Things that teach me to work (1) - About interactive design

Since the day I became known as an interactive designer, I received intermittent, intermittent, messages from fellow teachers and sisters, let me talk about this post, talk about thoughts, opinions, and give them a flat path of. (Unfortunately, I am quite struggling along the way.) This is almost 2 years time, prevaricate a lot of problems that can not be answered, but also flirting with some unscrupulous people. But overall, writing this essay will give you an answer to your fellow schoolchildren. It is also a summary of myself: to make their own knowledge explicit, some accumulation, the use and heritage.

What is interactive design?

Interactive design, also known as interactive design, (Interaction Design, abbreviation IxD or IaD), is to define, design the behavior of artificial systems design. Artifacts, that is, artifacts, such as software, mobile devices, man-made environments, services, wearable devices, and the organizational structure of the system. Interaction design consists in defining the interface of the artifact's behavior (the "interaction," which is how artifacts react in a particular situation).

--Wikipedia

I prefer to explain interactivity through its descriptive intent compared to using academic statements: to help users efficiently accomplish the tasks envisioned by the product, and to make the user feel pleasant and undisturbed in the process.

KFC fast food restaurant - watch for stools and presents

I will use the real case of KFC, McDonald's and other fast food restaurants to explain my own definition, which I think is the most intuitive:

Efficient: regular, you can point that is a few packages, eliminating the hassle of your own catering options hesitation. From ordering to get food, up to 3 minutes. Even if you need to wait, will also produce a grade to you, to send you later. Fast, accurate and convenient.

Assumptions for the product: As soon as you go in, the waiter will prompt you for a meal, the table layout is small and compact, the stools are not mobile, deliberately makes you uncomfortable. Use warm lighting, play fast-paced songs and expand your appetite. What are the tasks they envisioned? Let you quickly leave after eating. (In fact, you are also holding this purpose) rather than let you enjoy this meal leisurely cuisine.

Pleasant: From the decoration layout, fast food restaurants are very clean, bright and vivid colors. Attendants are always so enthusiastic, courtesy; ordering maybe harvest a gift. You say, you can not happy?

Not Disturbing: No matter if you are waiting, rubbing the restroom or really eating, the waiter will not bother you (unless you take the initiative to call), in addition to what you need to say when ordering, you do not need to say something After eating leave.

Why interactive design?

Then the conclusion is clear and straightforward: interactive design can use the tricky, clever way that users do not notice, without thinking, without learning, to complete what you want, and is also what he wants, at the same time, will not cause users Disgusted and angry. Even he will appreciate your product in return.

Like a fast food restaurant, customers can effectively fill their stomachs, and they can also guide customers to finish eating and leave quickly. They do not think they are being pushed away or disturbed.

Another reason for the need for interaction design is that there are too few products in the world to meet the above objectives, or even as few as one, and users spend too much time looking for a suitable good product.

Why is this? Li Xiaolai once wrote in his own article "Why do you have to work extra hard?"

There are many things in this world that are not simply linear.

There is a cruel example for reference. Let us look at the so-called "left women" is what left? Probably, they all feel their own requirements are not high: the level of education can not be too low, right? People can not look too ugly? Head can not be too short, right? Age can not be too big, right? Why have a little money, right? Why do people have a little sense of humor, right? ... Indeed, every condition does not look high enough, it's basically just the upper middle ground ... But the problem is that every time there is only one person out of three who can meet the conditions, there are already six conditions before and after The numerator is 1 and the denominator is the 6th power of 3, that is, 1/729, that is, from a purely probabilistic point of view, she needs to be able to reach 729 men before she can meet one of the conditions ...

Well, at the same time to meet the "rice + meat + vegetables + food fresh non-toxic + fair price + ordering convenience + moderate taste + store clean and tidy + toilet + air conditioning and heating + waiter good attitude + do not go too far" These seem to be eating the general needs of Chinese fast food restaurants, how much?

Kung Fu fast food restaurants do not have toilets, a lot of people refuse to be a real reason.

Therefore, in order for your product to be user-friendly and loyal, you need to design your product to be outstanding for your product to be more profitable. Also, you do not need to worry about someone walking ahead of you without worrying about your competitors, and you should focus on meeting the needs of your users and getting you behind with interactive design.

Interaction designer in the team's position?

With the development of industrial technology, there are more and more daily necessities accessible to individuals on average. People are constantly wasting time and emotion on the basis of hard-to-use industrial products. Therefore, the theory of user-centered theory has also been produced accordingly . Its origins are industrial design and ergonomics, to put it simply: designers should make the product suitable for human use rather than getting used to the product.

Industrial designers (such as cars and home appliances) keep in mind this fine tradition that software designers and web designers are throwing their heads behind. For decades they have enabled software and web pages to be used and displayed on their computers, but users Can not use them to complete the task.

In China, we often discuss interactive designers, generally refers to the Internet product design team among the interactive designers.

An ordinary Internet product design process

Rome is not built in one day, a good product is not relying on designers alone. Therefore, the general development team, is composed of several separate groups to work together. as follows:

Product team: Mainly responsible for product requirements definition, strategy, operation, promotion and so on. Representative role is product manager. Design team: Mainly responsible for product interface interactivity, visual appearance, and web front-end related work, if necessary, work on usability testing and user research. Representative role is interactive designer. Programmers' Team: Most of their work is in the designer's hard-to-knock code, but they are at the core of the development team. Representative role is the project manager. Test team: mainly to test the logic of the product or the limitations of bug and deficiencies. Provided to the programmer group or design team to modify.

So, we see that interaction designers have actually become a central role in the development team that's essential and always goes through the development process:

In the definition of requirements, interaction designers need to be involved with research efforts to ensure that this product is able to meet a specific user a specific expectation. During the design phase, the interaction designer needs to make the appearance of the product by making a prototype, so that the product can accomplish the task efficiently. At the same time, you have to ask visual design colleagues for visual design, and you have to discuss the feasibility of prototype implementation with colleagues at the front end. And, you have to pass your prototypes for usability testing. During the development phase of the program, though it may be tempting for a while, there are often some development problems that affect the efficient task of users in this stage. You need to participate in making decisions and strike a balance between development efficiency and experience. In the final test phase, you have to receive the test report, and filter out the design problems to proceed with the solution.

Interactive design of the role of multiple stages of description (click to enlarge)

Interaction designer should have the ability?

If you look closely at similar hiring tips you will find that the truth is that they describe the capabilities an interaction designer should have. Although speaking differently, there are a few core competencies that you need to master, and others are just points plus points.

A rich experience in the experience of Internet products, keen observation.

If you are going to be a browser, you have to become a browser expert and you have to understand the operational interactivity of each browser day and night to see how quickly their features update. And, you better like this, do a good summary and screenshots. This helps you quickly determine the difference and competitiveness of your browser.

Second, a deep understanding of the various platforms under the interaction and interface specifications

There is a core requirement that must be met in interaction design: standardization and consistency. When you have this knowledge, make sure that you are standing on the shoulders of giants at the beginning of your design, and that your design draft has its own rules and guidelines.

Through the use of these norms, but also to help you create your own design specifications.

Third, fight the spirit of a small strong undead and strong communication skills

You need to constantly evolve your design ideas throughout the development process, like the entire team, answering questions from colleagues or BOSS. You must also have a continuous communication spirit to persuade product managers to take better care of your needs and convince others to recognize your designs. Without these capabilities, no matter how good your design draft, the final product molding is likely to be a low-grade goods.

Four. The remaining points plus points

With visual skills, well written documentation, time management, design progress management and tracking, and a programmer's background ... these are all places where you can add points. However, just a bonus, and can not decide that you are a good interactive designer.

How is this job?

A common question designers interact with is how to get along with the product manager? And there's still a lot of discussion online. Such as: the relationship between ambiguous "interactive designer" and "product manager."

Some companies in order to save them the trouble between the two each other, so save the product manager, only the product designer only. From now on, this may be a good way.

However, in the long run, as design work becomes increasingly responsible, more occupations in the design division will emerge. Such as: user experience engineer.

As many people think of space for growth, as you work more proficient. In career transition, you exist product manager, design manager, visual design, and even user research engineers in various directions.

So in general: interactive designer is still a money more, fewer people, quick to the job.

Source: http://www.userkon.com/tolyer/taught_me_by_work_1_about_interaction_design.html