Smith’s Post

Beware!! Bad Habit Designers Must Avoid Designing products, whether software interfaces or user experiences, can be tricky If we fall into common pitfalls that hinder effectiveness and compromise quality. One major mistake is over-designing. This means adding unnecessary features or fancy elements that don't really help users achieve their goals. It clutters things up and slows them down. Another issue is designing in isolation, without gathering feedback from users, stakeholders, or teammates. This often results in solutions that don't meet user needs or business goals. It's crucial not to design only for yourself, assuming everyone shares your preferences. Research and testing with users ensure designs are user-friendly and effective. Accessibility is frequently overlooked, such as neglecting color contrast for those with vision issues or ensuring compatibility with screen readers. Ignoring these factors excludes parts of the audience. Following design trends blindly can lead to attractive but confusing interfaces. It's important to consider usability alongside visual appeal. Keeping a record of design decisions helps maintain clarity and consistency across the project. Lastly, designers should embrace change, welcoming feedback and adjusting designs based on new information or technical constraints. By avoiding these traps and focusing on users and practicality, designers can create products that are truly useful and enjoyable for everyone. Seeing my post for the first time? I'm Olufemi, a creative product designer focused on solving user pain points through innovative design. Connect with me, and let's create something amazing and impactful together.

Design matters. But it's often misunderstood. How to nail it in 5 insights: •Start with the user activity: Design around what users actually do. •List real activities: Like sending a birthday card, not just "add text". •Simplify choices: Guide users, don't overwhelm. Make starting points intuitive. •Observe and adapt: User behavior is gold. It guides version 2.0 and beyond. •Exclude wisely: If it doesn't support the key activities, cut it. Mistakes to avoid: •Overloading with features. •Ignoring user feedback. •Designing in a vacuum. •Great design doesn't start with features. It starts with understanding your user's day-to-day. It evolves, adapts, simplifies. Your mission? Design with clarity, purpose, and a deep empathy for your users. Let's make software that feels like a second home, not a labyrinth. What's your user's main activity? Start there.

Articles like this that clearly and concisely define 'design' roles can only be good for the industry. 'Design' clearly has many different facets and so statements like 'design is design is design' definitely need a reality check. We shouldn't be asking people to do design jobs they are not trained or prepared for just because the word design is in the job title.

Does the quality of a design depend on the subjective opinion of the person using it? Good design undeniably impacts the things we use daily, from physical objects to websites and apps. Good design speaks volumes without uttering a word. Yet, there is no denying the subjectivity of design. The different views of what makes "good" design are influenced by aesthetics, personal preferences, and cultural nuances. A design that resonates with one person might impact another differently. Despite this subjectivity, good design is based on universal principles. Elements like usability, consistency, accessibility, and visual hierarchy provide an objective framework for evaluation. For example, a well-designed interface should be intuitive, consistent across elements, and accessible to all users. While personal taste influences the appreciation of design, adherence to fundamental principles ensures that a design is not just visually pleasing but also functional and user-friendly. Good design is usable, consistent, accessible, and communicates effectively. On the other hand, bad design often ignores these principles, resulting in confusion and poor usability, leading to an overall bad user experience. So, does the quality of design depend on subjective opinions? Yes, to an extent. But the objective standards of usability, accessibility, and consistency act as a guide to help us all agree on what makes a "good design". To create impactful and meaningful designs that resonate with diverse users, we must acknowledge both the subjective nature of design and the objective principles that guide it. Design is, after all, about creating experiences, and individual preferences can shape those experiences.

Tackling the challenges of digital design is a journey of exploration and growth. Investing creativity and passion into research, design, and fine-tuning based on feedback. It's like having a lively conversation with our work, backed by user research and design wisdom. But what makes a good designer a great designer? Remco, Justin and Monika share these key aspects and explain how failures lead to success.

⚠ ⚠ The Dangerous Assumption Every Designer Should Avoid ⚠ ⚠ Today was a critical moment in my design career. During a deep dive with the engineering team into a specific feature, I confronted a mistake that had been lurking in my process: assuming that a design flow from a well-known platform would automatically work for our product. This mindset, even when unconscious, has been more damaging than I realized. The belief that "If it works for this famous platform, it’ll work for us too" led me to skip essential steps, like auditing the flow for our unique needs. Instead of critically evaluating whether the design was right for our product, I replicated it without considering our specific technical or user requirements. What I failed to recognize was how different our product’s backend, user base, and objectives might be from those of the platforms I was emulating. More than once, I presented a design, only to face pushback from the team. My defense? “But this is how it’s done on this famous platform.” After closer examination though, I had to admit that just because it worked for them didn’t mean it would work for us. I was neglecting the core principle of UX design—crafting solutions tailored to our users and product, rather than simply following what's working for others. This realization was a wake-up call. It underscored the danger of letting the reputation of other platforms dictate my design decisions without proper scrutiny. I also saw how this mindset was causing friction within the team and slowing down our development. It was clear that my approach needed a serious evaluation. Here’s how I’m addressing this: Consciousness of Stakeholders: I’ve shifted my focus to involve all relevant stakeholders from the outset. Understanding their perspectives and needs ensures that the design aligns with broader objectives, not just my assumptions. Establishing Clear Communication: Open dialogue with the engineering team and other stakeholders is now a priority. Before starting on any design, I make sure we’re all aligned on the requirements and goals. This clarity helps identify what’s technically feasible and what best serves our product. Asking the Right Questions: Rather than assuming a design will work just because it’s working for others, I now ask detailed questions to see how it will fit into our system. I probe into data management, user interaction, and the specific needs our product has compared to others. Seeking Early Feedback: I’ve learned the value of sharing my progress early and often. This allows me to catch any issues or misalignments before too much work has been done. It’s not just about defending my ideas but collaborating to find the best solution for our product. Iterating Based on Feedback: My design process now includes more iterations based on feedback. This continuous refinement ensures that the final product is not only technically sound but also user-friendly and in line with our product vision.

Designers! Curious about our take on how failures lead to success? Then check out the blogpost Justin de Vink, Remco Braas and I have written for Triple | Full-service Digital Agency, where we reflect on the Design Matters 2023 conference in Copenhagen. Happy reading!

A few things to note when Designing a User Interface. 1. User-Centered Design: - Always keep the end user in mind during the design process. Understand the needs, goals, and preferences of your target users to create a design that meets their expectations and enhances their experience. 2. Consistency: - Maintain consistency in the design elements throughout the interface. Consistent layout, colors, fonts, and interactions help users navigate the interface more easily and build familiarity with the system. 3. Clarity and Simplicity: - Keep the interface simple and easy to understand. Use clear language, intuitive navigation, and minimalistic design to avoid overwhelming users. Make sure that important elements stand out and provide clear visual cues. 4. Accessibility: - Design your interface to be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Consider factors like color contrast, text size, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility to ensure that everyone can use the interface effectively. 5. Feedback and Error Handling: - Provide feedback to users to confirm actions, acknowledge input, and guide them through the interface. Clearly communicate errors and help users understand how to correct them. Design informative error messages and use visual cues to indicate success or failure.

As designers, we often find ourselves struggling to define the problem we're trying to solve in our design projects. But don't worry, you're not alone! In fact, clearly articulating the problem statement is one of the most crucial steps in the design process, as it lays the foundation for the entire project. A well-crafted design problem statement can act as a lens to uncover new opportunities that may have been previously overlooked. To frame a problem statement, begin by identifying the user or customer you're designing for and describing the problem they're facing. Then, define the context in which the problem occurs and the impact it has on the user. Finally, outline what success looks like for solving the problem. #Design #ProblemSolving #UXDesign #DesignThinking #UXPlant #ArtOfFramingDesignProblemStatements #Guide #DesignProblemStatement #MetricForSuccess #UserNeeds #UserCenteredDesign #DesignProcess #DesignBrief #DefineTheProblem #UserFocused #DesignThinking #ProblemFraming #ProblemStatement #Designer #UXDesigner #DesignProcess #DesignThinking Designerrs | UI UX Design Academy