ux axioms - 26 principles to drive better product design

UXaxioms

eadahl@gmail.comErik Dahl @eadahl#uxaxioms

@eadahl #uxaxioms

COLUMBUS, OH

BOSTON, MA...a boutique design consultancy and innovation lab. We help companies design products and services that deliver great experiences for their customers by turning human experiences with technology products into positive, meaningful interactions.

@goinvo

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UXaxioms

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“IF YOU THINK GOOD DESIGN IS EXPENSIVE, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE COST OF BAD DESIGN”

Dr. Ralf Speth, CEO Jaguar

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WTF IS UX?

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#uxaxioms www.slideshare.net/Hienadz.Drahun/50-visual-definitions-of-user-experience

The Elements of User ExperienceA basic duality: The Web was originally conceived as a hypertextual information space;but the development of increasingly sophisticated front- and back-end technologies hasfostered its use as a remote software interface. This dual nature has led to much confusion,as user experience practitioners have attempted to adapt their terminology to cases beyondthe scope of its original application. The goal of this document is to define some of theseterms within their appropriate contexts, and to clarify the underlying relationships amongthese various elements.

Jesse James Garrettjjg@jjg.net

Visual Design: graphic treatment of interfaceelements (the "look" in "look-and-feel")

Information Architecture: structural designof the information space to facilitateintuitive access to content

Interaction Design: development ofapplication flows to facilitate user tasks,defining how the user interacts withsite functionality

Navigation Design: design of interfaceelements to facilitate the user's movementthrough the information architectureInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Functional Specifications: "feature set":detailed descriptions of functionality the sitemust include in order to meet user needs

User Needs: externally derived goalsfor the site; identified through user research,ethno/techno/psychographics, etc.Site Objectives: business, creative, or otherinternally derived goals for the site

Content Requirements: definition ofcontent elements required in the sitein order to meet user needs

Interface Design: as in traditional HCI:design of interface elements to facilitateuser interaction with functionalityInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Web as software interface Web as hypertext system

Visual Design: visual treatment of text,graphic page elements and navigationalcomponents

Concrete

Abstract

time

Conception

Completion

FunctionalSpecifications

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

InformationArchitecture

Visual Design

Information DesignInterface Design Navigation Design

Site ObjectivesUser Needs

User Needs: externally derived goalsfor the site; identified through user research,ethno/techno/psychographics, etc.Site Objectives: business, creative, or otherinternally derived goals for the site

This picture is incomplete: The model outlined here does not account for secondary considerations (such as those arising during technical or content development)that may influence decisions during user experience development. Also, this model does not describe a development process, nor does it define roles within auser experience development team. Rather, it seeks to define the key considerations that go into the development of user experience on the Web today.

task-oriented information-oriented

30 March 2000

© 2000 Jesse James Garrett http://www.jjg.net/ia/

Concrete

Abstract

time

Conception

Completion

FunctionalSpecifications

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

InformationArchitecture

Visual Design

Information DesignInterface Design Navigation Design

Site ObjectivesUser Needs

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USER EXPERIENCE (UX) DESIGN IS A HOLISTIC ORIENTATION LOOKING

AT HOW ‘WHAT WE MAKE’ IMPACTS PEOPLE, BUSINESS, AND

THE WORLD; AS WELL AS THE STRATEGY TO IMPLEMENT IT

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AXIOM NO. 01

IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE; IT’S NOT ABOUT THE OBJECT

Joe Ballay

...it is in its transparency that it fulfills its function

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FOCUS ON THE EXPERIENCE, NOT ON THE FUNCTION

AXIOM NO. 02

Get out something to write on/with.

ACTIVITY

You have 20 seconds. Design a vase.

ACTIVITY

You have 20 seconds. Design a vase. Design a better way for people to enjoy flowers in their home.

ACTIVITY

You have 20 seconds. Design a vase. Design a better way for people to enjoy flowers in their home. Design a better way for people to connect with nature.

ACTIVITY

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STORIES ARE HOW WE UNDERSTAND AND

SHAPE THE WORLD

AXIOM NO. 03

Pace Layers

Clifford Geertz

Culture is simply the ensemble of stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

Harry Crews

Truth of the matter was, stories was everything and everything was stories. Everybody told stories. It was a way of saying who they were in the world. It was their understanding of themselves. It was letting themselves know how they believed the world worked; the right way and the way that was not so right.

1. Accomplishment 2. Beauty 3. Community 4. Creation 5. Duty 6. Enlightenment 7. Freedom 8. Harmony

15 Core Meanings

9. Justice 10. Oneness 11. Redemption 12. Security 13. Truth 14. Validation 15. Wonder

www.makingmeaning.org

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PAY ATTENTION TO PATTERNS

AXIOM NO. 04

Culture is an underlying shared system of information and knowledge that is manifest through patterns of

norms, behaviors and signifiers.

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PROBLEM FINDING BEFORE PROBLEMS SOLVING

AXIOM NO. 05

“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution,

I would spend the first fifty-five minutes determining the proper

question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”

Albert Einstein

“If I had eight hours to chop down a tree,

I’d spend six sharpening my axe.”

Abraham Lincoln

PROBLEM SOLVERS !

HOW DO I DO GOOD WORK?

PROBLEM FINDERS !

WHAT IS GOOD WORK?

REFRAME THE PROBLEM TO OPEN UP NEW SOLUTIONS

GLOBAL VS. LOCAL MAXIMA

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EXPOSE AND CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS

AXIOM NO. 06

“Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position,

but certainty is an absurd one.”

Voltaire

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EXPLORE THE BIG PICTURE AND THE DETAILS AT ONCE

AXIOM NO. 07

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KNOW YOUR MATERIALITY: PEOPLE, TECHNOLOGY,

BUSINESS, AESTHETICS…

AXIOM NO. 08

SYNTHESIS OF MANY FIELDS !

CONSTANTLY EVOLVING LANDSCAPE

Sell your expertise and you have a

limited repertoire. Sell your ignorance

and you have an unlimited repertoire. - RSW on Charles Eames

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DON’T TRUST WHAT PEOPLE SAY; OPEN YOUR EYES

AXIOM NO. 09

“What people say, what people do, and

what they say they do are entirely

different things.” - Margaret Mead

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CREATE MODELS NOT JUST NARRATIVES;

USE FRAMEWORKS

AXIOM NO. 10

The Deal Addict will split their time between Browsing and Shopping. Their Browsing is punctuated by an effort to find the best deal regardless of the product. Their Shopping is defined by comparative pricing.

Inspire Me will spend a majority of their time Browsing. Their experience is marked by an indirect path through the product offering to find something that excites them.

Basic Value will not spend any time in the Research or Browse phases and will spend as little time as possible in the Shop phase. They want to get their shopping done and get on with life.

The Flexible Learner will split their time evenly across the phases as they inform themselves. They may not finalize the purchase within the 30 minute window.

Critical Explorer will spend all of their time in the Research phase. They are unlikely to complete their Research and commit to a purchase within the 30 minute window.

ResearchResearch is the gathering and/or analysis of detailed information about a specific product, groups of products or services.

Deal Addict needs to feel powerful and successful at saving money; feed that need with information about savings.

Inspire Me shops for pleasure, wants to surf around. Help them jump from one idea to the next to see what is hot.

Basic Value will appreciate consistency. Keep designs and interactions for basic shopping activities consistent and predictable.

Flexible Learner needs to stay in a comfort zone. Provide a consistent experience with information, language and interactions across channels.

Critical Explorer wants in-depth information about products. Help them dig deep to find out more and provide that information.

BrowseBrowse is the perusal of products or services without the direct intention of purchasing.

ShopShopping is the act of searching for a specific product, groups of products or services with the direct intention of purchasing.

PurchasePurchasing is the act of the exchange or transaction between the guest and the store.

Goal Save Money

EMOTIONAL ANALYTICAL

See What’s New Supply BasicNeeds

Feel Confidence Find More Information

The Critical Explorer will move out of the Research phase if/when the right product is identified.

Flexible Learner will move onto Shop only when they are confident in their decision.

Inspire Me will move out of Browse when something delights them.

Basic Value will move out of the Shop phase when the needed product is located.

Deal Addict will move from Shop to Purchase if they are confident they are getting the best deal.

Target Personas | :30 Minutes to Shop This diagram shows how each persona would spend 30 minutes of their online experience.

Heuristics

Deal Addict Flexible LearnerBasic Value Critical ExplorerInspire Me

Fitbit One

LABAN MOVEMENT ANALYSIS

Light

Strong

Direct

Indirect

Sudden

Sustained

WEIGHT SPACE TIME

Light

Strong

Direct

Indirect

Sudden

Sustained

WEIGHT SPACE TIME

LABAN MOVEMENT ANALYSIS

PUNCHING

Light

Strong

Direct

Indirect

Sudden

Sustained

WEIGHT SPACE TIME

LABAN MOVEMENT ANALYSIS

GLIDING

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REFRAME CONSTRAINTS AS FORCING FUNCTIONS

AXIOM NO. 11

New Languages

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TAME COMPLEXITY; DON’T SIMPLIFY

AXIOM NO. 12

COMPLEXITY DESIGN OPPORTUNITY

TIME

i

$

The law of conservation of complexity in human-computer interaction states that every application has an inherent amount of complexity. This complexity cannot be wished away and has to be

dealt with, either in product development or in user interaction.

Larry Tesler, Xerox PARC

COMPLEX, BUT NOT COMPLICATED

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MAKE NON-ARBITRARY DESIGN DECISIONS

AXIOM NO. 13

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SET AND MANAGE EXPECTATIONS

AXIOM NO. 14

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EVERYTHING IS DESIGNED AND EVERYTHING IS A

DESIGN CHALLENGE

AXIOM NO. 15

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BREAK SILOS; YOUR ROLE IS BIGGER

THAN YOU THINK

AXIOM NO. 16

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SAY ‘YES AND’; DON’T ALWAYS ASSUME

‘EITHER OR’

AXIOM NO. 17

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IT’S ABOUT THE LIFECYCLE, THE JOURNEY AND THE TRANSITIONS;

NOT JUST KEY MOMENTS

AXIOM NO. 18

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EXTERNALIZE YOUR WORK FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS

AXIOM NO. 19

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CREATE AND CLOSE FEEDBACK LOOPS

AXIOM NO. 20

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MAKE STUFF AND THEN KILL IT

AXIOM NO. 21

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CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT

AXIOM NO. 22

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FOCUS ON A SINGLE THING AND DO IT REALLY WELL

AXIOM NO. 23

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UNDERSTAND AND PLAY WITH EMOTION

AXIOM NO. 24

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ENGENDER TRUST

AXIOM NO. 25

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COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS

AXIOM NO. 26

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IF A THING IS WORTH DOING, IT’S WORTH DOING WELL.

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THANKS!eadahl@gmail.comErik Dahl @eadahl