design for users, not yourself: ux lessons my mom taught me (justin young)
TRANSCRIPT
Design For Users,Not YourselfUX Lessons My Mom Taught Me
Justin Barr Young@theJayBeeWhy Future Insights Live 2015
Who am I?• UX Architect at Media Temple
• UX/UI design, information architecture, front-end dev
• Side gig for the last 15 years
What does my mom have to do with UX?
Us, every day
Design for users,not yourself.
• My mom as a user
• The UX principles she taught me
• A few case studies
Creative professional,
online business owner,
and self-described luddite.
My mom is a user (persona)
• Great subject in a usability test
• She reveals what really works and what really doesn’t work
• Think it’s her fault for not “getting” it
• She’s a litmus test for whether a product upholds its end of the bargain
Love/hate relationship with technology
Love/hate relationship with technology
[stopping bullets image]
“What if I erase everything?”“What if I get locked out?”
“What if my stuff disappears?”
The stakes are high.
My mom and 1Password
• Identifies a problem critical to her business.
• Eagerly adopts a solution (app, service, device).
• Understands the concept behind the solution.
• Learns to operate the solution.
• “Gets it” and uses it like a pro.
The process:
“I’m having a hard time keeping track of all my passwords.”
Problem:
• Identifies a problem critical to her business.
• Eagerly adopts a solution (app, service, device).
• Understands the concept behind the solution.
• Learns to operate the solution.
• “Gets it” and uses it like a pro.
The process:
• Identifies a problem critical to her business.
• Eagerly adopts a solution (app, service, device).
• Understands the concept behind the solution.
• Learns to operate the solution.
• “Gets it” and uses it like a pro.
The process:
1Password
A single, strong password
“What if my stuff disappears?”
• Identifies a problem critical to her business.
• Eagerly adopts a solution (app, service, device).
• Understands the concept behind the solution.
• Learns to operate the solution.
• “Gets it” and uses it like a pro.
The process:
“What if I erase everything?”“What if I get locked out?”
• Identifies a problem critical to her business.
• Eagerly adopts a solution (app, service, device).
• Understands the concept behind the solution.
• Learns to operate the solution.
• “Gets it” and uses it like a pro.
The process:
What can we learn from my mom’s challenges as a user?
• Identifies a problem critical to her business.
• Eagerly adopts a solution (app, service, device).
• Understanding the concept behind the solution.
• Learns to operate the solution.
• “Gets it” and uses it like a pro.
The process:
!
!
“What if I erase everything?”“What if I get locked out?”
“What if my stuff disappears?”
• Identifies a problem critical to her business.
• Eagerly adopts a solution (app, service, device).
• Internalizes the concept behind the solution.
• Learns to operate the solution.
• “Gets it” and uses it like a pro.
Her process:
!
!
Eager adoption
Eager adoption Getting it
Eager adoption Getting itFear
Eager adoption Getting itFear
“What if I erase everything?”“What if I get locked out?”
“What if my stuff disappears?”
Eager adoption Getting itFear
Uncertainty, ambiguity,possibility of negative outcomes
Eager adoption Getting it
Eager adoption Getting it
Certainty, predictability, control
(via Jared Spool @jmspool)
“What if my stuff disappears?”
“What if my photos disappear?”
It’s on us to make technology’s value obvious to users.
Practice empathy and fight disdain.
UX Principles my mom taught me.(How to practice thinking about users of every skill level.)
1. Make instructions logical.2. Be direct.3. Anticipate anxiety.
1 2 3
4 1.5?
2.5?
Instructions are for users that actually need instructions.
Be linear and explicit.
1. Make instructions logical.2. Be direct.3. Anticipate anxiety.
1. Make instructions logical.2. Be direct.3. Anticipate anxiety.
Don’t be clever when you need to be specific.
Technical instructions should be technical.
1. Make instructions logical.2. Be direct.3. Anticipate anxiety.
1. Make instructions logical.2. Be direct.3. Anticipate anxiety.
If the user has a question, answer it or offer a resource.
If they need to do something important, help them.
1. Make instructions logical.2. Be direct.3. Anticipate anxiety.
The UX Principles
A few case studies.
1. Make instructions logical.2. Be direct.3. Anticipate anxiety.
The UX Principles
