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Design Theory

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Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence in UX Design

  • Behavioral Science, Conversational Design, Customer Experience, Design, Design Theory, Human factors, Product design

Addressing these 3 fundamental psychological needs in our products increases user motivation and well-being. Users will be more engaged and more likely to use our designs.

Article by Tanner Kohler
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence in UX Design
  • The self-determination theory explains how three basic psychological needs — autonomy, relatedness, and competence — drive human motivation:
    • Autonomy: Users value products they can customize to their needs and preferences.
    • Relatedness: Products that relate to users’ needs and perspectives strengthen relationships and increase satisfaction.
    • Competence: Clear and compelling design helps users become competent using the system, leading to positive outcomes.
  • When it’s challenging to accommodate autonomy, relatedness, and competence in a single design, testing with potential users can help determine which need is the most important.
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11 min read

Why Skilled UX Designers Are (Like) Magicians

  • Behavioral Science, Design, Design Theory, Human factors, Visual Design

Discover how to create a user-centered experience by designing for the Locus of Attention.

Article by Vero Vanden Abeele
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Why Skilled UX Designers Are (Like) Magicians
  • The article is built around the term “locus of attention”, which refers to the focus of attention, including not only the actively chosen object but also anything that grabs one’s attention, including cases where selective attention wanders off.
  • The manipulation of users’ attention is essential in UX design, as the locus of attention determines what will be noticed and what will be ignored.
  • A skilled UX designer should know how to grab, hold and relocate the locus of attention.
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14 min read

The Art & Science of Design

  • Conversational Design, Design, Design Theory, UX Education

Balancing Creativity and Analysis to Solve Complex Problems.

Article by Nate Schloesser
IDEAS IN BRIEF
The Art & Science of Design
  • The article explores the balance between subjective creativity and objective analysis in design.
  • From the author’s perspective, designerʼs priorities should include:
    • Experimenting with new ideas;
    • Remaining receptive to feedback;
    • Relying on data analysis to refine and enhance their designs;
    • Generating solutions that positively impact society’s accessibility, sustainability, and social justice.
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12 min read

Bring out your dead!

  • Design, Design Theory, The rise of design, Things UX People Like

In a world of attention-grabbing headlines, it’s more important than ever to critically evaluate claims of “dead” concepts and practices.

Article by Rich Nadworny
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Bring out your dead!
  • From author’s perspective, labeling concepts or practices as “dead” has become commonplace, but such claims are often superficial and driven by commercial interests.
  • The media industry tends to favor sensationalism over substantive analysis, which can lead to oversimplification of complex issues.
  • The excitement of design and innovation lies in its evolution and rediscovery, as it continuously gets better through trial and error over time. It’s important to critically evaluate trends and consider the broader context.
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3 min read

Stop Sprinting and Start Jamming

  • Design, Design Theory, Simplicity, Strategy, The rise of design, UX Education

Learn how jamming provides huge benefits to innovation efforts.

Article by Rich Nadworny
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Stop Sprinting and Start Jamming
  • Jamming when designing promotes experimentation and teamwork while sprinting can become misguided and unrealistic.
  • The author draws an analogy between the creative process of producing music and design and shows the number of benefits of jamming:
    • Jamming removes false expectations on the team to accomplish tasks within unrealistic deadlines.
    • Jamming promotes collaboration, curiosity, and experimentation.
    • Jamming allows people to have quiet time between jams to reflect and think by themselves; this gives rise to innovative ideas within the team.
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4 min read

The Rise of Relational Design

  • Behavioral Science, Design, Design Theory, Human factors, Psychology and Human Behavior, UX Magazine

What if we designed anything with relationships in mind?

Article by Fabian Pfortmuller
IDEAS IN BRIEF
The Rise of Relational Design
  • The author believes that putting relationships first should be a common practice in every part of human activity.
  • The author sees a relational design as something we can anticipate in the nearest future. It can be applied in many cases – from designing cities to building any type of organization or system.
  • Relational design isn’t new in any way – the fact they are old makes them this powerful. With relationships in mind, we can start designing a new future.
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3 min read
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