Things I’ve learned as a UX Designer

  • vending machine key pad with alphabetical buttons out of order

    Content location is important

    “A clear visual hierarchy guides the eye to the most important elements on the page.

  • Group similar items

    It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Red traffic cone placed on a black base next to a small green plant in a grassy area.

    UX Debt - Don't fix a problem later

    It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • A man in a gray shirt and light-colored pants appears to be hanging onto an ATM or bank kiosk, with one foot on the wall and one arm reaching toward the machine, creating the illusion that he's climbing or hanging on the ATM.

    Don't skip user research

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  • A person with a hooded sweatshirt and jeans using an ATM machine embedded in a brick wall outside.

    Test prototypes before you build it

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  • A street view with a traffic sign, a digital sign, and a building with a glass facade. The image appears blurry.

    Don't just add new features anywhere

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  • Empty park benches behind a small decorative black metal fence, with leafless trees and a pathways in the background.

    Accessibility is important

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  • A security camera mounted on a wall near the ceiling, angled downward.

    Does your design element have a useful purpose?

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  • Escalator in a shopping mall with a staircase placed upside down on top, creating an optical illusion.

    Leave designing to designers

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  • A kitchen sink faucet with a wrapped sponge hanging from it, positioned in front of a window with a view of an outdoor deck.

    Disregard for security places users at risk

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  • A screenshot of a Facebook post by The Flat Earth Society, stating 'has members all around the globe,' with the word 'globe' circled in red, and a comment from Physics-Astronomy.com.

    Know what you are talking about

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  • Close-up of a wall covered with white and beige floral patterned ceramic tiles.

    Stick to a design system

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  • Sign on a metal plaque that says 'I DO NOT WANT ANY ENGRAVING JUST LEAVE THE METAL PLATE BLANK NO ENGRAVING'.

    Pay attention to what users do, not what they say

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  • Empty handicapped parking space with white wheelchair symbol, surrounded by concrete curbs, in a parking lot.

    Accessibility should be tested

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  • A street with yellow road lines, some of which are crooked and uneven, indicating poorly painted or damaged road markings.

    Question rules that don't make sense

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  • Empty white ceramic mug held by a hand, viewed from above, with a wooden surface and a white cord in the background.

    Show, don't tell.

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  • A brown Starbucks delivery van with the famous logo, but with the word 'SUCKS' instead of 'Starbucks'.

    Consider UX throughout the entire project

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  • Sign reading 'College of Architecture and Planning' on a building.

    Organize, structure, & label content effectively

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  • Shelves of wine bottles with a sign that says "water" hanging above.

    Improper navigation frustrates users

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  • Creative thinking is not ignoring design systems

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  • A wooden bench attached to a stone wall with a small water fountain spouting water onto it.

    Make it make sense

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  • Public restroom with a toilet, urinal, and stall with a partition in a tiled bathroom

    Placement & layout design matter

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  • A square birthday cake with white frosting and piped borders, designed to look like a swimming pool with blue fondant in the center. A hand is holding a USB flash drive, which is being used to create a digital laser-engraved image of the same USB drive on the cake's surface.

    Ask probing questions to gather more information

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  • A hand with a ring on the ring finger resting on a cardboard box, with a note inside the box that says it's a surprise party for someone's mother, requesting the box not look obvious and asking for party supplies.

    Meet users needs

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  • Five black paper towel dispensers are mounted on a beige tiled wall above a beige sink countertop with three sinks. There is a black trash bin on the right side and some items on the left side.

    Minimize cognitive overload

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  • A beverage dispenser with two lemons inside, placed on a black counter with a white plate and napkins.

    How to tell if your product is working

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  • A sign inside a café with a logo of a steaming cup of coffee or tea. The sign reads, "STRESSED SPELLED BACKWARDS IS DESSERT." There is a small counter or display below the sign, with a napkin holder. The background shows a shopping mall or similar indoor space with people walking and sitting.

    Use spell check!

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  • Close-up of a corner of a brick wall showing a missing brick at the corner.

    Engineer to designer: "I just winged it"

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  • Stack of six Marvel Daredevil comic books arranged in order from 1 to 6 on a white surface with a tiled background.

    Follow the design system with exactness

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  • Close-up of a vintage food product label for Van Camp's Pork and Beans, featuring bold red and black text on a yellow background.

    Always review your designs with other designers

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  • Everything should have an intuitive place in your design

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  • Avoid including your own biases

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  • Conduct design reviews

    New List Item

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  • Too many words could mean a user won't read any at all

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  • Product misuse may threaten regular users

    Antipersonas help anticipate how products can be misused in ways that can harm users and the business.

  • Poor designs can be physically harmful

    “As we allow technology to infiltrate every field of our lives, bad UX design could become even more dangerous in the future.”

  • Eliminating design or research isn't a shortcut

    Tips to avoid UX design & user research from slipping through your fingers during the compressed timeline of the Agile process.