UX Principles
Over the past few years of work, research and talking with other UX professionals I have developed a list of UX principles that guide me through a project life-cycle:
- provide rapid Feedback so that users don’t get lost or disorientated;
- provide Affordances or cues that help the user understand the design;
- provide a way for users to return or recover from an erroneous choice or mistake;
- be consistent, by using well established conveniences when ever possible;
- minimize the chance for user errors by providing error prevention tooltips or other hints that warn of possible pending mistake;
- use recognizable images/icons/symbols that simplify design that result quicker understanding;
- design interactions for both new users and power users in mind, with flexible designs that accommodate all levels of expertise;
- less is better, simple minimalist design are usually the efficient;
- provide instant and actionable error messaging for user makes a mistake;
- include Help documentation or implicit instructions on interaction is intended to be used.
By far, definitively not the last word on the subject, a good 10 step guide-post that helps me create intuitive, yet innovative, designs that deliver utility and build communities.
By Marc Niola – The UX Acrobat and
UX Strategist @ Digital Cunzai
Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_niola
About UX Acrobat - Marc Niola
Marc is an expert UX professional with a focus on customer-centered design principles, social media, gamification and psychology. He has developed innovative business solutions for global corporations, SME, agencies, clients and brands.
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