The document discusses common myths about designing for users and argues that truly understanding users is essential for product success. It debunks myths such as experts not needing to test designs, UX being just one step, and thinking you know your users. Instead, iterative testing with real users, integrating UX throughout development, and understanding limitations help ensure products meet user needs. Examples show failures like Betamax that ignored users and successes like Apple that designed for users. The conclusion is that cutting out assumptions to focus directly on users is key to a product's long-term success.

1. Cutting past the bullshit
and designing for the user
Hugo Froes - UX Strategist at Hi INTERACTIVE
EDIT INDUSTRY SESSIONS LIVE @HOOD

2. DESIGN
noun. A plan or drawing to show the
look and function or workings of a
building, garment, or other object before
it is made
verb. Decide upon a look and
functioning of (a building, garment, or
other object), by making a detailed
drawing of it.
Source - Oxford English Dictionary

3. PRODUCT
noun. An article or substance that is
manufactured or refined for sale.
Source - Oxford English Dictionary

4. USER
noun. A person who uses or operates
something.
Source - Oxford English Dictionary

5. BULLSHIT
noun. Stupid or untrue talk or writing;
nonsense.
verb. Talk nonsense to (someone) in an
attempt to deceive them.
Source - Oxford English Dictionary

6. Design + Product + User = Bullshit

7. How hard
is it to design
for the user?

8. Impossible?

9. Let’s
EXPLORE!

10. MYTH 1
If you’re an expert
you don’t need
to test your design

11. Why is it hard (even for experts)
to predict how users will react?
◉ Because people are not rational
◉ Because people are not like you
◉ Because people sometimes will not use your
product the way you imagine
◉ Because even people themselves
cannot tell you what they’ll like
Source - UXMyths.com

12. MYTH 2
UX is a step
in the project

13. “
User experience design isn’t a checkbox,
you don’t do it and then move on. It needs
to be integrated into everything you do.
Liz Danzico
Source - Mashable

14. “
I’ve had clients tell me not to worry
about what their strategy is, because why
would a designer care about that?
UX is more than just skin deep.
Dan Saffer
Source - Mashable

15. MYTH 3
Product design
is a one time effort

16. 165%improvement
Iterative User Interface Design, Jakob Nielsen, 1993
Source - Iterative User Interface Design

17. MYTH 4
Thinking about
your user will slow
the development
of your product

18. 33-50% less waste
User involvement helps improve decision making and prioritize dev tasks
Source - Why Software Fails

19. MYTH 5
You know your users

20. You are not your user.
No matter how hard
you think you are.
Buzz was tested with 20,000 Google employees and still
launched with a feature that generated loads of complaints
until the feature was dropped. It ran smoothly with tons of
Google employees, but they weren’t the real users.
Source - Usability Testing

21. MYTH 6
Usability testing
is expensive

22. “
Elaborate usability tests are a waste of
resources. The best results come from
testing no more than 5 users and running
as many small tests as you can afford.
Jakob Nielsen
Source - Why you only need to test with 5 users

23. “
3-4 participants are usually sufficient
for finding the biggest usability issues
Steve Krug
Source - Don’t make me think

24. Every $1 invested in
user experience yields
a return of
Source - Forrester + InVisionApp
$100

25. The cost of NOT
designing for the user

26. BETAMAX
◉ 1975 - The Sony launches the
Betamax video recorder.
◉ 1976 - Rival launches VHS.
◉ 1977 - Four other companies are
selling VHS. Sony doesn’t License
Betamax tech.
◉ Consumer chooses most available
system… VHS
◉ 1988 - Sony launches VHS system...

27. YAHOO
◉ 2005 - Yahoo owns 21% of the
online advertising market. #1 player.
◉ 2002 - Loses opportunity to buy
Google for $1 billion.
◉ 2006 - Loses opportunity to buy
Facebook for $1 billion.
◉ 2016 - Verizon acquires Yahoo’s
operating business for $4.8 Billion.

28. NOKIA
◉ 2007 - Nokia owns 41% of the
market.
◉ 2007 - Apple launches iPhone
◉ 2010 - Nokia adopts Windows
operating system
◉ 2013 - Nokia bought by Microsoft

29. Failed to design for the user

30. The BENEFITS of
designing for the user

31. APPLE
◉ 1997 - Almost bankrupt
◉ 1998 - iMac introduced
◉ 2001 - iPod released
◉ 2007 - iPhone released
◉ 2010 - iPad launched
◉ 2011 - Most valuable company
in the world

32. KLM
◉ 2010 - KLM surprise
◉ 2011 - KLM meet and Seat
◉ 2014 - KLM Lost & Found dog
◉ Customer help on social networks

33. TESLA
Twitter suggestion is implemented
after just 6 day

34. We can’t afford
to ignore the user

35. Your product’s SUCCESS
is defined by your users

36. Let’s cut the BULLSHIT
and start designing
for the users

37. I am Hugo Froes
I love to design products for users
and I’m the UX Strategist at Hi INTERACTIVE.
You can find me at:
@hugofroesUX
hugofroes@hi-interactive.pt
Thanks!