Website User Experience designer happy and miserable

Are you an interactive designer? Tell me, what do you do specifically?

Did I do a website design? It doesn't sound professional enough. I do Web design, it sounds ... You are the interface ...

Well, I reluctantly accept, but still will be very not give up: in fact, we do not only interface, we also plan to use the process, to study the user in order to achieve the goal to complete the task, simplifying the task ... Do not understand? All right, whatever!.

Interactive design is like one of their main outputs-wireframes, and sometimes has to be relegated to the middle of the product, in an awkward situation. If you have a good product manager in front of you, and you are energetic, you will sometimes be able to work with the interaction.

If you have a good visual designer and energetic, received an interactive designer to give him a bunch of simple wireframes, but do not know how to do, and, he would be very protest to become a painter, do not know on the basis of this wireframe "what is available for, what is not", we will often see some " The visual designer who knows not to be the one who delivers the visual manuscript encounters a cross-examination from an interactive designer: This structure is not tailored to your vision, which will change the way I've defined the user guide before.

I'm happy and miserable.

Partner pain: For good partners, they are not unable to do, and sometimes deliberately can not go to work, but

Most of the time, the product manager is suffering when he lets go: Alas, does he understand without my business intent? I don't trust, I think things are not controllable ...

Most of the time, visual designers feel miserable after taking over: Alas, the preliminary requirements and business discussions, I did not attend, this pile of things, I do not understand, but still have a page to beautify, and I have to give him the results of the work of acceptance ...

More people feel very painful, long process, division of fine, to the development of the time, encountered problems, but also first to find interaction, through interaction to find front-end engineers, solve the problem.

The pain of interaction designers:

We spent a lot of effort to do a lot of intermediate products, generally these intermediate products will be replaced in a moment, to the project release, those have been forgotten.

We spend a lot of effort to do coordination and communication, naturally become ued three roles of small PM. The business BRD is written to discuss business needs with the product manager and stick to the user experience line. The wireframe is done, to talk to a group of people about design requirements, to write a document. The visual manuscript is good, beware of others accidentally changed the wireframe frame. Copy and HTML done, but also to check whether the design requirements of the implementation of HTML, development completed, and to go as a tester to put in to test bugs. After publishing, you will continue to keep track of the effects. These, work many times seems futile.

But the most painful of interactions is not these.

One of the things that interacts with pain, persuasion basically depends on yy. This period of time to do a closed project, from one into the project room, there is a clear point of time and plan, too late to systematically think, put to do. Encounter some controversial issues, and talk to product managers, and found that our discussion slowly evolved into a story PK race. Let's try to convince each other of the stories of various scenes. For example, I said, if I were a user, how do I. He said: I don't think so, if I am the user, how do I.

The so-called PK became who reaction fast, can seize the other side of the loophole, who's eloquent, make the other side can not refute, who won. In fact, after hindsight, where did our persona go? What are the examples of atypical demand users who speak extreme atypical scenarios? Where are our user-centric noble theories? Why do you have to be the center of your own?

The truth is this: we don't have enough time to build a persona for every project. Previously established persona are not suitable for all projects. We don't usually have enough time to introduce user research before we start the program.

So, when we are in PK, sometimes we have to cite examples to tell stories. Perhaps an important quality for an interaction designer is to "tell a more trustworthy story in good faith". Do not rely on yy, rely on some observation, data, case analysis, in the discussion, it is natural to use the user's scene to describe the design, the user came here, he took what kind of demand, in the face of such a hint, he will have what kind of reaction ... His reaction will cause him to do it next ... Try to say as much as the user's soul possessed. I've seen a good designer, in the user's use of the scene, I although the whole scene is his own yy out, but his crazy action, painful expression, let people "empathy"-to this, want PK product manager, want to convince who, generally successful.

Of course, as an interactive designer, I think PK success, the heart does not necessarily have the joy of victory. Because, it is possible that demand side concessions not because the story is really moved, but the time factor, feel that there is no need in such "details" to spend too much time.

The second thing that interacts with pain, the moment of reflection: Am I doing right? Is this really the right one?

PK won, but ask yourself: I do the plan is really right? Does the user really think so? Are they really using this?

Maybe we'll be a little bit empty in our hearts.

In fact, the design also needs to continuously according to the user test, the data situation unceasingly iterations.

Once there was a product manager chatting with me, he talked about the past, he said: "The designers have launched several designers to discuss the plan with me, they insist to do so, I argued, but according to their plan to do." The results of the data is not good, was changed back ...

The point of interaction pain is just a few things:

1. Do everything, but others do not know what he did, and did not produce what can be remembered.

2. Do not know what you do is right (many times lack of support), oneself also have no bottom.

Two. The core competencies of interactive designers:

Since everyone is suffering, why are there interactive designers? Why not just get rid of the job?

In fact, yesterday to listen to the boss said, we do have this consideration, there will be no so-called interaction designers and visual designers, we have to double habitat, into a "product designer"-detailed professional ability requirements have not yet been released.

At the same time, product managers (product planners) will continue to exist. OK, let's not discuss the relationship between planning and design for the moment.

I understand the product designer, is the ability to more comprehensive interactive designers. His responsibilities are greater, to the product level and no longer the intermediate role in the process. He has a higher ability, maybe even vision, to streamline the process.

Interaction designers, product designers, as long as we do things at the core will not change, I think our core competitiveness will not change the embodiment.

Someone asked me: What is the flowchart used in your blog to draw?

My answer is: PPT, or Flash. Yes, in addition to the project use of professional tools such as Visio, I am basically used to use PPT flow diagram, fast, simple, and, as long as the meaning of the expression clearly, the tool is not a problem.

The competitiveness of interactive designers is reflected in many places: the specialization of deliverables is, of course, an important aspect, a symbol of occupation. I was more opposed to being an interactive designer, and even delivering my own deliverables so that partners had to make multiple calls to figure out how to use them.

But this is certainly not a core competency, but a foundation.

From my own point of view and summary, I think the core competitiveness of interactive designers embodied in three aspects. The so-called core competitiveness means that even if you do things that others can do, you must do better than the other characters.

1. Ability to perceive/TAP requirements

Demand is king.

Who is more able to perceive the needs of users, who will be able to tell a more reliable and credible story, who is persuasive.

Who can be more at the height of the business needs, at the height of the strategy, who will be able to communicate more easily with the business side, who will be more likely to win their trust, so that they are more comfortable to give you things to do rather than because of the lack of trust and pointing points.

Who can tap deeper and more potential needs, who are more likely to exceed expectations and make pioneering forward-looking designs.

Who can speak to the needs of users, who will be more confident of their own design plan, will be more determined to advance.

How to do it? (In fact, I don't like to write advice, because many times I can not do it myself)

Find opportunities to get in touch with your users as much as possible, and write down any feedback and suggestions you can make to your product, which you will use later.

When you have an opportunity to participate in a user interview, try to get the customer to tell their stories (instead of trying to verify your product so you know what the real user is and what their usage scenario is).

Take advantage of the company's existing research materials and results, as much as possible to collect, find ways to use.

Improve your data analysis capabilities--most of the time we think that data analysis is to see when the data has risen and when, in fact, the most important thing is to dig out the underlying causes of these phenomena.

Use their own products, analog users to use.

2. Ability to give creative solutions

You can say that the ability to perceive/mine demand is not as good as a user research engineer, or as a colleague in a company's specialized research department, and yes, they are more likely to get research and testing resources than you do. They are more professional than you.

But it's easier for you to translate the results of your research into a clear user requirement, and then the solution.

Solution, the product manager can also be out.

Visual designers can also get out. As a matter of fact, anyone can.

But as an interactive designer, your request is: be as creative as possible.

Think as much as possible about the habits and minds of users, but groundbreaking, forward-looking--always add some creative thinking;

As much as possible to meet everyone (business side + user) when you want to think about how to exceed expectations-can be the minimum requirements, want to use is your goal;

Try to think about how to make the scheme have a higher input-output ratio.

How to do it?

As a designer, when you visit the site pop-up a surfaced box, said, we have a new revision of the homepage, invite you to use the new version and feedback! You'd better try it. The taste of taste is the designer's instinct. But most of the time I have to review, I have been accustomed to the surfacing point off, until one day the team a new designer next to me to see me directly look at the closed, he said: "I think you should try, perhaps to us have inspiration." The design is all interlinked.

Experience new products, always be curious--that colleague is doing very well, often see him with some very strange websites and products, sometimes he will tell you, I only did this program, is inspired by So-and-so site, and then by the way to share a very strange site to us;

Collect more, on the Web page to see fun interesting design, don't forget to cut down to save, and categorize, slowly your mind will have a lot of reference objects. The so-called creativity is sometimes not imagined, but is stimulated.

3. Communication/Organization/coordination, the ability to get results

Without this 3rd, the first two points have done well, and also greatly discounted. Many new good designers, but often in a long time will feel no sense of achievement, in fact, the 2nd is often done beyond expectations, because there are not many thinking restrictions, the program is generally very creative.

The reason for the bleak, one may be because of the 1th, the business is not familiar with the site specific users lack of understanding. Second, do not know to find the key people, do not know how to speak their own design, do not know how to promote.

Wine is also afraid of Deep alley, in a large company, noise too much, interference many, everyone's energy is very dispersed, you as an interactive designer, need to find the right person in a short time, focus their energy, eliminate their contradictions (the contradictions of demand), let them agree on your plan, need to preach the ability, The ability to solve chaotic scenes requires the ability to organize meetings.

In the process of project promotion, you sometimes have to know when to find what kind of people to help you get the results. To find you, to make you more effective.

Once, a very good product manager and I share his experience, he said that he came to the company in the first three months, learned a core skills: looking for someone. If you know what's wrong, you should find someone. Sometimes it is wrong to go around a big circle, not necessarily solve the problem, time is wasted.

Clear and powerful (persuasive + attractive) to state the design;

Pay attention to deliverables, professional deliverables make your persuasive power (sometimes, you should be professional and professional, this will win due respect)

Planning and time management capabilities, from participating in the project, you need to participate in the whole process (business, design, follow-up, acceptance, with research ...) , you still need to do data tracking after publishing.

Attention to the environment: a sense of communication, pay attention to the needs of others. You may need a lot of people to help you later.

Thinking ability-Divergent thinking can help you come up with more creative solutions, positive thinking can ensure you are always full of morale and always make a comeback. Negative thinking gives you a sense of risk, taking into account the risks and limitations of the scheme. Logical thinking helps you to clear your mind, help you systematize your thinking, build a sense of global awareness, and help you organize your materials to make them more persuasive. When we are not able to reach a consensus, we can help you solve the chaos, find the core of the problem and the controversy, and help you get back to the main line of the discussion.

Communication skills-communication, communication, communication. Misunderstanding often comes from the wrong way of communicating and attitude. The meaning of communication depends on the other person's response, if the other person misunderstood you, to redefine your meaning, rather than dwell on each other's mistakes. Hard to do.