We Are Raster

A look at why now it is the time to invest in mobile apps and tech-centered around the internet of things.

IoT has Arrived

IoT or the internet of things is the ability of our digital devices to interact or connect to the world around us.  These devices can have a huge impact on the human experience as a whole and provide endless opportunities for brands to listen and respond to the needs of the customer. 51% of the world’s premier global marketers are expecting IoT to change the tech and marketing landscape by 2020.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Raster wanted to show a little appreciation to the tech moms and gurus out there that don’t get as much attention as they should. So in honor of that and in honor of these titans of industry these Momtrepreneurs (Mom Entrepreneurs), we decided to write an article in for these dames of the tech world! Read the full article here! 

With this titillating article, let us take a look at some of the key ingredients one must have to create a top notch UX. These keys will give you something to focus on when designing your UX.

Psychology

Despite what you may believe, user minds are very complex. This should be pretty easy to understand since you have one (and a pretty sweet one if I may say so myself). One thing you want to keep in mind when designing is, “What are the user’s motivations for being here?”. You might think this one is easy, but sometimes you can lose track or focus when working on a project. Make sure to keep this in the forefront of your mind. Another question to ask is, “How does this design make them feel?”.  Remember you want them to enjoy every minute of interaction with you design. Are you thinking of the user’s needs or just your own? Try to create a happy balance between the two. Like good leadership, you don’t want the user to know they are being led or guided. The epitome of good design is when the user is oblivious to it.

Usability

Since psychology is all subconscious, usability is typically about the conscious mind. You don’t want your application to confuse the user or be too complicated. Although that may be a good thing with a game or other form of entertainment you could be creating, with anything else users desire something easy. Something that they don’t have to think too hard about (as if people think about anything anymore).  So ask yourself are you working with the user’s assumptions or against them? If the user doesn’t read the fine print, does it still work or make sense? Finally, are you being clear and direct, or is this just a little bit too clever?

Design

In UX, design is not necessarily a matter of style. It’s about how it works and if it’s something you can prove. UX designers work will focus less on whether they like it or if its artistic those things are irrelevant. A great question to ask yourself is, does it inform the user of its purpose and function without words? Another thing you can think about is where the design leads a user’s eyes. Does it take them to the right locations and how do you know? This has a lot to do with page layout. You want the user to follow breadcrumbs without knowing. Whether you’re using shapes, colors or typography you can take the user on a guided ride without them having any idea it was done.

Copywriting

UX copy is not to be confused with brand copy. UX copy is typically as direct, simple, and functional as you can make it. Make sure the biggest text is the most important text, if not make sure there is reasonable cause. It needs to sound confident and tell the user what they should be doing.