![\"image05\"](\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/image056.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto Credit: <\/i>Casper<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n As Gerry McGovern first suggested<\/a>, every page of your design must answer the following questions for users:<\/p>\n While personas<\/a> and user flows<\/a> help shape you better arrive at the answers, you also need to follow these design conventions for clarity:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at the homepage for Tictail<\/a>. Sure, it doesn\u2019t look particularly clever or mind-blowing, but that\u2019s not the point of design. It is, however, extremely clear.<\/p>\n Photo Credit: Tictail<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The interface matches UI patterns we\u2019ve come to expect thanks to the horizontal navigation and sectioned-out layout. The copy is crisp, presented in effective contrast with legible and readable typography.<\/p>\n The overall design is certainly inspired by flat design principles<\/a>, but the buttons still have a tactile feel thanks to the rounded corners. In doing so, the buttons better encourage interaction (which makes a lot of business sense, since they\u2019re both trial CTAs). Color helps to distinguish between the two CTAs since one is blue and the other is white.<\/p>\n On a subtler note, see how they also label the hamburger menu to make it more visible. The body copy also follows an F-shaped reading pattern<\/a> to reduce visual strain, leading users naturally to the free trial CTA.<\/p>\n Remember that clarity is not the same as simplicity. Not all good design is simple \u2013 just think about the technical complexities behind the iPhone or all the dating sites that let you pick partners based on the almost any criteria. But when these features are paced and presented correctly, you achieve clarity, which always encourages interaction.<\/p>\n Did your mother ever ask, \u201cWould you jump off a cliff just because your friends did it?\u201d <\/p>\n Risks can be smart when they\u2019re calculated and deliberate. But unintentional risks lead to unfortunate consequences. So too is the case when you design based \u00a0only off of trends.<\/p>\n Designers can have a certain amount of auteurship in their work, but the design must ultimately center around the needs of the user. <\/p>\n Listening to user feedback is the easiest way to unlock specific design requirements. Too often user feedback is treated like a nuisance to ignore or sweep under a carpet. But there is a goldmine of insights sitting within every customer service team. Don\u2019t deflect customer feedback \u2013 use it to improve your designs.<\/p>\n A great tool for listening is Get Satisfaction<\/a>. The features are designed to evoke honest discussions. The greater the transparency, the greater the insights. \u00a0<\/p>\n Photo Credit: zdnet.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Another great feature of tools like Get Satisfaction is that they can negate the need for surveys because users serve up their own questions and answers. Borrow from the language and communication style of users to create better website copy such as, calls to action and error messages.<\/p>\n Interaction design requires user participation. Without users performing an action, there is no interaction. Learn from Etsy<\/a> about continuous A\/B Testing: don\u2019t overthink or guess, test. \u00a0<\/p>\n These practices are brought forward in the Lean UX Lifecycle<\/a> methodology, which dictates that you should always iterate your designs based on hyper-focused usability studies. As provided in this thorough Smashing Magazine article<\/a>, use analytic tools, heatmaps and eye tracking to observe behavior over time.<\/p>\n Photo Credit: Usability Tools<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n A great start for anyone new to usability testing is applying a SUS score<\/a>, which is a fast way of objectively measuring a very subjective UX<\/a>. You can implement this kind of test using services such as Survey Monkey<\/a>. Here\u2019s two crucial tips:<\/p>\n Finding the right design solution begins by asking the right questions. But figuring out what questions to ask takes a bit of time and practice. Once you\u2019ve observed your users, try IDEO\u2019s Methodology Cards<\/a> to discover the right probing questions to identify the root of a particular design problem.<\/p>\n Sometimes designs just need to be tossed in the garbage. Design long enough, and you\u2019ll eventually need to bite this bullet. <\/p>\n Signs that your design isn\u2019t working may include:<\/p>\n That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to start design work in a sketchbook or on a whiteboard.<\/p>\n There is no need to add to the ever growing pile of bad design<\/a> that\u2019s all around us. Embrace these moments as opportunities to grow as a designer. One of the biggest mistakes is committing too soon by moving into pixels before you\u2019ve really had a chance to think through all of the user and system requirements. \u00a0<\/p>\n Photo Credit: Simon Berry<\/a>,\u00a0Creative Commons<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n For me, rapid prototyping<\/a> with a tool like UXPin<\/a> helps with iterative design by making me problem solve before I commit to a design idea. Jakob Nielsen actually provides a great instructional iterative design process<\/a> on his blog. <\/p>\n Learn to fail quickly and move on. The faster you recover, the faster you\u2019ll get to the right design solution.<\/p>\n Products are often just one part of a user\u2019s experience. If you consider how product teams are set up, it\u2019s possible for a user to interact with several products at once. Sometimes the products are housed in the same website or app, but other times a user might interact with unconnected products. <\/p>\n Consider a user looking up travel information. Users might use products like: currency exchange calculator, flight aggregator, international ATM locator, accommodation aggregator, calendar, email client, etc. And the user might be using multiple devices at the same time depending on their preferences.<\/p>\n Photo Credit: resonanceco.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n When you know more about the context and motivations of a user to interact with a particular product it\u2019s possible to create a service blueprint<\/a> or customer journey map<\/a>. These tools help you bring the user experience to life and create design interaction patterns that support the user\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n When you realize that your product is likely just one touchpoint within a larger customer journey, you\u2019re better able to design interactions that add value with each click or swipe.<\/p>\n If you found this post helpful, check out the free e-book Interaction Design Best Practices<\/a> for 100+ pages of additional advice. Visual case studies are included from 30+ companies like Apple, Google, Etsy, and Behance.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n2. Let Users Guide Your Design Decisions<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n3. Ask the Right Questions by Observing User Behavior<\/h2>\n
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4. Know When to Jump Ship<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nConclusion: Think Like a Service Designer<\/h3>\n
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