Strategic interface design. Level of emotions: rendering and content. Experience Research

Designer Eric Kennedy, in his blog on Medium, published 7 simple rules for creating attractive interfaces - in his opinion, the basis quality work includes working with light, the amount of white space, prototyping.

Pay attention to the menu on the left.

Or look at the list titles. There is 15px space between the word “Playlist” and its underline. This is more than the height of the capital letter of the font! I’m already silent about the 25 pixels between the lists themselves.

There is also plenty of space in the top right corner. The text "Search all music" takes up 20% of the navigation bar's height. The icons have similar proportions.

Even interfaces like forums can look nice and simple with white space.

Or Wikipedia:

Of course, one could argue that this redesign lacks functionality. But this a good place to start.

Add white space between the lines.
Add white space between elements.
Add white space between groups of elements.
Analyze what works and what doesn't.

What is the benefit of your website or app? Is it easy to collect information with its help? Or buy in one click and get the goods delivered tomorrow? Or is the main thing to quickly find answers to the necessary questions?

Think about the people who developed this site or application. What was their goal?

They tried to make a web resource that would have everything that people would love it for. An easy to use site that delivers quickly the information you are looking for and helped make informed decisions.

UX, or user experience, covers the perception and emotions that a software product or service evokes. UX is characterized by ease of use, accessibility, and convenience. UX is often talked about in context electronic devices, smartphones, computers, software or websites. But such a concept is not new; it is something that is rapidly changing due to technological advances, new types of interactions and consumer trends.

Users are looking for lightning-fast ways to solve problems, so UX is extremely important. Make sure the site is clear and easy for users to understand.

If customers don’t find the resource useful and easy to use, they will quickly unsubscribe. Most users decide within a minute whether to close a site.

In this article, we learn more about the emerging UX industry, what designers businesses are hiring, and why smart design benefits every business.

What is UX design?

UX design, or interaction experience design, is what determines how satisfied the user will be with a software product or service; this process involves improving functionality, usability and convenience. UX design - creation software products with thoughtful and relevant user experience. The field of UX design covers a ton of subfields that are worth considering.

1. Interactive design

Interaction design, or IxD, is a subsection of UX design that defines the interaction between the user and the product; the goal of these interactions is a good user experience.

2. Visual design

Visual design uses illustration, photography, typography and color schemes– all this enhances the end user experience. In visual design, it is important to follow the principles of artistic direction. These include balance, space, contrast... Color, shape, size and other elements also influence the design.

3. User research

This is the last of the building blocks of UX design that companies use to clarify their customers' expectations. A successful web project serves a specific purpose and solves specific tasks, so an important step is to find out what the consumer needs. Without this, the design is based on guesswork and assumptions.

4. Information architecture

Designers use information architecture to structure and label content in specific ways to make it easier for users to find necessary information. Information architecture is used in web development, smartphone development, application development, and is also seen in many physical objects. Ease of use and accessibility are two main aspects of information architecture.

To illustrate, consider a map of the New York subway. By the way, this good example information architecture that helps people get from point “A” to point “B”. And, as the Institute for Information Architecture says, “If you do things for others, you are doing information architecture.”

Component Processes of UX Design

There are three stages of UX design:

1. search for target audience
2. understanding the company’s goals - how such goals affect the user
3. thinking outside the box

Typically, UX design uses a user-centered approach to create the desired end product in three steps.
It’s simpler - you should take into account the needs of those for whom the design is being developed. A lot of solutions are used to eliminate all sorts of difficulties and roughness; prototypes are created and tested on users.

Based on the results of the work, the best of the developed options is selected. If you look at things from the user's point of view and design based on their preferences, the result will please everyone.

UX Design Principles

The UX design industry is changing rapidly, but the fundamental principles are still the same. Designers need to understand what they need in terms of visual balance. Brevity and clarity - important nuances; The principle applies here: the less, the better. Strive to ensure that the design is intuitive and, more importantly, consider the interests and needs of users.

The scope of UX tends to revolve around new technologies, but at the heart of it all are principles as old as time that help designers solve all sorts of problems through a consistent and focused methodology.

Consider the context: The user must know where he is at the current moment. There should not be a feeling of information overload or that one is lost. Your task is to prompt and point in the right direction.

Be humane: Nobody likes the feeling of interacting with a machine. You're more likely to build trust if you show the human side of your company.

Availability: Nobody wants to waste their time. Successful UX design improves navigation.

Ease: Consistency and simplicity of design is always good. You build relationships with users through user-friendly UX.

Simplicity: No miscalculations or unnecessary descriptions. Get straight to the point.

UX result

When a UX project is completed, the designer and team show the client and their team a list of what has been done. It is necessary to show the work process, a list of implemented ideas.

This an important part general process. This makes it easier for UX designers to find what they are looking for, demonstrate their vision, and explain certain recommendations for improvement.

1. User research

User needs, trends, and motivations are all identified through various user studies. This can be quantitative and qualitative data obtained during tests, for example, with the participation of focus groups; detailed description registration process, onboarding and customer service requests. The goal is to get detailed analysis what is on the site and what else can be improved - all ideas are tested on real users.

Researchers create consumer profiles based on actual data about people, which helps determine exactly who will interact with a website or app.

Through user research, designers find and define their user.

2. Assessing competitors

Assessment of strengths and weaknesses competitors - a way to expand your own UX strategy. The best way to proceed is through analytical reports that highlight competing developments. Essentially, this is a detailed analysis interactive design competitors, list weak points, miscalculations and omissions, in general, what can become a competitive advantage.

3. Interactive design

The description of user interactions can be in the form of a prototype - this makes it easier to understand how users will perform key tasks, find information, and, in general, use the product. The process of searching for information and how convenient the development is is described. The prototype should be as simplified as possible and close to the final version.

4. Information architecture

IA is the process of taking information and turning it into a digestible form, which is especially important for large sites. It is important to understand in what context people will use the design. The end result could be a site map with tooltips, or a user flow pattern that shows how visitors move around the site.

What is User Interface Design?

When Apple introduced the Click Wheel navigation component for the iPod, the thing was intuitive and highly functional—not to mention visually stunning. This is a good example of a successful user interface, or UI. UI is a way of interacting with computers, machines, websites, applications, wearable devices, etc. UI design is what makes all these things as simplified and efficient as possible.

UI vs. UX

UX, user experience, refers to the user's movement through a website or application. UX designers work on the form and functionality of a product or technology. UI, or user interface, focused on how it looks and functions outer shell product. The scope of work of UI designers is the tangible and visible components of this process.

Common UI Elements

UX and UI have a lot in common, but it is important to note key differences these two items. Again, UI focuses on the look and feel of the product, while UX is more concerned with how people interact with a site or application. Here are the most common UI elements you need to know about to better understand the differences:

Information components: UI designers use information components to expand the so-called. reader experience - to convey more information. Examples information components: Status indicators, notifications, and message boxes. All this is used as confirmation: the user has completed a certain task. Or to notify that a certain action is required on his part.

Breadcrumb navigation

This is a design tool that visually improves the usability of a website.

This is how people see their location on a web page, in its hierarchical structure. Any fancy design elements are not required; you just need to show which section of the site the user is in. Typically, such links are placed at the top of the web page of online stores, or on other resources.

Input controls: Users are given multiple options to answer the question they are asked. These can be checkboxes, drop-down lists and switches. The information should be short and concise to make it easier to find out the needs.

Experience Research

Without research, you cannot learn about people's needs and preferences. UX research is about finding what users need; The data obtained forms the basis of UX design. Companies and designers use research to draw conclusions about what works and what needs to be changed. There are several options for UX research.

Usability testing

The purpose of such research is to find out how successful the product is; Users participate in testing. This is how companies get real information about how people use a product or system, or how the product or system works. There are two main ways to test.

Usability testing for random users - it's fast and cheap way for companies and researchers to get information from people who may not know about their product. Random people use the product and share their opinions.

Remote usability testing allows companies to conduct research while users are in their natural environment (for example, their home or office).

Usability Testing Tools

Such tools allow you to find out the opinions of users, analyze feedback, and make certain changes based on the data. If you're looking for a tool to help you figure out how easy your site or app is to use, you have two options:

Adobe Fireworks CS6 allows web designers to create graphics for web pages without having to delve into the intricacies of code or design. Adobe Fireworks has a number of advantages. The tool has impressive pixel precision and has image compression options (JPEG, GIF, etc.) that allows users to create functional websites and vector construction.

WITH using Adobe XD you can create website designs and mobile applications, as well as prototypes, wireframes and vector graphics. Interactive prototypes can be shared across multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS and Android - ideal for team collaboration.

Axure RP Pro – another one good tool for UX design and, moreover, free. Axure provides several options, including: prototyping and documentation. You can even create user journey patterns and site maps. Axure is ideal for creating web and desktop applications, giving users the ability to quickly export to PDF or HTML.

This is a complex software with many specific functions, incl. non-destructive editing (this means that Sketch will not change the pixel density of the image you are working with). Code export, pixel precision, prototyping, vector editing - these are the main advantages of Sketch.

6. Software for storyboarding

You may wonder why a storyboard is needed in UX design. But this good way to visually predict how a user will interact with your product in a broad context. There are several storyboarding tools available, with different features and levels of difficulty.

Storyboarder is a free development with basic functionality that is suitable for all designers, regardless of their skill level. This software quickly creates sketches or stick figures to describe a plan or idea. Another tool is Toon Boom Storyboard Pro. It combines drawing, animation, camera control and numerous other options for an annual or monthly fee. Wide functionality for sophisticated storytelling and detailed preparatory work. All this is suitable for designers who are looking for an opportunity to visually tell their story using an interface.

How to become a UX designer?

If you love design, research and working with people - listening to others talk about their experiences, then perhaps a career in UX design is worth considering. In this case, you will have to focus on the conceptual aspects of the design; create a high-quality interaction experience for other users.

There are a few important steps on the path to a career as a UX designer. Many universities around the world offer their courses, but to enroll in them, 4 years of education in the field of design is usually required condition. There are more flexible programs, such as Quinnipiac University Graduate Program in User Experience Design. There are also certification programs for professionals. Much depends on the duration of training and level of training.

If you're ready to realize your dream of becoming a UX designer, you'll need a resume and a strong portfolio. Resources like Dribbble or Behance will come in handy. You can demonstrate your work on your own website, created using builders such as SquareSpace.

Keep the following details in mind:

Visual appeal

Presentation is everything. The work should speak for itself...show, don't tell! Color choice, typography are all important.

Add an "about" page

Why should anyone hire you? What new thing can you bring to any organization? Show recruiters your unique vision or what inspires you.

An employee of your dream company should not have any difficulties navigating the portfolio website. Add sections such as contacts, resume, portfolio, about me, etc. to the menu. to make navigation easier.

Explain how you create your UX

Your future employer wants to understand your way of thinking. Add information that tells the recruiter about your UX research, brainstorming, design process, or prototyping.

Create an additional portfolio

Use other tools to make your work available on the web where designers and those who want to hire them spend their time,

Bottom line

you can be graphic designer, blogger, developer or anyone else, but, in any case, UX design is something that can help you and your company grow. A happy user is the key to success, but without thoughtful UX design this will be impossible to achieve.

Technology is increasingly penetrating daily life, and successful UX design removes any barriers between the user and his device (or applications). UX design is more important now than ever – join this movement and benefit your business.

In this post I will talk about my observations of how a product interface is born and matures in Sketch. These ideas can be applied to a front-end project of any size, be it a landing page or an operating system.

Think strategically - means looking at design in perspective. This means that it is optimal to do it in order to save working time over a long distance.

Levels of Detail in Interface Design

Product interface design is never finished and is constantly evolving. I distinguish four levels:

logical
design level
visual-emotional
zoom level

A correctly laid foundation at a logical level helps to build a project as originally desired. Interface makes the design understandable and convenient. The visual level pleases the eye and gives the right feeling. Then, well-written design rules help scale it to any size.

Designers don't use Sketch to its full potential

The designers I've met try to use Sketch like Photoshop or Illustrator. But Sketch is not just another fashionable vector editor. This is the first successful tool, created specifically for working with interfaces. Using the symbols in in capable hands it allows you to create an infinitely scalable design project. It's not fair to compare Photoshop and Illustrator to Sketch because they weren't created for interface design. No one can deny their greatness, but it is stupid to go into battle armed with a microscope if you can choose a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

The design of a large project smoothly evolves from gray sketchy blocks to a well-developed system that resembles a laid-out website. A sketch allows you to move from one level of detail to another.

Which layout is better organized?

Here are two seemingly identical layouts:

The left one does not use symbols, and the right one consists only of them. Which layout is better organized? The answer suggests itself: right. But no. They are tailored for different purposes.

Left: easy to change, difficult to scale

If this design becomes the basis for 100 other screens, then with each new copy there will be poorly managed duplicate objects in the project. They should be identical from screen to screen. The more there are, the more difficult it will be to keep order. If a single icon or tabbar changes, all 100 layouts will become obsolete.

Right: expensive to create, ideal to scale

However, do not rush to cram everything into symbols. If the style is just being formed and you need to radically redo this screen, then after drawing the screen again, all the symbols from the right version will become outdated. The time spent creating them will not pay off. Such a screen with its symbols is inconvenient to rearrange among other screens; it is not easy to climb.

Symbols — interface glue

I understand the enormous potential hidden in symbols. They resemble a small civilization in which organisms are born and die. Using symbols and simple shapes I grow structures. Dead tissue is destroyed. I create and send them to war, knowing that there may be a situation where they will have to be detached.

Life cycle of a symbol

After death, the symbols turn into groups, and with the next action they can be ungrouped, pulling their contents onto the surface of the layout: simple raster, vector and text layers, or other symbols. This is how the levels of detail change through individual atoms.

Depending on whether I create new symbols or shoot old ones, you can understand in which direction I am moving strategically: I am detailing or destroying the structure of the design.

Both directions of movement have their advantages:

If we detail

the structure becomes more formal and complex. Harmony and logic appear, it strives to describe its smallest particles and follows the DRY (don’t repeat yourself) programming principle. Formalization leads to order and saves objects, but inevitably bureaucratizes the system. Foundation stones are more expensive to move than roof stones. Formalization is friendly with the grid, making sure that all indents are the same. This is how we cement the interface, making it less flexible, but sleek.

Interesting example: I came across a Sketch project that weighed 600 MB. It used almost no symbols and had a lot of screens. When I cleaned it up and converted it into symbols, the file weight was reduced to 150 MB.

If more than two objects in the system look identical, and the number of them will only increase in the future, it may be time to create a common symbol for them.

If we simplify

If we chop up the symbolic structure with detail, this leads to a thinner design and becomes closer to the KISS principle (keep it short and simple). Fresh cement is easier to shape into the desired shape. The particles in it do not have strong bonds with each other and do not resist.

Design to pieces

There is nothing more annoying than symbolic structures when you need to quickly and dramatically change the design, make new logic interactions. In this case, you constantly trip over them. If you don’t shoot the symbols, you will have to form in your head all the relationships that form the final layout. We go into each symbol and change it to influence the final design. If the elements are small and varied, it is extremely difficult to do this within one layout. Trying to play by the rules of the formal system when a revolution is needed is a useless mess that slows down work. It’s like you’re trying to paint a picture not as a whole, but in fragments, without seeing the overall canvas.

When an interface is full of symbols, it is fragmented. If you need to create a completely new screen, this gets in the way.

Now let's talk about levels in more detail.

1. Logic level of design

This highest level abstraction, stratosphere. The most general interface level is the logic of user actions. What UX designers do: What channels will be used to interact with the system? What is the user's goal? How can we help you achieve it in a minimum of clicks? The sketch turns into a program for creating logic diagrams:

At this level there is only one symbol - a gray card indicating an action. It is harmful to symbolize arrows and it is advisable not to even make clarifying signatures. The structure is just being formed. Some designers don't work at this level at all, preferring to visualize user journeys as screens rather than logical actions. This level does not contain any visual design.

2. Design level

When more details appear, we move to the user flow level. What buttons does the user press to achieve their goal? At this stage it is convenient to use the User Flow plugin, which allows you to show which buttons lead where.

In apps and websites, this is the level of interaction with the screen. We draw general shapes, broad strokes. This is also a logical level, without drawing details. Where will the call to action button be? What screen will it lead to? What should we do if the user is blind or has other disabilities?

Mobile First

The steps turn into screens with specific dimensions that we design for. We always start with the mobile version, since it is easier to concentrate on the meaning rather than on the visual design. Expand mobile version on big screen much easier than squeezing a desktop into a mobile. Read Mobile First.

First characters

Here we can already start making the most general symbols, if we are sure that the objects will be typical. Header, main menu and footer symbols may appear. They look like gray rectangles with text layers. Since we are not limited by strong fragmentation, it is also easy to make significant design changes at this level.

Prototype as early as possible

Here it is already useful to create the first prototype in Invision, which is not very beautiful, but it works as designed. At this level, you can test ideas: is the logic clear, or does everything need to be redone from scratch? It's a shame to throw away a lovingly drawn design. Throwing away a painted napkin is not offensive.

3. Level of emotions: rendering and content

Once the logical picture has emerged, you can work on the design in detail. This is the territory of inspiration and artists. Fans of Dribble and Behance concentrate on it, sometimes forgetting about the rest. Gray squares are being replaced by real UI elements, good typography, icons and illustrations. Time to carefully work out the wording in the texts. This also includes animation. When it is used appropriately, even the simplest design comes to life.

Together, content and visuals shape the perception of the entire product.

4. Zoom level

When the style of the product has been formed and a set of rules has appeared according to which the design is formed, the time comes for the design system to mature. I would also like to call this stage formalization.

Those who organized this know a lot about scaling. Symbols are the ideal design scaling tool.

The vast majority of symbols are created at this level. This is the time to come down to earth and stop starting revolutions. It's time to start looking at the details and practicing perfectionism. The purpose of the birth of symbols at this stage is to break the system into the smallest parts so that it can be scaled painlessly.

Why scale

A well-formalized system is easy to maintain.

Even major project It may remain at the rendering level. Since the increase in the number of layouts is inevitable, along with it the growth of the accompanying mess is inevitable. If the design changes, the designer has to update all the layouts manually (which is impossible), or keep only the latest layouts up to date, ignoring all the others. I'd go crazy if I had to deal with 90% of my new layouts being outdated.

Example of a scaling problem

If the task arises of repainting all the red icons in a different shade, it will be easy to do, since they are grouped in one UI kit, from which they are translated into all layouts. If we change one symbol, all its copies in 600 layouts change. This design already smells like layout.

What to scale

Not only icons, but any repeating elements should become symbols. All input fields, menus, illustrations, buttons, tabs, popups and some text blocks.

All levels contradict each other. In order for a project to develop, it is constantly necessary to maneuver between them, and this is the skill of an interface designer.

This post is not about the need to split the interface into a bunch of symbols, nor is it about the fact that symbols interfere with drawing a design as an illustration. These are just consequences of something deeper. Look at your interface at all four levels and decide what to do with it this moment in order to most effectively solve the problem.

Despite the abundance educational materials, beginning professionals year after year are concerned with the same question: how to take the first steps in design.

Having received many questions from young designers, I decided to write the material that I would dream of reading at the start of my career. It is based on personal experience and lessons learned from communicating with successful designers from large studios and product teams.

In the first part, I will talk about the basic skills of a good designer, and in the second, how to use them to build a career.

Designer's foundation

In any field there are a number of basic skills, without which there is nothing to do in the profession. Only by acquiring these skills can you count on a promotion in position and income.

Focus, goals and objectives

Every designer should know for what purposes the interface is being created and what tasks it must solve.

The airline's website exists for people whose goal is to move from one city to another, and its task is to help them find a flight that meets their needs.

Goals and objectives are not the same thing. You may have a goal to have a good evening, and the task is to choose between a movie, a restaurant and football.

The designer must always keep the users’ goals in mind and solve their problems in practice. Surely, you are currently working or starting to work on some project. Think about what his goals are and what tasks he must solve.

The service can have many tasks and some will conflict with each other, so you need to choose one main one and make its implementation as convenient as possible, without sacrificing the rest.

How would it work if it were easy?

I regularly ask myself this question when faced with a new challenge. It helps me step away from existing patterns and come up with a solution that fits the current problem.

At the start of my career, like many others, the first thing I did was run to design resources in search of “inspiration” and tried to find a solution that could be applied to my problem. Although in reality, I was not looking for inspiration, but was just trying to strain my brain less.

It's tempting to copy someone else's solution, but don't forget that any pattern can work well in one case and not work at all in another. And who will you become just by imitating the work of others? After all, a good designer is always distinguished by the ability to think.

It is useful to adopt other people's experience by looking at concepts and working services, but when faced with new task Don't forget to turn your head on.

Interface aesthetics

I love Medium for its good typography and ease of writing articles, although on other resources my articles sometimes get two or three times as many views more views. But it's not just about beauty.

A good visual makes it easier to read and eliminates the need to change the page scale. A good visual artist emphasizes important elements, which is nice in social networks and critically important in business services.

Instagram changed its interface from black and blue to white for a reason. His goal was to focus on user-generated content.

From time to time we hear about mistakes that people make due to a complex interface. Of course, accidentally liking something is not a problem, but a mistake when flying an airplane or a nuclear power plant can lead to tragedy.

The easiest way to improve visual skills is to adopt other people's experience, copying interfaces and reading explanatory materials. Google's design guidelines helped me a lot.

Another very important thing is an outside perspective. I've always worked in startups where I was the only designer, which gave me a lot of freedom to act, but deprived me of feedback from experienced colleagues.

Most designers start their careers at home, so the only way for them to get feedback is to develop a relationship with an experienced designer and periodically ask them for feedback on their work.

What does he need?

A good designer thinks in scripts, not screens.

A script is a sequence of actions that a user needs to perform to complete a specific task. For example, choose the optimal flight. The scenario can be solved within one screen, or it can contain as many of them as you like. The designer’s task is not to reduce the number of screens, but to make the user’s task more convenient and intuitive.

Sometimes a task requires step-by-step logic, where each step is separate page, as with complex registration. Some tasks are more convenient to solve within one screen (example: creating a publication on social networks).

Scenarios are at the core of any interface design, so any design should start with them.

Systematic design

All companies that care at least a little about design come to the idea that redrawing the same components and arranging them in a new way is a pretty stupid idea. So everyone started creating unified system components, and a little later the logic of their placement.

After some more time, the designers teamed up with the developers, linking their elements in the layouts with the laid-out components on the front. Thanks to this, the designer has to draw less and more and use his two main tools more and more: the brain and the front-end developer.

Developers need to be respected and at least logically understand the essence of their work. Without this it will be difficult to find mutual language and create a great product.

Having a ready-made set of necessary elements and styles, you can think more about solving user problems and less about drawing.

Even a good idea is easy to kill

I remember how at the beginning of my career, when presenting a design solution, I was easily confused by asking a simple question, for example, why some element was this way. Then I tried to give a reasoned answer to the question of why the meaningless dialogue arose, which influenced the perception of the entire work.

Only with experience did I understand that questions not related to the main topic should be ignored. For example, saying: “These are just details, so let's discuss the main things that affect the business, and at the end we will return to your question.” Surprisingly, this response saves you from unnecessary conversation and presents you as a professional who cares about the client's business, not his ego.

In order for your design decisions to be made, you need to tie them back to the analytics you conducted before coming to that decision. By showing that your decision was the result of serious analytical work, in which you studied competitors and tested several solutions, it will be difficult to disagree with you.

Books for designers

I am periodically asked which books helped me become a better designer.

None.

Only regular practice and understanding of business helped me bring greater benefit to the company and increase my value in the market.

Where to get a job

There are three popular options: studio, product or startup.

The studio is well suited for beginners, as there are plenty of designers around you from whom you can learn something. The pace is higher here, since there are clear start and end dates for the project. Due to the fact that the cost of the project is tied to man-hours, the studios generally earn less than the product.

The product has a calmer rhythm, since the company’s profit does not directly depend on the work of the designer. Often, the design team deals with functionality that will appear in the future, so for them quality is most often more important than speed. Especially for projects that are used by millions.

In startups, the contribution of each employee is extremely important, since the teams are small and often the design department consists of only one person, so it is better to go there fully confident in your abilities.

My entire career, not counting freelancing, I worked at startups where I was the only designer. The downside of this job is that there is no mentor nearby, so I did a lot of self-education and analysis of my work. The advantage is that you can have maximum influence on the final product by working together with the founders.

Generating luck

[very important part]

Many people limit their understanding of the world to professional skills, although they are only the necessary minimum. You can be a great designer, but what good is it if no one knows about you (not clients, not the community)?

Some people are lucky and their careers are built in a favorable way, but not because they were born lucky, but only because they unconsciously performed actions that increase their chances of success.

Among these actions there are active and passive.

Among the passive ones are the presence of a resume, portfolio and neat profiles on social networks. These things increase the likelihood that you might be accidentally noticed and come up with an interesting project.

Active actions — responding to other people’s vacancies, publishing articles and cases, communicating with professionals from different areas, direct letters to employers and creating your own community. Thanks to this, you do not wait until they find you, but on your own increase the likelihood of a promising offer.

I know one designer from the region who kept a table with leading professionals from our industry and met with them upon arrival in Moscow. Thanks to this, he managed to get a good job offer and after a year and a half, change one top studio to another, taking the place of a partner.

A popular option now is to take a course from famous company or take part in a competition.

Pavel Shumakov, having won the Russian Design Cup, received an offer from VKontakte, and a little later he moved to the London office of Badoo. Some guys, after taking a course from Skillbox, received a job offer at AIC.

A long-known option is to make a fake project, putting all your effort into it and publishing it in a quality portfolio. The most famous example is the redesign of Google News by Georgy Kvasnikov, which brought him a number of offers from large companies.

Well, the last thing.

It is important to understand that behind the screen of any brand there are adequate people who are ready to consider an ambitious candidate at any time. Your task is only to present yourself correctly. Competent letter a common box and a neat portfolio — that’s sometimes all you need.

One of the most important things I have learned in my career is the ability to move forward despite setbacks. Mistakes cannot be avoided, so you need to treat them well.

This is basic logic:

Success is achieved not by those who do not make mistakes, but by those who move forward despite them.

My path, which I described in great history“Becoming a Designer” contained a number of failures that could have cost me my job, but even at the start of my career, my intuition told me that worrying would not help anyone and the only way to achieve something was to simply move forward.

So don't worry if you encounter problems in your new job. Everyone has been through it, including Steve Jobs, who made a series of costly mistakes during the first 15 years of his career that led many to consider him a failure in the late 1990s. And only arrogant confidence in his mission allowed him to move forward and a decade later become an industry icon.

Be open, build relationships with colleagues, be interested in the experiences of others and when you get the chance, take the initiative.

Inevitable outcome

Perhaps it’s too early for novice specialists to read about the outcome, but one designer wrote to me that she doesn’t want to just “move pixels,” but strive to participate in the creation of a product. Usually designers come to these thoughts after several years, tired of creating the same type of services for customers.

The most logical growth option is the position of art director, which means that you are closing forever graphics editor and do only intellectual work, correcting the direction of other designers.

Another option is to move to a product company, where you and your colleagues will have the opportunity to work on improving one product.

A good option is to join a startup and be responsible for the design of the entire project. If successful, you will begin to recruit and train other designers, forming a department.

Perhaps some of you will want to move to the position of product manager and be responsible for communication between teams and project development strategy.

Well, the most ambitious option is to start your own project. A good designer understands how marketing and development work, what people need, and knows how to use it.

Making the transition from a designer position is not that difficult. Instead of waiting for a promotion, start taking on new responsibilities yourself.
I have been applying this principle for quite a long time and, as experience shows, if you have adequate colleagues, your initiative will be noted.

The key to everything

A young designer asked me a question:

Is it better to continue self-education or get a job as soon as possible?

Always and in everything, practice - The best way study any discipline, and if it is combined with adequate feedback, then you will not be able to find anything better.

Therefore, if you want to achieve something in design, then start working as early as possible and it’s very good if you have experienced colleagues next to you. If there are none, then do the projects yourself and look for feedback from designers on social networks.

At the start of your career, focus on quality rather than quantity of projects. No need to look for a new job while looking for better life. First learn to do it well.

And don’t forget that design skills are only half the battle. In addition to them, you need to be able to communicate with people, understand the principles of business and be active in searching for interesting offers.

Work hard every day and don't forget that any success takes time.

Patience and persistence are the key to everything.

Make this your breakthrough week.

In the end, I decided not to throw away the work done, since this article serves as a kind of checklist that you should go through before you start developing new interface, and look at it directly during the user interface design process.

“Design is more than just layout, arrangement, or even editing. It is about adding value and meaning, enlightening, simplifying, clarifying, modification, ennoblement, exaggeration, persuasion or even entertainment" - Paul Rand, book "Design: Form and Chaos."

Interfaces are designed to enable interaction
Interfaces exist to enable interaction between people and our world. They can help clarify, illuminate, include and show relationships, connect us, divide us, manage our expectations and provide access to services. The interface design process is not an art, and the interfaces themselves are not monuments. Interfaces do some work and their effectiveness can be measured. And yet they are not utilitarian. The best interfaces can inspire, awaken, mystify, and enhance our interactions with the world.
Challenge #1: Provide Clarity
Clarity is both the first and most important task of an interface. To be effective using an interface you create, people must be able to recognize what it is, understand why they are using it, understand what the interface helps them interact with, predict what will happen when they use it, and then successfully interact with him. While there is room for some mystery and delayed benefit in getting to know an interface, there should be no room for confusion. Clarity inspires confidence and helps further use. A hundred simple and clear screens are preferable to one confusing one.
Maintain attention at all costs
We live in a world full of distractions. It is difficult to immerse yourself in reading even for a short time without something distracting us and drawing attention to ourselves. Attention is priceless. Don't distract the user with junk in the sidebar of your app, remember what the screen is for in the first place. If someone is reading, then let him finish before showing the ad (of course, if there is no way around it). Appreciate the attention and not only will your users be happier, but you will also benefit from it. When interaction is the primary goal, attention becomes a necessary condition. Keep him at all costs.
Put users in control
People feel comfortable when they feel in control of themselves and their environment. Mindless software takes them away from comfort, involves them in unplanned interactions, confuses navigation and unforeseen results. Give users control: show system status, describe cause and effect (if you do this, get that), and let them know what to expect at every step. Don't worry about it being obvious to them, because it's almost always not obvious at all.
The best manipulations are direct
The best interface is the one that doesn't exist. For example, when we directly control a physical object in our world. But since this is not always possible, and many objects are not physical, but informational, we make interfaces that help us interact with them. It's easy to slip up and add more than necessary to the interface: caramelized buttons, gradients and glitter, graphics, options, settings, windows, attachments, and other junk. As a result, we manipulate interface elements rather than what is actually important. Instead, strive for the idea of direct control. The interface should be invisible and recognize the most common human gestures. Ideally, the interface should be so unobtrusive that the user has the impression that he is directly controlling the object in his focus.
Added: see principle Interface is evil.
One main action per screen
Each screen we design should be designed for only one important user action. This makes it easier for users to learn, use, and can be easily customized and maintained by developers when needed. Screens that contain two or more targeted actions quickly lead to confusion. Just like an article should contain one clear thesis, each screen should offer one action that fills it with meaning.
Leave secondary activities in the background
Screens with one main target action can have many additional actions, but they must remain secondary! Your article does not exist to be shared on Twitter. It exists because people can read and understand it. Make the weight of secondary target actions visually lighter or show them after the main one is completed.
Do next step natural
Few actions are final, so for each action, carefully work out the next step. Anticipate what it will be like next action and design it in advance. Just as in normal conversation, offer an opportunity for the next word. Don't leave a person hanging in oblivion just because they did what you wanted them to do. Let them take the next natural step that will help them further achieve their goal.
Appearance follows behavior (or "function determines form")
People are most comfortable with objects that behave as they expect. Other people, animals, things, programs. When someone or something behaves in accordance with our expectations, we feel as if we have a good relationship with them. That's why designed elements should look like they behave. In practice, this means that someone must be able to predict how an interface element will behave simply by looking at it. If it looks like a button, then it should act like a button. Don't flirt with the basics of interaction. Leave your creativity for other level questions.
Consistency matters
Following previous principle, an element should not look similar to another unless their behavior is related. Elements with the same behavior should look the same. It is also important for different elements to appear different (and inconsistent). In an effort to be consistent, new designers often implicitly highlight important differences using the same visual treatments when the visual differences are appropriate.
Strong visual hierarchy works better
Strong visual hierarchy is achieved when there is a clear order of sequence on the screen visual elements. That is, when users view similar blocks in the same order every time. A weak visual hierarchy provides few clues as to where the eye can rest and ends up looking cluttered and confusing. It's difficult to maintain a strong visual hierarchy because visual weight is relative: when everything is highlighted, nothing is highlighted. If you want to add one visually heavy element to the screen, you may need to de-emphasize all elements to maintain hierarchy. Most people don't notice it, but it's one of the most simple ways strengthen or weaken the design.
Smart organization reduces cognitive load
As John Maeda said in his book Simplicity, clever organization of elements on the screen can make big things seem small. It helps people understand the interface easier and faster if you show the relationships of the content in the design. By grouping similar elements, you can show the relationship of elements using relative position and orientation. By cleverly organizing your content, you reduce the cognitive load on the user, who doesn't have to think about how things fit together because you've already done it for them. Don't make the user think. Instead, help him and show the connections on the screen through design.
Highlight, but don't indicate
The color of physical objects changes when lighting changes. On a bright sunny day, we see a tree completely differently than at sunset. Just as in the physical world where color is relative, in an interface it should not strictly define anything. It can help highlight and be used for emphasis, but should not be the only difference between the elements. For long reading sessions, use light or muted colors, leaving bright colors for emphasis. Of course, you can use bright colors for the background fill, just make sure it suits your audience.
Progressive disclosure
On each screen, show only what is necessary. If people need to make a choice, show them enough information so they can make it, then drill them into the details on the next screen. Avoid the tendency to over-explain and dump everything at once. Whenever possible, defer decision making across multiple screens, sequentially revealing information as needed. This will provide more clear communication with an interface.
Help people along the way
IN perfect interface no assistance is required because the interface is easy to learn and easy to use. In real life, help is built-in and contextual. Available only in the right places when needed, and hidden from view the rest of the time. By suggesting that they go to the help section to find the answer to a question, you are placing the onus on users to know what they need to look for and how to phrase their query. Instead, build in help where it might be needed. Just make sure it doesn't get in the way of users who already know how to use the interface.
Decisive moment: zero state
The first experience of using an interface is crucial, but it is often overlooked by designers. In order to help users get comfortable, it would be correct to design a zero state, that is, a state when nothing has happened yet. This state should not be blank screen. It must provide direction and contain instructions for quick start work. Most of the difficulties arise at the very first step. But once people understand the rules of the game, their chances of success increase.
Current problems are the most important
People usually look for solutions to their current problems, rather than potential ones that will arise in the future. Thus, one must resist creating interfaces for hypothetical problems. We need to study the current situation and design a solution existing problems. It may not be as interesting as having your head in the clouds and building castles in the air, but if people actually use your interface, it will be more useful.
Great design is invisible
The curious thing about great design is that it goes unnoticed by users. One reason for this is that if the design is successful, users can concentrate on their tasks rather than the interface. When they complete their tasks, they gain satisfaction rather than reflecting on the situation. For a designer, this can be a brutal discovery because it means he gets less credit when the design turns out to be really good. But good designers are content to see their designs actively used, and know that happy users tend to keep quiet.
Develop skills in other design disciplines
Visual and graphic design, typography, copywriting, information architecture and visualization - all of these disciplines are part of interface design. They may only be touched upon in passing, or they may be specialized in. Don't engage in debates or look down on other disciplines: take from all of them those aspects that will help you develop further in your work. Try to take something from seemingly not related disciplines: publishing, programming, book binding, skateboarding, fire fighting, karate.
Interfaces exist to be used
As with other areas of design, interface design is successful when people use the results of your work. Just like a beautiful chair that is impossible to sit on comfortably, interface design fails when people choose not to use it. Thus, interface design is both the creation of a product and an environment for its use. It’s not enough for the interface to please the designer’s ego—it has to be used!