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… :)
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