What Is User Experience Design?
When we encounter a physical object, its form helps to express what its function is, and how we are meant to interact with it. The handle on a coffee mug invites grasping, for example. But what happens to these “affordances” when products appear in a digital space — when there is no intrinsic physicality about them, only pixels?
That’s where the User Experience Designer comes in. It’s my role to take completely abstract digital experiences and map them to familiar visual and interaction metaphors in order to make things easy to use.
User Experience Designers make complex systems feel simple.
They create experiences that are easy and intuitive, desirable and delightful.
A Nexus Between Users, Business, and Technology
I know that you need to balance your business goals with the needs of your users — and that’s just what I’ll help you do. I believe in a User-Centered Design (UCD) methodology which frames product strategy from the user’s point of view. This requires me to understand the behaviors, needs, goals, and motivations of your users. By understanding your audience, we can make well-informed decisions around the design of your product or service.
Process and Deliverables
There’s really no one-size-fits-all process. Each project is tailored for your particular needs. I focus on strategic thinking rather than churning out deliverables. My goal is for you to gain a richer understanding of your customers’ needs, and to equip you with concrete recommendations on how to better serve those needs. This process may result in:
- Personas
- Storyboards
- Wireframes
- Flow diagrams
- Functional prototypes
The Role of Research in Design
I use research — both quantitative and qualitative — to gain insight into the needs and behaviors of your customers. These research methods include, but are not limited to:
- Ethnographic research
- Usability testing
- Site metrics
- A/B testing – Also known as “bucket testing”
- Competitive analysis
