UX Design For Startups

🚫 How to Run UX Research Without Access To Users. With practical techniques to avoid guesswork and gather insights if you can’t talk directly to users. Attached cheatsheet (with and without access to users) by Nielsen Norman Group. 🚫 Ask for reasons for no access to users: there might be none. ✅ First, study job openings to map existing workflows/tasks. ✅ Make friends with sales, customer success, support, QA. ✅ Find colleagues who are the closest to your customers. ✅ Convey your questions indirectly via your colleagues. ✅ If you can’t get users to come to you, go where they are. ✅ Ask to observe or shadow customers at their workplace. ✅ Listen in to customer calls and interview call centre staff. ✅ Request access to analytics, CRM reports, call centre logs. ✅ Use Google Trends to find product-related search queries. ✅ Gather insights from search logs, Jira backlog, support tickets. ✅ Explore past/ongoing NPS and Voice-of-Customer programs. ✅ Study reviews, discussions, comments for your product/competitors. ✅ Map key themes and user sentiment on TrustPilot, AppStore etc. ✅ Recruit users via UserTesting, Wynter (B2B), Maze, UserInterviews. ✅ Ask for small but steady commitments: 5 users × 30 mins, 1× month. 🚫 Avoid ad-hoc research: set up regular check-ins and timelines. As H Locke noted, if we shed the light strongly enough from many sources, we might end up getting a glimpse of the truth. Ironically, the stakeholders who can’t give you time or resources to talk to users often are the first to demand evidence to support your initiatives. Sometimes the reason why companies are reluctant to grant access to users is simply the lack of trust. They don’t want to disturb relationships with big clients which is carefully maintained by the customer success team. They might feel that research is merely a technical detail that clients shouldn’t be bothered with. Show that you deeply care about that relationship and that you don’t want to disturb it any way. What you do want though is to reduce costs and risk — the risk of drawing wide-reaching conclusions from very little research, or none at all. Your best shot is to explain research as a powerful risk mitigation tool. And: search for people whose priorities align with yours — people who value and see the impact of UX in their units. They would absolutely love to support your work because it also supports their work — and they will put up a good word for you if they only had known that you existed. ✤ Useful resources: UX Research Cheat Sheet, by Susan Farrell from NN/g (attached) https://lnkd.in/eUTHKWvF What Can You Do When You Have No Access To Users?, by H Locke https://lnkd.in/ewHEKhBS UX Research When You Can’t Talk To Users, by Chris Myhill https://lnkd.in/ez5-b6zf #ux #research

I have made the mistake of seeing myself as a typical user of my product too many times. Why is it bad? How to avoid it? As the hilarious picture shows, the product creators may understand their market, but still not capture the real needs of the users. You, the Product Manager, are to be the user and business ambassador, not the actual user. Why is your perspective likely wrong? • Lack of diverse point of view: single perspective • You can't possibly know all your users' challenges • Being in tech gives you instincts no tech users miss • You will miss innovation that only users can uncover • You carry inherent biases and assumptions, as any individual • Being a product expert makes you blind to beginner challenges    ...and likely more. "Ok, smart guy, - you may say - but how do you ensure you design the right product for your users?" Way ahead of you! Here are a few actions a typical Product Manager can invest in, to ensure it's the users's perspective driving product development, not the limited PM ones: 1) KYC (Know Your Customer) client research With the work done by a dedicated company, you will deeply understand your users' needs, behaviors, and motivations. 2) Building user personas Create detailed profiles representing different user types to guide design and development decisions. Use data to identify usage patterns that can be labeled as specific types of users and polish them in a dedicated workshop. Speaking of which: 3) "Jobs to be Done" workshop With this you will identify the tasks users aim to accomplish, focusing on their goals rather than features. This is the ultimate way for PMs to identify the right problems to solve! 4) Dealing with data, not opinions Goes without saying, base decisions on analytics and user data instead of personal hunches. Especially your own. 5) Quantitative discovery (polls and surveys) Use surveys to gather measurable user insights. If you ask the right questions, you will get a representable number. You can also look for those in your reporting suite. 6) Introducing MVP quickly to understand users' reactions You can always launch a Minimum Viable Product early to collect feedback and iterate. Even embed some polls with it to gather live feedback! 7) Qualitative discovery (user interviews and observations) Engage directly with users to gain an in-depth understanding of their experiences. They will tell you whether your prototype resonates with them and they can complete assigned tasks easily. There you have it, many ways to keep your opinion away from good Product decisions. So, have you ever assumed you knew what your users wanted, only to be surprised by their actual needs? How do you get to understand your users? Sound off in the comments! #productmanagement #productmanager #userexperience P.S. To become a Product Manager who truly understands and serves your users, be sure to check out my courses on www.drbartpm.com :)

Your research findings are useless if they don't drive decisions. After watching countless brilliant insights disappear into the void, I developed 5 practical templates I use to transform research into action: 1. Decision-Driven Journey Map Standard journey maps look nice but often collect dust. My Decision-Driven Journey Map directly connects user pain points to specific product decisions with clear ownership. Key components: - User journey stages with actions - Pain points with severity ratings (1-5) - Required product decisions for each pain - Decision owner assignment - Implementation timeline This structure creates immediate accountability and turns abstract user problems into concrete action items. 2. Stakeholder Belief Audit Workshop Many product decisions happen based on untested assumptions. This workshop template helps you document and systematically test stakeholder beliefs about users. The four-step process: - Document stakeholder beliefs + confidence level - Prioritize which beliefs to test (impact vs. confidence) - Select appropriate testing methods - Create an action plan with owners and timelines When stakeholders participate in this process, they're far more likely to act on the results. 3. Insight-Action Workshop Guide Research without decisions is just expensive trivia. This workshop template provides a structured 90-minute framework to turn insights into product decisions. Workshop flow: - Research recap (15min) - Insight mapping (15min) - Decision matrix (15min) - Action planning (30min) - Wrap-up and commitments (15min) The decision matrix helps prioritize actions based on user value and implementation effort, ensuring resources are allocated effectively. 4. Five-Minute Video Insights Stakeholders rarely read full research reports. These bite-sized video templates drive decisions better than documents by making insights impossible to ignore. Video structure: - 30 sec: Key finding - 3 min: Supporting user clips - 1 min: Implications - 30 sec: Recommended next steps Pro tip: Create a library of these videos organized by product area for easy reference during planning sessions. 5. Progressive Disclosure Testing Protocol Standard usability testing tries to cover too much. This protocol focuses on how users process information over time to reveal deeper UX issues. Testing phases: - First 5-second impression - Initial scanning behavior - First meaningful action - Information discovery pattern - Task completion approach This approach reveals how users actually build mental models of your product, leading to more impactful interface decisions. Stop letting your hard-earned research insights collect dust. I’m dropping the first 3 templates below, & I’d love to hear which decision-making hurdle is currently blocking your research from making an impact! (The data in the templates is just an example, let me know in the comments or message me if you’d like the blank versions).

💡Responsive grid system (+ tutorial & tools) Practical recommendations for UI designers & front-end developers for creating effective responsive grid systems: ✔ Define breakpoints Breakpoint is a specific screen size at which a UI layout adapt to provide an optimal viewing experience. Set breakpoints for common screen sizes (e.g., mobile, tablet, desktop). You can use breakpoints from Bootstrap as a reference (576px for mobile, 768px for tablet, 992px for desktop, and 1200px for large display) and adapt this system based on your specific audience & device usage analytics. Try to set breakpoints based on your content rather than specific device sizes. ✔ Set up a column grid Column grid organizes content vertically into columns. It’s primarily used to manage the layout of blocks of content and align elements horizontally. Decide on the type of grid based on the device and content. For example, a 12-column grid is standard for web design, 4-column grid for tablet, and 2 or single column grid for mobile. ✔ Define margins and gutters. Margins are the space around the grid, and gutters are the space between columns. They help maintain whitespace and prevent clutter. Use consistent gutters for all mediums. ✔ Design for the smallest screen first, then scale up Designing for the smallest screen first, also known as the mobile-first approach, will maximize the chances that your UI will be both functional and aesthetically pleasing on all devices. By following a mobile-first approach, you will prioritize the content and functional elements of your solution. ✔ Scale consistently Use a consistent scale for spacing, such as an 4pt or 8pt grid system, to maintain uniformity across different viewports. ✔ Use fluid layouts with percentages When developing your UI, try to avoid using fixed widths. Instead, use relative units like %, vw (viewport width), or vh (viewport height). Using percentages for widths will ensure elements resize with the viewport. ✔ Use responsive units for fonts Use REM for font sizes to ensure scalability and EM for padding and margins to maintain proportionality. ✔ Use flexible images and media Consider using the srcset attribute for images to serve different sizes based on the device. Set images and videos to be responsive using max-width: 100%; and height auto. ✔ Content hierarchy Ensure the most important content is prominently displayed and easy to access on all screen sizes. Use size and scale—larger elements tend to draw more attention (i.e., use larger fonts for headings and smaller fonts for body text). Also, use the grid to strategically position important content. Elements placed higher on the page or in the center tend to be noticed first. 📺 How to design grid system in Figma: https://lnkd.in/dTPEpvRK Tools ✔ Interactive CSS Grid Generator https://grid.layoutit.com/ ✔ Mobile Screen Sizes: Repository of screen sizes and technical details for Apple devices https://screensizes.app/ #UI #uidesign #grid

When I first started in UX, I thought the faster I could jump into wireframes, the better. It looked like progress, my screen was full of boxes, buttons, and flows. But here’s the truth, I was often polishing solutions to the wrong problem. That meant rework, frustrated stakeholders, and a portfolio full of designs that didn’t actually solve the core issue. Now, before I even open a design tool, I stop and ask this one question. 👉 What problem am I actually solving? Here’s why it works: You avoid endless redesigns. No chasing fixes for symptoms instead of root causes. You focus on what matters. Every pixel has a purpose. Stakeholder buy-in is easier when everyone agrees on the problem, your solution makes sense. Here’s an example: Instead of saying: "We need a new checkout flow," I ask: Why isn’t the current checkout working? What data shows it’s a problem? What does success look like? Sometimes the “problem” isn’t the flow at all, maybe it’s surprise shipping fees. And that one insight can completely change your design direction. So if you only take one thing from this post, let it be this: Slow down long enough to understand the problem, and the right design will follow.

Most people chase quick fixes. Here's how experts actually solve problems. The blueprint for solving problems effectively: 1. IDEAL Framework ↳ Identify the problem ↳ Define the context ↳ Explore possible strategies ↳ Act on the best strategy ↳ Look back and learn 2. 5 Whys Technique ↳ Ask "Why?" repeatedly ↳ Dig deeper beyond surface symptoms ↳ Find root causes of problems 3. Design Thinking ↳ Empathise with user needs ↳ Define the problem clearly ↳ Ideate creative solutions ↳ Prototype low-fidelity versions ↳ Test and refine with feedback Expert frameworks for structured problem-solving: PDCA Cycle ↳ Plan: Identify and analyse ↳ Do: Implement solutions ↳ Check: Evaluate results ↳ Act: Standardize or restart OODA Loop ↳ Observe: Collect information ↳ Orient: Analyse and synthesise ↳ Decide: Choose action ↳ Act: Follow through Kepner-Tregoe Method ↳ Situation Appraisal ↳ Problem Analysis ↳ Decision Analysis ↳ Potential Problem Analysis The biggest mistake isn't trying to solve problems. It's not using a systematic approach when needed. ♻️ Reshare to help others solve problems better. 🔔 Follow Luke Tobin for more problem-solving insights.

Every Web Developer Should Know : Here’s how I ensure every website I build is fully responsive and optimized for every screen: 1. Mobile-First Approach - Start with mobile, then scale up. - The majority of users browse on mobile devices. Always design and develop for small screens first, then use media queries to scale for larger screens. Prioritize mobile usability. 2. Flexible Layouts with Fluid Grids - Use relative units (like %, vh, vw) - instead of fixed units (like px) for widths, heights, and margins. - Fluid grids allow your layout to adapt based on the screen size, ensuring a seamless experience on any device, from phones to desktops. 3. Responsive Images - Use `srcset` and `sizes` attributes to load different image sizes based on screen resolution. ( serving better images to the user,improving the website loading time ) 4.Media Queries for Custom Breakpoints -Set breakpoints based on content, not device sizes. - Use media queries to adjust styles for different screen widths. Don’t just rely on the standard breakpoints – customize them to fit your design. 5. Viewport Meta Tag for Proper Scaling - Always include the viewport meta tag in the head of your HTML document. - This tag ensures that your website scales correctly on different devices and prevents zooming issues on mobile. 6.Optimized Fonts and Icons - Use scalable vector graphics (SVGs) for icons. - SVGs are lightweight, resolution-independent, and perfect for responsive design. - Also, use `font-display: swap` for faster text rendering and better UX.

How do you figure out what truly matters to users when you’ve got a long list of features, benefits, or design options - but only a limited sample size and even less time? A lot of UX researchers use Best-Worst Scaling (or MaxDiff) to tackle this. It’s a great method: simple for participants, easy to analyze, and far better than traditional rating scales. But when the research question goes beyond basic prioritization - like understanding user segments, handling optional features, factoring in pricing, or capturing uncertainty - MaxDiff starts to show its limits. That’s when more advanced methods come in, and they’re often more accessible than people think. For example, Anchored MaxDiff adds a must-have vs. nice-to-have dimension that turns relative rankings into more actionable insights. Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint goes further by learning what matters most to each respondent and adapting the questions accordingly - ideal when you're juggling 10+ attributes. Menu-Based Conjoint works especially well for products with flexible options or bundles, like SaaS platforms or modular hardware, helping you see what users are likely to select together. If you suspect different mental models among your users, Latent Class Models can uncover hidden segments by clustering users based on their underlying choice patterns. TURF analysis is a lifesaver when you need to pick a few features that will have the widest reach across your audience, often used in roadmap planning. And if you're trying to account for how confident or honest people are in their responses, Bayesian Truth Serum adds a layer of statistical correction that can help de-bias sensitive data. Want to tie preferences to price? Gabor-Granger techniques and price-anchored conjoint models give you insight into willingness-to-pay without running a full pricing study. These methods all work well with small-to-medium sample sizes, especially when paired with Hierarchical Bayes or latent class estimation, making them a perfect fit for fast-paced UX environments where stakes are high and clarity matters.

🔍 User Testing: Turning Insights into Innovation 💡 🔍 Introduction: User testing is the cornerstone of great design, providing real-world insights that help refine and improve products. It’s the process where assumptions meet reality, allowing designers to understand how users interact with their creations and where adjustments are needed. 📈 Case Study: The Power of User Feedback: Take the example of a popular mobile app that struggled with low user retention. After conducting thorough user testing, the design team discovered that the navigation was confusing for new users. By simplifying the user flow and making key features more accessible, they saw a dramatic increase in engagement and retention. This transformation highlights the impact that user testing can have on a product's success. 🔬 Methods of User Testing: There are several effective methods for gathering user feedback: A/B Testing: Compare two versions of a design to see which performs better. Usability Studies: Observe users as they interact with your product to identify pain points and areas for improvement. Surveys and Interviews: Collect direct feedback from users about their experiences and preferences. Remote Testing: Leverage online tools to gather feedback from a diverse user base, no matter where they are. ⚠️ Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them: One common mistake in user testing is not testing with a diverse group of users. Ensure you have a varied testing pool to get a holistic view of your product’s performance. Another pitfall is ignoring qualitative feedback in favor of quantitative data. Both types of feedback are crucial in understanding the full picture of user experience. 🔍 Conclusion: User testing isn’t just a step in the design process—it’s the heartbeat that keeps your product alive and thriving. By incorporating user feedback early and often, you can create designs that truly meet user needs and expectations. Don’t skip this critical process; it’s key to turning insights into innovative, user-friendly designs. Ready to take your design to the next level? Start prioritizing user testing today! #UserTesting #UXDesign #Innovation #UserExperience #DesignThinking