help people make easy-to-use software."

I tell everyone I design and build websites. The same as I've done for more than 10 years.

Usually saying "I design x,y, and z" is enough. In the instances where saying design is not enough and they want to understand more, I use architecture vs construction as the analogy.

"I design logos, apps, and websites. Stuff like that" Is my laymen job description :)

A typical response, after speaking words that feel like jargon even though they may not be, is "I build the internet."

Maybe a little bit on the Al Gore side of things, but my heart is in the right place, I promise.

I've run into the same problem with my parents. I've explained to them many times that I am a Product Designer and I design the product/software at the company I work for. They STILL introduce to people and say I'm a Graphic Designer... My mom has even recommended me for things on LinkedIn such as brochures, pamphlets and postcards. No mom, no.

I've been working on the web professionally since 2003 (pre-Google IPO for better context) and Mom still doesn't have a clue what I do. I've made peace with the fact that's never going to happen.

I usually say something along the lines of "a combination of research and design to make sure the website or app is easy to use and nice to look at."