Dos and Don'ts of UX Design

Learn from Ethan Parry what UX is and how to successfully use it to improve your product or service

If you do an online search, you’ll probably find a few different definitions of UX, but at its core its mission is simple: designing a product or service that resonates with the user and their needs.

While a successful UX design might look simple because it’s so intuitive, there’s a large amount of research, prototyping, and preparation that goes on behind the scenes. In this video, UX designer Ethan Parry (@ethanparry) shares three dos for how to create a powerful UX design, and 3 don’ts which represent common mistakes.

UX DOS

1. Research before you begin
Though it might be tempting to hit the ground running, before you begin prototyping and making mockups it’s important to understand the needs of those you’re designing for. Depending on your target user, they might be more comfortable with certain layouts and features, or face specific challenges that your design will have to respond to.

2. Less is more
A successful user experience focuses on sharing what is truly important, and doesn’t clutter the interface with too much information. Parry recommends having no more than one primary action per screen.

3. Create a seamless experience
Because people might be accessing a site on desktop, mobile, or a tablet, it’s important to think about how to create a seamless experience across all devices. If someone visits an ecommerce website on mobile, for example, and later wants to complete their purchase on desktop, the process should be as easy as possible.

UX DON’TS

1. Don’t expect to get it right the first time
Successful UX requires a culture of constant iteration and prototyping. That means even the best first attempt can always be further improved and refined.

2. Don’t design in isolation
Across many creative disciplines, it’s easy to get caught up in your ideas and fall in love with them without taking a step back to look at the bigger picture. In UX, that can mean missing out on opportunities to improve a user’s experience, or forgetting about the needs of the user entirely. To avoid that, be sure to constantly seek feedback and input, which will allow you to test and validate your ideas.

3. Don’t use jargon
Because the whole point of UX is to serve the user’s needs, one of the most important things you have to do is make sure that they understand you. Be sure to speak naturally and use words and phrases that your user can understand and recognize.

If you want to learn how to create your own UX designs from scratch using one of the leading UX design and digital prototyping platforms, check out Ethan Parry’s 5 online courses, Introduction to Adobe XD.

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