Trying to make everyone happy is a bad idea.
If you are an interface designer, then your main task is to make it easy to use.
In addition to this goal, there are many small tasks that require attention, such as maintaining brand integrity, establishing communication with the user through the main marketing message, transferring certain emotions, developing for a specific platform - this list can be continued for quite a while.
But what will be goal number two?
')
Let's look at the situation from the outside.
We do not often encounter tasks that require satisfying the needs of the entire global user community (such as Google, eBay, Amazon, or Yahoo). Instead, we usually have a rather narrow target audience with which we work and whose needs should be taken into account. But no one attaches great importance to this fact - the development is carried out as if our interface should be equally suitable for the Australian aborigine and for the residents of the metropolis. Well, to stop working on the idea of ​​"world peace" is our number two task.
“Target audience” is a familiar term? We all know that we must take into account the demographic and psychological characteristics of the target audiences, evaluate user data by quantitative and qualitative methods. We know that we must take into account all the data in order to build our super interface.
The principle of negative design - what is it?
We often do not realize that by designing an interface exclusively for a narrow group of people, we are thus designing against all others. This means that your subconscious mind no longer works with some abstract target audience. The focus of your attention is on the needs of a very narrow circle of people, while all others who do not belong to your elite remain overboard. This is a very important principle, and this is why.
Designing for the elite is more efficient!
Well, of course, you are already dancing around the needs of your target audience, but without applying the principle of negative design, you still will not fully satisfy them. You still use “best” practices and ideas that are based on authoritative opinions about what is “useful” and “good” design. If you want, you can choose any other adjective you use to justify your rather shaky “objective” standards. Sometimes these very “standards” are a reason for a compromise that will never allow you to work with your target audience as efficiently as possible.
What happens when you turn away from abstract users and jump over standards to the needs of your elite group? This jump, which may not be enjoyed by various gurus and rejected by a large number of people, will very closely connect you with your target audience.
This jump can be the factor that will allow your interface to step from simply functional to amazing .
Note: I know what you think. That "this mad man considers everything relative and does not accept axioms." Of course there are unconditional principles. For example, the text that is intended to be read must be of such a form as to be read. It is obvious.
Why does it work
Marketing web guru Seth Godin discusses this idea in his book "Communities" (tribes) ( read more here ). The main idea of ​​the book is that each person belongs to at least one community, and, almost certainly, even more than one. Each community has a number of distinctive characteristics. Characteristics arose as "subcultures", and in our case, in the form of "target audiences". How does your target audience differ from any other community? What are its characteristics? Do they have their own unique language or terminology (Star Trek fans answer this question! Or tell me how best to write a “new habratopic” or a “new blog topic” for this site)? Do they have any emotional connections with certain objects, animals, ideas, or with a certain person? Maybe they all wear red shirts on a particular day, or maybe they intend to join the green movement. Such questions just allow you to make a qualitative leap and bring closer to your target audience (and not to everyone else).
This works because the psychology of the community goes beyond the normal process of classifying people. People constantly feel a sense of belonging to a certain community. If every person at any moment could become a member of any community, the feeling of belonging would disappear, as it would become a common occurrence. The community will only accept those who will comply with its unofficial rulebook.
From the same opera, if someone uses your interface, how does this process differ from using another interface? Will this action be something special or will it leave you indifferent? Take care of your target audience. This is the most effective way to achieve both big goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that this in no way means that you should abandon any attempt to please an alien from a foreign tribe. This article is rather an attempt to make you think about the fact that by intelligently rejecting the traditional rules and pushing the limits, you can achieve more accurate and effective communication with the people by the name of "your target audience." They and only they are the most important goal, even if when you focus attention on them you lose a random audience.
The original article in English is here.
In addition to this goal, there are many small tasks that require attention, such as maintaining brand integrity, establishing communication with the user through the main marketing message, transferring certain emotions, developing for a specific platform - this list can be continued for quite a while.
But what will be goal number two?
')
Let's look at the situation from the outside.
We do not often encounter tasks that require satisfying the needs of the entire global user community (such as Google, eBay, Amazon, or Yahoo). Instead, we usually have a rather narrow target audience with which we work and whose needs should be taken into account. But no one attaches great importance to this fact - the development is carried out as if our interface should be equally suitable for the Australian aborigine and for the residents of the metropolis. Well, to stop working on the idea of ​​"world peace" is our number two task.
“Target audience” is a familiar term? We all know that we must take into account the demographic and psychological characteristics of the target audiences, evaluate user data by quantitative and qualitative methods. We know that we must take into account all the data in order to build our super interface.
The principle of negative design - what is it?
We often do not realize that by designing an interface exclusively for a narrow group of people, we are thus designing against all others. This means that your subconscious mind no longer works with some abstract target audience. The focus of your attention is on the needs of a very narrow circle of people, while all others who do not belong to your elite remain overboard. This is a very important principle, and this is why.
Designing for the elite is more efficient!
Well, of course, you are already dancing around the needs of your target audience, but without applying the principle of negative design, you still will not fully satisfy them. You still use “best” practices and ideas that are based on authoritative opinions about what is “useful” and “good” design. If you want, you can choose any other adjective you use to justify your rather shaky “objective” standards. Sometimes these very “standards” are a reason for a compromise that will never allow you to work with your target audience as efficiently as possible.
What happens when you turn away from abstract users and jump over standards to the needs of your elite group? This jump, which may not be enjoyed by various gurus and rejected by a large number of people, will very closely connect you with your target audience.
This jump can be the factor that will allow your interface to step from simply functional to amazing .
Note: I know what you think. That "this mad man considers everything relative and does not accept axioms." Of course there are unconditional principles. For example, the text that is intended to be read must be of such a form as to be read. It is obvious.
Why does it work
Marketing web guru Seth Godin discusses this idea in his book "Communities" (tribes) ( read more here ). The main idea of ​​the book is that each person belongs to at least one community, and, almost certainly, even more than one. Each community has a number of distinctive characteristics. Characteristics arose as "subcultures", and in our case, in the form of "target audiences". How does your target audience differ from any other community? What are its characteristics? Do they have their own unique language or terminology (Star Trek fans answer this question! Or tell me how best to write a “new habratopic” or a “new blog topic” for this site)? Do they have any emotional connections with certain objects, animals, ideas, or with a certain person? Maybe they all wear red shirts on a particular day, or maybe they intend to join the green movement. Such questions just allow you to make a qualitative leap and bring closer to your target audience (and not to everyone else).
This works because the psychology of the community goes beyond the normal process of classifying people. People constantly feel a sense of belonging to a certain community. If every person at any moment could become a member of any community, the feeling of belonging would disappear, as it would become a common occurrence. The community will only accept those who will comply with its unofficial rulebook.
From the same opera, if someone uses your interface, how does this process differ from using another interface? Will this action be something special or will it leave you indifferent? Take care of your target audience. This is the most effective way to achieve both big goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that this in no way means that you should abandon any attempt to please an alien from a foreign tribe. This article is rather an attempt to make you think about the fact that by intelligently rejecting the traditional rules and pushing the limits, you can achieve more accurate and effective communication with the people by the name of "your target audience." They and only they are the most important goal, even if when you focus attention on them you lose a random audience.
The original article in English is here.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/79327/
All Articles