Being a Digital Product Designer is much more than just a job title. It’s much more than you imagined at first when you started on the field,
it’s about the value you bring to the team and the product.
In order to excel in this role, it’s crucial to wear multiple hats and embrace a broad skill set. By doing so, it would be easier to identify paint points and opportunities for growth, for both the product and the user.
Knowing UX heuristics, how to work with data, and how to conduct UX research and user testing, as well as understanding various UX terms and design principles, is essential. You can take courses and study other products, but this alone is not enough to become a digital product designer.
As the time passes by you find your way of applying all these concepts in your processes.
As I dive into understanding how users filter information, I’ve realized that while we know a lot about general user behavior, focusing on your specific target audience presents a unique and fascinating puzzle. Creating personas based on this audience helps, but human psychology and emotions are complex and diverse. Here’s what I’ve learned:
There are so many things that we know about people in general, but I’ve concluded that studying your specific target audience usually brings you in front of a very interesting puzzle. I usually use personas made out of the target audience I am working on, but most of the time, people’s psychology and feelings are so much wider and different. You have to keep that in mind always.
1. Users are Overwhelmed by Complexity Users are overwhelmed if they are exposed to complex actions and decisions. Simplifying tasks and minimizing decision points can significantly enhance the user experience.
2. Large Elements Are Easier to Interact With Large elements are always easier to interact with. (Yeah, I’m talking to you with the tiny “Cancel subscription” buttons!) Making interactive elements bigger and more accessible improves usability.
3. Ad Blindness As we are all overwhelmed by ads, people tend to ignore things that resemble ads or occupy ad-like spaces. It’s important to avoid placing critical information where it might be mistaken for an advertisement.
4. Consistency and Predictability Matter Users appreciate consistency and predictability in design. When elements behave as expected, users feel more comfortable navigating in the product. So, use consistent icons, familiar layouts, and consistent colors to guide users seamlessly through their tasks.
5. Visual Hierarchy and Focus Effective use of visual hierarchy helps users process information more efficiently. Prioritize importance, highlighting important elements with size, color, or placement directs users’ attention to what matters most. In this way you reduce cognitive load and the user journey feels smoother.
Stay tuned for the next series part where we’ll dive deeper into User Psychology, exploring how understanding human behavior can make our designs and user experiences even better.
Remember, it’s not about the title; it’s about the value and impact you bring.
