Using research to design solutions for problems you didn’t even know existed.

So far in my experience with UX design I’ve come to the conclusion that research is key. Not just any kind of research, but user research!

Before deciding to study UX design, I worked as a graphic designer (still do) and definitely have encountered my fair share of design problems. Working as a graphic designer, my day is usually comprised of solving problems with an effective and visually appealing design. My process almost always includes research, but that kind of research usually just consists of competitor comparisons and observing trends. Until I started studying UX design, user research was not a tool in my arsenal. Last semester we were given a crash course on the basics of user testing and research and my eyes were opened to the importance the user’s experience plays in creating an effective design. While it’s possible to come up with a design solution without going through the process of researching, this can result in missing out on finding problems that you (the designer) didn’t even know existed. Going through the same process that the user does allows the researcher to empathize and experience first hand the problems that the user encounters. On the flip side of that, the designer also gets to see what works for the user, which can aid in deciding what parts of a design to keep. I’d have to say that makes user research an incredibly important aspect to coming up with an effective, user friendly and visually appealing design.