The Minute UX™ series: one-minute reads about website problems I’ve discovered in numerous UX audits.
You’ve all heard the modern proverb about what happens when we assume. But it’s no laughing matter. Assuming is where most UX problems (most life problems?) begin. This is the eighth post in my Minute UX series, each one covering a common UX problem. As I look back at them, many share a common cause: they can be prevented if web designers don’t assume.
In UX design, it’s critical to keep this principle in mind: as soon as you know how something works you can’t easily see it from the perspective of someone who doesn’t know what you know.
What to do
The remedy for UX problems created by assumptions is—unfortunately—too seldom employed: user testing. Want to ensure you don’t assume you know what people think? Talk to them! If you’re unsure about something specific (a known unknown) just ask a few people unfamiliar with what you’re working on. Ideally, show them a sketch or mockup and ask what they think—without leading them. More difficult are unknown unknowns (problems you don’t know about). In those cases, usability testing is critical (and it’s not difficult).
Living in your own bubble causes problems. Don’t underestimate the power of talking to people!