UX and our increasing dependence on technology
UX permeates through every facet of our lives. We have become so accustomed to interacting with machines that imagining life without them seems unfathomable. However, UX doesn’t just apply to the digital interfaces or technical devices that we rely on. UX creeps into every interaction we have; from the layout of a grocery store, to the stove we use to cook the food, to the refrigerator in which we store the leftovers.
For many of us, quarantining has decreased our daily interactions, but in many ways it has added new ones. With heightened stress levels and total dependence on technology, we are inevitably finding more pain points than ever before.
As a UX designer, this has led me to hone in on the true importance of my job. I have learned that it boils down to building the best experience possible for users, so that your product feels practically invisible. What follows are key lessons I have learned from having to rely on technology more than ever before.
1. Users need to feel a sense of control
Now, more than ever, we are feeling a loss of control and ownership over our routines. As UX professionals, it’s our job to ensure this same feeling doesn’t seep into the products we are designing.
One of the core usability heuristics from NNgroup is user control and freedom.
Human beings have an innate need to be in control of our environment and our choices. As UX designers, we can provide users a sense of control over their digital products. A basic example that surely all of us have come across are popup modals without a clearly marked exit path. This makes the user feel frustrated and a lack of control over the experience. It’s important to provide users as much flexibility as possible when they are interacting with your product.
This sense of control is very closely linked to what psychologists call an “internal locus of control,” or the belief that our actions have the power to impact and change a given situation.
Feeling in control gives us a sense of comfort and reassurance. Therefore, it’s unsurprising that people who have an internal locus of control tend to feel more confident and less stressed. Users should feel empowered and in charge when using the interfaces we build.
This also can be tied to giving customers a personalized and targeted experience when appropriate. To feel a sense of ownership, a user has to trust the product and believe that it has the best intentions to help them accomplish their goal. This will be difficult to achieve if an individual doesn’t have the impression that they are in control.
2. Empathy is necessary
As UX designers, the onus is on us to advocate for users, and therefore, I would be remiss not to mention empathy. But what does empathy truly mean when applicable to UX?
The essence of the word boils down to the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Empathy is much deeper and more complex than sympathy, which is simply acknowledging the suffering of another individual. It doesn’t hurt to sympathize with users, but to effectively do our job we have to step into their shoes. We should feel their frustrations, goals, limitations, fear, etc.
According to NNgroup, empathy is our greatest asset as UX professionals.
We must understand that our users are perhaps more frustrated or fearful than usual, and ensure our products are helping them to achieve their goals.
3. Accessibility
User interfaces should always meet accessibility requirements. It is crucial that our creations can be used by every individual.
We are exceptionally dependent on our devices during this time, which means people from all age ranges are using technology at an increased rate. At two ends of the spectrum are young children who are being home-schooled and elderly individuals who might not be accustomed to relying on technology in their day-to-day.
Our designs should be simple and easy to navigate, so that pain points and frustrations are minimized.
It’s our job as UX professionals to make sure we are designing for everyone.
Some examples of how you can improve accessibility include: color contrast for those with low vision, labels and instructions for form fields, and alternate text for images and visual elements.
You can perform an accessibility audit on your own or use an audit service. Making your products fully accessible takes practice, but let’s set the example for our team, organization and the larger UX community. Visit W3C to find out more information about web accessibility guidelines.
4. Reduce cognitive load
People may be feeling more overwhelmed than normal. The interfaces we build shouldn’t burden them with cumbersome tasks or negative feelings. Products should feel simple and close to invisible. Individuals notice a product when it’s causing them frustration, but rarely do they notice it when they accomplish the task without any friction.
One way to ensure we aren’t overstimulating our users is to reduce cognitive load.
Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental processing power needed to use a site, and affects how easily users find content and complete tasks.
Users shouldn’t have to memorize information, and therefore, necessary items and actions should be visible. As humans, our brains have a limited amount of processing power. We need to keep this in mind when we are designing user interfaces. We have to understand these limitations and design our products in a way that decreases the amount of mental effort required.
5. Sense of Belonging/Community
Last, but equally as important is a sense of community and belonging that we can deliver through our designs. Tapping into a user’s emotions can build trust and credibility, thus allowing a relationship to form.
Spotify does an incredible job of making their customers feel understood and connected by curating playlists and providing weekly recommendations. The app also brings in an element of belonging by making users feel that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. It displays how many people are streaming a song/artist and even has a tab to recommend what other fans like you are listening to.
This is just one example of the many companies that are realizing the potential of giving users the feeling that they are heard and acknowledged. As UX professionals, the products we make can bring people together and promote a feeling of belonging.
A big thank you to all of the essential workers. If anyone is working on a COVID-19 related project and needs UX help, please reach out!
Thanks for reading! If you want to collaborate or just chat about UX, you can connect with me via LinkedIn or send a message through this form! Follow me on Medium as well for more design-related content :)
