Design Tools

What is a design tool?

When I think of tools, I automatically think of a tool belt filled with physical tools used in design. I imagine that you would have basic tools such as writing and painting utensils and then more advanced software tools for web designing.

But what about the knowledge and information needed to bring information to life through multiple design disciplines in User Experience Design? Things like Market Research, Cognitive Psychology, Linguistics, and Journalism are all tools in information design (Waller, 2011, p.4).

What do these things have to do with design?

A designer that understands psychology will be better prepared to anticipate a receiver’s response. One that is skilled in linguistics will develop excellent descriptives. Understanding the end user or audience will ensure that information is received, understood and beneficial to them (Waller, 2011, p.15).

Research is another tool; results of focus groups, preferences and ranking tasks, as well as performance tasks, will influence the designer and again, create the best possible design to meet the needs of the end –user (Waller, 2011, p.15).

In the end, there is always an audience that the information is intended for and by employing multiple design disciplines, the user experience can be enhanced greatly.

(Saffer, 2009)

References

Waller, R. (2011, March). Information design: How the disciplines work together. Retrieved from http://www.robwaller.org/SC14DisciplinesTogether.pdf

Saffer, D. (2009). The disciplines of user experience. Retrieved from http://www.kickerstudio.com/2008/12/the-disciplines-of-user-experience/ 

The Design Process

The basic structure of the design process includes Information Gathering, Planning, Designing, Development, Testing and Launching.

                               

I have put the design process to use in this blog.

Step 1) Information Gathering

I began to gather information by:

•          Reading the course materials
•          Searching in other sources for more information on the design process 

Step 2) Planning

•          I decided to demonstrate the design process through a simple listing of the steps

Step 3) Designing

•          I visualized what I wanted to create
•          I found a graphic that would illustrate the process for users

Step 4) Development

•          I began by listing all of the steps to the process and then went back in to add a little detail in bulleted points such as this one

Step 5) Testing

•          In this case, I just re-read through my work to make sure that there were no grammatical or layout issues that needed correction before posting

Step 6) Launching

•          I posted the blog for end users to see

Further discussion on the design process

What steps might I add to the process?

                In a more complex situation in which there were other parties involved, there would definitely be more detail within each of the steps. For example, the gathering information step would expand to include speaking to end users, compiling details of the clients need, etc.

How can the process be improved?

                I think client collaboration should be its own step as it is extremely important. Besides gaining buy-in and acceptance from end users, the product’s success is dependent on the perception and acceptance of those end users. I think the collaboration step could be added between planning and designing and designing and development, but it should actually be an ongoing thing throughout the life of the design process.

What is the most important step of the process?

                I think each step is important but depending on the actual situation may weigh more heavily on one step than on another. For example, if there were many issues during the development of a program, then the testing might play an even more vital role than in a less complex design.