Category — UX

The dream eater Hiruko is probably one of the most intriguing characters in manga. And what he does to earn his keep really isn’t much different from a UX designer. We take client’s nightmares and correct them. While some projects aren’t so bad, such as a website in need of some tweaking, some sites are indeed a designer’s nightmare: excessive use of Flash, background music that can’t be paused or muted, or craptastic navigation. But after getting over the initial shock, you roll up your sleeves and start brainstorming.

We have to get into the heads of our clients, as well as the audience they’re targeting. A company that wants to reel in high-rolling clientele needs to make sure their website is elegant and aesthetically pleasing. A site that wants to be an information hub needs to have good typography and contrast for readability.

Sometimes clients are blinded by boxed-in thinking and not questioning their status quo, and hence are driving away customers without even realizing it. Like Hiruko, we need to effectively guide our clients and (in a non-abrasive way) show them why their website sucks, and how to improve it. They may need to “kill their darlings,” such as remove a portion of their site they may have spent their blood, sweat and tears making via hand coding or using Flash.

Unlike Hiruko who likes to maintain a sense of mystery about him when he’s at his job, we need to articulate and communicate our ideas to the client as well as fellow teammates throughout the project. We should expect to be questioned and have potential answers at the ready, or at least assure that we will prepare satisfying answers in a timely manner.

What was the worst design project you had to slog through? Were there times when you wanted to throw in the towel? What helped you to see through the project to its completion (aside from money)?

P.S. – For those who are interested in the manga series, all nine volumes have been translated into English by Viz Media, and can be purchased on Amazon. Not a paid endorsement – I just really like this series!