Ux 1 Flashcards
Why build in forgiveness
Forgiveness encourages users to explore your app. If they know they can try things out and not cause any permanent damage they are more willing to experiment (undos, redo, etc.)
5 ways to handle errors better
- Make it impossible to do
- Turn errors into opportunities (wiki 0 results: offer to create page)
- handle inline as opposed to pop up
- suggest a way to recover instead of just stating problem
- undo
8 ways users seek information?
1) Known Item
2) Exploring (semi-known)
3) Refine and narrow
4) Comparing
5) Getting board picture
6) Discover the unknown
7) Keeping up to date
8) Refinding
What is carrots and trails
Having obvious cues (colored buttons) on page that say exactly what the user wants to do. It leads them through the site. It is making things obvious.
How do you improve text/copy (2)
(users don’t read text)
- Omit needless words (trigger words, avoid happy talk)
- Make is scannable (headlines, short short paragraphs, many many bullets)
What should you focus on for a new user
- Providing instant gratification: you have a few second to provide that user a “successful experience” that puts them on the right path.
- Maybe Use carrot and stick: clear path
How is instant gratification used?
- if you can predict the first thing a new user is likely to do, make it stunningly easy.
- users unlikely to put in work now to see later long term benefits
What is Satisficing
Satisfying & sufficient: User rapidly scan site and pick first thing they think works (users don’t spend time looking for the best option)
When to implement Deferred Choice?
- Asking user for info/ do an action (registration, project creation, update).
- ex. ask for registration agin after checkout process.
What is prospective memory?
Arranging something in the environment now to remind us of future plans. (ex. leave keys by the door, leave an email unread)
How do you design for streamlined repetition?
Identity actions user might repeat: make it easier, reduce clicks, or reuse actions (ex. copy and paste: only 1 copy action..keep in mind for browsing content, show more than 1 item etc)
Where is keyboard only entry common?
Data entry in multiple fields (don’t require user to move to mouse between fields)
What does showing what other people did cause a user to do?
Do the same thing, especially if it is popular.
What is responsive disclosure?
- Start with minimal content showing as users interact with portions show more content within the area/topic of action.
- the interface actually appears to be “created” in front of the user, one step at a time.
3 basic ways (patterns) to navigate through a list of items?
1) Two panel selector (ex. same page: select left, show right)
2) List Inlay (ex. select & expand within list)
3) Drilldown (ex. load up new page/module)
5 Use cases for interacting with a list
1) Getting an overview/summary
2) Browsing (relatively item by item)
3) Search for exact item
4) Search for item within category
5) Perform action (Rearranging, add/delete)
5 Questions to ask when designing a list
1) length: Fit within space?
2) Order? Can user change order?
3) Groupings? Do groups have sub-groups?
4) Item types different? mix simple/complex?
5) Interaction? Show whole or preview
What is responsive enabling
Items are shown but grayed out. Doing an action un-grays the item.
- tip: if click on grayed item show tool tip to explain why gray
user is searching a list and knows the category they want, what do you do?
Sort or filter
What is responsive disabling
Everything is shown but actions cause some sections to become grayed out or disappear
- (ex. filters become inactive when they provide 0 results)
How to tell if a user will do an action.
- Utility = Expected benefits - expected interaction cost
- The higher Utility is the more likely a user will do that action.
- Ex. If there is a long auto complete list under a search box. The user is more likely to keep typing than scroll down to see if there selection is there
User is just browsing the list but does not specifically have item in mind. 2 most important things?
1) Able to quickly/efficiently browse over list (previews?).
2) After selecting item can easily return to list
4 Things to have when designing a form/input
1) User knows what they are asked for
2) If possible, avoid asking the question at all
3) In world knowledge: Good defaults, hints, autocomplete
4) Be forgiving of errors
What does a user do when they visit a page?
- They scan and don’t read everything
- make satisfactory choices (not optimal- click the first reasonable option)
3 Important rules of visual hierarchy (used for page layout)
1) The more prominent something is the more important appears
2) Things related visually should be logically related
3) Things nested show parts of something
3 differences on touch devices from laptops.
- No hover effects
- Things need to look very very clickable as there is no cursor change to indicate click ability
- Bigger options for fingers
Does number of clicks matter?
No, as long as user feels like the are on the “scent of information” getting closer to goal
What is inattention blindness?
Type of change blindness in absence of visual distortion. Occurs when visual attention is consumed by cognitive demands of primary task. (Visual is a limited resource)
Want someone to notice a change (3 factors)
1) salience (pop up that must be dismissed vs. google side bar)
2) change characteristics (speed, semantic relevance, eccentricity)
3) level of cluttering.
Should you “make it a preference/setting”?
No. Use expertise to make a decision. Less information the user needs to interpret. If your decision turns out to be wrong can always tweak it later.
3 states each page needs designs for
1) regular (app has data)
2) blank (first time use, no or limited data)
3) error (something went wrong)
What can you do if you want something to stand out?
1) break a pattern (ex. Lost of items make one item different color)
2) movement
3) use color trails (pick a cta color and use that selectively thoughout site
