Theme 03 - Basic UX
This was also a three-part theme, where the first module was individual and the second and third was group working. The goal of this theme was to learn how the user interacts with user interfaces. This included working with research to be able to create a strong design target at the right audience. I build on my knowledge about designing and also the documentation of the design for me to base it on concrete insights and terminology terms instead of ‘it looks nice’ logic.
In the end of the theme we had to come up with a solution and pitch for a t-shirt company which must be illustrated by an interactive XD hi-fi prototype. To do so, I started my research to know more about the industry and find out what difficulties there are. I used different types of data-collection strategy including observation, interviews and desk research. I was critical about the information and understood that I had to take bias into account.
Then in the second module it was group work. We had to include former techniques and tools as well as learning new tools. This was done to generate ideas, testing those ideas by creating prototypes. To name one tool that surprised me, the paper prototype did really give me a better understanding of what is expected by the user when browsing a web-page and therefore what needed to be implemented in our product. We created flowcharts to describe the paths the user may take throughout the process to their goal. Then mixed it with wireframes to make a wireflow as an early prototype. We chose to not implement any design in this state as we wanted the raw wireflow to stand clear in what was successful and what needed extra work in our product.
Then for the solution we only had to implement the design, which was decided earlier in the process. When everything was put well together we made some ekstra fix-ups until we were satisfied with the outcome.
This theme was not only about designing and research, but also about how to work together in a group. This was my first experience in group work which of course had its ups and downs. I remember liking the group-work as I found it inspiring to hear others ideas and to work together towards a common goal. We were taught to give each group member roles, for instant fasilitator, decision maker et cetera. But we did not manage to understand the importance of this when working with new people and the lack of it showed during the process. This is something I took with me for future group projects.