
The UX Complexity: From Teamwork to Team Understanding
The below article was posted on taylor-code.com blog on March 20th 2017. Being that this is the first UX article I am writing for this blog, I
A few years ago I received a Christmas gift. It was a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolates, the latter of which really caught my attention. It was an extremely well-designed package: the graphics, folding, cuts, and colors. Inside, the box was decorated with layers of paper and origami-like details; and each chocolate was beautifully wrapped. As I carefully âundressedâ the multi-layered gift, I thought that this could be a package designerâs dream job. When I finally got to the chocolate, I found each piece had a unique design painted on it. Â The presentation was so intricate, I almost didn’t want to eat it. I felt badly ruining the layout or even leaving my fingerprints on such a work of art. But since I am a foodie, I found the courage to eat one. The taste didn’t match the superbly designed packaging…it was actually very disappointing. The gap between the visual and the flavor was so big that I could never buy it as a gift (even though I value good design). An average Hershey bar tasted like a delicacy in comparison.
This experience sparked memories of many situations I, as a UX professional, have faced with creative teams, specifically within agency work. Even at this point in the 21st century, I am surprised to encounter people more concerned with the aesthetics of the design rather than the purpose it serves its audience/user. There are still senior-level creative people who focus on the visuals and put aside the most important components of design: problem-solving; serving a goal; being a medium to engage with a product or service; and ultimately moving the business towards a set of actions that will create revenue. Donât get me wrong, I do believe in good visual design as part of the customer experience and overall impact of the brand, however, it cannot be the central aspect of the creative input; it needs to be part of an ecosystem/engine. Unfortunately I have seen this happen more often than I ever would have imagined. And surprisingly, I keep making the same observation: Â creativity is not only about special effects. It seems some have failed to understand this very basic point.
A while ago, I was in a creative review for a website. Â At the end of the three-hour meeting, the VP Creative Director, who hadnât say a word the entire time, took a deep breath and confidently asked, âCan we add animation?â Â My colleagues and I kept silent to see if he would continue. Instead he remained quiet and smiled, satisfied with his input. It wasnât the first time he had made a comment like this. Â But I hoped he might actually elaborate this time. This experience left me speechless and had me thinking for a while. How could a VP Creative Director give that type of input…that a website needs nothing more than animation in order to be creative? Â Internally we nicknamed him âMichael Bayâ and joked about how, for some people, special-effects had become the centerpiece of creative.
Within the evolution of a designer, some get stuck at certain stages and donât move forward – which is ok. Â We all go through this process and sometimes we just park where we feel most comfortable. However, for those who donât worry about evolving and improving, their outdated and short-sighted decisions could negatively affect the success of a project. In many cases, the results are not immediately evident. They may leave with a smile on their face after a client applauds their presentation, but the real impact wonât be seen for weeks or even months post-launch when ROI results become available.
Understanding the ultimate goal of a project, the needs of the business and the expectations of the user, have all helped me become a better creative professional. When I look back on my early years of drawing, I remember how I would focus my attention on creating the shine effect on a jar instead of correctly composing my drawing within the space. I eventually learned that the foundation of a good drawing relies on the rhythm of lines within a space, that the paper (the context) plays an important role in the drawing.
I have come to better appreciate how this ecosystem of actions, visuals and feedback, develops and functions. Â Within this ecosystem, I experience a similar feeling to when someone is reading a good book or viewing a work of art: joy and pleasure. In other words, this understanding has allowed me to enjoy the craft of design so much more.
The below article was posted on taylor-code.com blog on March 20th 2017. Being that this is the first UX article I am writing for this blog, I
Based on a fragment of the book “The Tin Drum” from GĂŒnter Grass. Many years ago while I was still a dreamer. I had too