Good UI/UX Design Tips?

[Verahta]

I thought we could use a topic on good user interface and user experience design. What are some of your tips or experiences you have learned from?

By the way, this topic I got the idea from after reading this tutorial on the subject (color-blind people for example never occurred to me!)
http://gamedev.tutsplus.com/tutorials/a ... d-and-bad/

[Jackolantern]

While it may sound kind of silly, one of the things I always try to do is pass the test application to my mother, or someone of similar computer skills (read: quite low). Just watching them fumble through your application can be a very eye-opening experience ("You mean we really have to show people how to pinch-to-zoom these days? What year is this?"). It is like all that computer knowledge we have simply can't be unseen. Your eyes won't see what an inexperienced person will. If they do everything you ask them to in your app (given only vague instructions like "print it", "change your password" and others like it) without having to ask you questions, then you probably have a pretty decent starting point. If they turn to you with puppy-dog eyes and a "get me out of this" expression, you need to start drilling into their head on what caused the problems.

As far as colorblindness, that is really crossing over into accessibility, which is sometimes rolled-up into the topic of UX, but really is its own thing.

[Cayle]

1 - Realize that sometimes UX and design are at odds.

2 - Test it on unsuspecting victims... errr... volunteers and use those tests to iteratively improve it.