From "Cool" Designs to User-Centric Experiences: My UX Research Journey
When I started my design career, the term "UX Research" was completely foreign to me. It's a question I get asked frequently now: How do you conduct UX research, and why is it so crucial?
Today, leading brands and product companies follow established UX research methodologies. These include creating user personas, conducting qualitative research, pre-design interviews, surveys, post-design sessions, A/B testing, and more. These methods have proven highly effective in creating successful products.
However, as a novice designer, I was once convinced that my visually stunning designs would impress everyone. The reality was often quite different. Client feedback frequently highlighted the complexity of my designs. A pivotal moment came when I shared an e-commerce app prototype with a friend. I asked him to perform some basic tasks: add products to a cart, apply filters, and navigate to the payment page. I watched as his fingers hovered over the screen, his eyes searching for something. It struck me: if a regular smartphone user struggled with my design, what about a new user, or an elderly person? That's when I realized that while my design might have been visually appealing, it was far from user-centric.
What was the point of a beautiful design that nobody could use? I learned a crucial lesson: usability is just as important, if not more so, than aesthetics. Striking a balance between the two is essential. This is where UX research comes in. The more thorough our research, the better our product will be.
It's impossible to guarantee a perfect 100/100 user experience for everyone. Even established products face criticism when they make changes. Instagram's recent plus button move, for example, sparked an outcry, even from me initially. But we adapt. The key takeaway is to get as close to the user as possible.
Respect your design process and continuously improve. Empathize with your users, upskill your knowledge, learn from every experience, and you will reap the rewards. Remember: People ignore products that ignore people.
Cheers.