UX Secret Sauce
Lately, I have read numerous articles and posts about UX. I have noticed that most of the shared knowledge is focused on technical aspects such as tools, implementation, principles, and guidelines.
Throughout my career, I have met many UX designers who were highly skilled technically but lacked an important skill that is often overlooked: the "how" - the mechanism, dynamics, and operations. I call this skill the UX Secret Sauce, as it is rarely worked on and often hidden.
So, I have decided to share my knowledge about this secret. Let's start digging into the UX Secret Sauce - the hidden key to a successful UX career and the secret to stand out from the crowd!
There are many secrets, and now i’m sharing one of them: Decision
Decision!
A UX designer should have the courage to take action, move forward, and make compromises. They must be able to prioritize and let go of certain things.
These are challenges we face every day, from deciding what to eat and wear to when to sleep and read. In UX design, we face similar challenges, as it's all about making decisions.
Therefore, in UX design, we must incorporate choices and decision-making processes.
Here are some tips on how to do this:
1. Compromise
At some point, you will have to make a compromise. You may face a situation where you have two good choices, and you don't know which one to choose. This is where you have to compromise.
"I like both!" you may say.
You might be trying to decide on a color, solution, or layout. You don't know which one to let go.
This is where you need to :
assess the pros and cons
list down the cons of both choices
compare the losses
Finally, make your decision and acknowledge the loss. By doing this, you can be sure that you want this outcome and you are okay with these losses.
2. Move forward
Don't get stuck and freeze when you're faced with two choices.
Instead, exclude what doesn't work or won't fit, compare the options in the context of the whole design, and avoid freezing…. take action!
Afterward, assess the results, test, iterate, and enhance.
Just keep going, and don't get stuck when you like them both!
3. Let go
The hardest part is leaving and letting go of the other option.. which you like.
It's not as easy as it sounds!
Sometimes we feel that both options are good and not worth losing.
However, if we don't let go of any option, we will never finish the design and never move forward.
So, let’s just have the courage to choose, exclude, and keep the other options in mind. They might be needed in another challenge or more suitable for another product.
4. Take Risk
When we have to choose between two options that we like equally, there is a certain level of risk involved. We believe that both options will work fine, but we are not certain about our choice.
However, taking risks is part of growth and learning. If we do not take steps forward, we will not achieve anything, and we will not learn from our mistakes.
Today, we may be taking a risk, but tomorrow we will have learned this lesson well, and it will no longer be a risk.
So go ahead and jump in! Just try it out!
5. Be accountable
Building on the idea of risk-taking, it is important to take responsibility for the outcome and results.
Taking risks means that there is a possibility of failure! but it is important to stand up for your mistakes, take responsibility, and be okay with failure.
Do not be afraid of this responsibility, because a good designer is someone who admits when a decision is incorrect or when they have not assessed an issue correctly.
Blaming others or putting the blame on external factors will not help us grow. Instead, it will only hinder our success.
Take Away
A good UX designer must have the courage to make choices, exclude options, and take responsibility for the outcome and results of their decisions, even if there is a possibility of failure.
They should take action, move forward, make compromises, take risks, and avoid getting stuck when faced with difficult choices.
There are many secrets, and this is one of UX Secret Sauce: Decision.
Stay tuned for the next secret!
Thank you for reading!
I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out. randavictor.com
Decision — UX Secret Sauce Randa Victor | May 2023