UX Design

• The Crucial Role of UX Beyond UI in Game Design

  August 15, 2024

  Watching TheUXConf 2021 | Nathalie Ek | Eye Tracking, Audio and VO in Game Design delivered a clear message: UI cannot always be relied upon to solve UX problems in gaming. Nathalie Ek, a senior UX designer at Dice Studio, highlights the nuances that often get overlooked in game design when it comes to player experience. Nathalie tackles a common misconception in the design community—specifically that UX equates to UI. She emphasizes that UX encompasses a wide range of elements, including in-world assets, audio cues, and visual effects, all of which significantly impact how players interact with and perceive a game.

• Designing for Accessibility: Insights from What3Words

  October 15, 2023

  Accessibility is a fundamental design principle, yet it’s often relegated to a secondary priority. In a recent talk by Iannish Posooa, a senior product designer at What3Words, he outlined a comprehensive approach to integrating accessibility into design. The widely held misconception that only 20% of the population requires accessible design creates a barrier. This statistic overlooks an important detail: accessibility benefits everyone. For instance, good color contrast helps users with visual impairments and enhances readability for all users.

• Testing Knowledge: A Deeper Dive into UX Design Concepts

  August 15, 2023

  Recently, I watched a thought-provoking quiz session from a YouTube video on UX Design presented by Sergei Golubev. This session utilized a unique format that not only tested knowledge but also highlighted significant UX principles, terminology, and historical references worth noting. Here’s an in-depth analysis of key translatable concepts and less obvious insights. The quiz format engages participants by asking them to choose between two options, ensuring active participation. However, it also serves as an illustrative method for evaluating awareness of essential UX knowledge.

• The Three Ways That Good Design Enhances Experience

  June 15, 2023

  In a recent YouTube video, Don Norman articulates his evolving philosophy around design, focusing on the intersections of beauty, emotion, and usability. He outlines key takeaways that inform how design affects our experiences and our happiness. Norman references three levels of design perception: visceral, behavioral, and reflective. Each level interacts with our psychology differently and influences our interactions with products and environments. Visceral Level: This is the automatic response to design.

• Harnessing Data: Transforming User Experience Design

  May 18, 2023

  The video by Rochelle King outlines the increasing significance of data in our daily products and the essential shift that product designers must embrace. The distinction between physical and digital experiences is central. In the physical realm, numerous uncontrolled factors affect user experiences — from parking difficulties to delays at concerts. In contrast, the digital environment often centralizes these complexities into a single, manageable interface. This consolidation grants designers unprecedented control but raises the stakes for responsibility.

• Humans, Not Users: Rethinking UX in Design

  May 15, 2023

  In a recent TEDx talk, Johannes Ippen raises incisive questions about the role of design in our lives and its broader societal impacts. He challenges the common view of UX design as simply beautifying products, arguing instead for a deeper, more ethical consideration of how design influences human behavior and relationships. Ippen recounts a personal moment that triggers his exploration of design’s impact. He asserts that design goes beyond aesthetics; it’s a tool capable of manipulation with profound effects on human behavior.

• Unlocking User Data Feedback: A Case Study on Insurance and Energy Journeys

  May 15, 2023

  In a recent talk by Paul Izod, a UX/UI designer at Compare the Market, he dives into the nuances of sourcing user data from third-party organizations, focusing on the context in which this data is presented back to users. You can watch the full discussion here. Contextual Differences in UX Journeys Izod examines two different user journeys through their product offerings: home insurance and energy switching. Both journeys appear similar at first glance but yield significantly different feedback from users.

• The Unseen Forces in UX Design: How Psychology Shapes Digital Interactions

  May 14, 2023

  Watch the relevant video here. The intersection of psychology and UX design is critical. Designers must understand human behavior to craft compelling experiences. The fundamental tools available are our senses: touch, hearing, and sight. While taste and smell seem irrelevant in app design, the other three senses play pivotal roles. A common misconception is that users primarily make decisions based solely on content. Presentation significantly influences perception. For example, consider two plates of food presented side by side.