Guidelines for Digital Solutions
Design Principles! They ensure we create digital experiences that are not only visually appealing but also user-centric, intuitive, and engaging. Think of them as first principles in that everything we deploy must adhere to these guidelines
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Organizations that value design, like ours, will have a set of principles honed to their goals and endeavors. At Wolverine Worldwide we look to improve our online experiences and the UX team have adopted 4 key principles.
1. Mobile First
2. Maximize Empathy
3. Use Familiar Design Patterns
4. Strive for Simplicity and Clarity
Mobile First
Design with mobile as the priority, focusing on simplicity and usability on smaller screens. Make content intuitive, accessible, and smoothly interactive for mobile users, before enhancing it for larger screens.
You only have to look at the data to underscore the importance of Mobile First. According to our Google Analytics this year to date, 20 of the top 25 browsers sizes displaying our sites have mobile-sized resolutions.
Maximize Empathy
Understand the user’s perspective and design with their objectives in mind. Ensure systems are responsive and intuitive. This principle is supported by, but not limited to, the following tenets:
Respect Customer Time
Craft intuitive workflows, set intelligent defaults, and provide decision shortcuts to save user time.
Avoid Dead Ends
Always provide an alternate flow or a call-to-action to guide users to their goal, preventing frustrating dead-ends.
Accessibility Matters
Aim for at least AA accessibility to accommodate the diverse visual needs of nearly 19% of users.
Focus on Delight
Aim to delight the user, not merely through charming animations but through successful, meaningful interactions.
Anticipate Customer Needs
Innovation is about providing the right tool for the job at the right moment.
Use Familiar Design Patterns
Incorporate common design patterns in line with how shoppers expect to interact with the user interface. This principle is supported by, but not limited to, the following tenets:
Employ Progressive Advancements
Begin with mobile and essential functions before expanding features and interactions for larger devices.
Progressive Disclosure
Present information gradually to avoid cognitive overload. Keep the focus on the task at hand.
Prioritize Consistency
Ensure consistency in design patterns for smoother customer experiences.
Strive for Simplicity and Clarity
Aim to create designs that are straightforward and clear, minimizing complexity and ambiguity, to facilitate ease of use and enhance user understanding. This principle is supported by, but not limited to, the following tenets:
Embrace Minimalism
Focus on essential components and eliminating unnecessary elements that can clutter the design or complicate the user experience.
Provide a Single Unique Focus
Provide clear foreground/background contrast in design patterns such as modals, drop downs, overlays, or error states. This principle is supported by, but not limited to, the following tenets:
Address Immediate User Needs
Always design with the intent to help users accomplish their tasks efficiently.
Ensure Validation
Provide immediate feedback during interactions. Avoid dead clicks for an enhanced user experience.
