eliminate design - a rant about the responsibility of ux professionals
DESCRIPTION
LIghtning talk for UXLx 2013. https://www.ux-lx.com/speaker.html?n=pera The all-too-common approach of jumping head-first into sketching wireframes makes us fail the user and lose sight of solving true user problems. The screen should not be singled out as the primary medium for human-centered design, and it is the role of the UX lead to ensure that it isn’t. I will argue for the benefits of removing design and show how we can, and must, shift thinking from designing interfaces to solving real user problems with the least amount of friction and pain. Speaker info: http://axbom.com/talk/TRANSCRIPT
EliminateDesign
by Per Axbom@axbom on Twitter
Here’s the problem:UX professionalspromise to take
for the completeuser experience.
responsibility
And then we...
DON’T!
We jump head first into solutions!
Say hello to my little friend.
”Let me sketch some wireframes.””Let’s do a design studio.”
”Your web form needs optimisation.””Well, let’s do a user test.””You need to make an app,
everyone’s mobile now.”
”You have a problemwith your service?””You have a problemwith your service?”
Who?
What?
When?
Where?Why? How?
The answer to all problems is far from a graphicaluser interface.
Once therewas a need to
recruit...online HR tool
3 months, 20 people,X million SEK...
and it all comes down to my final user test:
online HR tool
users
NOsay:
too slow...
We built the solution in Microsoft Outlook.
In two weeks.
The users loved it.
When you know more, don’t be afraid to change
direction.
It was never about the design of the
interface.It was about
understanding how people work.
Old tools are not necessarily bad tools, if people use them!
moving house
The person filling in the form does not have easy access to 4 out of 5 of those pieces of information. Can you help us
build this form?
No.
So the person moving needs to provide his/her personal id
number, 12-figure facility ID, and also the personal ID
number of the person who is moving in, his/her address and
old 12-figure facility ID.
Design is not an option if the real
user problem persists.
Dude.
Prettyobvious.
Right?
company account?
By the time I heard back I was already set up with another bank.
Book advisory meeting for new company.
The friction is not always in the interface!
If no one responds, the design of your form is irrelevant.
Why aren’t youreturning mymessages?
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why? How?
is responding to that form?
are they responding?
do they work?
do the
y sit?
are
they
res
pond
ing?
are
they
res
pond
ing?
When you dig, problems appear and insights are gained.
health servicesnational
Is it good UX if it creates problems?
20% time spent on 1% of the interface.Number of menu items cut in half.
More people logging in! Unprepared staff.
1,2 million users. 1,000 new users/day
14,000 daily logins
When the focus and talk is all about design, UX
professionals fall into the trap of being an advocate
for, and defending, interfaces.
We should know better.
2Shoot questions
SOLVE the right problem.1
3
4
5You got this?
Open your mind to change
Learn both sides
Veer when you know more
Enable existing tools
Focus less on design, more on operational problems.
You can never ask enough.
Just as much about the operators as the end-users.
Kill your darlings, adapt to the environment.
Don’t keep running in the wrong direction!
(change direction)
Butch up and challenge the problem. If you
enlighten*, people will follow you.
UXEarn your UX badge, take the lead.
to provide with previously lacking insight, information, or knowledge
*en·light·en
Grab my card on
your way out!Thank you
so much!
Connect with me onaxbom.com/connect
Twitter: @axbomPodcast: uxpodcast.com