Why should I break my design???

I have been repeatedly asked not to provide or think about visual designs for the Products that I’m handling and follow the process. These processes break the design into multiple steps as if it’s a manufacturing unit – like an assembly line. I’ll fix one screw; the next person one will fix the other one without knowing why I fixed the first one.

Design is a complete thing. It’s a complete solution to a problem. I don’t think one can segregate it in a process. Working in a team which works together to solve a problem is a different thing; but I don’t understand how can someone who hasn’t worked on the problem before can jump midway and design a solution; without know the whole problem.

Visual design is a critical aspect. On one hand it adds visual pleasure to the page ‘simultaneously’ is also dictates the presentation of the information on the page. One bad visual balance can totally screw up the objective of the page – communication. These are so intricately woven that I don’t think it can be segregated. One needs to understand the importance of visual design – it’s just not about experience. Its power is much beyond it…one should not think about interactions, information and visual separately. They all come together to make sense…

Understanding design decisions: Testing begins where the Logic ends…

One the most complex part of design is its subjectivity. For every step or parameter there lies multiple solutions. Starting from the deciding essential features to layout to the last pixel there lies so many options that it becomes really complicated. Every step calls for a design decision and these decisions are the one that decide the outcome of a design. I often used the term ‘parameters’; what I mean by these parameters is the list of priorities that a designer builds while designing the product and which directly influences the design decisions s/he take. If the product objective says that the product has to be easy to use then the kind of priorities that will be built will be different for the objective that says the product is meant to give a nice experience.

One of the biggest problems that I have seen is that most designers loose their objective while designing. It’s so easy to get lost in making design decision and sway from the path because of the multiple solutions available to him. Designing is not only about exploring and coming up with ideas. Its also about managing your design – you have to manage your self to stay on track. All good designer that I have seen or read about were very clear till the end what they where trying to do.

Coming back to my discussion on the design decisions – there are decisions that can be taken by using Logic. From a communication point of view we can take some decisions – will this make sense to user? Will he understand the context? What is it that will tell him that this button will take him to another page? What will make him click? Etc etc…

But even after using the most refined logic (which has to be aligned to the logic that the user will use in understanding the page) you will often come up with 2-3 solutions. Every solution will have some advantages and disadvantages. That’s the most critical moment; if you keep using logic you will land up going round and round with decisions without any result. That’s the moment when you have to go to the user to test your assumptions and take the right decisions. Logic alone ‘can not’ complete a design; one has to go to the user to refine and complete it…in an architectural term I guess we can say that logic is the core foundation while testing is the upper superstructure. Foundation dictates how the superstructure will shape up - Sometimes the superstructure also refines and defines the foundation. But essentially the foundation has to be strong for the building to stand the test of time.

Looking at Google product this can be clearly seen. Their designs are smart because their Logic is solid; and to make it stronger they heavily rely on testing.

So if you are stuck up in design take the refuge with the user…he’s the one who can bail you out… :)

Passing on ‘Passion’ to the team

I’m the product owner of user experience designs for 2 upcoming products for Y! India. How we work here is that mostly the interaction designer owns a product (equivalent to UI Lead). The ID works closely with the Product Manager to build the concepts, features (from user point of view) and UI wireframes. This is then passed on the Visual Designers for the visual design part.

I have been owning 2 products & have to constantly pass on visual design aspects to the visual designers. This is very critical aspects of design. People who have worked in a team would realize how difficult it is to pass on the ‘information’.

One thing that I have figured out is that if you don’t just pass on the information but pass it along with your PASSION and COMMITMENT there is a drastic improvement in designs from the team. Showing your passion and commitment for your product really motivates the team to put their passion to the designs. Design is not about ‘data’ and ‘observation’ alone it’s also about ‘emotions’. If the designer himself is not excited and passionate about the designs how will the users be?