There are many subfields within the user experience. UX designers are expected to be well-versed in a wide range of disciplines.
With so much useful material out there, it's impossible to condense it all into a single post, but it's feasible to emphasize the most significant guidelines for UX designers.
A designer should be aware of the following 15 basic principles:
The user experience (UX) is more than just the user interface (UI).
Part of the user experience is a user's interface. Many designers make the mistake of thinking that UX and UI design are interchangeable.
The User Interface is a physical location where people interact with a product, whereas the User. Experience is the emotional state that results from those interactions.
Know your target audience.
The design process begins with conducting user research. Considering your target market while creating a new product is an obvious and necessary step in the design process.
A clear understanding of what your target market wants and needs is essential if you want to create a product they'll appreciate.
Because of this, the UX design process should include user research. Prior to beginning any design work, remember who your intended audience is.
Your product's benefits rather than its features will allow you to focus on adding value for the individuals who will use it.
Always do user testing.
As a part of the design process, it's critical to conduct user testing. Assuming the people who will use their interfaces are like them is a common assumption amongst designers. Thus, designers reflect their own behaviors and reactions onto the end-users of their products. To believe that you are your own user, on the other hand, is a misunderstanding.
Psychologists call this tendency to presume that others share our opinions and will act similarly in a particular situation the "false consensus." False consensus is a psychological phenomenon.
The people who will use your product are likely to come from a variety of backgrounds, with varying attitudes, mental models, and ambitions. Because they aren't you.
In order to avoid the bias of a false consensus, designers can use a technique called usability testing. Focusing on testing is essential if you want to produce products that people enjoy.
With the help of actual people, designers can learn how to make appropriate products for the people who will use them. To be sure you're on the proper track, you'll have to put in some time and effort upfront.
Don't suffocate your audience with too many details.
How long someone can focus on a task without getting distracted is known as their attention span. The average human attention span has decreased from 12 seconds to 8 seconds, according to a Microsoft study in 2015.
This suggests that our attention spans have dwindled to the level of goldfish. With the goal of bringing users the information they need as quickly as possible, designers must adapt to this behaviour.
By deleting extraneous components or content that does not assist user tasks, designers can make their interfaces more user-friendly. Functional minimalism is a technique that helps designers attain this goal.
Even if experiences should be open-ended, this doesn't mean they should be confined. To be useful, all information must be of value and significance.
Before building an actual product, make a prototype.
Prototyping should be part of the design process for digital products. Another common (and deadly) mistake made by many design teams is to skip prototyping in favour of focusing their efforts solely on producing a working product.
The tension of realising that our solution doesn't perform as intended after putting in a lot of time and effort can be pretty difficult to deal with.
In order to test a product, a prototype must be built. Prior to working with a technical team, prototyping tools can be used to test your ideas. Prototyping can be accomplished using a variety of design approaches.
One useful prototyping technique is called rapid prototyping. To swiftly prototype the future state of a website or app and validate it with an audience of people, this method is often used.
Great user interfaces have two characteristics in common: they're straightforward and logical in design.
Simplicity in the context of digital products indicates that the product is straightforward to understand and use. Your app's users shouldn't have to consult manuals or a map to figure out how to use it.
A part of the role of a user interface designer is making things plain and guiding the user through the process of getting there.
Consistency in user interface design is also essential. As a way to make their designs stand out, many designers go to great lengths to create irregularities.
Different colour schemes, for example, can be utilised on various websites. Users are often left confused and frustrated by these design mistakes.
Maintaining a sense of familiarity with design elements is critical, as it serves to reinforce the most critical aspects of a design at each stage.
Final Thoughts - Learn from your mistakes and don't be scared of failure
There is no other way to learn but to make mistakes. Making mistakes is the only way to truly learn. You won't learn anything if you're afraid to make errors and try to do everything perfectly.
In addition to adhering to the guidelines listed above, keep experimenting with various UX design methods until you find the one that works best for you and your clients.
Our team at MediaOne is convinced that a customized, eye-catching design can be the difference between a successful business and a mediocre one.
It takes a lot of work to establish a relationship with your site visitors through an attractive, user-friendly, and functional website. Get a free consultation from MediaOne right now!!
