Stop Blaming The User! It’s Not Their Fault.
It’s very common human reaction to question your intellect when the desired task can’t be achieved. It’s how a human brain works.
Very Recently, A friend (App Developer) asked me to help him out with some design and user journeys he created for a mobile app. While he was taking me through, explaining the user journey, I pointed out something that “may” distract the user from their intended goal. To which he replied, “But I wouldn’t mind since my goal wouldn’t be affected which is to make the user take some action if not particular”.
After an hour-long discussion and explanation including various roleplays, logical and illogical examples(by both of us), and a little bit of teaching he asked “It’s the user’s mistake, Right? They should be focussed and careful while performing the intended task”. “Agreed”, I replied, “But in scenarios like this, the users consider it their fault and the overall experience will not be delightful or satisfying, but rather resentful”.
We have to design systems for people the way they are, not the way we want them to be — Don Norman
So the three things I consider, even before start sketching are:
1) The User’s need and goals are the first priority.
We build something to either to solve a problem or to make it better. Putting any other goal/need that precedes the users’ won’t yield you promising or desired results. It’s important to align product’s or management’s goals with those of the users as if isn’t done, you will see evidence that the users will start dropping.
2) Users are never wrong, stupid or at fault. It’s the design that is.
Creating something that is Human-Centered is not easy. A lot of effort goes into understanding the users’ behaviour, motivations and goals. I’ve seen both developers and designer both, either tend to bias or undervalue those considerations later on justifying “If a user did something that they shouldn’t, but the product let them anyways, it’s the user to blame. The product will do what the user demand”. Of course, it will, but if the users have to figure that out, then what good is the product for.
If you cannot understand how to use a machine because of its variety of buttons, no clear indication that makes sense to you, Is it your fault because you’re stupid? No!, The design is at fault.
3) Understand how human functions and ways people have operated for years.
Don’t just become a designer, become a “Cognitive Designer”. The term is invented by Don Norman. He says “I’m a Cognitive Designer because I take what we understand about the human being, human cognition, and I apply that to making technology, services, system better for the people who are involved.” Rather than teaching people how something should be done or changing the way they behave in a particular way, learn how the people have operated for so long and provide a solution using that.
Creating a design touching above points may help you understand your user more deeply and the end result will be so satisfying both for you, the creator and the end user.
Thank you for reading…
Hello, My name is Manav Madaan. I’m a Digital Product Designer specialising in UX Design. Here on Medium to improve my story telling skills and share my experiences and learning.
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Like my work, wanna collaborate, hire me for work or like to make friends. Shoot me an email at yomana(dot)madaan(at)gmail(dot)com
