how to be a better designer
DESCRIPTION
Your job depends on you making design decisions every day. I'm not talking about the kind of design that uses color theory, typography, or spacer gifs (joking).Here are the kinds of things that have made me a better designer. I think they'll help you, too:• Pencils before pixels will save you tons of time.• Understanding how to start design projects where the end result isn't quite defined yet.• How to nurture (or destroy) relationships with your clients and colleagues.• How to think in extremes to help you know where the boundaries are.• Sketching is an activity, not a just deliverable.• Asking the right questions tease out the most important details.• How do you know when you're asking the wrong questions?• And lots more...TRANSCRIPT
Harvard Web Working GroupOctober 13, 2010
Jason Robb
How to be a better designer
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010
Harvard Web Working GroupOctober 13, 2010
Jason Robb
Design better
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010
AgendaIntro
DesignPeople
People + DesignQ&A
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Introduction
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010
What I amVisual thinker, User researcher,
Usability expert, Interaction designer, Visual designer,
Front-end developer...
Introduction
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
What I am
Designer
Introduction
Visual thinker, User researcher, Usability expert, Interaction
designer, Visual designer, Front-end developer...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Small businesses, startups, agencies, non-profits...
Who I work for
Introduction
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Small businesses, startups, agencies, non-profits...
Who I work for
Introduction
People who need design
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
What else?Introduction
UX Book Club, BostonNext book: GamestormingWednesday Nov. 3rd, 7pm
uxboston.comWednesday, October 13, 2010
Why I’m here
Introduction
Get people excited about design
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Creators of tangible or intangible objects
Designers1
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Everyone is a designer
2
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
…is a plan for the construction
of an object
Design (noun)3
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
flickr.com/dragondrop/Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Tools don’t matter (much)
4Use whatever medium and
fidelity that suits your practical needs and design goals
http://dub.washington.edu:2007/projects/fidelity/pubs/Walker_HFES_2002.pdf
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Mike Rohde - flickr.com/rohdesignWednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
When to sketch5
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Baking
Simple?No sketch!
Complex? Sketch!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design6
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Breakfast
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Interfaces
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Interfaces
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Interfaces
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
How?What?
Why?
Simon Sinek - startwithwhy.com
7
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
“We need a login form...”What?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
No context
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
“People need access to private health-related data...”
Why?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Always get context!
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Signup form
Manage account
Update your status
Import data
Value prop
How to get started
8
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Vocabulary9Order, unity, variety, contrast,
symmetry, asymmetry, rhythm, harmony, dissonance,
interval, tension, balance...
Paul Rand - youtube.com/watch?v=4yOjts0tpcoWednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Contrast
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Contrast
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design
Contrast
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Password
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
DesignEveryone’s a designerTools: fit your needs
When to sketch; when not toAlways start with “Why?”
Learn the vocabulary
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
People
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010
Working with people
This is your first priority, more important than pixels or pencils.
10
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
People
Who plays a role?
11
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
People
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Listening ≠ doingThis is your first priority, more important than pixels or pencils.
12
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Listening ≠ doingDon’t expect change. Always
reflect before acting.
13
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Filter out the bad stuff
14Gut reactions are okay,
keep them to yourself
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Nurture ideas, prune in time
15Gut reactions are okay,
keep them to yourself
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Co&ect ideas, good and bad
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Share them when the time is right
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Building rapport16
How valuable is design to them?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Mood boards
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Building consensus17
Disagree Bad designA& good
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
This is the norm
Disagree Bad designA& good
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Rare, painful
Disagree Bad designA& good
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Rare, no design
Disagree Bad designA& good
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Design + People
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010
Presenting & Critique18
Agenda. Who? Time? Outcome?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Use email sparingly19
Face timePhone
IMEmail
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
How to ruin a relationship
Reaction > Distraction > Distortion > Deconstruction
20
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Resolving conflictsAssume you’re wrong. Test it.
Get an outside opinion.
21
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Black and white?
Rightwrong
Wrongright
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Rightright
Rightwrong
WrongWrong
Wrongright
Black, gray, & white
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Give people choicesChoices = (eedom
No choices = slavery
22
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Q&A
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010
How can I get requirements up front?
You can’t. They’re always uncovered incrementa&y.
Q1
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
How to get started when the end is
nowhere in sight?Incremental progress
Q2
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
How do I dumb-proof the UI but not
patronize users?Simple as it has to be, no simpler.
Q3
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Why are designers so weird?
Curiosity, sensitive to idea crushing, ask why first.
Q4
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
How do I make it beautiful?
Learn the vocabulary of aesthetics, practice!
Q5
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Thank you!
@jasonrobb • #designbetterWednesday, October 13, 2010