User Experience Design Musings

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[userexperiencemuse]

[userexperiencemuse]

User Research Methods

All the User Research Methods exist on a spectrum of Behavioral /Attitudinal (What a user does / How a user feels), to Qualitative / Quantitive (data that’s captured directly by the UX researcher / data that’s captured indirectly by a toolset). 

Different types of research results in different types of data and learnings. The best way to pick the best method, is to understand what you’re trying to learn from your users. 

[userexperiencemuse]

[userexperiencemuse]

Rohrer’s Simple Model of UX

At the core of good User Experience (UX) are the needs of the users. It all means nothing if the user needs are not met. 

But before a product can meet a user’s needs, they have to navigate the user through several layers of an experience.

The look and feel (visual and industrial design) is a user’s first layer of experience. It takes seconds for a user to determine if a visual design is aesthetically pleasing or distracting, and to parse visual information.

The content, (wording, language, sound) is a user’s second layer of experience. It takes minutes for a user to determine if the content being delivered is relevant or useful to them. 

The interaction (usability, or ease of use) is a user’s third layer of experience. It takes minutes for a user to determine if a site or product is easy to use. This determination is made when a user attempts their first task -- typically navigating deeper into a site, or completing the first of a chain of steps.  Each of these layers represents an opportunity for a user to bail on a product -- all before there’s been a chance to try and fulfill a user’s needs. 

[userexperiencemuse]

[userexperiencemuse]

“good design” & “bad design”

In terms of usability “bad design” tends to violate design standards or best practices, and makes it unnecessarily difficult for a user to accomplish a task.

“Good design” is largely about how easy something is to use. Humans will naturally look for maximum benefit with minimal effort.

Users value consistency. There’s no need to re-invent the wheel for the sake of “design”. 

[userexperiencemuse]

UX versus UI

User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are overlapping, but different principals and disciplines in design. UI deals with the literal layout and interaction between the human user and the artifact - either a physical, or digital product. The UX deals with the overall experience; what a human user FEELS about the overall interaction. UX includes UI.

Getting the UI wrong means a product you can’t use. Like trying to eat cereal with a fork, or a spoon so big it won’t fit into your mouth.

Getting the UX wrong means a product you won’t use. Like eating your favorite cereal with your favorite bowl and spoon when you’re really, really hungry... except your dog just sneezed in it.

You have to get both aspects right for a successful product experience.