Elizabeth McGuane, UX director at Shopify and author of Design by Definition, discusses the impact of language in user experience. She explores the significance of clear communication, understanding user mental models, and designing for conceptual clarity. The importance of defining terms and the distinction between everyday language and system language in design are also discussed.
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Quick takeaways
Language plays a crucial role in design, shaping products and influencing user experience through problem description and categorization.
It is important for design teams to share responsibility in defining concepts and ensuring clarity, particularly in the design of system language.
Deep dives
The Importance of Language in User Experience Design
Elizabeth McGran, a UX director and author, discusses the impact of language on user experience design. The book 'Design by Definition' explores how defining terms and concepts drives design and shapes products. McGran emphasizes that words are fundamental in design, as they are used to describe problems, concepts, and objects, and they shape the product or idea. The role of language goes beyond naming, as it influences how we categorize and organize things, impacting our experience of the internet and how we are targeted. McGran stresses the need for clear and intentional communication in design, creating conceptual clarity and ensuring that users understand the interface without the need for excessive explanation.
The Responsibility for Designing System Language
The responsibility for designing system language falls on multiple individuals and teams, including content designers, information architects, and other designers. McGran argues that in the current climate of design teams being reduced in size and power, it is crucial to share responsibility for defining concepts and ensuring clarity. The distinction between everyday language and system language is important, with system language providing the agreed-upon terms and grouping mechanisms for a consistent experience. However, there is room for flexibility and adaptation in everyday language, as it needs to meet the audience where they are. Ultimately, the goal is to design system language with intention, allowing for creative expression within the defined conventions.
The Importance of Conceptual Agreement in Design
McGran highlights the significance of conceptual agreement in design. It involves defining what something is and what it means, ensuring that users' mental models align with the intended experience. This requires considering how users understand and interpret language, and conducting research to reflect their mental models back into the design. Focusing on stylistic decisions without clarifying conceptual agreement can lead to confusion and mismatched expectations. The book urges designers to prioritize thinking deeply about language, especially in corporations where convoluted and confusing language can hinder clear communication and lead to different interpretations of design objectives.
Designing for Conceptual Clarity and Intuitive Interfaces
Designing with conceptual clarity involves creating a clear and consistent understanding of concepts and terms within a system. This allows for intuitive interfaces that guide and support users without excessive explanation. McGran advocates for designing interfaces that reflect the conceptual conventions, enabling users to interact effectively with the product or system. When conceptual clarity is achieved, language can be minimized in the interface, and visual elements like shapes and colors can aid in conveying meaning. The goal is to move beyond simply explaining the interface to users and to let the interface itself do the explaining.
Elizabeth McGuane is a UX director at Shopify and the author of Design by Definition, a book about the impact of language in user experience. As you might imagine, that’s a subject I’m keenly interested in, so I was excited to speak with Elizabeth about it.