An optimised architecture must be;

Adaptable – to adapt to different user needs (how they arrive to the product, via search, email, bookmarks or referrals)

Be aware that users arrive deep into the content a site offers. Every page should have the ability to act like a landing page. Ensure the user’s initial intent is satisfied by clear calls to action, signposting and visual clues to get them started and motivated to continue on site. Group pages together and see what percentage of the total audience arrive at them to give you an idea of how to shape and model the content around their wants and needs. Offer numerous opportunities for varied paths of navigation, from different user types.

Portable – to allow elements of it to appear on other platforms and in multiple devices

A good example is the Wikipedia website and their mobile version. They offer the same content, but use different display surfaces to serve from the same content repository. The ideal is to make your service interfaces standard, flexible, lightweight and multi-device friendly. The content you provide goes beyond the browser. The ability for you to control all permutations of a device platform, where your service may appear, is very difficult if industry standards are not followed.

Contextual – an appreciation of the context the users come from and what they are expected to do on the site next is critical to delivering a solution which is optimised for engagement

The purpose of having an optimised architecture is to  deliver the right content at the right time to the right group of users. Analysis tools like Google Trends, Compete and Quantcast can all give you an idea of the demographic, whilst Google Analytics and UberVu can assist in the sentiment and conversation around your product or service. Adjust accordingly, ensure you have Site Search switched on if you use analytics. Internal search is a cheap way to gauge what CTAs to present people when they arrive and to check if your IA is delivering the right results.

Geo-location can also assist in presenting pertinent information to the user if they are in a specific location, especially important for mobile devices.

We no longer think of web pages as static elements that are linked by a site diagram view. If we think of states of a page where a user’s interaction describes what is being displayed and which elements can be used, then this is a closer view of web pages and one which needs to be described when developing a solution. It is a deportalized approach to developing a site, where many of its components can exist in different areas, different sites and different platforms.

Consider the information as the application. If the content can be opened up for a diverse and creative use then it will have more impact and likely to go further. Be aware that a company’s perceptions of the usage of their content will not impede the way the users interact and uses that content.

It is the web equivalent to the SOA (service orientated architecture) approach to software. Google’s Gadgets and Apple’s widgets have become mainstays and the iPhone approach to software with their App Store is a natural extension of the SOA philosophy.

WIKIPEDIA – The notion of complexity-hiding and reuse, but also the concept of loosely coupling services has inspired researchers to elaborate on similarities between the two philosophies, SOA and Web 2.0, and their respective applications. Some argue Web 2.0 and SOA have significantly different elements and thus can not be regarded “parallel philosophies”, whereas others consider the two concepts as complementary and regard Web 2.0 as the global SOA.

So how do you build an information architecture that must accommodate these qualities?

Primarily, define the content and the different types. @CraigMod has written recently about the two types of content, the formless and the definite, and this is a very useful way to look at the content that is to be supported. His article outlines the foundations of what I call an optimised architecture, it is ‘definite content’ that allows this portability. When designing these ecosystems the content dictates the architecture and it should never be the architecture dictating the content.

Thomas Petersen has written about ecosystems and how the most adaptable systems enjoy such major success, and it is the content that they provide that allows this boom for the device manufacturers.

Showing adaptability, portability and contextuality will allow a system to enjoy the most benefit in the next ten years. The device already set up to enjoy and dominate this area is the smart phone, and the imminent arrival of the iPad. Content is still what drives users to visit and participate, and products aimed at consumption of content showing these qualities will be increasingly popular and successful.

After 10 years of job title changes we come back to being designers, albeit ‘user experience’ designers for users and for people. In 1999 it seemed to be so very new and we were on the same page, but now we see the different disciplines needing to embrace and unify before they fragment completely. It needs to change soon, to move on with an admission of guilt for the turf wars, the inflated egos and finally gain some appreciation for each other’s craft.

Two points of view can be represented by Jesse James Garrett and his closing plenary last year at the IA Summit (memorable by his ‘we are all just UX designers’ statement) to the recent competition of defining IA ran by The Information Architecture Institute and promoted by Peter Morville. Garrett wants a return to us all being generalists whilst Morville sees a definite case for specialization. Their two books (both essential reads) should have given us the clue on their stand points years ago, in reality they have stayed true to their own beliefs. 

Are we all just expert generalists?
I think the term information architect although clumsy and a little grandiose is still the most accurate when placed alongside those who create the concepts of digital products. I may be different as I have been designing and drawing all my life, I have 13 years experience as an interaction designer, 10 as a web designer, 5 as a design manager and now 3 as an information architect. I have become an expert generalist but I would never have arrived at the last job role if I hadn’t had the other elements in my work experience. So I view the title of IA as something I have had to earn, and that can only come with experience, lots of mistakes and learning the hard way.

Looking at the effort we still spend on defining what we should or should not call ourselves seems unusual unless it is for the benefit of those new to the field. Though it does help clarify in the mind of the individual what IA is, we should be aware that clients do not share this fascination with titles but only the standard of the work we produce.

Take responsibility

For me this is what defines IA – it’s a commitment to delivering the best appropriate solution, without compromises that may affect the users. Bad design work in a visual sense is easy to fix but bad information or technical architecture is irreversible in a client’s timeline.

Having collaborative multiple-disciplinary teams is a way that a project can be delivered effectively on time and budget. Talking to each other regularly and being totally honest keeps this on track. Transparency will avert any disasters here but the conversations must occur at the right time. Whatever the process you use, all projects have time as their master. That is why timely intervention needs to happen regularly to steer and correct a project path. Those who have good time management skills tend to enjoy greater project success and certainly have happier clients. Meeting deadlines has to be the main priority when in the business of delivering solutions.

Document more

Documenting your creative process is important and rewarding because writing makes us aware of our mistakes. Our mistakes are to be encouraged in design, failure is an option if it occurs at the right point in the process. So iterate, stop only to test, discuss and verify. Share, contribute, collaborate and communicate more but admit any failings. 

We know our process and we have our tools but do we employ our minds to think differently before we even start to reach for a pen or boot up the machine? When you think about good technology it is enabling human beings to become better at being human. We should aim to enable that to happen through our work but do it in a way that is shared and publicly available. Only then through transparent practices will we grow as a collective of professionals.

The next ten years?  

The iPad and other touch devices represent the changing face of digital design. Not only in how it is a different interactive paradigm (the phones have given us a good foundation course on what not to do) but in how it will change the way we work together. The  Internet changed how we communicated and has moved from the broadcast medium to an interactive social experience. However companies have been able to operate in much the same way. The web as an add-on to their normal business.

But when the medium is defined in the device, and the device is ubiquitous then those providing it’s content will organise themselves differently and will have to redefine their offering. UX people will be in increasing demand as will the development teams to put it all together. The iPad will change us culturally. It will reshape our workplace skillsets and our mindsets regarding digital and traditional media. It may even make using the Internet a physically social activity. If it does that then it really could be the saviour of published media and even help society.

The future is the designers shaping our interfaces, interactions and experiences. Those same designers will take the iPad and produce something that will justify Steve Job’s claims of it being a game changing device.  My hope is we produce interfaces that make our children understand the world better and quicker than we ever did. Finally create objects that use technology to help us live longer and happier and improve our world. Hopes aside, I believe it will be the start of a golden age for what we are now calling User Experience design.

Saul Bass, the legendary graphic designer and film maker, described design as ‘thinking made visual’. In many ways visual design should communicate the more complex considerations of a solution in an immediately accessible way. Aesthetic usability Think about a website that you like and there will probably be a good deal of visual design that helps you in understanding its content better, what it offers and how easy it is for you to use. Aesthetic usability is a quality that arguably Apple have made very much part of their product offering. Consider their most successful devices, (iMac,iPod and iPhone) and there is an immediate attraction to getting to know the product, even before you really know what it can do. As there is an emotive connection (one of delight or intrigue) it affords the product a level of forgiveness within the user when the product or system fails.

We can also see this in many websites today, the Whale fail of Twitter being a notable one. As the website about the image says:

This image brings a human touch to a moment of frustration…

An attractive design is initially perceived as being easier to use and tends to garner a loyalty and forgiveness in a user group that promotes positive relations between people.

Alignment
An ingredient of aesthetic usability, particularly in web pages or screen based interfaces, alignment is a design principle that is often either overlooked or considered a standard aspect of good design. However it does warrant special consideration especially as its importance is the reason why the grid is such a defacto standard in page design, for both the offline and online worlds. As alignment is the norm, where elements on a page break out it causes visual tension – the exception creates a focus on an element on the page.

This is a good example of a site that uses a grid but, with the use of graphics and juxtaposition, breaks it with visual trickery. Even using a small colour palette it effectively does its job of engaging the user and encourages interaction. The visual design gives dynamism. The content of the site is for the Digital Research Centre in Dublin but the site goes some way in getting you interested way before you start to read the content.

Colour
Despite so many people being colour blind it still has a key role in giving meaning to elements on a screen or in the physical world. Colour, and importantly hue and saturation, have effects on the way interfaces are used and perceived by users. Contrast gives users a guide – the more saturated the hue of a colour – the more important the priority. Similar contrast types are seen as part of the same group or importance. The use of contrast is one of the ingredients of visual design that is not immediately the most noticeable but is certainly one of the most notable to attract attention and produce focus in a user.

The designers of Barack Obama’s website agonized for days over the correct shade of blue that would come to be synonymous with the campaign and eventually the Obama brand. Throughout the site, the use of key colours, for calls to action, are used strategically to either prompt or persuade (the red here used sparingly) or to educate and inform (the muted blue grey in the right hand column). The actual colour palette is limited and correct colour usage should always be used in this way. Too much colour variation produces visual noise and confusion.

Consistency
The site mentioned above also exhibits consistency on a huge and intricate scale. The elements within the design are part of a larger code that communicates a meaning that is consistent across all touch-points. In this case the font was used throughout the campaign from signs to captions to all types of visual communication. It is a great way of maintaining a focus to the message, unmistakably it is from Obama. This way of maintaining the message is used throughout the physical world and is a subtle stamp of quality that underpins many good user experiences.

Golden ratio To enhance the aesthetic quality of an object or interface design the golden ratio is a good principle to explore largely because of its prevalence in nature, art and architecture. Areas where visual appeal have been long established and unquestioned can provide a good basis to explore in designs where other factors are not compromised. There is something simplistic, natural and appealing about design that exhibits the ratio of 0.618 within its form. It is only a little over half way but it is enough to give some balance to the eye, making the design inexplicably interesting.

Highlighting and Legibility
Effective use of typography,font size and style can guide a user when used well or lead to confusion when it doesn’t follow consistency. Presenting a message in a particular way can reinforce the impact of the message. Ensuring it is easy to read, uses the appropriate size and clarity and can only help in getting the message across. In many cases the artful use of typography often does this job brilliantly as it implicitly considers legibility and accessible text as part of its remit. That is obviously when it’s purpose is to convey a message and not make a statement.

Image courtesy of theBudman84

You may not agree with this statement from the Information Architects but you can not deny the power of typography to not only deliver the message with clarity but also with meaning. These are just words but the strength of type, colour, style and size give the statement more depth and authority. When a website or interface has legibility problems it is often reviled instantly. People deserve a basic level of accessibility  and this area is one to pay attention to first when thinking about visual design for improved user experiences.

Modularity The real strength of modular design is an ever-present in web pages and web applications. Smaller services or applications that form a larger, more complex system, have really found their niche in the iPhone and contribute to the success of the product. Highly bespoke and tailored user experiences are achievable by offering the platform that can be adjusted to individual user needs. Personalisation is achievable giving much more engaging experiences and the visual design should accommodate this need.

Occam’s razor
This principle states that the unnecessary abundance of features decrease the effectiveness of the designed solution. When considering feature creep in many mobile phones the lack of this principle can be seen very easily. If two solutions are placed side by side, and both are equal in terms of what they can deliver but one is simple and the other is complex, then the design that exhibits simplicity wins because it is practical.

The Flip video camera is one of the best sellers on Amazon and part of its success is its no frills point-and-shoot capability. All non-essential features have been removed and stripped down to the power button, record, play, delete, zoom, lens, microphone and speaker. The only other feature is a 2 inch screen and USB arm. It is an exercise in concentrating on the absolute necessity of the object to create a product that is relevant to the user and suitable for their context of use. Screen interfaces need to reveal the interface in a manner that is contextually relevant to the user. Intelligently giving the user what they need, when they need it. Tailor-made digital experiences will define future UX work.

Proximity and Similarity
Parts of the Gestalt principles of perception -  proximity is based on the premise that when elements are grouped or clustered together they are considered related to one another and those which are spaced apart are considered unrelated. When this is used well, it has the power to convey meaning in a way that is instant and may override other principles that are present on a page. For this reason the grouping of elements needs to be considered carefully and will often need to work alongside other principles. The Fritz Hansen website groups furniture by type and encourages an interaction with the elements.

This site also uses similarity – the visual look of objects resembling each other which produces a feeling of belonging to one another (even though the furniture has been designed by different designers). Strongest grouping effects are seen with elements that use similar colours and shapes. In this instance the same perspective and use of neutral colours give a feeling of cohesiveness.

Symmetry Simon Page’s illustration captures the attractive qualities of symmetrical forms that are often seen in nature. Symmetrical elements arranged to make a pattern of reflection, transition or rotation is an instantly recognizable way to achieve a great aesthetic quality, and often beauty. Simon Page is a visual designer who manages to have that innate ability to produce stunning visual designs. So much so, I wonder what his work would look like if he designed an interface for a client. Would it be usable? Would it be organized correctly, or communicate in the user’s language? Would it give a great experience? I have a feeling that it would, because of his ability as a visual designer. Visual design is so important because we are easily stimulated and manipulated by visual cues. An awareness of this important theme to a UX framework is essential and if we are calling ourselves UX designers we need to consider this as a part of our toolbox. Next up: behaviour

In many ways Bill Buxton’s book was a surprise. Perhaps I had read too many reviews but what I found was part history lesson, part analysis of design practice and efficacy of tools. On the whole, I felt it was posing the question of what we should be striving towards in our design practices. The foundations of design theory and practice The credence behind many of his statements can be found in the immense bibliography that one imagines you attain when you are a principal of research for Microsoft and also a design professor. There is no doubt it helps in carrying weight to his arguments and in many ways it enriches the design education of anybody who is involved in this profession Occasionally there is a tone that seems to dismiss those who do not have this breadth of knowledge, that they are lacking and are mere naive clumsy designers. That seemed to show a lack of awareness of the way people find their references from different sources these days.

Many find as much information out from blogs of current practitioners, forums and online professional communities. A publisher has given money to see a book complete and seek to recoup this through promotion and sales with profit. A blogger seeks nothing more than to share some knowledge and record their thoughts for the benefit of a community. Neither is more commendable than the other. There are really valuable insights that are written but will never be published in research white papers or books in print. We should not give a book more gravitas because it is on paper. I feel this is wrong and goes against the medium that we practice in.

Of course knowing design history should only be a part of the student’s or practitioner’s ability. Being able to practice your craft with real talent has only a little to do with your reference points. It is practice and reflection in practice (not unlike the ability to sketch) which gets you to a level that is adept. Schon, who wrote extensively about this, gets an early mention;

As Schon was one of the first to point out, product development demands attention to both problem setting and solving, and this is fundamental to the design process. Unfortunately industry has not paid sufficient attention to his teaching.

Cases, observations and stories

The company history of Apple, Adobe and Trek were really worth the read and I particularly enjoyed some of the early ventures into interface design and touch screen interfaces that Buxton was obviously a part of. In many ways Buxton’s work is like a sketch book with so many observations, stories and case studies written about and juxtaposed, sometimes you wonder where the book is taking you.

The book is divided into two sections to perhaps steer the reader and this helps somewhat. But I feel the book is not really aimed as much at designers but rather for business heads and managers of teams who have designers within them. It places design at the heart of successful business and it focuses especially on design process. This it does extremely well however for practical frameworks or approaches to design problems you will not find the answers here.

Buxton neatly stresses the importance of investing in the design process and how by placing design at the centre of a company then very soon its performance will be improved. He also underlines the importance of realising the energy needing in understanding and communicating concepts and that is something that design companies would be wise to take note of;

In order to create successful products, it is as important (if not more) to invest in the design of the design process, as in the design of the product itself.

The future view of IXD

My favourite part of the book was his focus on the transitions between states becoming as important as the states themselves and this can be particularly seen in touch devices such as the upcoming iPad and the Surface table.

He also seems to acknowledgement that the interfaces we have created so far have only scratched the surface of what could be possible. The Courier notebook seems a logical product of this type of thinking, and if this book is anything to go by, one I am sure Buxton has had a hand in.

Verdict: The book is worth the read and there is a good deal of quotes that you will find inspiring and ring true. The case histories were well researched and interesting and design practice was explored in a way that felt realistic and achievable.

I would say that this book will not satisfy a designer who is looking for practical examples of approaching work or a framework to work towards. It will not answer those questions but rather, as in the ending of the book, will ask you to think of the answers to the questions yourself.

In many ways the route to getting the design right with the right design is by getting out your pencil and drawing, reworking and reframing the problem. Iteration and adaptation are the key points to this book, in design and business respectively. If businesses appreciate the role design plays in successful products then this book has achieved an important goal.

		The earlier posts regarding the UX design framework were concerning content and visual design. Here I explore a few principles that focus on a person’s behaviour and how we design for those feelings in what we produce. Regardless of what you think about user experience design, as designers we need to pay more attention to how and why we behave in the manner we do . These principles derive from observations and disciplines beyond design. Psychology and sociology are as important within this list, which is of course not exhaustive.

Cognitive dissonance

Described as an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. Cognition (thoughts, feelings and ideas) when in harmony are in consonance, two unrelated thoughts do not cause dissonance, and so the mind can carry on without disruption. Dissonance normally occurs when a person perceives a logical inconsistency among his or her cognitions that are related.

		Let me give the example of street art. Bristol council has spent thousands cleaning up graffiti around its city centre and yet one of its most renowned ‘offenders’, Banksy, exhibited in the summer with his work paid for by the Mayor and his council. In the eyes of the law what Banksy does as an artist is vandalism and a criminal act, however, such is his skill some would say he has elevated himself above others to that of a modern artist. It could be said that the point of view of the council was an example of cognitive dissonance, where anybody else spraying on the wall is still a vandal but in Banksy’s case it is art and therefore it justified the council’s endorsement. The painting to the left is on a building opposite Bristol’s council offices. The council put it’s removal to a public vote and the public wanted it to remain.
Photograph courtesy of Greg Marshall

Expectation and disappointment are factors of online dissonance, where the user held an original idea and experiences contradiction and holds on to the initial thought. It can be seen in the reactions of users to poor results of search engines (they leave on the landing page) and maintain their original pursuit in finding their goal.

What should be taken into account when designing anything for mass consumption is that there will be a group who are disenfranchised and who feel that the product or publication does not sit easily with what their original belief of it was. The bounce rate has many within it who have these feelings. That they were misled, mistaken or misunderstood descriptions in a search result page.

To control this fully is impossible, but monitoring the segments of your audience, their needs and wants will make you aware of the constant shifting of visitor or customer expectations on what you provide. This encompasses all the areas of a user experience to give the air of suitability, relevance and quality.

Expectation effect

When introducing or promoting a new design your audience of potential customers are at their most receptive in terms of being persuaded. To gain the most from this claims made by the product or service must be made with statements that can be clearly illustrated and have credibility.

Looking at the recent iPad launch the levels of expectation were extreme and it was essential that the launch of the product was synchronized and communicated in way that was clear. Whatever your thoughts are on the product, a study of the official video (arguably the most persuasive of mediums) shows some interesting features.

The 8 minute video can be broken down as such…

• 0 – 60 seconds – Jonathan Ive  gives the vision statement of the device, this gets the viewer intrigued, either excited or cynical, but nevertheless they are engaged and receptive.
• In the next 4 minutes the VP of iPhone software explains the extreme flexibility and feature rich capabilities of the iPad, he sits outlining the benefits to a casual buyer, reaffirming  it to the fans, his sheer enthusiasm taking the viewer into Apple’s world of promise.
• The next 2 minutes has the VP of Hardware take over, he states why the device is different  -the parts manufactured are eco-friendly and specifically made for Apple. Their control of their technical hardware is good for them, and he makes it clear it is good for the consumer too.
• The last minute sees the original two, Marketing and Design returning to sign off and end it with a statement that will put a marker down for any other devices such as this. On the one hand it is the price – and one that is pitched low to ensure the take up of the product. On the other it is the simplicity of its design and Apple’s belief that this will change how we use and think about computers.

Four people represent the iPad’s desirability through it’s design, features, technical ability and finally (the pay-off ) it’s price. The viewer thinks either that this is a game-changing device or they are not convinced. They either require further persuasion or will voice (publicly) their opinions against the claims.

Another example can be seen in user testing with bias shown in asking questions that are felt to influence a subject. Expected outcomes from the interviewer influence their questioning. This is just one of the reasons that user tests should not be conducted by the designers of the system.

Hicks Law

		The time it takes to make a decision increases with the amount of choices available to a user. Particularly seen in menu items for software. For instance the file area could be seen as the equivalent to the three pedals of a car. For clutch, brake and accelerate, read open, save and print. This area needs to be easy to use and quick to make a decision. As you travel right along the menu bar your options multiply and the length of time finding these options also increases. It could be called a kind of accepted design pattern and all programs share this feature of a small amount of options in the first menu dropdown. In ecommerce certain stages of a transaction are closed down in terms of available options to a user. This ensures user focus and a likelihood of them completing the task, and less likelihood in them being distracted by unnecessary promotions or ways to navigate away. Decreases in drop off rates in conversion funnels can be seen when Hicks Law is noted.

Hierarchy of needs

Basing this on the hierarchy of needs from Maslow where different steps of the pyramid from physiological (functionality), safety (reliability), love (usability), self-esteem (proficiency) and self-actualization (creativity) can be applied to a design. An operating system for a PC enables creativity by having a strong functional and reliable quality, and an inherent usable interface that may have innovative features enabling proficiency in its users. All of these add up to the potential of creativity being exhibited as all other lower levels of the design have been satisfied. The twitter platform though occasionally failing in reliability has enabled hundreds of developers to adapt it and create new products from the API. Their policy of using open source wherever possible has increased it’s popular adoption from so many companies.

		The principle is most useful for evaluating existing designs and seeing if improvements will affect the pyramid in positive or negative ways. The evolution of the iPod is a good example of the interface becoming more intuitive (and hence more proficiency capability) without harming the 3 layers below. Creativity for this product can be seen in the Nike Plus adaptation of the iPod to be a valuable running aid and personal trainer.

Immersion

This is perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of behaviour in the design of user experience. The feeling of total immersion from the interaction of a product that results in feelings of joy, satisfaction and escapism from reality. Particularly prevalent in the gaming world this is what the industry thrives off and success of a game hinges on this most important principle. But immersion can be seen in many different areas.

In games it may be about challenges that can be overcome, the greater the challenge the higher the immersion and sense of satisfaction when complete. In game design the passage of time is a great indicator to the playability of a game, that the longer the duration that a person plays (and unaware of time passing in the real world) the greater the immersive effect.

In the real world the attraction of a library for study is the ability to be immersed within a context that promotes learning and negates potential distraction. It would likely to also have a modified sense of time for that person where hours pass like minutes if they are fully immersed. A film (take Avatar for example) has the ability to completely envelope an audience in the world of the film , time is not a part of a great film experience, the story is the focus and capturing and holding the attention. Add to that IMA’s ability to serve up panoramic cinema in 3D and you have as immersive experience as one could wish for in cinema.

Online successful ecommerce stores have a flow that is goal driven and there are clearly defined steps that promote the passage of the user to an end state. The better these flows the higher the sale conversion rate due to its immersive properties as an online shopping experience. Forms need immediate feedback to keep the user engaged and that the actions taken have been registered. These interactions also need to give the user the complete sense of control, over their actions and the environment that they affect.

Immersion is not an exact science, but perhaps more of an art, as its agreed there is not  a formula for an immersive experience that will be a success. Sensory experiences coupled with cognitive engagement seem to provide the best type of mix. The human mind can only take in so much through the five senses, getting the balance right with the mind of the user being actively engaged is the answer to a truly immersive quality experience.

Mental model

In the design of interfaces there are system models ( how systems work) and interaction models (how people interact with those systems) that in combination present a mental model to the user.This is either confirmed or denied by a user through their personal experience (the quality of their user experience in using the digital product). What is important is that the model you propose fits with their own personal interpretation.

As a user experience designer it is key to have both models in place to design a solution that is effective from a user’s perspective (the interaction model) whilst addressing the needs of the client (the system model).

When designing an effective  web store it is important to understand how the factory produces the goods, how they deliver them and the length of time it takes to reach the customer. All these factors need to be built within the system model for the client to understand and that they are also revealed in the interaction model revealed to the user as the interface. Only through thorough testing can the design be confirmed as one the user’s are happy with, in other words that it fits their mental model of what the web shop should be from their customer perspective.

Design patterns are effectively interaction models that are established in user’s minds of how certain operations should work. If there are models available it is advisable to use those as a starting point. But it is likely that your specific client will have a unique need that is reflected in their system model and needs reflection in the user’s interaction with it. It is better not to use an existing model if it is nothing more than convenient. An exact fit between both models is necessary for the optimal solution.

Performance vs Preference

From a usability stand point – perhaps the most common mistake businesses make, is assuming that because the user declares a preference for something it doesn’t necessarily mean they perform better when using their choice.

People are poor at aligning what they feel they want or need and what will actually improve their ability to use a product. Commonly people prefer designs that will not help them achieve the best results when compared to alternatives they will be adamant that the product they chose is the best.

The best way to get around it is to observe the user actually using the product without any interview technique, but in their context of use and observing (not interacting with) the subject. The most important matter is to not record what they say they do, but what they actually have done. The best products have this type of research behind them, by being embedded with the user in the context for which the design is meant, allows the appropriate levels of insight required to make informed design decisions.

Recognition over recall

A persons’ memory is more likely  to recognize elements than recall them and so designs need to reflect this fact. Rather than expecting a user to recall information, introduce devices to trigger the memory, such as images, words or sounds. Where giving options ensure that the decisions the user must make are aided in some way.

The power of brands have the ability to make customers chose their products because they recognize it  rather than recall an unknown, better quality, competitor. Hence the ability of being recognized carries significant value in the marketplace.

Within an operating system, programs have become merely icons on a task bar – such is the quicker ability of the human mind to recognize imagery over recalling program types.

For more on behaviour and web design I recommend the book, Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click? as a good starting point for this complex area.

Next up it is Interaction perhaps the most well known and dominant aspect of UX.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Y. Go

My bank here in Denmark, though not Danish, is courteous and helpful in the physical world but digitally they are atrocious. Their online banking system is a world apart from HSBC and I can only think its because of an overtly paranoid view of security.

I cannot name the bank, as I would fear some sort of American Airlines sacking, but somebody has made a technical decision which just makes it such an arduous task accessing an account.

To gain access you need to download a Java application, install it within your browser and then download an access key which is unique to the machine. It makes your home pc become something like a bank terminal. Even the interface makes you feel like you are in the mainframe.

One click away from rage It is proof, if any were needed, that some banks have such a long way to go to actually deliver a service that their customers want and deserve. This is our money after all. Now the thing is I don’t think that it’s only this bank, I know its probably the majority of them. Do a search on Twitter for online banking and you will see some lively comments instantly about a variety of well known names. The unusual part of this is that vitriol is never far away when you are talking about people trying to access their  money. Passions flair up very quickly unlike many other online interactions. The apparent ease that a customer can interact with their bank and conduct their business through a web browser is actually a situation with many issues. The online bank is a complex place of interaction that is subject to frequent fails – that’s why people are easily annoyed when there is a lapse in customer service, when the basic usability of a system is inadequate and when it appears that the interface is some sort of back office admin panel. User experience and customer experience are entwined here. That causes real problems because the system needs real staff to support it – it is not stand alone (though it purports to be – by acting like a website).

What needs to happen is to bring trust at the interface, the screen where the bank’s customer interacts with the bank. it is no different from the teller window and yet rather than seeing the human face of a smiling cashier we are faced with rows of numbers, that are bland and confusing.

A different approach

The interface need not, and should not, reflect the banks own internal processes and culture. The place for that is in the headquarters and offices, not in front of the customer. Mint and Wesabe both have capitalized on this gap in the market. The gap in which banks have turned their backs on the customer’s experience and preferred to adopt an IT approach to delivering a system that a customer is expected to work within.

Meanwhile these sites have realized that people need to see their numbers differently to how their bank manager sees them. Not on a spreadsheet but a chart with meaning, a saving scheme with a human name and relevance to them. This is what makes me want to return and use a bank. Show me how my money can work harder, where I can save or invest and do it in a way that is educational and even fun.

My online banking experience at the moment is dull, because I don’t want to use the interface. All I can do is either find a better bank or use Wesabe or Mint to download my transactions and render them in a way that is understandable and useful to me.

Tenets for online banking

There are four areas we can take as tenets for what an online bank should deliver for the customers.

Clarity
Ensure that from the visual design down to the language used, to the terms and illustrations, every single entity on the page is as clear as possible. This is how it looks , how the user would interact and use the system to ensuring the user understands exactly what is going on in every page. Iconography, help text, customer service contacts, all need explanation and immediacy for the user. The online bank must provide a service and the customer needs to grasp this instantly. Any marketing or jargon that gets in the way is a huge problem to its usefulness.

Comprehensive
Whatever the customer wants to do in their accounts enable them to do it – if it is a product being offered. If they want something new make sure it is just a click away. Also show them the holistic view of their money and enable them to drill down into specifics whilst giving them a way to navigate around. Visualizing data that is easy to understand is so important to those people who are turned off by numbers, it allows a deeper comprehension and a better understanding of their financial situation.

Convenient
Never make a customer download a piece of software to unlock the gate to let them into the bank. A barrier to entry on a system that holds their money is maddening for a user. It must be accessed through a browser and by mobile devices, even the TV. Online banking should be easy and stress free. Downtime may be unavoidable but warnings to customers and active support needs to be employed during these times.

Control
Finally, allow the customers to take control by offering them the tools to manage and create accounts easily. Flexibility in the way they can manage their money will just give them a much more enjoyable banking experience. Akin to being listened to when they have a request and a feeling that something is being done. Showing their figures in real time and allowing the movement and creation of savings all go some way in giving them the feeling that this is their money, their accounts and importantly a bank they want to belong to.

Competitive threat will enforce change

I hope banking will be different soon. One bank will lead the way in defining an experience the others will follow. It hasn’t happened yet because of constraints, politics, the credit crunch, institutionalization and corporate lethargy. But it will change, and with products like Wesabe’s Springboard around, it will be sooner rather than later. 

Saul Bass, the legendary graphic designer and film maker, described design as ‘thinking made visual’. In many ways visual design should communicate the more complex considerations of a solution in an immediately accessible way.Aesthetic usability Think about a website that you like and there will probably be a good deal of visual design that helps you in understanding its content better, what it offers and how easy it is for you to use. Aesthetic usability is a quality that arguably Apple have made very much part of their product offering. Consider their most successful devices, (iMac,iPod and iPhone) and there is an immediate attraction to getting to know the product, even before you really know what it can do. As there is an emotive connection (one of delight or intrigue) it affords the product a level of forgiveness within the user when the product or system fails.

We can also see this in many websites today, the Whale fail of Twitter being a notable one. As the website about the image says:

This image brings a human touch to a moment of frustration…

An attractive design is initially perceived as being easier to use and tends to garner a loyalty and forgiveness in a user group that promotes positive relations between people.

Alignment
An ingredient of aesthetic usability, particularly in web pages or screen based interfaces, alignment is a design principle that is often either overlooked or considered a standard aspect of good design. However it does warrant special consideration especially as its importance is the reason why the grid is such a defacto standard in page design, for both the offline and online worlds. As alignment is the norm, where elements on a page break out it causes visual tension – the exception creates a focus on an element on the page.

This is a good example of a site that uses a grid but, with the use of graphics and juxtaposition, breaks it with visual trickery.Even using a small colour palette it effectively does its job of engaging the user and encourages interaction. The visual design gives dynamism. The content of the site is for the Digital Research Centre in Dublin but the site goes some way in getting you interested way before you start to read the content.

Colour
Despite so many people being colour blind it still has a key role in giving meaning to elements on a screen or in the physical world. Colour, and importantly hue and saturation, have effects on the way interfaces are used and perceived by users. Contrast gives users a guide – the more saturated the hue of a colour – the more important the priority. Similar contrast types are seen as part of the same group or importance. The use of contrast is one of the ingredients of visual design that is not immediately the most noticeable but is certainly one of the most notable to attract attention and produce focus in a user.

The designers of Barack Obama’s website agonized for days over the correct shade of blue that would come to be synonymous with the campaign and eventually the Obama brand.Throughout the site, the use of key colours, for calls to action, are used strategically to either prompt or persuade (the red here used sparingly) or to educate and inform (the muted blue grey in the right hand column). The actual colour palette is limited and correct colour usage should always be used in this way. Too much colour variation produces visual noise and confusion.

Consistency
The site mentioned above also exhibits consistency on a huge and intricate scale. The elements within the design are part of a larger code that communicates a meaning that is consistent across all touch-points. In this case the font was used throughout the campaign from signs to captions to all types of visual communication. It is a great way of maintaining a focus to the message, unmistakably it is from Obama. This way of maintaining the message is used throughout the physical world and is a subtle stamp of quality that underpins many good user experiences.

Golden ratio To enhance the aesthetic quality of an object or interface design the golden ratio is a good principle to explore largely because of its prevalence in nature, art and architecture.Areas where visual appeal have been long established and unquestioned can provide a good basis to explore in designs where other factors are not compromised. There is something simplistic, natural and appealing about design that exhibits the ratio of 0.618 within its form. It is only a little over half way but it is enough to give some balance to the eye, making the design inexplicably interesting.

Highlighting and Legibility
Effective use of typography,font size and style can guide a user when used well or lead to confusion when it doesn’t follow consistency. Presenting a message in a particular way can reinforce the impact of the message. Ensuring it is easy to read, uses the appropriate size and clarity and can only help in getting the message across. In many cases the artful use of typography often does this job brilliantly as it implicitly considers legibility and accessible text as part of its remit. That is obviously when it’s purpose is to convey a message and not make a statement.

Image courtesy of theBudman84

You may not agree with this statement from the Information Architects but you can not deny the power of typography to not only deliver the message with clarity but also with meaning.These are just words but the strength of type, colour, style and size give the statement more depth and authority. When a website or interface has legibility problems it is often reviled instantly. People deserve a basic level of accessibility  and this area is one to pay attention to first when thinking about visual design for improved user experiences.

Modularity The real strength of modular design is an ever-present in web pages and web applications. Smaller services or applications that form a larger, more complex system, have really found their niche in the iPhone and contribute to the success of the product.Highly bespoke and tailored user experiences are achievable by offering the platform that can be adjusted to individual user needs. Personalisation is achievable giving much more engaging experiences and the visual design should accommodate this need.

Occam’s razor
This principle states that the unnecessary abundance of features decrease the effectiveness of the designed solution. When considering feature creep in many mobile phones the lack of this principle can be seen very easily. If two solutions are placed side by side, and both are equal in terms of what they can deliver but one is simple and the other is complex, then the design that exhibits simplicity wins because it is practical.

The Flip video camera is one of the best sellers on Amazon and part of its success is its no frills point-and-shoot capability. All non-essential features have been removed and stripped down to the power button, record, play, delete, zoom, lens, microphone and speaker. The only other feature is a 2 inch screen and USB arm.It is an exercise in concentrating on the absolute necessity of the object to create a product that is relevant to the user and suitable for their context of use. Screen interfaces need to reveal the interface in a manner that is contextually relevant to the user. Intelligently giving the user what they need, when they need it. Tailor-made digital experiences will define future UX work.

Proximity and Similarity
Parts of the Gestalt principles of perception -  proximity is based on the premise that when elements are grouped or clustered together they are considered related to one another and those which are spaced apart are considered unrelated. When this is used well, it has the power to convey meaning in a way that is instant and may override other principles that are present on a page. For this reason the grouping of elements needs to be considered carefully and will often need to work alongside other principles. The Fritz Hansen website groups furniture by type and encourages an interaction with the elements.

This site also uses similarity – the visual look of objects resembling each other which produces a feeling of belonging to one another (even though the furniture has been designed by different designers). Strongest grouping effects are seen with elements that use similar colours and shapes. In this instance the same perspective and use of neutral colours give a feeling of cohesiveness.

Symmetry Simon Page’s illustration captures the attractive qualities of symmetrical forms that are often seen in nature. Symmetrical elements arranged to make a pattern of reflection, transition or rotation is an instantly recognizable way to achieve a great aesthetic quality, and often beauty.Simon Page is a visual designer who manages to have that innate ability to produce stunning visual designs. So much so, I wonder what his work would look like if he designed an interface for a client. Would it be usable? Would it be organized correctly, or communicate in the user’s language? Would it give a great experience? I have a feeling that it would, because of his ability as a visual designer. Visual design is so important because we are easily stimulated and manipulated by visual cues. An awareness of this important theme to a UX framework is essential and if we are calling ourselves UX designers we need to consider this as a part of our toolbox. Next up: behaviour

Photo courtesy of Brandon Shigeta

Their difficulty to architect for, gives rise to the post’s purpose – to form the basis of a contextually based design framework that can be used in UX design problems.

This framework defines the work we do as user experience professionals and the effectiveness of the designs we produce.

Patterns and principles
Design patterns are certainly a start point for an effective design but without an appreciation of context and user behaviour we have a danger of building solutions that are prescribed without an eye on the optimal and most creative solutions.

Design principles have been established for many years, even centuries, and are born through many other disciplines. Notably psychology, fine art, product design and sociology.

Their more abstract application takes away the prescriptive element that patterns can sometimes take. This also becomes more important when you think about the context of UX design in interfaces other than those online. If we think patterns came from common use – look deeper and you realize the successful ones are soundly based upon solid design principles.

The following design principles have been taken from the excellent book Universal Principles of Design. A heavy-weight read which took me a while to digest, not least because of the diverse examples, footnotes and references made throughout.

As a starting point, I am really interested in how you can apply (some of these ancient) principles to modern day design. Here I grouped them and have illustrated some occurrences on the web.

Each principle is worth talking about in the context of user experience design. These foundations are even more relevant in the field of UX, as the design challenges we face are becoming more complex.

I have grouped the design principles into areas that are core to delivering good user experiences. Note the word user here denotes somebody using an interface.

The areas are divided into;

• content
• visual design
• behaviour
• interaction
• persuasion
• usability

Content

Content is the starting point. A natural place to begin because without it the experience has no basis to go from. Here are six principles that are critically important in the design of user experiences.

80/20
The 80/20 rule is a principle we need to always have in mind . For instance on this site 20% of the content is accessed by 80% of the traffic. I have also categorized 100,000 articles using software, where 80*% of the content sat within only 20% of the categories (people wrote for popularity in that case). But be aware of that remaining 20% because they could be the key decision maker in a deal for your business. Create optimised pages with content that ensures visibility between content types and categories. As the principle holds true, cater for it in your content strategy.

Chunking
Content needs to be broken down into digestible elements. The brain can not take too much information. Headers and formatting can help here and conveying the meaning through a logical progression or flow down a page is essential to achieve a good information design. People need to digest content differently on screen. Font size needs to be large enough to be read and clear enough to communicate to those with visual impairments. Effective chunking allows quicker task completion times. The step system in a sign up is a great example of this.

Depth of processing
This leads nicely on to the depth of processing rule. Cascade the most important elements down the page as people are more receptive at the top. Get the core message over quickly and develop this down the page. Use diagrams to highlight and reinforce points and keep user focus by drawing attention to these areas using visual design techniques. Use of contrast, colour and textual emphasis will help here. Context is the prime focus here and avoid generic elements in the sections relating to why th euser came to this area in the first place.

This page from the Guardian newspaper website shows good use of chunking and depth of processing. The image and font size breaks up the weight of text in the article and the use of white space allows the eye to scan quickly down the page. The most important elements are brought out – the headline, author, date and use of bullets to describe the key takeaways from the story. The body of the story appears further down the page below the image. The column also allows a segregation from the story content and related content and tools or features.

Five hat racks
The five hat racks is a technique used to help order information quickly. This is an effective principle when deciding how to order elements. It refers to the ability to order all information according to alphabetical standing, time, location, continuum (lowest to highest for example) and categories (how an object relates to another). Of course many jobs require a more involved organisation type but it always helps to have a start point when faced with a large challenge.

Hierarchy
The organisation of information that is immediately understandable from a user by placing elements that have a direct correlation to each other conveyed in a visible way. Consider how complex systems like software rely on menus that cascade out, allowing a user to see relationships between controls and how they interact with each other. Hierarchy is a major factor of how people understand systems, controls and relationships.

There is something about the cascading menu that is imprinted into every user of a pc, be it Mac or Windows. The design pattern is so established that for certain sites with vast taxonomies it is the only option to convey the breadth of content and allow a user to explore the inventory in an intuitive way. Amazon is a great example of this and if you remember the tabs debacle you can see why they chose a safe option that works in a way that stays true to the trinity of  tried, tested and trusted. However this approach may change with the advent of improved user interfaces and touch technology.

Readability
Complex information requires the simplest form of presentation possible. This is transferred down to the language used and is often overlooked when designs of systems are built. Sentence length, word commanality, word length, syllable amount all contribute to if the information is easy to absorb or encounters unnecessary hurdles. Although there is a readability graph that allows a reading age to be calculated from any text, aim to use language that is concise and has clarity when conveying complex instructions, product descriptions or theories. Action buttons and navigation items are easy enough but imagine the challenge of explaining how a search tool works to somebody who has never used the internet.

Next its visual design

With a title like that you would think you were in for some pretty arduous reading. But this book achieves a solid, broad and well researched overview of the key design principles. When I review a book I like to see what others say about it. The criticism this book receives, is focused on the layout (typography and quality of illustrations) and the focus it has on US case stories. However, the core of the book is the text, and it is a well written enormously ambitious work that cites key influencers of design thinking. It crosses the boundaries between design disciplines with ease. It is essential reading if you are a designer, in education or work with those involved in design.

The book is worth the investment because of its breadth of coverage. It also serves as a reminder to why things work the way they do, how we perceive colour, layout and elements of persuasion. To those involved in UX this book is really important because it does not focus on one medium – but several. We need that ability as UX designers to be flexible and adapt to each design challenge. Practical application of our craft is founded in these principles, not being aware of them only sets us up for bigger falls in the future.

Verdict: This book was first published six years ago but it still feels fresh. The design principles are as valid now as they were then and you feel that they are a timeless benchmark to which design work must stand against. This book is an excellent source of reference and inspiration.

Picture courtesy of Pete Karl II

Scott Thomas (@simplescott) opened the event with a keynote that was fascinating and not just because it was about Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. He gave us the insight into the hard hours the team  put into the site and all the elements of the campaign to create a cohesive communication to the American public. What stood out was the multi-disciplinary team behind it and the iterative design process that created such an effective site (he  has a book about the work that you can pre-order here)

Highlights

The conference itself had an interesting mix of speakers. Jason Hobbs shared a thorough case story about Enterprise UX that had some brilliant takeaways about how he distills UX principles to guide the design process. I really like the process of doing this and he took the findings of business analysis from a spreadsheet and card sorted those findings into themes and groups. From this he could extract 12 statements that clarified important strategic aims of the project.

The UX principle process from Jason Hobbs

Leisa Reichelt showed a way of using video to show a group of designers and developers real user testing. Rather than tell the designers she set up a collaborative environment where she showed the user testing in action. This negated many of the pitfalls of the client interpreting data and I can see this as a great way to move towards transparency.

Cennydd Bowles’ talk on Wayfinding was a fast paced, interesting ride through the many elements of this increasingly important area. What I really liked was his concentration throughout on the physical world and his references to Adam Greenfield’s and Timo Arnall’s work. The realisation that we need as a group of UX professionals to see beyond screen based interfaces was captured by the speaker here.

There was also an amusing moment when a member of the audience disliked the use of the word findability, stating she could not see how a jug of water could become findable. To which Cennydd replied: ‘it could if it had wheels’. So not just beyond structure here, but more importantly beyond the screen itself.

Passion, commitment and focus on the future

The presence of so many cultures, and varied talks made for a surprisingly vibrant and enlightening event. This is the EuroIA’s real strength and perhaps why I feel it has a greater meaning in the global sphere. There are few other groups in UX who have such a mix of backgrounds, experience and cultural references to call upon. You can join the community here.

Eric Reiss made clear the site is in development as is the group itself, having recently gained formal legal status as a not for profit organisation. To have such a group formed, that as a UX professional you can call upon, is a great thing for any European working in this field.

What really made the conference a success for me were the people and the enthusiasm they showed (many had paid their own way to attend). This passion was evident all around, and I met a group a people who were highly experienced, knowledgeable and eager to move their discipline on into the future. This progressive feel was even more evident talking to those in corridors or over a drink after the sessions. Not unlike the Miami summit last year, I seem to gain my most important insights from talking with people about how they work and their real experiences. I’m looking forward to next year in Paris.