/r/userexperience

Photograph via snooOG

A community where professionals, enthusiasts, and individuals interested in the field of user experience can share knowledge, ask questions, and engage in discussions about various UX-related topics.

If you're curious about entering the field of user experience, please read the Getting Started wiki section before posting

User experience design is the process of enhancing user satisfaction by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the user and the product.

User experience design encompasses traditional human–computer interaction (HCI) design, and extends it by addressing all aspects of a product or service as perceived by users.

Rules

  1. Off-topic posts will be removed
  2. No blog spam or marketing materials for agencies/services that masquerade to be articles
  3. follow reddiquette
  4. no self-promotion or surveys
  5. No promotion of agencies, vendors, services, or software
  6. No memes, image macros, screen caps of UIs you don't like (try /r/crappydesign) and other low effort image posts. Informative images, images necessary to illustrate questions, or imagery accompanied with useful analysis are generally allowed.
  7. Put career/school questions in the stickied 'Career Questions' thread
  8. Put portfolio critique requests in the stickied 'Share Your Portfolio' thread

Related subreddits

r/web_design
r/design
r/usability
r/hci r/IxD

/r/userexperience

119,458 Subscribers

0

How would you improve Discourse? The world's most popular Open Source forum platform has always struggled with UX issues for new users, especially for sites that cover a wide area of topics. If you were in the team WWYD?'

Poor UX experience for new users is a constant theme in their developer community's forum, meta.discourse.org. Especially for large sites that serve multiple topics. They recently introduced a sidebar to address this issue, but the complaints haven't reduced.

I thought it was a interesting discussion/case study and as it's Open Source there is a reasonable chance someone over there might implement some suggested changes if they come across this post.

3 Comments
2024/03/15
13:40 UTC

105

I'm amazed the whole world goes gaga over Slack despite its incredibly un-intuitive interface!

It's an amazingly busy and confusing interface with a significant learning curve. Clearly UX is not the only factor that could make or break a product. As UX designers, we often tend to overestimate our influence for a product's sales to go bonkers.

Any thoughts?

https://preview.redd.it/u2nuptc74goc1.png?width=3456&format=png&auto=webp&s=1ef5fcca45b795e0a449cf7dafe6e192a9985d1d

98 Comments
2024/03/15
06:57 UTC

6

Should I learn how to use WordPress?

Hi, I’m currently working in marketing but trying to make the jump into UX design. I am currently doing Google’s UX professional certificate on Coursera but I’m also wondering if I should have other skills in my resume like WordPress in order to actually get my first UX job? Could I then possibly use this in my portfolio as well?

22 Comments
2024/03/13
15:58 UTC

4

Using Mother Tongue for Strong, Memorable Passwords

User experience is often compromised when users are forced to create complex passwords by mixing alphabets, numbers, and symbols. This requirement, while intended to enhance security, can be impractical and lead to the adoption of easy-to-guess passwords.

One potential solution to this issue is to allow the use of Unicode characters in passwords. By doing so, non-English native users can create strong passwords that are long, complex, and easy to remember by utilizing their mother tongue.

However, the HTML <input type="password">
element does not inherently support Unicode text entry. To address this limitation, this project introduces a JavaScript class that converts a text input field into a password input field. This class enables website users to utilize Unicode characters from their native languages when creating passwords, ultimately improving the user experience and potentially enhancing password strength.

https://github.com/iapyeh/utf8passwordinput/tree/main

2 Comments
2024/03/13
07:28 UTC

5

How do you securely share your portfolio with UX recruiters ?

Hello
Since there is a surge in the number of fake recruiters, is there anything I can done to prevent my work being used under the name of someone else ?
Is there a strategy in sharing ? should I use behance and dribbble and just link them ?
I have made a couple of nice case studies but I don't trust these recruiters and I don't want to publicly share it on these websites. what can I do ?

Thanks

21 Comments
2024/03/11
21:13 UTC

8

What are some ways to get interview participant to open up better?

The main question that I ask during one on one user interviews is to have them describe an experience where they’ve done xyz. That XYZ being the topic that is relevant to whatever I am researching for. However, I just got through an interview where even though I asked him specifically several times to recount an example, he kept giving me very general statements about what I was asking for like “I typically like to do ….” Without citing a specific example. Or he might say like “ it would be really good if I had this kind of feature…” I feel like I have to take all the info. This guy is giving me with a grain of salt because it’s not rooted in a past example of what he’s actually done. Any suggestions on how to get past this with my future user interviews? Thanks

27 Comments
2024/03/11
19:24 UTC

0

Looking for a UX/UI designer course

I’m a designer and have been in the industry for 4 years since being out of school and I want to expand my job searches by learning more about UX. The thing is, I have SOME experience with UX and I don’t want to pay for a course that’s going to start me at the very beginning. Anyone have any good online UX course recs (with certificate) for someone in between beginner and advanced?

3 Comments
2024/03/11
18:55 UTC

2

N/N Group Statistics for UX course

I am debating if the N/N Group course "How to Interpret UX Numbers, Statistics for UX" would be a good course for a couple of UX researchers who work for me. They are not new to UX but want a better understanding of how to use quant in their work. Has anyone taken this course?

1 Comment
2024/03/11
16:49 UTC

5

Any websites with a really nice services page?

Are they any websites you like that have done their services page/section really well?

2 Comments
2024/03/11
14:30 UTC

0

Can IIBA do some UX analysis on it's own website? (And while I'm at it, allow images in their subreddit?)

"You can't do the thing. (But we won't tell you what thing, why you can't do it, or how you could make it so you could do it)

CANCEL ICON!

Now let me explain to you like you are an idiot, what a Back button does."

0 Comments
2024/03/10
07:20 UTC

4

Parsing is too hard

https://preview.redd.it/l4ueh09h9anc1.png?width=1475&format=png&auto=webp&s=8e75eae748ed979b8c83e5af205ac9a7e8c5aa72

Is it really that hard to just parse the string before sending it to the server..?

7 Comments
2024/03/09
10:10 UTC

5

How do you articulate how you do design decisions during interviews?

I'd appreciate examples, thank you

8 Comments
2024/03/08
08:00 UTC

6

What are some examples of engagement elements to avoid when designing apps for children aged 13 and under?

I am not looking for detailed answers or explanations necessarily. Just few pointers or concepts that can help me research them further. I do not want to end up creating entirely new experience that for my use case/journey that will end up leading to for example mashup of cognitive biases.

4 Comments
2024/03/07
13:04 UTC

0

Digital dissent: The New Industrial Revolution, by Nicholas Carroll

https://vistaworld.org/blog050324

"New ideas and technology have accelerated our culture into an almost unrecognizable reality," write Douglas Rushkoff in his seminal debut book Cyberia, published in 1994. "Inspired by the computer, chaos math, chemicals and creativity, this renaissance has been interpreted by many as an evolutionary leap for humanity into another dimension." Those words written over three decades ago still resonate within today's increasingly technological and globalized social biome.

As digitalization has become standard across global regions, with more pixels covering surface inch than ever, internet connectivity more available than bread, and especially considering recent innovations in blockchain technology and artificial intelligence; the world has never been so interconnected and perhaps the connection to humanity's essence itself has never been closer.

In July 2017, "the German presidency noted that the spread of digital technology [in regards to blockchains] in business and society requires discussion on an internationally agreed regulatory framework."[1] Blockchains utilize a peer-to-peer network to share digital ledgers that are verified by a cryptographic algorithm; they are used to transmit digitally represented assets. Thus, the use of blockchains are not just efficient, but also provide a layer of anonymity, being lucrative for not just black market entrepreneurs, but for anyone in the working masses.

Even in 2017, national banks like Bank of Japan were investigating decentralized blockchain technology.[1] With the advent of large language model (LLM) artificial intelligent like GPT by OpenAI, the blockchain technology has even more real-world applications. Such applications may be even more revolutionary than the development of the personal computer with the interplay of AI, advanced cryptographic learning techniques, machine learning, and the attention being paid to neuromorphic system architechture.

Such developments have led to reinvigorated interests in virtual reality but mainly from large companies leading to overzealous corporate hollowlands like the Metaverse. The renewed interest rings a saccarine futurism that echoed through the digital chambers of Apple clamshell PCs and IRC chatrooms. Continued developments have also arisen with technology implanted into or supplanted by the synaptic interface in the medical (and entrepreneurial) field.

2020s culture has been defined by the absurdity of reality and world events, compacted by reality distortion shifts now made possible by our interconnected digital mass machine. The culture factory has never been so saturated and apparent. But recent technological developments have always promised to bring peace and stability to a chaotic world. For a time, the "end of history" ushered in the 90s brought digital nirvana for some. A web mass where virtual ghosts could roam free unabated by the perception of surveillance and control.

The Image Generation craves this era of supposed Internet symbiosis, admittedly it was a time before the rise of omniscent tech and algorithm deranking. But considering the sophisticated computational, sociological, and technological complexities of this new era, it may be that a New Industrial Revolution is in the midst.

Governmental agencies at circular boardrooms like the G20 have discussed 'identity management' and 'digital security' while acknowledging the "increasing skepticism of cross-border trade."[1] Just as the New Industrial Revolution has allowed the liberation of the individual by command of the virtual constructors that build the physical world around us, these same tools have demonstrably been used by multinational governments and private entities to manipulate masses through obvious subliminal visual algorithms or blatant violence.

Thus, this new digital paradigm we have been thrust into must be wrought by the common masses rather than have its control and influence be surmounted by a corporate monolith (it's too late), although such a movement will not exist until the GPT rubicon has been already reached and thus a graffiti-clad subculture will rise in its wake.

"Designer reality must be interactive rather than passive. The user must be part of the iterative equation".[2] Maybe it's time instead of being the user, we should be the collective administrator. Just as the Me Generation sees itself as the ruler over its digital dominion, "cyberians need to see themselves as the source of their own experience."[2]

Blockchains bring extended possibilities in bringing cyberians closer into realizing their full virtual selves. AI, robotics, additive manufacturing, new materials, augmented reality, nanotechnology, and biotechnology have facilitated the birth of the Internet of Value and is due to be subverted by the interconnected, rebellious digital youth.

The Internet of Value, a culminated and manifested element of the New Industrial Revolution, has allowed cyberians to develop new sources of income. Governments have reacted accordingly, introducing "Government-as-a-service (GaaS)" and "[having to] increase sovereign debt or refocus existing resources such as pension funds towards domestic technology investments."[5]

Besides blockchain technology, analogue in-memory computing has come of age.[3] In 2023, IBM introduced the IBM HERMES project chip, its processing production capable of 63.1 tera-operations per second, "enabled by compact current-controlled oscillator Analog-to-Digital converters (ADCs)". While the seamless integration of analog and digital computing has been allowing for some truly stunning developments in AI, it must be noted that the continued progress on this field will only possible with investments in "fast, low power, and accurate inference hardware."[3]

Such hardware may be suited more for neuromorphic cell architechture, allowing for low power, high signal-to-noise ratio operations, despite most AIs today built and sustained on traditional von Neumann CPU architechture, otherwise known as deep neural networks (DNNs). The compatibility between analog AI and neuromorphic cell architechture should be explored, as it presents a "viable alternative to digital accelerator approaches".

With the advent of analog computing, which operates with continuously variable signals rather than discrete values, analog neural networks (ANNs) have been developed to be efficient at tasks requiring real-time processing or tasks requiring high sensitivity to analog data. ANNs, due to their neuromorphic nature, can more receptively retain associative memory systems, pattern recognition and content-addressable memory.

The seamless ecosystem of analog-to-digital, digital-to-analog, with conjunction to blockchain's effortless capability to cryptographically store data, creates an intriguing complementary element, the synaptic interface or the human brain.

The potential triage integration of the synaptic interface, LLM-powered analog neural networks, and blockchain technology may allow for the true innovation of the New Industrial Revolution: cognitive labor. Individuals could have ownership and control over their own neural data through tokenization via blockchain. This symbiotic, decentralized neural network can be further trained by self-organizing maps, reinforcement learning, adaptive algorithms, evolutionary algorithms to progress lyfe, and of course neural architechture.

Integration of a synaptic interface with blockchain technology could also enable direct communication and interaction between the human brain and artificial intelligence systems like GPT. Cognitive labor and its metadata will 'securely' be shared with AI systems, creating new economic opportunities free from human corporate hegemony. Image content creation systems are already abundant in the virtual sphere, once they are wired together with the synaptic interface and the economic cyberian blockchain landscape, media will flow freely between real, liminal, and virtual environment.

Such freedom of data, image, pixel, and information and its implications on our society was visually realized by Hito Steyerl in her 2013 video artwork "How Not to Be Seen: A Fucking Didactic Educational .MOV File". As the equation of personal and pixel are explored through the camera calibration fields in the Mojave Desert, admist a backdrop of recently released Snowden files made us realize that the creators of our digital selves were not made in triumphant liberation, but filed by data entry algorithms.

The rise of cognitive labor in modern times will inevitably lead to an economic disruption and radical redistribution. Those who cannot produce cognitive labor will starve in the digital famine. The production of cognitive labor will blur human and machine because of the conglomeration of synaptic interface, blockchain file management, and analog language processing machine. Where does the real mind start and end? Is the whole digital and organic integration one self or multiple selves conglomerated into one image? If one part is not conscious but synaptically wired, how does it influence the conscious whole?

Because we cannot ascertain or entertain "is AI conscious?" conversations that are functionally pointless and philosophically anything-is-plausible dichotomy, it might be better to recognize that the line between the organic-image (you and I) and the digital-image/analog-image (digital and analog manifestations of ourselves imbued and smeared onto our impressions of our organic mind and the large language models) resolve to become the master-image. The omniscent, chaotic, non-discrete, digital, physical, mortal, immortal version(s) of ourselves that bleeds through all time and energy.

0 Comments
2024/03/07
05:29 UTC

0

Phone number verification in lead gen flow

Hey everyone

Got a predicament at work. One thing we're doing it collecting leads to pass on to partners. We present info about a certain thing, people sign up to get that thing done by filling out a form with their contact info, and we pass the lead on to our partners who do the thing. They contact the customer by phone.

Now a partner has told us that the conversion of our leads is wayyy lower than other partners they work with and specifically the phone number is often bad, leading the conversion average to be lower. 30% of the leads we pass them have bad phone numbers - they're VoIPs, disconnected, or simply wrong numbers. I'm assuming the vast majority are caused by typos.

Yes, I will be digging deeper into where the leads are coming from, how conversion rates compare, how we can qualify them better on our end, etc. But my boss and also the unhappy partner wants (an idea for) a solution ASAP. We just talked about using an OTP for validating the number before the user submits the form. This is _okayyyy_ but going to cause so much extra friction and won't work for landlines (yes, we can add text saying it needs to be a cell but still). The users are not necessarily young and tech savvy either.

Any ideas how this can be done? Please say if you need more info!

Thanks!

4 Comments
2024/03/06
23:38 UTC

1

User scenarios and Process diagrams

Hi folks,

I am currently working at a tech start up in the b2b saas space and curious to hear how many people create/write down specific user scenarios and process diagrams before/during explorations and mockups. I've found some processes could get quite intricate with lots of scenarios and branches off of it.

Broadly, also curious to hear what frameworks people rely on to better capture the problem and/or solution

Thanks!

2 Comments
2024/03/06
04:21 UTC

1

Any words on UX Strategy Essentials from Centercentre

Hi, I'd like to preface by saying I'm from Brazil, so this feels pretty expensive, So I'd like to hear some opinions on it, for whatever reason I couldn't really find anyone talking about it, which kind leaves me suspicious if it's worth it

1 Comment
2024/03/05
18:30 UTC

0

Looking to chat with a product designer at Microsoft.

I’m coming from a large observability company and interested in product design at Microsoft. Wondering if any current employees could give insight into the design culture there.

4 Comments
2024/03/04
19:07 UTC

9

Career Advice: Pivot out of UXR?

Hello all! I’m looking for advice about my career, specifically if it makes sense for me to pivot out of this career field, or if my company is the problem.

I got into UX two years ago, and it absolutely changed my life for the better. I’m now working for a well known and respected company with great pay and benefits. If it’s all good, then what’s the problem?

I am autistic, and overtime the cognitive load of UXR has burnt me out. I find that my role requires me to internalize other’s emotions and that takes its toll.

In my first UX job I mostly ran unmod in a B2C environment (surveys, card sorts, tree tests, usability tests, etc). I had a lot of meetings in which I communicated findings and advocated for the user, but I was very satisfied with my job and it didn’t take too much out of me. More work context: The politics were low, and I got to learn a lot from other researchers, designers, and PMs. The only reason I left was I am the bread winner and the new job got me a $30,000 raise.

In my current job I run mostly interviews in a B2B environment, and it has absolutely burnt me out. The cognitive load feels so much higher than before when I only ran unmod, and I find my work/life balance to be suffering because I don’t have the mental bandwidth after work. More work context: The politics are very high. If you breathe wrong the other department head finds out about it. I am isolated from UXDs and not allowed to work side by side (political issue). I have asked to learn more about survey creation, and have been ignored for a year. I feel like my UXR growth is being stunted.

I guess I’m wondering:

  1. Do others feel a cognitive load difference between unmod & moderated?
  2. Does the difficultly sound like it stems from B2C/B2B, or truly the UX methodology?
  3. Am I completely delulu and my fatigue is more about the politics?

Thanks for helping to brainstorm with me!

4 Comments
2024/03/04
18:03 UTC

0

UX/UI ADP List certification.

I had recently a session with one mentor on ADP list to help me identify flaws on my portfolio and later I got a certificate to share on my socials.

Does it worth to share an ADP certificate of participation on LinkedIn? If yes, what is the purpose of it?

Thanks.

7 Comments
2024/03/04
09:16 UTC

0

i would like to understand how is and was your education journey

6 Comments
2024/03/04
04:48 UTC

6

Nielson Norman Group UX Certificate

Has anyone taken this and can provide insight please?

9 Comments
2024/03/03
00:53 UTC

37

Losing Hope

Hey. I'm losing hope lol. Graduated last year and been job searching since. I have applied to hundred of jobs and got a couple of interviews but, nothing. My mental, emotional, and physical health are literally in the trash especially since I've been back home.

21 Comments
2024/03/02
00:17 UTC

20

My UI designs are so UGLY I've been reworking them for days

My UI designs are just ugly, I keep changing them keep trying to fix or add new stuff. I'm watching tutorials and studying other websites vigorously. But my designs are just so damn ugly. I worked as a graphic designer so I know color palettes and stuff. But my UI's are just so ugly :( . There is just something off about them and I can't figure out what :(

55 Comments
2024/03/01
16:39 UTC

3

Portfolio & Design Critique — March 2024

Post your portfolio or something else you've designed to receive a critique. Generally, users who include additional context and explanations receive more (and better) feedback.

Critiquers: Feedback should be supported with best practices, personal experience, or research! Try to provide reasoning behind your critiques. Those who post don't only your opinion, but guidance on how to improve their portfolios based on best practices, experience in the industry, and research. Just like in your day-to-day jobs, back up your assertions with reasoning.

32 Comments
2024/03/01
05:00 UTC

3

Career Questions — March 2024

Are you beginning your UX career and have questions? Post your questions below and we hope that our experienced members will help you get them answered!

Posting Tips Keep in mind that readers only have so much time (Provide essential details, Keep it brief, Consider using headings, lists, etc. to help people skim).

Search before asking Consider that your question may have been answered. CRTL+F keywords in this thread and search the subreddit.

Thank those who are helpful Consider upvoting, commenting your appreciation and how they were helpful, or gilding.

13 Comments
2024/03/01
05:00 UTC

17

Portfolio: Notion vs Website

How do you guys showcase your portfolio? I used to have a website made with wix, but it never really landed with me and I was always making updates with new layouts and designs, so I switch to Notion, where everything is more standar, but I dont know if that was a good move and if I should stick with a personal website. What do you use?

22 Comments
2024/02/29
12:55 UTC

0

Can't decide a colour palette for my first time UX project

I can't seem to make the jump between low fidelity to a nice colour palettte. I tried moodboards and got colours, but either I don't like the colours, or the colours look good on their own but not on a wireframe, or a better colour palette comes up.

For UX designers what is your process when selecting colours?

(No brand colour btw)

16 Comments
2024/02/27
19:26 UTC

1

Design Review / Advice

Hey, I'm a new web dev trying to make as modern of a website as I possibly can, but I feel stuck. I keep looking at my page not sure what I can improve upon / what might be missing.

Any advice and or suggestions would be much appreciated.

https://preview.redd.it/6n7bghdax2lc1.png?width=2556&format=png&auto=webp&s=aea86c1def084c2b683d97989956248caa5f5d5e

5 Comments
2024/02/27
07:21 UTC

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