What are the key principles and best practices of UED for different platforms and devices?

From my time working in industries as diverse as defense to video games, "knowing your users" translates very differently. In the defense industry, understanding your user isn't just about usability—it's often a matter of life and death. We must consider stress scenarios where the user is an operator making split-second decisions. On the other hand, in video games, we focus on maximizing engagement and immersion. These are two ends of the spectrum: one about making absolutely no errors and the other about prolonging user interaction. A deep understanding of your users, thus, extends beyond standard research methods; it involves tailoring your approach to fit the specific expectations and limitations of your target demographic.

Working on entertainment platforms taught me that feature bloat is a real issue. It's tempting to add every possible feature, but this can confuse users and dilute the primary value proposition. Using card sorting and tree testing methods, we identified features that users actually wanted and used. For example, while the tech team was excited about implementing AI recommendations, user testing showed that a simple, well-organized catalog was more effective. Simplifying is not just about removing features; it’s about emphasizing what truly adds value for the user.

The key to any successful usability test is neutral tone. Take care to not prime your audience with suggestive lines of questioning such as "Isn't this.." or "Don't you think that..". While it can feel good to have participants respond positively to your work, it's more important to craft your test scenarios to evaluate the success or failure of the design. When a design fails to support your target use case it is valuable information that you can use to iterate and shouldn't be taken as a reflection on your skills or abilities. Regardless of whether the design succeeds or fails in its goal, take detailed notes about how well the design supports the user's progress through your test scenarios, and use those notes to iterate.