11 Matching Annotations
  1. Feb 2025
    1. By using multiple personas, and testing a task against each, you can ensure that your design is more inclusive.

      This quote highlights the importance of considering diverse users in the design process, which I completely agree with. Ensuring inclusivity in design not only makes products more accessible but also improves overall user experience. This reading reinforced my belief that user centered design should always take into account different perspectives, and it made me more aware of how essential testing with multiple personas is in achieving that goal.

    1. The ease with which A/B tests can run, and the difficulty of measuring meaningful things, can lead designers to overlook the importance of meaningful things.

      I completely agree with the statement that the ease of running A/B tests can sometimes lead designers to prioritize small optimizations over deeper, more meaningful improvements. While A/B testing is a valuable tool for refining user experience, it can create a false sense of progress if designers focus only on what is easily measurable rather than what truly matters to users. This perspective is useful because it challenges the assumption that incremental changes always lead to better outcomes sometimes, what’s needed is a more fundamental rethink of the design itself.

      This is especially relevant to our project because it reminds us that usability testing should be complemented with other research methods, like user interviews and experience sampling, to understand the real impact of our designs. Just because a design change results in higher engagement doesn’t necessarily mean it improves the user’s overall experience or meets their actual needs.

    1. Throughout these choice of inputs are critical issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. For example, if Google could only be used with a mouse, it would immediately exclude all people who cannot use a mouse because of a disability such as a motor impairment or blindness.

      This excerpt highlights an essential aspect of prototype design considering diversity, equity, and inclusion from the start. I agree with the point that design choices can unintentionally exclude certain users, reinforcing barriers rather than breaking them. The example of Google relying only on a mouse is a strong illustration of how a lack of accessibility considerations can make a product unusable for many people. This reading reinforces the importance of universal design, making me more aware of how even small design choices can have a big impact. It also encourages me to think more critically about how technology can be designed to be more inclusive from the beginning rather than as an afterthought.

    1. This means that every prototype has a single reason for being: to help you make decisions. You don’t make a prototype in the hopes that you’ll turn it into the final implemented solution. You make it to acquire knowledge, and then discard it, using that knowledge to make another better prototype.

      I can see the reasoning behind this and agree with this perspective because it shifts the focus from just building something quickly to learning and refining the design before full implementation. Too often, people including myself tend to see prototypes as early versions of the final product rather than tools for exploration. This idea makes me reconsider how I approach testing in my own projects, especially in software development, where iterating through different solutions before committing to full development could save a lot of time and effort.

    1. One way to avoid this harm, while still sharing harsh feedback, is to follow a simple rule: if you’re going to say something sharply negative, say something genuinely positive first, and perhaps something genuinely positive after as well. Some people call this the “hamburger” rule, other people call it a “shit sandwich.”

      I really like the idea of balancing criticism with positive feedback. It makes a lot of sense because people are more open to suggestions when they don’t feel like they’re being attacked. I’ve definitely been in situations where harsh feedback made me shut down instead of actually listening. This approach makes it easier to hear the tough parts while still feeling encouraged. It’s a great reminder that critique should be about helping someone improve, not just pointing out what’s wrong.

  2. Jan 2025
    1. That time you painted something in elementary school and your classmate called it ugly? You learned to stop taking creative risks. That time you offered an idea in a class project and everyone ignored it? You must not be creative.

      Negative feedback on creative efforts can definitely have a lasting impact. It’s interesting how those small moments, like being criticized for a drawing or idea, can lead to a fear of taking risks later. I think this explains why so many people doubt their creativity as adults. It’s a good reminder to create environments where people feel safe to share ideas without fear of judgment, so they can keep building their creative confidence.

    1. The best you can do is understand this complex causality and find opportunities to adjust, nudge, and tweak.

      I really liked this quote because it made me realize how most problems we try to solve are never going to have a simple fix. Instead of aiming for a "perfect" solution, it’s more about understanding the different factors at play and figuring out how to make small changes that improve things. It’s kind of humbling but also more realistic – I think it’ll help me approach problems with a mindset of continuous improvement rather than expecting one big fix.

    2. the

      I really liked this quote because it made me realize how most problems we try to solve are never going to have a simple fix. Instead of aiming for a "perfect" solution, it’s more about understanding the different factors at play and figuring out how to make small changes that improve things. It’s kind of humbling but also more realistic – I think it’ll help me approach problems with a mindset of continuous improvement rather than expecting one big fix.

    1. Once you have defined goals, personas, and scenarios, the final challenge is to try to explain the problem you’re solving to other people. If you can’t do this, you can’t convince them you have a real problem to solve, you can’t convince other people to help you solve it, and you certainly can’t convince a boss or an investor that you should spend time on solving it.

      This really hit home for me. It’s easy to get caught up in all the research and ideas, but at the end of the day, if you can’t clearly communicate the problem you’re trying to solve, nothing else matters. It’s about getting everyone on the same page and making them see the value in what you’re doing. If you can’t explain why the problem is real and why it’s worth solving, it’s a tough sell to anyone, whether that’s a team, a manager, or an investor. This really reinforces the importance of being able to tell a compelling story about your findings.

    1. first try to analyze the problem you are solving, then generate ideas, then test those ideas with the people who have the problem you are solving.

      I agree with this approach because it emphasizes iteration and testing, which makes the design process more grounded and practical. It’s not just about coming up with cool ideas in isolation; it’s about continuously refining those ideas based on real feedback. I think this helps create designs that are not only innovative but actually useful and relevant to the people who will use them.

    1. Quickly I learned that design was much, much more than what was visible.

      I found this perspective on design to be particularly enlightening because I had always thought of design primarily in terms of its visual components. However, this definition expands the scope of design to include problem-solving methods, idea generation, and communication, making me realize that design is truly a multifaceted process. This shift in thinking makes me appreciate the depth of design in problem-solving scenarios.