Design has a granularity problem Why do we need to turn to new design concepts and practices? - Author: Kevin Richard
Reading notes and thoughts
Although the design field attempts to move beyond the focus on individual experience, in fact, UX design and related practices fall short in reflecting the shared sociocultural practices of the entire social group. User Experience Design (UXD) and Human-Centered Design (HCD) are two design methods that both emphasize the needs and experience of users, but they differ in their focus and approach.
User Experience Design (UXD)
User Experience Design (UXD) is a user-centered design method that focuses on how users of a product interact with the product and the overall experience of the user during use. The goal of UXD is to create an intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable user experience.
Focus: User interaction and user experience.
Methods: User research, user testing, prototyping, usability evaluation, etc.
Goal: Improve the usability, attractiveness, and satisfaction of the product.
Human-centered design (HCD)
Human-centered design (HCD) is a broader design approach that focuses not only on product design, but also on the design of products, services, systems, and even entire workflows. The core of HCD is to understand the interaction between people, environment, and tasks.
Focus: Interaction between people, environment, and tasks.
Methods: User research, situational analysis, design iteration, interdisciplinary collaboration, etc.
Goal: Create design solutions that meet people's needs and meet people's capabilities and limitations.
Summary
- Limitations in the field of design Over-focus on individual characteristics: UXD and HCD in practice often focus too much on individual psychological characteristics, needs, and preferences, while ignoring the broader social and cultural context.Ignoring social and cultural context: Design methods lack an in-depth understanding of the user's social and cultural background, resulting in the design product being unable to truly reflect and meet the needs of the entire group.
- The roots and orientation of design practice Engineering background: The roots of design practice are in engineering, which leads to the tendency of design to solve problems from a technical perspective rather than from a human perspective. The influence of cognitive psychology: The combination with cognitive psychology knowledge makes design practice more inclined to attribute problems to the individual psychological level, while ignoring the influence of external environment and cultural factors.
- Design shift and strategy focus on social and cultural background: Designers need to pay more attention to social and cultural background and understand the impact of different cultures on user behavior and needs.User research and market research: Through in-depth user research and market research, designers can better understand the real needs of users and design products that better meet the needs of users.Multiple design methods: Adopting multiple design methods, such as community participatory design, can help designers consider problems from a broader perspective and ensure that the design can meet the needs of different users.
- The shift of design philosophy from individual to group: Design philosophy needs to shift from individual-centered to group-centered, considering the needs and expectations of the entire social group.From problem solving to system design: Design practice needs to shift from simple problem solving to system design, considering the entire social and cultural background and ecological landscape.
- Conclusion The design field needs to shift to a new design philosophy and practice to solve the current "granularity problem". This means that designers need to go beyond focusing on individual users and consider social and cultural contexts. Through in-depth user research and multi-faceted design methods, they can create design works that meet the needs of the entire social group. This shift can not only better serve users, but also promote the overall well-being of society.