UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
March//2//2018
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/norman-s-three-levels-of-design
Don Norman’s Three Levels of Design. I’ve alluded to Don Norman’s work previously, and this article further expands and documents his categorization of the three levels of Visual Design. A compelling read, which details how effective Visual Design can work on so many different levels and impact the success of any Product Design venture. Highlight of the article includes:
“Examples of experiences at the behavioral level include the pleasure derived from being able to find a contact and make a call immediately on a mobile phone, the ease of typing on a computer keyboard, the difficulty of typing on a small touchscreen device, such as an iPod Touch, and the enjoyment we feel when using a well-designed computer game controller (such as, in my humble opinion, the N64 control pad). The behavioral level essentially refers to the emotions we feel as a result of either accomplishing or failing to complete our goals.”
2.https://blog.marvelapp.com/circle-product-design/?ref=webdesignernews.com
The Circle of Product Design. Interesting article from the Marvel Blog, which functions as a condensed compendium of the different phases of Product Design. It streamlines the process into a series of logical steps, which makes for a good introduction to the discipline. Highlight of the article includes:
“The problem is now identified and data is available to put it into the wider context of the product. It is now time to frame the solution as in “decide which one of these paths is leading to the solution better fit for the problem”. For this purpose it can be useful to put in the form of questions which features should the solution have — “should the user be able to set an automatic reminder?” “Should the user be able to import events?” — and build a list of possible solution approaches. The aim is to narrow down the options and form an assumption that will be tested with a prototype.”
3.https://www.noupe.com/design/design-microinteractions.html?ref=webdesignernews.com
MicroInteractions. Similarly to some previous articles that were showcased, and that focused on microanimations as a tool to enhance interactions and functionalities, this article provides relevant insight into the concept of microinteractions. Highlight:
“Microinteractions, especially when combined with small animations, can convey the impression that the digital product behaves very similarly to an analog product. This can be accomplished via immediate feedback, like the effect of clicking a button, pulling a slider, or showing a rotating spinner during a download, or a shopping cart filling after clicking on buy.”
4.https://www.toptal.com/designers/user-research/the-value-of-ux-user-research
The Value of User Research. Another great article shedding light on the extremely important phase of the Product Design cycle, User Research. The article goes into detail on different aspects of this discipline, such as Data Analytics, User Reviews and Ratings, Market Analysis (including competitive analysis), Customer Support and Usability Testing. Highlight:
“User research will help shape your product and define the guidelines for delivering a good experience for your users. By not spending any time on research and basing design decisions on assumptions, you risk not meeting your users’ needs effectively and efficiently. The UX expert should act as an advocate for effective design and never simply accept the argument that there is no time or money for user research.”
