UX in Interaction Design

User Experience (UX) in Interaction Design

• UX in Interaction Design focuses on creating products that are functional, intuitive, and delightful to ensure they meet user expectations.
• UX design involves understanding users' behaviors, motivations, and challenges to create seamless interfaces and interactions.
• Key attributes of UX include being useful, usable, findable, credible, desirable, accessible, and valuable.

Types of Design

• User interface design focuses on the aesthetics and layout of a product
• Software design focuses on the structure and functionality of a product
• User-centered design focuses on the design process with the user in mind
• Web design focuses on the process of creating the look, feel, and functionalities of a website
• Product design focuses on the process of inventing, developing, and iteratively testing a product
• Experience design (UX) focuses on the overall feeling or experience a user has when using a produce

Interaction Design

• Interaction design encompasses academic disciplines, design practices and interdisciplinary fields.
• Academic disciplines include ergonomics, psychology/cognitive science, informatics, engineering, computer science/software engineering, and social sciences.
• Design practices include graphic design, product design, artist design, industrial design, and film industry.
• Interdisciplinary fields include human factors, cognitive engineering, and cognitive ergonomics.

Multidisciplinary Teams

• Multidisciplinary teams involve people from different backgrounds with varying perspectives, and ways of approaching problem solving.
• Having a multidisciplinary team generates more ideas and better designs.
• Communication and progress can be difficult in large multidisciplinary teams.
• Numerous companies like Tata Elxsi, Pentagram, Lollypop Design, Cooper Design Co., and IDEO use multidisciplinary teams.

Case Study: Human-Centered Running App

• For a human-centered running app, the design team needs various designers and specialists.
• UX designers are needed to focus on the overall user journey and usability.
• Interaction designers are needed to design how users interact with the app through gestures, transitions, and interface elements.
• Information architects are needed to organize the app's structure, content hierarchy, and navigation for ease of use.
• Service designers designs end-to-end user experience, considering touchpoints and the service model
• Behavioral designers are needed to influence user habits and behaviors when using the app
• UI designers are needed to design the visual layout, interface elements, color schemes, typography, and aesthetics.
• Visual/graphic designers are needed to develop visual assets, illustrations, icons, and branding elements.
• Motion designers are needed to create animations and transitions for enhancing the user experience when using the UI
• Augmented reality (AR) designers are needed to design AR elements, creating interactive overlays for the app.
• Data visualization designers are needed to visualize complex data like performance metrics using graphs, charts, and infographics.
• Accessibility designers are needed to focus on designing for users with disabilities, compatibility with accessibility features.
• Voice interface designers are needed to specialize in voice interaction and designing command and dialogue prompts.
• Localization designers are needed to adapt the app's content for various languages, regions, and cultural contexts.
• Ethical designers are needed to ensure design decisions respect user privacy, data ethics, and inclusivity.
• Content designers/UX writers are needed to craft the app's text, including instructions, prompts, and error message.
• Brand designers are needed to focuses on the visual identity and branding, maintaining consistency across platforms.
• Social media designers are needed to design content and visuals for social media platforms, integrating app content.
• Industrial designers are needed to design physical hardware like wearables or sensors, focusing on ergonomics and aesthetics.
• Game designers are needed to develop gamified elements like challenges, leaderboards, and rewards for engagement.
• Dieticians/nutrition consultants are needed to provide expert advice on diet, nutrition, and hydration features like meal plans.
• Sports doctor/medical consultants are needed to ensure safety and prevention, recovery, and personalized health recommendations.
• Front-end developers with design skills are needed to bridge design and development, implementing the app's visual aspects.
• The team as a whole covers every aspect of the user journey and ensures ethical guidelines for privacy and welfare.

Elderly care and support app

• Offers medication reminders, health tracking, emergency contacts, social connection features, and cognitive exercises
• Features large, high-contrast text and simple interfaces.
• voice commands for those with limited dexterity and caregiver tools.

Accessible fitness and workout app

• Offers fitness guidance and workout routines for users of different abilities and backgrounds.
• Features adaptive workout plans, exercises for users with limited mobility, progress tracking, and virtual trainer feedback.
• Focuses on accessibility for people with physical disabilities.

Mental wellness and mindfulness app

• Focuses on mental health, stress reduction, mindfulness practices, and guided meditation.
• Features personalized meditation sessions, mood tracking, relaxation techniques, sleep guides, and breathing exercises.
• Accessible content for users of visual/auditory impairments, personalization based on mood history, and cultural inclusivity.

Diet and meal planning app

• Offers tailored meal plans, nutritional advice, and diet tracking.
• Offers recipe suggestions, grocery lists, dietary plans, and allergy alerts.
• Considers dietary restrictions, cultural food preferences, and inclusive design for eating habits, with clear instructions and affordable plans.

Interaction Design Core Characteristics

• Users should be involved throughout the development of any interactive project.
• Specific usability and UX (user experience) goals must be identified, documented, and agreed upon from the beginning.
• Iteration is needed when performing the core activities of design.
• Interaction design allows designers to understand how to design interactive products that fit user needs and desires.
• Designers must appreciate that "one size does not fit all" and account form different preferences.
• Designers must identify any incorrect assumptions they may have about particular user groups.
• Designers must be aware of people's sensitivities and capabilities.

Week 2 Outline Topics

• Design
• Interaction
• Inclusion
• Accessibility Principles

Inclusivity

• Inclusivity prioritizes the varied needs of all potential users, regardless of background, ability, or experience.
• Designing for inclusivity can create technology that reflects the needs of a global audience.
• Inclusivity amplifies market reach and customer satisfaction by catering to different demographics.
• Inclusivity enhances creativity and innovation through diverse perspectives.

Accessibility

• Accessibility ensures products are usable and accessible for people of all levels of ability and those with disabilities.
• Accessibility ensures equal access to information, services, and opportunities for disabled users.
• Accessibility includes screen readers, closed captioning, color contrast adjustments, and keyboard navigation.

Guidelines for Accessibility

• WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are the global standard for digital accessibility.
• ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) enhances accessibility of web content and applications.
• Section 508 (US) has created the standards for electronic and IT accessibility.
• Universal Design Principles ensures that design is functional for all without need for adaptation.

Core Design Principles for Inclusivity and Accessibility

• Simplicity: Design is clear and intuitive to minimize complexity.
• Consistency: Use similar layouts, controls, and navigation patterns.
• Flexibility: Accommodate diverse abilities with adaptable interfaces.
• Feedback: Provide clear feedback for user actions (visual, auditory, haptic).
• Error Prevention and Recovery: Minimize errors and offer easy solutions.

Accessibility Tips

• Use alt text for images.
• Provide keyboard shortcuts and navigation options.
• Ensure sufficient color contrast for readability.
• Include closed captions or transcripts for multimedia content.
• Design for scalability, adjusting font size or zoom.

Importance of Universal Design

• Designing for everyone increases usability, not just for people with disabilities.
• Universal designs improve SEO and digital visibility, as search engines favor accessible sites.
• Universal design creates brand loyalty and a good reputation as socially responsible.
• Universal design minimizes the risk of legal issues related to accessibility non-compliance.

Inclusiveness vs Accessibility

• Inclusiveness is making products and services to accommodate the highest number of people.
• Inclusivity enables a methodology and draws on the full range of human diversity.
• Accessibility is the extent to which an interactive product is available for as many people as possible.
• Accessibility is the qualities that make any experience open to all.

Disability Classifications

• Sensory impairment includes loss of vision or hearing.
• Physical impairment includes loss of functions to the body after a stroke or spinal cord injury.
• Cognitive impairment includes learning impairment or loss of memory/cognitive function due to old age.

Design Principles

• Design principles are generalizable abstractions for thinking about aspects of design.
• Design principles focus on the do's and don'ts when dealing with interaction design.
• Design principles focus on what to provide and what not to provide at the interface.
• Design principles are derived from a mix of theory-based knowledge, experience, and common sense .
• Key design principles include ensuring visibility (findability), feedback, constraints (navigability), consistency, and affordance.

Visibility (Findability)

• Visibility ensures that the most important options, features, and actions are easily visible and accessible to the user.
• Clear visibility enhances usability and reduces cognitive load because users should not have to search.
• Place crucial functions strategically and use clear labels and icons for recognition.
• Make navigation paths straightforward and intuitive,

Feedback

• Feedback offers users immediate responses or updates on their actions and informing them of the result.
• Timely feedback builds trust and guides users on what to do next, reducing errors.
• Use visual, auditory, or haptic methods of feedback.
• Display confirmation messages for completed actions.

Constraints (Navigability)

• Constraints limit the user's options to guide correct usage and prevent errors to ensure smooth navigation.
• Constraints make the user interface simpler to navigate, reducing errors and confusion.
• Hide unavailable options or gray them out to show users what's interactable .
• Use clear labels to clarify steps.

Consistency

• Consistency makes the design, navigation, and interactions patterns of interfaces uniform for predictability.
• Consistency helps users understand the system faster, making it easier to learn and use without errors.
• Maintain the same colors, fonts, icons, and layouts,.
• Use the same conventions for common elements, like buttons and menus.
• Provide a unified look and feel.

Affordance

• Affordances are cues that indicate how an object or element should be used, making interactions intuitive.
• Good affordances make interfaces self-explanatory and prevent errors by suggesting the appropriate actions.
• Buttons should look clickable, and sliders should look like they are able to be dragged.
• Use visual cues like shadows, shapes, and sizes for user interactions.
• Keep functionality clear and intuitive without giving instructions.

Summary

• Interaction design is related to designing products to support how people communicate and interact in their everyday lives.
• Interaction design is related to how to create a quality user experience for services, devices, and interactive products.
• Optimizing the interaction between users and interactive products requires consideration of a number of interdependent factors.
• Design principles are useful heuristics for informing, analyzing, and evaluating aspects of an interactive product.
• Applying inclusivity, accessibility, and solid design principles together create products that are not only usable and functional but also empowering.