The Seven Commandments Of User Experience

Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

e Seven Commandments of User Experience.Nick Finck, October 4, 2008

http://www.bizjamseattle.com/schedule/entrepreneurial-success-by-design/





?Who the f#@k is this dude?


• Principle & Director of User Experience for Blue Flavor

• Publisher of Digital Web Magazine

• Based in Seattle, Washington

• Over 13 years working in the web field

• Projects: Adobe, Cisco, CitiBank, Converse, FDIC,

HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oprah, PBS, Peet’s Coffee

Nick Finck


?What is User Experience?


• Accessibility (GAWDs)

• Information Architecture (IAI)

• Information Design (IDA)

• Interaction Design (IxDA)

• Technical Writing (STC)

• Usability Engineering (UPA)

• User Research (HFES)

• Visual Design (AIGA)

• Web Analytics (WAA)

UX is the umbrella that covers:


The First Commandment

It’s All Aboute Users


Photo by Andrea Wigginshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/anikarenina/550438755/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anikarenina/550438755/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anikarenina/550438755/


Who Really Is the User?


“You are not the user. Neither is your boss.”- Jessyca Frederick

Director of Product Management,ThisNext

http://www.thisnext.com

http://www.thisnext.com



?But if I don’t listen to the client or boss,

won’t they will fire me?


Customer (or User) Goals

Busin

ess G

oals Technical Goals

SweetSpot

Finding the Sweet Spot



The Second Commandment

Avoid Solutioneering


Identify Problems Before Finding Solutions


“Design, by very definition, is the act of solving problems. In order for anything to be designed well, we

must first identify the problems we are trying to solve and the goals we are trying to reach.”

- Jeff CroftWeb Designer, Blue Flavor





The Third Commandment

Form Always Follows Function


“[Design is] adding experience but taking away the hard edges, and allow people to embrace the tool or

service in a closer interaction.”

- Thomas Vander WalPrincipal, InfoCloud Solutions

http://infocloudsolutions.com

http://infocloudsolutions.com


Photo by Tex Texinhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/textexin/401742074/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/textexin/401742074/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/textexin/401742074/



The Fourth Commandment

Allow for Failure


“Failure is not falling down. Failure is not getting up.”- Nick Finck

Principal, Blue Flavor



!Michael Jordan failed to make his varsity basketball team

Albert Einstein's teacher described him as "mentally slow"

Walt Disney went bankrupt several times



The Fifth Commandment

Do Not Imitate, Innovate


Pedometer Nike+







The Sixth Commandment

Do Not Get in the User’s Way


ink about the Context




Photo by ATIS547http://www.flickr.com/photos/albaum/1564680070/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/albaum/1564680070/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/albaum/1564680070/



Content is Critical


“On any page with text, make sure most of your best design efforts account for making that text scanable,

clickable, readable and understandable.”

- Jay FienbergPrincipal, Juxtaprose

http://www.juxtaprose.com

http://www.juxtaprose.com


!95% of web users do not read 80% of your content!


This doesn’t mean that your content isn’t important, it

means it’s more important.



The Seventh Commandment

Use Your Network


Always Have A Mentor


Photo by K.G. Schneiderhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/kgs/2415050174/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgs/2415050174/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgs/2415050174/


Be a Connector



Don’t be Afraid to Reach Out for Help


Forget reference books, you are here and I have

business cards!


Thank you!

Come to our party tonight, we’ll get you drunk


Seven Commandments of User Experience.Nick Finck, October 4, 2008

http://www.blueflavor.com/http://www.blueflavor.com/blog/[email protected]

http://2008.webjamsession.com/sessions/the-seven-commandments-of-user-experience/




http://www.blueflavor.com

http://www.blueflavor.com

http://www.blueflavor.com/blog/

http://www.blueflavor.com/blog/

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