March 17, 2023
There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity
Overview
The most unyielding part of working in a design studio is justifying a number of design decisions to project in front of the stakeholders, without any real data to support it, more than usual. However, this challenge also presents an opportunity for designers to explore the intersection of psychology and user experience. By applying these principles, designers can create transformative designs that not only meet the needs of users but also exceed the expectations of stakeholders.
Introduction
It's true that we're often taught to work within established frameworks rather than constantly reinventing the wheel, and there is a reason behind it. However, as designers, it's important to recognize when innovation is necessary and appropriate. When we create new patterns of design and user experience, we can introduce fresh mental models that can enhance the usability and appeal of our products but with innovations comes the pain for the product to gather the user-base to understand and learn the usage of their product. While working within the wheel allows the user to transfer the expectation that has been built around one familiar product to another that appears similar.
“There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity” - Jon Yablonski. The less amount of time users have to spend on understanding an interface, the more they feel dedicated to achieve their objectives.
Examples
Mental modals are how we think or form of how a system works. In other words, we use the knowledge we already have from the past experiences when interacting with something new.
When we reinvent a new system for an existing one, at times we can create something called a mental model discordance, which occurs when a familiar flow or pattern is suddenly changed. To tackle these issues, a lot of products with a high user base usually roll out any new feature through an iterative process and gain data on the users’ reaction to the changes. One of the best examples is Google; In 2017, when YouTube released its new version with a fresh Material Design UI, it was a departure from the familiar design that users had grown accustomed to over the years. However, the company was wise to ease desktop users into the new design gradually, without requiring an immediate commitment. By providing a preview of the new design and giving users the ability to revert to the old version if they preferred it, YouTube mitigated the inevitable mental model discordance that can arise with major design changes. This approach empowered users to switch to the new design when they were ready, and allowed them to gain some familiarity with the new UI and submit feedback along the way. The result was a smoother transition that ultimately enhanced the user experience on the platform. Kudos to YouTube for recognizing the importance of user feedback and making smart design decisions to improve their product!
Another example is the food delivery industry, they leverage pre existing mental models. By Making use of familiar patterns and convention.
Conclusions
The guiding principle for designers is to remember that people rely on their previous experiences to understand new ones. This principle reminds us to consider common conventions that are built around existing mental models when designing new products, so that users can immediately feel comfortable and productive without needing to learn how the website or app works. By designing in a way that conforms to user expectations, we enable them to apply their knowledge from previous experiences, and this familiarity ensures they can focus on the important things like finding the information they need or making a purchase. When we follow this principle, we create designs that are intuitive and user-friendly, which can ultimately lead to greater user satisfaction and engagement. So let's embrace the power of familiar design conventions and leverage users' previous experiences to create truly exceptional products!
March 17, 2023
There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity
Overview
The most unyielding part of working in a design studio is justifying a number of design decisions to project in front of the stakeholders, without any real data to support it, more than usual. However, this challenge also presents an opportunity for designers to explore the intersection of psychology and user experience. By applying these principles, designers can create transformative designs that not only meet the needs of users but also exceed the expectations of stakeholders.
Introduction
It's true that we're often taught to work within established frameworks rather than constantly reinventing the wheel, and there is a reason behind it. However, as designers, it's important to recognize when innovation is necessary and appropriate. When we create new patterns of design and user experience, we can introduce fresh mental models that can enhance the usability and appeal of our products but with innovations comes the pain for the product to gather the user-base to understand and learn the usage of their product. While working within the wheel allows the user to transfer the expectation that has been built around one familiar product to another that appears similar.
“There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity” - Jon Yablonski. The less amount of time users have to spend on understanding an interface, the more they feel dedicated to achieve their objectives.
Examples
Mental modals are how we think or form of how a system works. In other words, we use the knowledge we already have from the past experiences when interacting with something new.
When we reinvent a new system for an existing one, at times we can create something called a mental model discordance, which occurs when a familiar flow or pattern is suddenly changed. To tackle these issues, a lot of products with a high user base usually roll out any new feature through an iterative process and gain data on the users’ reaction to the changes. One of the best examples is Google; In 2017, when YouTube released its new version with a fresh Material Design UI, it was a departure from the familiar design that users had grown accustomed to over the years. However, the company was wise to ease desktop users into the new design gradually, without requiring an immediate commitment. By providing a preview of the new design and giving users the ability to revert to the old version if they preferred it, YouTube mitigated the inevitable mental model discordance that can arise with major design changes. This approach empowered users to switch to the new design when they were ready, and allowed them to gain some familiarity with the new UI and submit feedback along the way. The result was a smoother transition that ultimately enhanced the user experience on the platform. Kudos to YouTube for recognizing the importance of user feedback and making smart design decisions to improve their product!
Another example is the food delivery industry, they leverage pre existing mental models. By Making use of familiar patterns and convention.
Conclusions
The guiding principle for designers is to remember that people rely on their previous experiences to understand new ones. This principle reminds us to consider common conventions that are built around existing mental models when designing new products, so that users can immediately feel comfortable and productive without needing to learn how the website or app works. By designing in a way that conforms to user expectations, we enable them to apply their knowledge from previous experiences, and this familiarity ensures they can focus on the important things like finding the information they need or making a purchase. When we follow this principle, we create designs that are intuitive and user-friendly, which can ultimately lead to greater user satisfaction and engagement. So let's embrace the power of familiar design conventions and leverage users' previous experiences to create truly exceptional products!
March 17, 2023
There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity
Overview
The most unyielding part of working in a design studio is justifying a number of design decisions to project in front of the stakeholders, without any real data to support it, more than usual. However, this challenge also presents an opportunity for designers to explore the intersection of psychology and user experience. By applying these principles, designers can create transformative designs that not only meet the needs of users but also exceed the expectations of stakeholders.
Introduction
It's true that we're often taught to work within established frameworks rather than constantly reinventing the wheel, and there is a reason behind it. However, as designers, it's important to recognize when innovation is necessary and appropriate. When we create new patterns of design and user experience, we can introduce fresh mental models that can enhance the usability and appeal of our products but with innovations comes the pain for the product to gather the user-base to understand and learn the usage of their product. While working within the wheel allows the user to transfer the expectation that has been built around one familiar product to another that appears similar.
“There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity” - Jon Yablonski. The less amount of time users have to spend on understanding an interface, the more they feel dedicated to achieve their objectives.
Examples
Mental modals are how we think or form of how a system works. In other words, we use the knowledge we already have from the past experiences when interacting with something new.
When we reinvent a new system for an existing one, at times we can create something called a mental model discordance, which occurs when a familiar flow or pattern is suddenly changed. To tackle these issues, a lot of products with a high user base usually roll out any new feature through an iterative process and gain data on the users’ reaction to the changes. One of the best examples is Google; In 2017, when YouTube released its new version with a fresh Material Design UI, it was a departure from the familiar design that users had grown accustomed to over the years. However, the company was wise to ease desktop users into the new design gradually, without requiring an immediate commitment. By providing a preview of the new design and giving users the ability to revert to the old version if they preferred it, YouTube mitigated the inevitable mental model discordance that can arise with major design changes. This approach empowered users to switch to the new design when they were ready, and allowed them to gain some familiarity with the new UI and submit feedback along the way. The result was a smoother transition that ultimately enhanced the user experience on the platform. Kudos to YouTube for recognizing the importance of user feedback and making smart design decisions to improve their product!
Another example is the food delivery industry, they leverage pre existing mental models. By Making use of familiar patterns and convention.
Conclusions
The guiding principle for designers is to remember that people rely on their previous experiences to understand new ones. This principle reminds us to consider common conventions that are built around existing mental models when designing new products, so that users can immediately feel comfortable and productive without needing to learn how the website or app works. By designing in a way that conforms to user expectations, we enable them to apply their knowledge from previous experiences, and this familiarity ensures they can focus on the important things like finding the information they need or making a purchase. When we follow this principle, we create designs that are intuitive and user-friendly, which can ultimately lead to greater user satisfaction and engagement. So let's embrace the power of familiar design conventions and leverage users' previous experiences to create truly exceptional products!
March 17, 2023
There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity
Overview
The most unyielding part of working in a design studio is justifying a number of design decisions to project in front of the stakeholders, without any real data to support it, more than usual. However, this challenge also presents an opportunity for designers to explore the intersection of psychology and user experience. By applying these principles, designers can create transformative designs that not only meet the needs of users but also exceed the expectations of stakeholders.
Introduction
It's true that we're often taught to work within established frameworks rather than constantly reinventing the wheel, and there is a reason behind it. However, as designers, it's important to recognize when innovation is necessary and appropriate. When we create new patterns of design and user experience, we can introduce fresh mental models that can enhance the usability and appeal of our products but with innovations comes the pain for the product to gather the user-base to understand and learn the usage of their product. While working within the wheel allows the user to transfer the expectation that has been built around one familiar product to another that appears similar.
“There is something incredibly valuable to be found in familiarity” - Jon Yablonski. The less amount of time users have to spend on understanding an interface, the more they feel dedicated to achieve their objectives.
Examples
Mental modals are how we think or form of how a system works. In other words, we use the knowledge we already have from the past experiences when interacting with something new.
When we reinvent a new system for an existing one, at times we can create something called a mental model discordance, which occurs when a familiar flow or pattern is suddenly changed. To tackle these issues, a lot of products with a high user base usually roll out any new feature through an iterative process and gain data on the users’ reaction to the changes. One of the best examples is Google; In 2017, when YouTube released its new version with a fresh Material Design UI, it was a departure from the familiar design that users had grown accustomed to over the years. However, the company was wise to ease desktop users into the new design gradually, without requiring an immediate commitment. By providing a preview of the new design and giving users the ability to revert to the old version if they preferred it, YouTube mitigated the inevitable mental model discordance that can arise with major design changes. This approach empowered users to switch to the new design when they were ready, and allowed them to gain some familiarity with the new UI and submit feedback along the way. The result was a smoother transition that ultimately enhanced the user experience on the platform. Kudos to YouTube for recognizing the importance of user feedback and making smart design decisions to improve their product!
Another example is the food delivery industry, they leverage pre existing mental models. By Making use of familiar patterns and convention.
Conclusions
The guiding principle for designers is to remember that people rely on their previous experiences to understand new ones. This principle reminds us to consider common conventions that are built around existing mental models when designing new products, so that users can immediately feel comfortable and productive without needing to learn how the website or app works. By designing in a way that conforms to user expectations, we enable them to apply their knowledge from previous experiences, and this familiarity ensures they can focus on the important things like finding the information they need or making a purchase. When we follow this principle, we create designs that are intuitive and user-friendly, which can ultimately lead to greater user satisfaction and engagement. So let's embrace the power of familiar design conventions and leverage users' previous experiences to create truly exceptional products!
