9 Pieces of UX Advice I Stole From People Smarter Than Me

The post gathers nine UX lessons the author says he learned from other designers and researchers. It argues for observing what people create, prioritizing mobile-first design, using empathy, testing early, studying human psychology, and shaping products to make life better.

Reading notes

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• Observe what people create, not only what they say or do, because making reveals deeper insights.
• Design for mobile first, since mobile is central to major services and a growing part of media use.
• Use empathy to see problems from the user’s point of view and notice small changes that can improve an experience.
• Do not claim to design experience itself; design for experience instead.
• Talk to real users often, because without feedback designers become ignorant and blind to their own assumptions.
• Test designs as early as possible so problems can be found before they cost too many resources.
• Study how the human mind works, then apply psychological principles to design in an ethical way.
• Focus on whether a product solves a problem users care about and makes interaction feel simple and relevant.
• Design for scanning, with clear sections, visible click targets, visual hierarchy, grids, short paragraphs, and bullet lists.