Catch me up with the movie:
You find a lot of literature on Good Design in general & UX Design, the processes, tips and references for it. But you wonder, why good design is still so rare.
Unlike most disciplines of Research, Design or UX is not a science discipline. It rather aligns to Psychology or Human behavior – academically speaking.
Research done in such disciplines have often been hard to prove, and most often are termed Hypothesis or Theory – Which mainly indicates, that it provides a way of understanding the outcomes, but need not be always true.
Let’s keep the rest of the academic scenarios aside and focus on UX or Digital Product Design here.
Sharing 3 Major reasons why Good Design is rare.
#1 Taking off your Shoes
Understanding Users is mostly driven based on Qualitative research or in person interactions. These are subject to a lot bias and prejudice.
- Insider’s prejudice of how things work here. As they have been working so, and we know things well already.
- Designer’s bias, as an outsider, who just has a few feelings about how it should generally be.
During the course of the UX Design process. The UX team makes a sincere attempt to getting into the User’s shoes.
But getting into someone’s shoes is easier said than done! Why is that so? Because the hard part is to take off your shoes (your own biases) before getting into someone else’s shoes (pain points).
Inspired from the TED Talk below
#2 The ever changing UX Processes & Frameworks
We really hope this one is going to be temporary, and we are soon going to be aligned with things.
Changing processes & frameworks do much more harm than we initially anticipate.
When frameworks or methodology changes, it get’s hard for UXers to align their philosophy & ideals.
You will always find some differences of opinion with UX practitioners
- on the creative nature of their work
- problem solving perspectives
- Random UX tips or findings – that don’t fit all.
- Some UX rules, that people break & have no issues with…
On the other hand changing UX Processes have more impacts:
- Changing Organizational Dynamics
- Conflicting Responsibilities or Circle of Influence/Interest
- Justifying UX Efforts, and the changes in process
# At times losing what was working earlier
# 3 Solving undefined Problems
UX folks would seek to get involved early, talk to users, customers, SMEs, etc. But some brilliant design work just happens creatively!
The below Ketch-up Bottle has been viral since long, a quick apology for repeating it 😉
However, a point to note is – irrespective of all the Research or Process or Science. Good UX enhancements come from Creativity & Empathy.
So the idea of solving undefined problems and having a vast horizon of possibilities makes the design process a bigger challenge.
Hope you found this insightful. Please do drop your comments or ideas below.
Surgyy Design is a Digital Product Design & UX Agency, you can know more about us here.
