In Figma’s Shortcut, typography and other elements are aligned to a grid, a clear visual hierarchy is established, and various design elements are used consistently in the design.
Understanding the cyclical nature of design trends allows us to build on the past and fulfill the evolving needs of users. 3 examples of returning trends are neumorphism, dark mode, and gradients.
Whitespace is an effective principle to achieve a balanced design, making it easier for your users to scan and read. Consider using a consistent spacing system and the proximity principle to achieve a balanced use of whitespace.
Basic psychological principles can guide you as a UX designer because most users share many common characteristics. Consider learning more about: motivation, attention, memory, persuasion, learning, decision making, emotion, sensation, perception, or cognitive biases.
Visual hierarchy can help users decide where to look in a user interface: what's most important can be shown by color and size, and what things belong together can be shown by proximity and common regions.
People react user experience at 3 levels of emotional processing, as defined by Don Norman: visceral, behavioral, and reflective. Understanding these different levels is important for better UX design.
If experienced designers want to learn about psychology and how it applies to user experience, should they get a psychology degree, or is it better to learn on your own?
When people think that something is rare or only available for a limited time, they will tend to act fast to secure that scarce item. This behavioral principle can be used in user experience design, but beware of overuse.
Can we make healthcare enjoyable for patients? Or at least less bad than now? Yes, at least as far as medical devices go, because they can be designed with more emphasis on user experience, and thus become easier and more pleasant to use.
Users' answers to survey questions are often biased and not the literal truth. Examples include acquiescence bias, social desirability bias, and recency bias. Knowing about response biases will help you interpret survey data with more validity for any design decisions based on the findings.
The Halo Effect says that any one element in a user's experience with a company will rub off on their interpretation of other elements and their feelings about the company as a whole. Good design in one part of a website will make people like other parts better (and like the company better), but the opposite is also true.
Negative experiences have stronger emotional impact on humans than positive experiences do. Thus, in designing the user experience, we need extra emphasis on avoiding those lows.
User experiences that bring joy through ease or delight deserve our appreciation. We extend our gratitude for some of this year’s designs. Share what you’re thankful for with #GiveUXThanks.
Look beyond surface-level qualities to assess UX value. A design that looks (or sounds) good does not mean that it is. Good websites contain engaging features that help people accomplish their goals.
