Design is often perceived as subjective creation and decision-making, but great design is rigorous and has strong methods applied in systematic ways. Like experimental science, design is the systematic exploration of a problem-space to yield a deep understanding that guides us toward practical, elegant insights and solutions. Scientific methods and design thinking have much in common.

We can create better products, services, and experiences by taking a scientific approach and applying core psychological principles and theories to identify, define, and frame problems more effectively. We will discuss a model of perception, cognition, motivation, emotion, and behaviour to help us understand a wide range of diverse challenges that go beyond interface design and interaction to include context, communication, culture, humour, and more.

Provide UXers with a model of design methods analogous to experimental science that can be used to make better design decisions as well as lead to a deeper understanding of design problems.

UX designers, product designers, researchers, and product managers

Basic understanding of UX design and simple research methods

A psychological model of UX and interaction design based on perception, cognition, emotion, motivation, and behaviour

Why a person’s context and goals are essential to understanding their motivation and behaviour

How we define and frame a problem can determine the solutions we create

That the scientific method and design thinking are very similar, and both are rigorous

That as designers, our job is often to change behaviour, and we should continually remind ourselves of this responsibility

David Hogue, UX Design Lead, Google
San Francisco, USA
https://twitter.com/davehogue
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhogue/

David is an applied psychologist and interaction/UX designer. Since 2013 he’s been a UX design lead at Google, coordinating collaborative efforts on Android design and research across devices (phones, tablets, wearables, autos, TV) to improve UX quality, cohesiveness, and consistency. He has been studying user behaviour and designing interfaces since 1997, and combines his skills as a designer and psychologist to bring deeper insight into users’ behaviours and motivations when interacting with digital devices and interfaces. Dave teaches information design, interaction design, social media, and mobile design courses at San Francisco State University, and is vice president of experience design at Fluid, the award-winning digital services agency. He has published articles and tutorials on design methods and tools and regularly speaks at seminars and conferences. Clients include The North Face, Reebok, Warner Bros., Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, and Sur La Table. Dave lives in San Francisco and enjoys writing, cooking, motorcycles, and travel.

Design Science with David Hogue