Re-assess your UI (user interface) design questionnaire for better results

In my previous post I spoke about the 3 guiding principles outlined by Roman architect Vitruvius in his treatise on architecture, De Architectura that UI (user interface) designers should take into consideration.

Firmatis (Durability) - It should stand up robustly and remain in good condition.

Utilitas (Utility) - It should be useful and function well for the people using it.

Venustatis (Beauty) - It should delight people and raise their spirits.

Taking this a step further, I would like to outline the key questions that every UI designer should ask before starting work on any project. Over the years I have found that several companies ignore this key first step in the system design process. Often, the high-level decision-makers have a clear path and result they expect from the product/application and approach the UI designer more to design the look rather than the usability/functionality of the product.

It is critical to take the problem and turn it around and start with the design process as the first stage of any project. The advantages of doing so are tremendous:

-         Understand the main stakeholders and their requirements

-         Get feedback that can be used to enhance your product

-         Evaluate the ROI (return on investment) on specific functions included in the application

-         Ensure a higher level of adoption by users as it fulfills their needs

Listed below are some questions outlined around these guiding principles for a more structured approach to the user interface design process.

Firmatis (Durability) - It should stand up robustly and remain in good condition.

-         Identify the stakeholders involved in this product?

-         What is their opinion/feedback/wish list from this product?

-         What is their goal in launching this product?

-         What are the KPI (key performance indicators) that will be tracked for this product?

-         How many resources do we need to allocate to the product?

-         Any risks/hurdles we need to keep in mind?

Utilitas (Utility) - It should be useful and function well for the people using it.

-         Understand the main purpose of the product i.e. is it aimed at improving after-sales service, or increase revenue, etc.

-         Would there by any additional advantages of using this product i.e. can it lead to higher sales via referrals from satisfied users?

-         Are there any design updates to keep in mind that will be rolled out in the next phase of updates?

-         What is the timeline when you are expecting to roll it out? i.e. time it with an event/product launch etc.

-         Understand how the users work through a defined process.

-         What are the different processes they use and how will it help them simplify the workflow?

Venustatis (Beauty) - It should delight people and raise their spirits.

-         Did the user need to research how to start using the product?

-         Did the user have to look for basic functions in the process

-         What is the nomenclature used to name the functions- is it in line with the verbiage used by the users?

-         Are there any pop-ups/design elements that distract the user?

-        How quickly did the user get accustomed to the system? i.e. most users are comfortable with shortcuts such as the drag and drop function, are there any such handy shortcuts that can be introduced for repetitive tasks

-         Are there any improvements needed to improve page speed or any other elements such as clean design flow etc.?

This is just a brief look at questions that you should consider before any design process for better results. Start a conversation with the Six Consulting team to refine your user design process and ensure that every aspect is covered in the design stage for more seamless and delightful user experience.