Using the term User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) interchangeably is a common mistake. However, it’s important to distinguish the two. 1. UX and UI are not the same thing2. User Experience design focuses on functionality, usability, simplicity and clarity of the product
You are not the target audience
Don’t assume others share the same beliefs and will behave similarly in a given context as you do.
- Whatever product you are making there is a high chance that the future users are not like you. They probably have different backgrounds, different mindsets, different mental models, and different goals.
Use real content when designing
Design is an enhancement to the content.
Prototype
The design phase should include a prototyping stage that includes users actually testing the product.
- Rapid prototyping is a popular way of quickly creating the future state of a product, be it a website or an app, and validating it with a group of users.
Conclusion
We hope that after reading this article you feel more confident about UX and UI design and you are ready to start designing your own app/website!
- In case you need help with anything digital, remember that we are always here for you, so don’t hesitate to contact us!
Adjust design for short attention spans
An attention span is defined as the amount of time someone concentrates on a task without becoming distracted
- In 2015 Microsoft conducted a study that revealed that the average human attention span has declined from 12 seconds to 8 seconds
- So when designing your product, ask yourself this: “Would a goldfish be able to use this?” If not, back to the drawing board.
UX should be a mindset, not a step in the procedure
User Experience design is not a process that your team has to adhere to, it’s a mindset.
Leave your ego at the door
Founders, CEOs, and chairmen build careers by having strong opinions about virtually anything
- This builds ego
- When it comes to creating an awesome experience for your users, ego has no place in that process
- Before you walk into a work session or an individual testing session together with your colleagues, take a step back and let your ego go
KISS
Keeping It Simple, Stupid
- Simplicity is the king and consistency is the queen. In the context of digital products, simplicity means that’s it’s easy to understand and interact with your product.
UI is like a joke – if you have to explain it, it’s not good enough
Explain the design, and the reasons why you made the choices that led to that design, then it’s notGood Enough
All pages need to be accessible with a maximum of 3 clicks
In a world where humans are scoring a record low on the attention span chart, you need to put all your focus into what brings value to your users, the vital information
- For example, the “about company” button.
