Jeff Buchanan, MSUXD’s Post

Explaining UX design to a visually impaired consultant requires a thoughtful approach. By focusing on clear communication and leveraging various sensory methods, UX designers can ensure their designs are effectively conveyed. 1. Use Clear, Descriptive Language: • Instead of saying, “This button is over here,” describe it as, “There is a submit button at the bottom right corner of the form, labeled ‘Submit’ which sends the form when clicked.” • Explain the user journey: “When a user visits the homepage, they can find the main navigation menu at the top, which includes links to the about page, services, and contact page.” 2. Utilize Tactile Methods: • Provide raised-line drawings of the website layout so the consultant can feel the structure and spacing of elements. • Use 3D models to represent different sections of the website, allowing the consultant to understand spatial relationships. 3. Leverage Auditory Tools: • Create an audio guide that describes the website’s structure and how users navigate through it. • Share documents that are formatted for screen readers, ensuring all descriptions and labels are clear and accurate. 4. Explain Functional Interactions: • Describe how a user would complete a task: “To log in, the user clicks on the ‘Log In’ link at the top right, enters their username and password into the respective fields, and then presses the ‘Log In’ button.” • Illustrate interactive elements: “When the user hovers over the menu items, a dropdown appears with more options, which can be navigated using the keyboard arrows.” 5. Use Analogies and Metaphors: • Compare a user interface to a physical space: “Navigating our website is like walking through a well-organized library, where each section is clearly labeled and easy to find.” • Explain functionality using relatable terms: “Our website’s search function is like a GPS, directing users straight to the information they need.” 6. Focus on User Needs and Goals: • Highlight accessibility features: “We’ve added text descriptions for all images to ensure users with screen readers understand the content.” • Describe how the design enhances usability: “The high-contrast mode option helps users with low vision read text more easily, improving their overall experience.” 7. Summarize Key Points: • Recap the design’s accessibility features: “In summary, our design includes keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and high-contrast options to ensure it’s accessible to all users.” • Highlight usability improvements: “The clear layout and intuitive navigation help users find what they need quickly and easily, enhancing their overall experience.” By focusing on clear communication, empathy, and leveraging the consultant’s expertise, you can effectively explain UX design to a visually impaired accessibility consultant, fostering a productive and insightful collaboration. Ps: This is not the only approach; instead, these are suggestions for you to consider and expand upon.

Whitespace: The Unsung Hero of UX Design As UX designers, we often talk about whitespace in terms of aesthetics, but it plays a far more critical role in creating intuitive, user-friendly experiences. Here's why I'm a strong advocate for incorporating whitespace thoughtfully in all my designs. Faster Decision-Making: Whitespace reduces cognitive overload, allowing users to focus on the key elements and make decisions quickly. When users aren't overwhelmed by too many options or clutter, they can navigate more confidently and with ease. Highlighting Important Actions: Calls to action (CTAs) and interactive elements benefit immensely from whitespace. According to Fitts’s Law, making buttons more visible and accessible, surrounded by ample space, improves usability and increases interaction rates. Whitespace ensures these critical actions stand out, guiding users naturally. Reducing Cognitive Load: Users can only retain a limited number of items in their short-term memory. By breaking up content and adding whitespace around elements, you create digestible chunks of information, helping users retain key details. Accessibility Considerations (WCAG Compliance) Whitespace also ties into the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Readability: Whitespace improves text legibility and clarity, especially for users with visual or cognitive impairments. Touch Target Size: It ensures that buttons and interactive elements are spaced out and easy to interact with, which is critical for touch devices and users with motor disabilities. Focus Indicators: It supports clean navigation for users relying on keyboard or screen readers by making focus states clear and intuitive. Creating Balance and Trust: Ever notice how a CTA surrounded by whitespace grabs your attention? That’s the Von Restorff Effect at work. Elements that are isolated by whitespace become more memorable and impactful, drawing users’ focus where it matters most. Whitespace and Accessibility: Whitespace isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s fundamental for WCAG compliance. From improving text readability to ensuring proper touch target sizes, a well-spaced design promotes inclusivity and accessibility for all users, making your product usable by a wider audience. Final Thought: Functionality Through Design: At its core, whitespace balances functionality with ease of use. It reduces friction, enhances focus, and promotes accessibility. So, next time you’re designing, remember: whitespace is not wasted space—it's an active element in shaping a seamless, effective user experience. What are your thoughts on whitespace in UX design? How do you use it in your projects? #UXDesign #Whitespace #UX #UserExperience #WCAG #Accessibility #WebDesign #MinimalistDesign #FittsLaw #HicksLaw #MillerLaw #VonRestorffEffect #DesignThinking #UserCenteredDesign #UXPrinciples #DesignAccessibility

There are strategic reasons and scenarios for incorporating deliberate friction in UX/UI Design.

How HCI studies changed my UX design thinking - series 👁 Understanding the Psychology Behind UX Design My HCI mindset translates experiences into a broad UX/UI design framework, viewing these principles as part of a mindset, not a specific outcome. UX is not confined to digital spaces; it's integral to every human-computer interface. This post delves into how understanding vision and cognitive processes can improve user interfaces across all products, not just digital ones. By reducing cognitive load - the mental effort needed to interact with interfaces - we enhance user experience universally. 🧠 Visual Load and Cognitive Processing: Heavy visual loads can overwhelm users. Designs cluttered with excessive images, animations, or contrasting colors demand more cognitive processing, which can fatigue users and detract from the overall usability of the interface. 🎯 Central Focus, Clear Message: Our visual field prioritizes information in the center, with sharp detail and rich color perception. Place critical elements within this "sweet spot" to ensure users can easily understand and interact with your interface. Think of it as shining a spotlight on the essential details. ♿ 🕶 Visual Deficiencies and Accessibility: Visual deficiencies are essential for inclusive design. Ensuring that interfaces are accessible to people with color blindness or other vision impairments means accommodating these needs through thoughtful color choices, contrast ratios, and element sizes such as icons and text. This not only helps reduce cognitive load but also enhances the accessibility of the design. 🏃♂️ Motion and Attention: Our brains are wired to notice change and motion as a survival mechanism -to spot dangers and anomalies from afar. In design, unnecessary or excessive motion can misdirect attention from essential elements like Calls to Action (CTAs). Striking the right balance between consistency and motion is critical to maintaining user focus and guiding. 📝 Memory and Recognition: Consistency in design isn't just about aesthetics; it's crucial for enhancing usability. Maintaining a consistent interface, we help all users, including those with memory or recognition challenges, navigate more confidently and efficiently. This consideration is critical to creating products that are not only user-friendly but also deeply respectful of diverse user needs. 🎨 Creativity vs. Past Experience: While creativity is a valued aspect of design, it must be balanced with users' past experiences and expectations. Innovative designs that deviate too far from familiar patterns can confuse users, increasing cognitive load and reducing usability. The key is to harness creativity in a way that builds on users' past experiences, making new interactions intuitive and easy to adopt. Don't hesitate to ask questions:) #MAinHCI, #UXUI, #HCI

The Vital Role of Designing for Accessibility in UX Introduction Designing websites and applications with accessibility in mind is crucial for creating a user experience (UX) that is inclusive and user-friendly. In today's digital landscape, it's more important than ever to prioritize accessibility in UX design to ensure that all users, regardless of abilities, can access and interact with content seamlessly. Understanding Accessibility in UX Accessibility in UX refers to the practice of designing digital products in a way that makes them usable by people with disabilities. This includes considerations such as visual impairments, motor disabilities, auditory impairments, and cognitive limitations. By designing with accessibility in mind, UX designers can create interfaces that are easy to navigate and understand for all users. Importance of Accessibility in UX Design 1. Inclusivity: Designing for accessibility ensures that all users, regardless of their abilities, can access and use digital products effectively. 2. Legal Compliance: Many countries have regulations in place that require digital products to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. By prioritizing accessibility in UX design, companies can avoid legal issues and reach a wider audience. 3. Enhanced User Experience: Accessible design often leads to a better overall user experience for all users, not just those with disabilities. Clear navigation, readable text, and intuitive interfaces benefit everyone. 4. Search Engine Optimization: Search engines like Google prioritize websites that are accessible and user-friendly. By designing with accessibility in mind, websites can improve their search engine rankings and reach a larger audience. Designing for Accessibility When designing for accessibility in UX, consider the following principles: 1. Use clear and concise language 2. Provide alternatives for non-text content, such as images and videos 3. Ensure that the website is navigable using a keyboard 4. Use color combinations that are easy to read for users with visual impairments 5. Test the website with assistive technologies to ensure usability Designing for accessibility in UX is not just a matter of compliance; it's a fundamental aspect of creating digital products that are user-friendly and inclusive. By prioritizing accessibility in UX design, companies can reach a wider audience, improve user experience, and stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape. Embracing accessibility is not just the right thing to do—it's also good for business. Ensure that your digital products are accessible to all users by integrating accessibility into your UX design process from the very beginning.

The Psychology of Color in UX Design In UX design, color is more than just aesthetics. It's an effective tool that can subtly affect users' feelings, actions, and eventually, how they interact with your product. Knowing the psychology of color can assist you in designing a user interface that appeals to your target audience and feels intuitive in addition to being aesthetically pleasing. Here are some ways that color psychology can be applied to UX design : Evoking Emotions: There are certain hues that are generally connected to particular feelings. For instance, blue conjures thoughts of security and trust, whereas red is frequently associated with excitement and urgency. You may establish the tone for your user experience by carefully choosing the color associations to utilize. Guiding User Behavior: You can employ color to help users navigate your interface more easily. For example, a call-to-action button in bright green might entice viewers to click, whereas an instructional link might be better served by a calmer blue button. Establishing Hierarchy and Focus: You can draw the user's attention to key components on the screen by utilizing color contrast. Using a bold color to highlight important information might make it easier and faster for consumers to find what they need. Creating a Brand Identity: Color is a key component in creating brand identification. Using a consistent color scheme on your website, app, and marketing materials makes it easier for consumers to link your business with a unified brand. Here are some examples of color psychology in action: E-commerce websites: Often use red or orange call-to-action buttons to trigger a sense of urgency and encourage purchases. Social media platforms: Utilize blue hues to promote feelings of trust and connection, fostering user engagement. Finance apps: Might employ calming greens and blues to instill a sense of security and stability when users manage their finances.

🌟 Day 58 of #100DaysOfUX 🌟 Let's explore the importance of accessibility in UX design! 🌍🔓 Accessibility in UX design ensures that products are usable by people with various disabilities, promoting inclusivity and equal access to information and services. ### Key Benefits: 1. **Inclusivity**: Enables all users, regardless of ability, to access and use your product. 2. **Legal Compliance**: Meets legal standards and regulations, reducing the risk of lawsuits. 3. **Improved Usability**: Enhances the overall user experience for everyone, not just those with disabilities. 4. **Broader Reach**: Expands your audience by making your product available to more people. ### Key Principles of Accessible Design: 1. **Perceivable**: Information and UI elements must be presented in ways that users can perceive (e.g., text alternatives for images). 2. **Operable**: Interface components and navigation must be operable by all users (e.g., keyboard accessibility). 3. **Understandable**: Information and the operation of the UI must be understandable (e.g., clear instructions and error messages). 4. **Robust**: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted by various assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers). ### Steps to Ensure Accessibility: 1. **Understand Accessibility Guidelines**: Familiarize yourself with standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). 2. **Incorporate Accessibility from the Start**: Integrate accessibility considerations into the design process from the beginning. 3. **Use Semantic HTML**: Utilize proper HTML tags to convey meaning and structure. 4. **Provide Text Alternatives**: Ensure all non-text content has text alternatives (e.g., alt text for images). 5. **Ensure Keyboard Navigation**: Make sure all interactive elements are accessible via keyboard. 6. **Test with Assistive Technologies**: Regularly test your product with tools like screen readers to identify and fix issues. ### Tips for Effective Accessible Design: - **Consistent Layouts**: Use consistent and predictable layouts to help users navigate your product. - **High Contrast**: Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background to enhance readability. - **Scalable Text**: Allow users to resize text without breaking the layout. - **Clear Instructions**: Provide clear and concise instructions and feedback for forms and interactive elements. - **Inclusive Testing**: Involve users with disabilities in your testing process to gain real-world insights. Accessibility is a fundamental aspect of UX design, ensuring that your product is usable and enjoyable for everyone. Stay tuned for more UX insights on day 59! 💬 #Accessibility #UXDesign #UserExperience #InclusiveDesign #WCAG

Day 20 of 30 Days of UX! 🗓️ ☞ The Psychology of Persuasive Design in UX ☜ 🧠 One of my favorite topics, in short, persuasive design, applies psychological principles to influence user behavior positively. Techniques include social proof, scarcity, and reciprocity. Use these ethically to guide users towards beneficial actions, not manipulation. Understand user motivations and align persuasive elements with user goals. The aim here is to create experiences that are both engaging and genuinely helpful to users. Understanding the psychology of persuasive design is crucial in today's user-centric landscape. Persuasive design isn't about manipulation; it's about leveraging psychological principles to guide users towards beneficial actions and create experiences that are both engaging and helpful. Another key principle is scarcity—the fear of missing out (FOMO) is a powerful motivator. Amazon masterfully employs this, showing limited stock availability and encouraging quicker purchase decisions. Reciprocity is equally potent. When users receive something of value, they're more likely to reciprocate. Dropbox's referral program, which offers extra storage for both the referrer and the new user, is a prime example of this principle in action. 📚 However, it is vital to use these techniques ethically. As B.J. Gogg, founder of the Persuasive Technology Lab at Standford University, emphasizes, "Persuasion is not about manipulating people. It's about helping them take actions that are good for them." We must deeply understand user motivations and align our persuasive elements with user goals to achieve this. This requires thorough user research and continuous testing to ensure our designs are genuinely beneficial. Remember, the ultimate aim of persuasive design is to create experiences that users find valuable and engaging. As Nir Eyal, author of Hooked: How to Build habit-forming Products, states, "The ultimate goal of products is to solve problems. The goal of businesses is to make money from solving problems." As we navigate the complex world of UX design, let's harness the power of persuasive design responsibly. By doing so, we can create digital experiences that meet business objectives and genuinely improve user's lives. Sources: 📙 Fogg, B.J. (2003). Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do. 📙 Eyal, N. (2014). Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. 🌐 https://lnkd.in/gf553NyY 🌐 https://lnkd.in/gQ3bs5DE #UXDesign #PersuasiveDesign #UserExperience #EthicalDesignSources:

After over two decades in UX design and at companies like Google and Dropbox, here are the top 10 lessons I wish I had known earlier... 1. User Empathy is Non-Negotiable Understanding your users isn't optional—it's fundamental. Dive deep into their needs, desires, and pain points. Empathy enables you to create designs that truly resonate and solve real problems. 2. Feedback is a Gift—Accept it Graciously Whether from users, peers, or stakeholders, feedback helps you grow. Embrace it with an open mind. Remember, it's about the work, not you personally. 3. Understand the 'Why' Behind Every Project Don't just focus on the 'what' and 'how.' Grasping the underlying purpose of a project ensures your designs align with user needs and business goals. Ask questions, seek clarity, and let the 'why' guide you. 4. Don't Underestimate the Power of Storytelling Storytelling isn't just for marketers. In UX it's a powerful tool for communicating ideas, justifying decisions, and engaging users emotionally. Craft narratives that make your designs more compelling and memorable. 5. Data-Driven Decisions Enhance Design Impact Gut feelings have their place, but backing your decisions with data leads to more effective designs. Utilize analytics, user testing, and research to inform your choices and demonstrate value. 6. Time Management Skills are Essential Deadlines are real, and time is finite. Prioritize tasks, set realistic timelines, and avoid burnout. Good time management leads to higher productivity and better work-life balance. 7. Perfection is the Enemy of Progress Waiting for a design to be perfect can stall progress. It's better to iterate and improve over time. Launch, learn, and refine. Progress trumps perfection. 8. Know Your Tools, But Don't Be Limited by Them Master the design tools at your disposal, but remember they're just that—tools. Don't let them dictate your creativity. Stay adaptable and be willing to learn new technologies as the field evolves. 9. Business Understanding Elevates Your Design Design doesn't exist in a vacuum. Understanding business models, revenue streams, and market dynamics allows you to create solutions that support the company's bottom line while delighting users. 10. Mentorship Accelerates Growth—for Both Parties Seek mentors who inspire you and challenge you to grow. Likewise, mentoring others reinforces your knowledge and contributes to the community. It's a reciprocal relationship that enriches everyone involved. These lessons have profoundly shaped my approach to UX design. Whether you're just starting or a seasoned professional, I hope they resonate with you. What valuable lessons have you learned in your career? Let's share our insights and learn from each other!

Common mistakes in UX design and how to avoid them: 📌 Ignoring User Research Mistake: Skipping user research, relying on assumptions rather than understanding the actual needs and behaviors of the users. Solution: Conduct user research through surveys, interviews, and usability tests. Create user personas based on this data to guide decisions. 📌 Complicated Navigation: Mistake: Designing a complex navigation system that makes it difficult for users to find what they need. Solution: Design with clear labels and a logical hierarchy. Use visual cues and breadcrumbs to help users track their location within the app. 📌 Overloading with Features: Mistake: Adding too many features into the interface, leading to clutter and overwhelming users. Solution: Focus on core features that serve the users’ needs. Use a minimalistic approach, with clear calls to action and avoid unnecessary features. 📌 Inconsistent Design: Mistake: Using inconsistent fonts, colors, and layouts, which can confuse users and weaken the brand identity. Solution: Be consistent using a design system with defined styles for elements such as buttons, typography, and icons. 📌 Ignoring Accessibility: Mistake: Not considering users with disabilities, such as poor contrast, tiny text, or non-navigable designs for keyboard users. Solution: Follow accessibility guidelines, ensuring proper color contrast, text size, keyboard navigation, and screen reader support. Test with assistive tools. 📌 Slow Load Times: Mistake: Heavy visuals or poorly optimized code that slows down the page load time, leading to user frustration. Solution: Optimize images, use caching, and compress files. Aim for lightweight design to ensure quick performance. 📌 Unresponsive Design: Mistake: Failing to create designs that work well on various screen sizes, particularly mobile devices. Solution: Use a mobile-first design approach, ensuring that the interface is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes and orientations. 📌 Lack of Feedback: Mistake: Not providing feedback to users when they interact with the system, leaving them unsure if their actions were successful or not. Solution: Include visual and auditory feedback like loading spinners, confirmation messages, or animations to reassure users that the system is responding. 📌 Too Much Text: Mistake: Overloading the interface with too much text, making it hard for users to scan and find relevant information. Solution: Use concise language, bullet points, and whitespace to improve readability. 📌 Neglecting Error Handling: Mistake: Providing unclear error messages, leaving users unsure how to resolve issues. Solution: Write clear, specific error messages that explain the problem and suggest a way to fix it. Consider including helpful visual cues. Avoiding these mistakes will help create a more user-friendly, efficient, and accessible design.