10-point experience and practical experiences in product design for good user experience

How to achieve a good user experience through the design of the product? Obviously, this is a complex and systematic thing, especially today, the word user experience is seriously abused, we need to think about how to influence the quality of the product through the design material, not the other. Designers need more attention to products, research users, understand and adapt to the corporate culture, so through the design process, behavior to affect the quality of the product experience. The following is my practice of accumulation and reflection of the deep feeling of 10 points, to talk about. To discuss and communicate with you, the most important thing is to be able to exert influence and change in practical work. Improve the collaboration, process, so that the advantages of each team resources aggregation, produce a strong driving force for the product.

1. Design products for users, products that experience, for the experience and design for the experience of strategic deployment of product patterns.

Products because of user needs and existence, the core value of the product is to provide a intuitive experience. Simple understanding such as light can bring a stable light in the dark, the car can be faster and more comfortable to travel. Human beings in order to meet the seemingly simple need to travel, thousands of years has been constantly exploring and innovation so that we can enjoy such a convenient trip (compared to ancient times), and now there is still immeasurable space to dig. To achieve a good experience requires a series of complete system synergy process, so we call the experience strategy. It is to focus on the experience in a strategic perspective to deploy the product pattern, which can be found in some successful enterprises, they have been or have done. such as Kodak, Apple, Google.

Domestic enterprises, such as Baidu, is one of the few companies in China on the Internet that has put forward a clear experience strategy and mission. Baidu has done a search engine, users can search through a box to access the Internet the vast amount of information, accurate to find the request, it is clear that the future of the information will be more abundant. At the same time, in order to make up for the lack of computer information to create a collection of human brain wisdom of the search community, such as bar, know these products, trying to the human brain rich, emotional, vivid, intelligent information mining and sharing, effective supplementary computer information deficiencies. In order to meet the user's definition of unknown knowledge, the existing knowledge, experience theory, literature, hot events, fresh words and other information electronic, format and produced the Baidu Encyclopedia. These are all around this experience strategy: "It's easy to get information and find what you want." "including the later."

Of course, this experience strategy, at present, still has a very long way to go. Indeed, only 10 years of Baidu is too young. Kodak's experience strategy "you press the button, the rest is up to me". If Eastman invented a simple camera just to complete the first half of the strategy, the second half took years to build an extended system of printing plants to meet and optimize this experience strategy. By contrast, Baidu is now likely to do is only part of the first half of the sentence, how to make people easy access to information. And the future of this goal can be excavated and perfect space is still very large. The second half of the sentence is only a beginning. such as box calculation. Box computing has foreshadowed the way in which users will use the Internet through a variety of terminals. Of course, a good foundation is important, the next challenge is how Baidu people inherit and carry forward this foundation, continue to improve the experience strategy Baidu.

2. The choice of demand: the demand base, demand frequency, the core value of the demand, and experience strategy fit.

The strength of large-scale competition has become increasingly prominent, and research and development costs and resources are limited, how to capture a certain size or a larger base of demand, whether it is the mass products or niche products, vertical community is good, are not allowed to ignore the problem. such as the need to grow the nose is enough for the small crowd. And it may have nothing to do with the experience strategy you want to provide. The scale of demand needs a certain base of support, for Baidu, this cardinal number needs to be magnified many times.

3. How to understand users? What kind of empathy is needed, how to implement it?

Even though one of the Yu June's PM12 bars is "PM first is User", here we do not argue its right and wrong, I only believe that understanding this sentence is not literal so simple, I also believe that his foothold is to ask PM to substitute for the understanding of users, to use a user's mentality to experience the use of products. To understand the depth of the user's things, such as the user's thinking, behavior, confusion and expectations, rather than that the PM can usually be a real user, in every respect, how to understand the user, and not only in the understanding of their perspective to think about requirements and design. Instead, the user's thinking takes into account the unreasonable of the system and the obvious expectation of the user. Similarly, universal empathy in the enterprise is beneficial for more people to truly stand on the user's perspective to make decisions. Avoid the "truth in the hands of a few people" situation, the individual PK group of communication costs and efficiency of waste and risk is a business need to avoid. More not duplicity. The mouth hangs the user experience, actually often does the trickery activity.

So what kind of empathy do we need? Many people simply think that more use of products can be, some people say Yu June use search thousands of times a day. On the internet, a serious horse-making a person repeatedly use the mailbox can put forward hundreds of ideas, in fact, far more than they describe so simple. The use of thousands of repetitions is at best a heavy user. The problem of using multiple product observations is far too limited. Often, the user is not as we imagine or familiar with the thinking, action or decision-making, they are not one, and more than a group, there are many big and small differences, how should we face it? It is clear that such complexity is present at all times. We can grasp its complexity by qualitative research. Establish concepts, theories, and models through the details of their spontaneous disclosures. Their behavior patterns, processes for us to reproduce and provide design ideas and sources. Qualitative and situational research, approach the user, put themselves into their situations and models, with their thinking, understanding of their lives, work, entertainment, as well as the plight and expectations, and so on, user research in many cases is a qualitative research.

Therefore, we should not superstitious any method, myth-like rumors, only down-to-earth in the enterprise to cultivate empathy, so that everyone first agree and accept: I am not a user. Do not open mouth said: "I think the user is like this, the user must be so." So so ..., in fact, the user is Dick or Harry are not clear?

4. How to design the product? Why do we need systematic thinking and process?

Product design is a very broad area. But ultimately it's about turning a known requirement into a tangible product and letting it run. The product design mentioned here mainly refers to the implementation phase of the product. Broad product design covers more content, including the origin of the product, planning and implementation of these three stages.

So how do you implement the design?

From the functional division of labor, from a worldwide perspective, the need for mastery and inductive refinement, as well as the transformation of functions and characteristics of the work is often referred to as product Managers (PM) are doing, they need to product strategy, competitive advantage, function, System factor synergy, resources, product experience indicators, product team communication and collaboration, Product target performance, etc. responsible. and management and deployment of the product cycle. They need a keen sense of smell to detect the strategic intent behind a new product, the core features and advantages of the products, and so on, PM needs to be very sensitive to the data, and in collaboration with a very detailed and clear product concept map, as well as PRD, MRD and other product planning and communication related delivery documents. They are the foundation and founder of a good product. It is the bounden duty of PM to make these good enough. It is no easy job to meet this requirement.

The other part belongs to the category of information design, which requires more professional, systematic training of information processing experts to operate. This section includes system architects, engineers (backend + front-end), information architects, user research, interactive designers, visual design, and brand awareness specialists. In China, most people with these abilities are concentrated in three general positions, system architects, engineers are generally referred to as programmers, user research, information architects and interaction designers are often placed in the position of interactive design, Visual design and brand design are generally placed in a position called a UI designer. In Baidu, and even more general, all of these belong to the designer of the user Experience Department. This requirement is clearly not low.

In some companies, if the division of labor is not clear under the circumstances, it is likely to fight each other, often rely on individual enthusiasm or the influence of a group to determine the division of labor, such as there is no lack of designer depth impact on product strategy and function, and even host product design, there are also some PM to intervene in the product Even though it is often more elementary or unreasonable. But this kind of phenomenon occurs all the time, carries on. The risk of such a product is entirely in this strong role.

In addition, from the product flow, to provide a systematic, rhythmic, linked and collaborative research and development process. The core is to run through the user-centric design, rather than in a fragmented, independent segmentation, partial design and development of the process, the cost of this process is like a snowball, digging mud, the problem roll bigger, dig deeper, and then the brothers will be more busy, busy after the UE, busy front, take turns toss, Finally, everyone overwhelmed, and finally in some accidental link broke out. Team Trust and cooperation are beginning to enter a deadlock or even confrontation. In many cases, a product part of the implementation process will generate new requirements, and product main contradictions, resulting in a request to redesign the subject. Or design is not sure good to the primary and secondary strength between products, the last catch, which did not do a good job. If it is poorly managed at the same time, the product will form a number of fragmented faults, these are hidden in the surface of a uniform and beautiful product interface behind the dead hole. Once the user experiences it, it will be exposed or visible or faint.

From the quality of personnel to see, do specific work at all times have a product overall view, have the answers are the basic elements should have. This requires product personnel to look at five step by step, product model framework to be familiar with the heart, always concerned with the system unicom and the relationship between the part of each other. The logical relationship between backbone and spur and so on. From the information design level, the user experience designer also needs the system thinking and the design, needs the system process to guarantee to the product whole experience appraisal and the intervention. Quick iterative modification of problems found. Information needs to be organized and placed according to the user's task situation. Effective design interaction information details and interactive ways, a product without a reasonable structure, lack of effective navigation and use of the path, the lack of concise and smooth use of the flow, the lack of simple and easy-to-use interface model, there are beautiful, has no competitive advantage, In particular, the growing awareness of Internet users has gradually changed today, in the future, users will be more likely than now to discard the difficult to use products. User awareness will also gradually from blind to active choice. This is a distinct imprint on the new generation of netizens who are more familiar with the Internet than our generation and are better at distinguishing between the pros and cons.

The problem product mentioned above is often said, the experience goal is very accurate, the demand is very clear, the experience quality is very bad product. This is not just a simple question of service stability or not.

5. Research for Design

The above mentioned understanding that users need to develop empathy, and user research is a good way to develop empathy, many times the user's spontaneous behavior characteristics, thinking is enough to provide effective information for product design decisions, such as the designer observed that a car insurance company employees in the processing of business, While answering the phone and recording some form of data in the sticky paper on the table, then enter the PC on the insurance client software interface, which gives enough information for product innovation design, users are often busy and tense and difficult to find complex interface of the form items, need a convenient electronic Notepad function to quickly record customer data , then the software in accordance with the format of carding information and input. Many of our studies are often long and empty. There are many misunderstandings in the research of enterprise use, for example, it is an old problem of the College school to find out the demand of the product clearly in the user research. One book says, "The evil report is the yoke of truth." It is very agreeable that we should make quick and agile research for design decision. Rather than anything else, this is not just the demand for Internet products, but also the requirements of all information products.

In addition, I do not recommend to set up a separate position for user research, user research is to be carried out in every aspect, so that the design of the performer to study, the study applied to design practice, than a pile of academic reports are more valuable.

6. design cannot be isolated? What is the value of the user experience Department?

Design ultimately face the object is the user, the implementation of the media is the product, if the design can not be effectively in the product design input and implementation, then the design will be ineffective, the design can not be isolated, but to integrate into the product design and development process. On the contrary, if the UE is merely in conjunction with the drawing, it goes into another cul-de-sac, and everything may deviate from the user orientation. When the user experiences the passive requirements of the designer to repeatedly modify a detail and suffer, it is hard to believe that there is still energy to do these important things: "Observe and understand the user, to think about products, how to interact, what users will have difficulties, how to bring positive emotional experience for users, accurate and targeted to grasp the user's preferences, Cultural and cognitive level. "Everything in order to draw the drawing, seemingly busy dying, but the end is not busy, is indeed a resource utilization on the unreasonable, in the user experience of the battlefield, PM and designers is not a subordinate relationship, but the Commander and staff relations, mutual dependence, close cooperation to win the war."

Design is born can not be isolated, no market design is meaningless, so it is necessary to understand the product industry in the market competition relationship, and the design needs to be well executed, so the design needs to be at all times with a number of links and departments to do intimate contact. In the demand phase, designers should be deeply involved in product planning ideas, efforts to provide ideas and ideas in favor of the product, and even help PM to choose the primary and secondary relationship of functional feature, to promote the use of user roles, and the entire team of users of empathy this piece of construction, so that everyone's thinking contains a clear user. Rather than a vague personal pronoun. In the stage of product construction, designers need to fully promote the project members of the product information organization and carding work, including building products in the client-side structure framework, path, navigation relationships, content organization, labeling, retrieval systems and so on. Enable users to quickly and easily recognize and find information. Find the request. This is especially important in the search for Community products. A good information system can also contribute to user viscosity. Reduce the user's exit in a fragmented operation.

In the product prototype phase, based on the understanding of the product's function and objectives, we build an interactive prototype that matches the user's expectations, which can be innovative, can be invoked from a number of schema libraries stored in the designer's mind, and then communicate the interaction pattern with the problem-solving agreement. Of course, the prototype design involves many aspects, not here not to do in-depth elaboration. After the prototype will be user interface design, user interface design is the real client interface, so the design needs to consider the real situation, emotion, aesthetic preferences (shape, style, color, temperament, etc.). Comprehensive consideration and balance of ease of use, attractiveness and other factors. After the user interface visual design, the same need to communicate with the previous section of the engineer, through the annotation, annotation and documentation, etc., follow-up implementation to ensure that the interface effect is strictly and accurately executed, forming an HTML page. The interface that the user touches to and the interface that the designer designs is highly consistent. Sometimes it is necessary to make flexible debugging on the basis of the effect diagram. Communicate with the front-end engineers on complex implementation issues. In summary, all the issues related to experience should be paid attention to, even work in the RD category.

From the above process, designers often not only in the painting, but in the discovery, thinking, deliberation, construction, overthrow, rebuild the thinking iterative process, as well as the implementation of the constant communication, collaboration and follow-up project quality work. Designers need to build a beneficial and benign communication and collaboration relationship with PM,RD,FE and real users in order to provide a design that ultimately benefits the product experience. Can the effect of team results amplification optimization, happy implementation of a good design. Let the user some more echocardiography and smile. Make the product more robust.

In fact, many colleagues in other departments do not understand the user Experience Department, that the UE is very mysterious, do not know what they do? The most likely to know is just: "That department is a group of people who can draw, there are unrestrained creativity." "Even sometimes there are misunderstandings:" projects that find them can always find a lot of problems, communicate with them with cost, influence efficiency, and sometimes ideas don't work. ”

It is also important and necessary for the relevant departments to understand and know the user Experience department so as to promote mutual understanding and collaboration. How to teach and introduce the user Experience Department on various occasions and opportunities like everyone else. In the project cooperation to deepen other departments of the user experience design of the cognitive impression, so that slowly promote the whole enterprise to cultivate a true empathy, all stand in the user's point of view, that power is self-evident. Real to promote the improvement of product user experience, so that the user experience of the fire more authentic, extensive and in-depth impact of the entire enterprise products. The user experience is not a simple one, it is not a person's business, not just a team of things, these have been placed in front of a business.

So where is the value of the user experience Department?

1 provide rapid prototyping support for innovative ideas, and promote innovative ideas into good products.

2 for users more convenient access to information and design. True and strict adherence to the user-oriented rather than the boss-oriented.

3 to provide users with the driving force of the engine, to promote the user experience of the cognition and practice, so that more people understand the real user experience, and participate in user experience design, to avoid misuse and even misuse of the word user experience, cultivate and promote from the individual to the group user-oriented thinking. Develop empathy for all members.

4 The establishment of research services to the design mechanism, so that the user Experience department to become research, understanding and close to the user's advance team, more accurate understanding, analysis and understanding of users. And the results of the study and product design closely combined. Provide effective design support.

6 Create innovative laboratories for the experience strategy and to meet the needs of users to contribute to creativity, building blocks for enterprise competitiveness.

5 Establish a positive relationship between users and products and brands.

7. make design a competitive enterprise and make it concrete-provide better prototyping support for the idea of achieving experience goals

Design how to become a competitive enterprise, design to enable enterprises to gain and maintain a competitive advantage, rely on it to provide a truly profound understanding of the user, and how to provide the ideal solution to them (users), in most markets, cost advantages and technical advantages may be temporary, The acceleration of homogenization can only make these weapons more accessible and short-lived, but if the existing technology and resources are renewed and the new ideas are transformed into a good user experience, this ability will enable the enterprise to gain a sustainable market leader position. Then the focus of the user Experience Department should be to provide rapid prototyping capabilities for innovative ideas, so that more good ideas can be quickly realized. Design gives the idea of life to make it shine. A prototype that can articulate what people expect to experience can make ideas workable and exciting and have a huge impact. Transform creativity and observation into design artifacts, and design prototypes to validate abstract ideas. This will provide a guarantee for great ideas to be transformed into great products.

8. from prototype to user interface

From the iteration of the prototype to the interface visual design to the previous code to the normal operation of the background, all the process is to submit to the user A perceptual level, experience a good user interface, which is the user can truly intuitive feel the main part of the product. These processes are accompanied by a series of design methods to hashed the usability of the product user interface, through different design methods to explore the product user interface to the user emotion, habit preferences, expectations and other aspects of the needs of all-round satisfaction. The process has a lot of tedious but important links. Need to balance cost, technology, efficiency and design quality.

9. the ability to integrate from resources to design determines product quality

The integration and input of all aspects of resources determine and impact the level of experience of the product, the previous mention of the excellent experience requires the system's components of benign collaboration, so as to provide a complete, smooth feeling. This is not limited to product design, but also includes marketing, marketing, and operational maintenance. Apple's success is not just the success of a single product, but the seamless integration of resources and design into a system that is competitive. This requires the design to understand the user story, the user to use the real situation of the product through the construction of a reasonable system to meet the smooth experience. This system of integration and synergy to determine the product experience level, that is, product quality, as well as restricting the competitiveness of an enterprise is the key factor.

Creating a good environment for innovative activities

Measurable to manage is not "snake balm". It is not suitable for creative participation in the work, as well, many times the user experience requires the designer to have a strong sense of responsibility, initiative, user perception, perseverance and interest, rather than performance appraisal and task distribution. The excessive pursuit of measurable manageability will force some real talent to go.

Excellent processes need to be precise, consistent, and replicable, while innovation requires loose space, differentiation, failure and luck. Light has an idea, not to try to do, never know right and wrong, and ultimately difficult to reach success. The reason why many ideas end in abortion, and finally have no chance to try closely related. Innovative activity is to touch a stone across the river, and constantly try, constantly fail to find some luck and opportunity to eventually hatch into a miracle. In the enterprise, people are often busy dealing with efficiency issues, organizing meetings, preparing reports, correcting bugs, writing emails, demonstrating PowerPoint, and summing up work, which makes people seem more productive and time-consuming, so people have little time and energy to try to create new things, Many good ideas have no chance of being demonstrated and shared by effective prototyping, and because methods that have not been tried are often difficult for others to understand, and potentially fail. This is one of the reasons why companies resist trying to innovate and design, especially things like the design experience of "more nihility, harder to be objective, measurable, controllable", often appearing to clash with classic business management practices.

Because the experience is difficult to measure, therefore many times lacks the strong support and the impetus, many product's summary report often attaches "the outstanding user Experience" the word, but very few enterprises depth to this word behind, the enterprise often believes oneself to provide the user the good experience, the fact is far from this.

To make design a competitive enterprise, innovative activities must be active and frequent, many people stubbornly believe that creativity is very rare, very expensive, in fact, it is only pegged to that small part because of the success of a few, many times, creative simple easy to get, also very cheap. Creativity needs an intuitive way to scrutinize, generalize, preach and express, refinement until perfect, so that people really understand these ideas, this is a challenge, many times people think that creativity is rare, very fragile, because it was successfully excavated and implementation of the few.

This is closely related to the fact that many of the company's mechanisms do not inspire staff creativity, or that there is no effective tool to help them collect, excavate, refine, refine and perform good ideas, so that some good ideas are buried or prematurely aborted. Even sometimes, employees have to take a huge risk and efficiency burden for innovative activities. In an efficiency-centric machine, it is pushed and run until it is numb.

Then creating an environment conducive to innovation is the foundation, a open and free working environment that accepts and even encourages mistakes, and encourages and supports the use of a large number of flexible and lightweight prototypes to validate and implement ideas, and to accept and absorb everyone's wisdom. Let more good ideas become part of the product or product, so as to release the power of design, standing in the demand and user perspective design experience, such enterprises will not lack of innovation. Products will also become more attractive with the frequent development of innovative activities. The brand itself will become more and more valuable, and be respected.