Infusion + Design

Why Design Matters

Great interfaces are made up of more than just great code.
Design has a huge impact on whether or not your great code actually works for users, in context.

Now pair great code with great design and you've started a roux of the secret sauce that makes for a great interface (user experience and functionality).

Bad interfaces make some sad and others cry. They make it hard to accomplish tasks, frustrate users, and stand in the way of feeling delight. Design helps us know where users are stumbling, where we need to adjust the experience, and where we can simplify and keep interactions unobtrusive

Cry-worthy experiences we've all had on the Web:

• confusing interactions (ever lose your way/place/what you were doing?)
• time-outs when you're entering a lot of material, or simply need extra time
• you expect a particular interaction but it isn't there (undo?!)
• you're used to using your keyboard and find you suddenly have to use your mouse to do something #fail
• text is too small/big/blended in with the background color

How Design fits with Infusion

Infusion is built to be flexible, adaptable, and configurable so it can work best in your application or context. So, go ahead, tweak it, adjust the knobs, dial it down (or up), Infusion should flex to meet your needs.

Design is both the experience you have and the visual aspects you see.

Take a look at the following tools to have an impact on Design.

• Contextual Inquiry
  Think interviews and observations. If you haven't watched someone interact with your site or applications, give it a try. You'll learn a ton!
• Scenarios
  Think you know your users? Use these models to create your own scenario to learn how someone might use your site or application.
• Personas
  You've heard the word, but what are they? Personas are archetypes, made up people with particular preferences, needs, and constraints that can help you look at your site or application from a new perspective. Take a look at our made-up people and create your own personas using our guide and don't panic, but this will take you closer to Affinity Diagrams!
• User Experience Walkthroughs
  These are practical, step-by-step activities that help you discover your site or application's design weaknesses. Want to know where to focus your time and energy, do on of our walkthroughs. Evaluate your site or app in the following areas
  • Heuristic Evaluation is it usable?
  • Cognitive Walkthrough does it make sense?
  • Accessibility Markup Review is the code accessible?
• User Testing
  There's no better way to see how your site or application works for users than to watch them use it. Use our testing protocols to test your own solutions.