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/
Kimberly,
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point that a designer who understands psychology can better understand how people will respond. A designer who understands why people respond the way they do can create a project that will interact with more people.
Nice post!
Holly