avoiding the heuristic solution: moving past functional and correct to joyful and inspiring

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Avoiding theHeuristic Solution

Moving past functional and correct to joyful and inspiring

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Patterns for interaction design

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Patterns are• Universal• Generalized• Organized• Explained• Best practices

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Patterns are misunderstood

• Reactionary• Single view• First solutions• Rote solutions• Too high level

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Avoiding the heuristic solution

• Everyone understands radio buttons…

• Consistency…

• Always use best practices…

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Avoiding the heuristic solution• Reduce clicks.

• Improve clarity.

• Maintain task focus.

• Reduce cognitive load.

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We’ll just…• Use a “standard” form.• Put it in a Pop-up.• Add a CAPTCHA.• Make them fill in the email twice.• Add a help page to explain it.

Or you say…• Let’s make it look like iTunes.• Just like the iPhone’s [anything].• What is [the competition] doing?• What would Amazon do?• You can’t fight best practice.

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Be a conscious designer

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Design methodologies to success

• Understand the problem, and write it down

• Leverage your team• No idea is worthy• Your competitors are not wizards• Embrace your constraints• Collaborate• Seek outside input

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Understand the problemPut the markers down. First time, every time, talk to the customer, their workers, the users.

They know more about their business than you do. Ask them about it.

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Write it down

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Leverage your team

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Studio methods• 100 thumbnails• Moodboard• Sketch• Model• Co-design• Talk-aloud• Scissors and tape• Gesture and act

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No idea is worthyDon’t do a little dance for your great idea. I promise it has flaws.

Consider components individually, and look for flaws.

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There are no design wizardsInspiration is fine. Copying is pointless.

Follow your process to find the right answer for your business, and the current world.

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Embrace your constraintsBrainstorming doesn’t work.

Working within your constraints adds focus to any design session and fosters ideas.

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CollaborateDon’t just work together, collaborate.

Use everyone’s skill, and knowledge, to find the best solution.

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Seek outside inputSystems, process, and business knowledge is held by specialists you won’t see.

Unless you go looking.

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Validate, and Iterate

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Ask usersResearch can be quick and cheap.

• Paper• Friends & family• Co-workers• Diaries

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And now your design is perfectWhat could possibly go wrong?

Well, execution.

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Which I’ll talk about next timeUser Centered Execution for Mobile UX Designers

Wednesday 29 February 2012

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Steven Hoober

steven@4ourth.com

+1 816 210 0455

@shoobe01

shoobe01 on:

www.4ourth.com