Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
made sure it was set level. These innovations created a better user experience for the cook,
and ultimately a tastier meal for her family. This first incarnation of UX happened many
thousands of years ago. Yet UX is new.
For a variety of reasons, many of which we've seen, the basic principles behind com-
mercial testing, feedback, and subsequent product development didn't catch up with the
speed-of-light world of digital design until recently. It's only been in the last decade that
UX emerged. In that decade, it's taken off. The age-old principles still apply, yet they are
different. In today's digital marketplace, design, feedback, release and further iterations are
all much faster. Our analytics tools allow us to see feedback, and make alterations almost
instantaneously. The old principle has become a new practice. Finally, designers are listen-
ing.
Designs are artistic acts. Designs are a function of commerce. Products begin with per-
sonal inspiration. Products begin with consumer desires and needs.
It's true that design is an art, and a designer must bring inspiration, creativity and skill
to every product he or she creates. Creation of any product, whether it's a painting or a web
page, comes from within. When the product becomes a reality, it travels from that inner
world, out into the universe of users. If the artist's vision is successfully wrought, users
should experience delight and surprise, but do they get what they want or need? Does the
product function?
The best user experience comes when a product's aesthetics blend with its function.
This happens when a product's form and use are functions of one another. It might be a
sleek car built for speed on the highway, or a screen with perfectly balanced visuals and
text seamlessly leading to conversions into transactions in the digital marketplace. In either
case, form and function complement one another.
Digital designers create the best experiences when we listen to our users, and find out
what they really want and need. In the early stages, when our product is still a work-in-
progress, we create personas to represent the people most likely to use this new product.
Do our ideas for the product match the needs of the person who's going to use it? A well-
imagined persona will help us find out. It encourages us to use empathy. As we sketch or
wireframe, we can put an imagined face and personality to our user. We can visualize him
turning it on, or logging in. When we have a prototype, we can go to real people, and see
our ideas through their eyes. Our personas have prepared us for this, but we must approach
this testing with an open mind, and a willingness to adapt.
