How your environment can influence your design
Sometimes, as web and digital designers, we can get trapped in our
little world of computers and software, attempting to work out the
solution to our clients’ design problems, but failing to make any real
breakthroughs. If you often find yourself stuck in a rut of technology,
sometimes the best solution is just to get up from your desk and go
experience the world outside. But what should a designer pay attention
to specifically that will help get them past creative block?
Today, we’ll explore some options and discuss possible solutions.
Co-Opting The Outside World
Product and environmental designers often preach that designers need to
use the world around them to create their own design solutions to
problems. But what about web designers, or brand managers, or creative
directors? I think the same principle still applies no matter what kind
of design you do. Design, in general, is about going beneath the surface
of a problem to find out the best approach. Even if it’s on a computer
screen, the user experience of a design is
highly customizable and
subjective.
Giving The Design To The People
As much as we designers might wish otherwise, we have no control over
how people choose to interact with our work. But even though that’s
true, sometimes the most interesting and innovative public phenomena can
come from it. Sweater bombing, street art, geocaching – all of these
are unorthodox uses of things in the world that nonetheless provide a
completely new and compelling experience.
Design Leaders And Setting Precedents
People make their own ‘tools’ and solutions based on what’s around them.
When you’re walking in the park and you see a tree that someone has
used as a resting place for their bike, that’s design in action. Some
brilliant ‘designer’ has decided that this tree is the perfect size and
shape for a bike rest, and it’s very likely that other cyclists will see
that and think ‘hmm, that’s a great idea – I think I’ll park my bike on
a tree as well.’ Think about how you can use this same concept in your
own design. Is there another ‘use’ for your design that a user might see
but you don’t?
Using Others As Peripheral Vision
The opportunities for improving your designs all around you. If you’re
too close to your own work (and who isn’t from time to time?) ask a
friend or even a stranger to give you a quick evaluation. Observe how
they interact with your design. If they point out something that you
missed – say, a more efficient way to contact other users, or a better
use for some feature you’ve been working on – don’t take those
observations lightly. This is design fitting itself within real people’s
lives, and you’d be ill-advised to ignore it.
Tiny Changes
Sometimes, even the smallest adjustments to a design can make the hugest
difference in how easy and enjoyable it is for people to use. Putting a
call to action button at the top of the screen rather than in the
sidebar. Making the navigation icons a contrasting color so they will
‘pop’ more. Increasing the font size just a bit more than what you think
most people can see (this is a big one for me). Tiny, seemingly
insignificant changes like these can take your design from ignored to
overwhelmingly popular in a flash.
Human Influence
Many times, people don’t even realize that they’ve created a design
solution with their simple, everyday actions. If people are using your
business card to write notes on the back, or to scribble down a relevant
email address or extra phone number, this is gold you can mine for your
next redesign. How are people reacting to the things you design? Polls
and surveys can be immensely helpful here. Once your design goes live,
it is part of the world, and people will use it however they see fit to
get the most efficient result.
What Do You Think?
How do you create design solutions from the world around you? Is there
anything you’ve learned from simple observation of people and their
interactions with design? Tell us in the comments below.
