With Christmas fast approaching, I have put together a little list of ways in which UX research methodology can help you in the lead up to the big day (AKA I am making an obvious metaphor for your website and users, but shrouded in Christmas spirit).
- Follow best practice as much as possible
There is a reason why no one buys their mother a copy of Losing Weight For Dummies. Don’t start now. - Listen to your users
Your wants and desires are not always the same as your family’s and friends’. Listen to their needs and plan accordingly to make sure you are giving the user/your mum what they want. - Research often and refine
Pay attention. Over time, you’ll learn what gifts people really want. It is always more impressive giving your partner something they mentioned in passing at the start of the year than something they talk about last week. You will score so many more brownie points for being thoughtful and making the effort on a more personal level. - Don’t let little problems snowball
The lead up to Christmas is always frantic. Why does everyone let it get to this point? Plan accordingly; if you see a perfect present for someone during the year, then solve that problem then and there. The same goes for websites – fix problems as you find them, rather than letting them get worse. Procrastinating (and/or approaching issues with a quick fix) just leads to reduced quality and thoughtfulness, often with a tighter budget. - Don’t try and redesign something against the research
There is no point unwrapping a store-wrapped gift, then re-wrapping it yourself later on. Let the professionals do their jobs. Let the research shape the design. You can never wrap a present as well as those who do it in-store, so don’t even try. Have faith that your team will do it right. - Try something new
While giving your dad a new pair of socks each year might be exactly what he needs, don’t be afraid to look outside the box and innovate. User experience is all about delighting people in new and different ways. Your ideas may not be perfect at first, but with some testing and fine-tuning, you can be confident in your choices moving forward.