Eliminate Design

Lightning talk for UXLx 2013.

The all-too-common approach of jumping head-first into sketching wireframes makes us fail the user and lose sight of solving true user problems. The screen should not be singled out as the primary medium for human-centered design, and it is the role of the UX lead to ensure that it isn’t. I will argue for the benefits of removing design and show how we can, and must, shift thinking from designing interfaces to solving real user problems with the least amount of friction and pain. Speaker info: http://axbom.com/talk/

Transcript

1. Eliminate Design by Per Axbom @axbom on Twitter
2. Here’s the problem: UX professionals promise to take for the complete user experience. responsibility
3. And then we... DON’T! We jump head first into solutions!
4. Say hello to my little friend. ”Let me sketch some wireframes.” ”Let’s do a design studio.” ”Your web form needs optimisation.” ”Well, let’s do a user test.” ”You need to make an app, everyone’s mobile now.” ”You have a problem with your service?” ”You have a problem with your service?”
5. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
6. The answer to all problems is far from a graphical user interface.
7. Once there was a need to recruit... online HR tool
8. 3 months, 20 people, X million SEK... and it all comes down to my final user test: online HR tool
9. users NO say: too slow...
10. We built the solution in Microsoft Outlook. In two weeks. The users loved it.
11. When you know more, don’t be afraid to change direction.
12. It was never about the design of the interface. It was about understanding how people work.
13. Old tools are not necessarily bad tools, if people use them!
14. moving house The person filling in the form does not have easy access to 4 out of 5 of those pieces of information. Can you help us build this form? No. So the person moving needs to provide his/her personal id number, 12-figure facility ID, and also the personal ID number of the person who is moving in, his/her address and old 12-figure facility ID.
15. Design is not an option if the real user problem persists. Dude. Pretty obvious. Right?
16. company account? By the time I heard back I was already set up with another bank. Book advisory meeting for new company.
17. The friction is not always in the interface! If no one responds, the design of your form is irrelevant. Why aren’t you returning my messages?
18. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? is responding to that form? are they responding? do they work? do they sit? are they responding? are they responding? When you dig, problems appear and insights are gained.
19. health services national Is it good UX if it creates problems? 20% time spent on 1% of the interface. Number of menu items cut in half. More people logging in! Unprepared staff. 1,2 million users. 1,000 new users/day 14,000 daily logins
20. When the focus and talk is all about design, UX professionals fall into the trap of being an advocate for, and defending, interfaces. We should know better.
21. 2 Shoot questions SOLVE the right problem. 1 3 4 5 You got this? Open your mind to change Learn both sides Veer when you know more Enable existing tools Focus less on design, more on operational problems. You can never ask enough. Just as much about the operators as the end-users. Kill your darlings, adapt to the environment. Don’t keep running in the wrong direction! (change direction)
22. Butch up and challenge the problem. If you enlighten*, people will follow you. UX Earn your UX badge, take the lead. to provide with previously lacking insight, information, or knowledge *en·light·en
23. Grab my card on your way out! Thank you so much! Connect with me on axbom.com/connect Twitter: @axbom Podcast: uxpodcast.com