Tag Archives: design

Hi,

today i have a reflexive post for all of you

those who know me, can say that my design skills are in a level of a developer. i’m not a designer, i do not pretend to be one really, i like coding more than doing anything else but when you are not only a developer, but also in charge of make improvements or decide about a product in their general aspect (functionality,  aspect, usability etc..) you need to have basic/advanced knowledge about the design process. when you try to develop a product, you are talking about a whole thing that involves all this things, not only the code. the people who will use will not care about how you code it (except if the product is a code itself that will be used by devs or a product that can be extended by the client). is something seamless when you see a game developer talk about a incredible piece of code or algorithm that make something awesome, but still the game is shit

i have learned based in experience how to “look” at a product. is something that can be taught and studied but is really useful just doing it. the process is simple, but hard to take it in action. is simply ask you several questions and look in a objective at the product.

Did this really meet the purpose of the product?

Is easy for the user to use and accomplish what is trying to do with it?

The secondary functions are not bothering the use of the product?

I like it when i see it?

How i feel when i see it?

How i feel using it?

Can be more simple?

there are several process to answer this questions. first of all, you, the person on charge of the product need to be objectively answer this questions. after this, you need to put someone that never used it and target the audience that will use it and observe how they react. just in silence, do not give them any help, just observe and see the user reactions. is a iteration process and hard to do, but is the only way to make it. also, there are some gold rules that you should follow to make it in less iteration possible.

Simple is better

my boss always say that you need to make it idiot proof, and he is right. you need to simplify the process of do something in less steps as possible first, even if it require to delete some secondary feature. after that, you need to make it visually easy and obvious to fin the steps necessaries to make the action. again, is a iteration process that could take several revisions to optimize it accordingly.

The call-to-action elements are essential

call-to-action is something used always on the sales sites and marketing stuff, but is something that can be applied to almost anything. if you intent that the user to buy a product, you need to push that user that is already interested to make the deal with you. in case of sales, this is used explaining the features of the product, showing demos, etc.. but if you look in detail, the most important part is that the user have always a button close to buy the product, and the process to buy it is easy, fast and obvious. the page make the user experience less painful as possible, to avoid the regret feelings or the buying feeling. you should apply this for anything that have contact with the user. the experience need to bring joy and make it easy, put the action itself easy to find and use (of course with moderation in the qty, you don’t want to flood the user either), this will push the user to make the action, together with all the other elements.

The emotions are importants

The humans are emotional things, we do things drive by the emotions. we want to be better, so for that reason we study, we want to be stronger, for that reason we train our body etc.. be sure that the functionality, design and usability can transmit the correct emotions to your user. if you want the user enjoy the app, transmit joy, reward him, be sure that is not too frustrated (i think the frustration is always there on the human self) to leave or stop using your app. the use of your app should be not painful in any aspect. this can be achieved choosing a good selection of colors (light colors transmit peace etc..) and a flowing usability, where the user is guided to the options and not forced or need to think too much to do something that wants.

Support the users

This is maybe more on a advanced phase of the product, but design a easy and friendly support is also essential. there is no worse thing that a angry user for bad support, or even one that can’t even find it. sometimes the user get lost, for bad design or sometimes for no reason, they should be able to contact you fast, easy and you need to answer them fast too.

Flexible code is the best

When you develop a product, the code need to be flexible, is possible that in terms of usability or aspect, you need to change radically the aspect, positions and process that your product does, and it can be really painful if you don’t plan accordingly. the MVC pattern is a good option here, even you can morph to something that will suit you better in some aspects, but try to maintain the base of it separating the process from the views. by the way, the same questions i say earlier, should be applied to the code design, always remember, simple is better.

and here we finish folks, this is something that cost me to express in words, i have tried to be plain and straight as possible on my explanations, i hope you get what i mean and help you in your tasks

Regards,

Shadow.