Discussion on user-guided design

Introduction

As a 163 free WAP version of the interactive designer, every day will receive a lot of user feedback, some of them reflect: I do not know how to modify the mailbox password, the write-mail page can not find the "Send" button, even do not know the login mailbox to fill in the user name is what ... Some seemingly simple operations, for users are likely to cause trouble, resulting in "frustration." With a new product/new feature, the user will spend more than the above situation to learn more cost to understand the product. As interactive designers, we are obligated to present new products/new features to them in a way that helps users understand and accept them. Otherwise, the user may never find the service or product that we have that he is looking for, and it is likely that the result will be a circle on the website and then curse to leave. In general, we will not get too many "second chance" to correct it, the user lost it is difficult to turn back!

Talk about Novice Guide ...

For a variety of reasons, the product is going to a vicious circle, that is, the function and content is constantly expanding, the product becomes increasingly complex and bloated, increasingly difficult to use, for new users, how to accept such a large product? How to make users interested and quick to read, and then generate the use of the desire and interest, is the problem we need to consider.

The first thing we think of is "novice boot." The so-called "novice guide" refers to the product rules in a simple and understandable way in a short period of time communicated to the user module.

The simplest novice guide is to convey the product's function and concept to the user in the form of text. such as Evernote.

But in some cases, such as when the product is relatively complex, it is not enough to just put these dry words there, and users rarely have the patience to read "instructions." We can use other forms of guidance to eliminate the user's various initial symptoms, such as the production of a high-quality video to explain the product, such as Business Photos from GOOGL (← Click to see) Many products will use the Cue box to create the user's new online features/ Notice, but this way most of the user will, will cause a certain disturbance, the following figure. (I find "new", there's no need to remind me like this. →,→) There are also simple and vivid graphics, such as Weico; what's more, the novice task model in the game is introduced into the product, with the reward of the way to attract users, so that users of the product quickly start, such as Devhub. (See Blueben gamification: Internet products Game design ideas)

So, in the end, under what circumstances, what kind of novice guide would be the most cost-effective? Now the above beginners to guide the way to organize the following table for reference:

From the analysis of the above table, we can see that the existing novice guidance methods have advantages and disadvantages, in the actual guidance of the design, we need specific circumstances specific analysis, weigh the pros and cons, using the appropriate guidance or combination.

In addition to the Novice guide, we can use the product itself to guide users ...

In fact, for products, only the novice guidance to guide The maze is not enough, it is only the user to understand the product of the test water stone, in the end this pool is deep shallow, but also to users to use the product, experience can be understood. To "root causes", or should use the product itself "clues" to guide users, create a clear, methodical use of experience, improve product usability.

First, control the demand of the product. The smartest way to keep a clear guide to the product itself is to learn to control the product's needs. Keep the product simple, focus on the existing features, to the extreme of one thing. Any superfluous things can bring huge risks, if blindly meet the needs of users, and the product is more and more complex, guidance will become increasingly blurred and tricky, users will easily be lost in the product, leading to make the wrong decision, to the wrong direction.

Second, grasp the rhythm of the product. As mentioned in the top ten guidelines for Google's user experience:

"Guide beginners to attract experts. The best Google design looks simple on the surface, but it contains powerful features. Our goal is to provide a wonderful initial experience for new users, let new users quickly become familiar with the product, provide help when necessary, and ensure that users can use the most valuable features of the product to gradually disclose the advanced functionality and encourage users to expand their use of the product through simple intuitive operation. At the same time, Google will, in due course, provide some smart features to attract experienced, seasoned users. ”

The ideal boot approach should be incremental, ensuring that the function of the pair appears in the right place. The primary function of the product should be simple and direct, so that the novice users feel enough to use, will not be used by their own functions are confused, while the advanced users fully meet their "involved in the odd mentality", in a little bit of exploration of products in the process, can find the required advanced features.

In addition, three aspects that need to be noted ...

1. Home page is very important. Home in a very short time to express a lot of content, is the product to the user's first impression, information architecture guidance and the need to grasp the accuracy is more important, need all the information must be extremely refined and to the point, so that users enter the product with a strong demand, let them perceive the purpose of the product, This purpose will guide users to the theme, smooth completion of the operation of the task, Google's search box is home without interference typical example.

2, respect the user's habits. The guidance of the product is not only related to the user's purpose of use, but also has a very direct relationship with the user's cognitive accumulation. The Nielsen Norman Group's test report showed that the percentage of successful users who went to a particular product to complete a task was about 2:1, and these failures occur when people are using new products. That is, if people spend most of their time in the actual use of products that have been proven or considered usable in the past, they will have a higher chance of success. The more natural and familiar the design is, the more likely it is that the user will come back. Therefore, I personally do not object to the design of product interaction in the appropriate use of similar products, because these interactions are proven to be acceptable to users, or users have been accustomed to such operations. This is not to say, of course, that the innovation of design is stifling.

3. Use the power of copywriting. Copy (label/hint) to the user's guidance also can not be underestimated. When a user points to a product to find useful information, the copy should be understandable and descriptive. Don't be clever with the words that lead the user, that will only confuse the user, distracting them and making them more confused. It's a different way to create an easy-to-use, real-user experience by using the language they use to describe the requirements.

Concluding

If the worst user experience in traditional media is that users don't know what it is, the worst user experience of the Internet is that users don't know what to do. People's natural sense of direction in the physical space does not work in the information space at all, and messy designs can lead to products that die, and worse, they go to your opponents. A good product will be when the user needs to provide the things they want, so that users can be assured to explore, when users are able to do in the product they want to do the first thing, the product is successful.

finally put an Oscar for 2006 years of the best short film "Lifted" (← Click to watch), relaxed, again feel the chaos and no guidance of the product on the user's disastrous, I hope our users do not like the short film in the small et so embarrassed and helpless ...

Source: http://uedc.163.com/5614.html