UXWhat is UX? UX is the abbreviation of User Experience and refers to an individual’s thoughts and feelings when using a specific product or a service. It aims to heal… professionals can make a huge difference to the world in which we live — not only through designing but by spreading the word about the immense value of good design.
For me, inspirational quotes from the top UX designers is worth more than most Udemy courses.
Hoping that this is the case with you too, I’ve put together a list of the top 17 UX quotes from design experts, visual designers, business legends, and a few philosophers. We hope some of these will inspire you, and maybe even change your design thinking.
#1 There are three responses to a piece of design– yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for. — Milton Glaser
American graphics designer “Milton Glaser,” thinks that a design can have three pieces of responses. They are yes, no and wow. Milton believes designers should always aim for the WOW factor. His famous artworks, including “I Love NY logo, Give Earth a Chance” are the perfect example of his thoughts.
#2 The next big thing is the one that makes the last big thing usable. — Blake Ross
A product is only ever as good as its UX. You can have the most innovative technology, but it will struggle to succeed if it isn’t user-friendly. Google and Apple products would never have become so popular based on the technology alone; what sealed the deal is that they have great UX.
Read: 6 Good UX Examples
#3 Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. — Steve Jobs
This quote from Steve Jobs, founder of Apple is pretty self-explanatory. Design is not just some fancy visual graphics. It also includes how the design is working and how it feels.
#4 Very often design is the most immediate way of defining what products become in people’s minds. — Jony Ive
Jony Ive, who we also mentioned in our Top Product Designers article, is the brain behind some of the most popular Apple products. According to him, design makes the ultimate impression of a product in users’ minds.
#5 Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Design is knowing which ones to keep. — Scott Adams
You can create efficient designs only if you work on your mistakes again and again. No one has designed a fantastic product in a single attempt of designing.
#6 Want your users to fall in love with your designs? Fall in love with your users. — Dana Chisnell
If your product ignores the users, they will ignore your product too. You should always keep the user first in your mind while designing. Designers should not make design decisions without first consulting the users.
#7 Good design is the most important way to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. — Yun Jong Yong
The software world is competitive. Only real and good design can help you to stand out in the industry. To distinguish yourself, you have to craft a tailored UX for your target users.
Make extra efforts to serve your user. Find out his pain points and address them. Follow a proper design process as this will help you reach your goals more effectively.
#8 If you think good design is expensive, you should look at the cost of bad design. — Dr Ralf Speth
The consequences of a bad design can be devastating. You may lose the users loyalty and trust. You might earn a bad reputation too, which can be very expensive to recover. Ultimately you end up redesign your product again.
Bad design can have catastrophic consequences. The product may lose user loyalty and faith. You may also develop a bad reputation which can be very costly to recover. In the end, the product would need to be redesigned again.
#9 Design is everywhere. From the dress you’re wearing to the smartphone you’re holding, it is design. — Samadara Ginige
It’s essential to think beyond applications and websites. You are surrounded by design even if you only work in digital space. Design is everywhere.
#10 If we want users to like our software, we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful. — Alan Cooper
It’s easy to get lost in a design bubble and lose sight of the end-user. Remember to take a moment to step back and review your design decisions compared to the user goals.
Think again if what you’ve designed so far does indeed behave like a likeable person. Is it respectful of the user’s goals? Is it generous and helpful in guiding the user journey?
#11 If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes. — Albert Einstein
This quote from Albert Einstein reflects a crucial part of the UX design process: identify the problem. As a UX professional, your ultimate mission is to solve a specific user problem, and this starts with defining a clear problem statement.
Without framing the problem, it will be tough to develop a solution. So, give this problem-framing stage the time it deserves.
#12 Spend as much time on copy as you do on visuals. – John Zeratsky, Design Partner at Google Ventures
As a crucial part of the UX, you want your UX copy to be authentic and exciting. A well-written copy makes your product a little more approachable and reflects the people’s personality behind the words. Try to make your writing feel like a conversation that users have with someone they know and trust.
#13 If a picture is worth 1000 words, a prototype is worth 1000 meetings. – Tom & David Kelley, Creative Brothers at IDEO
This quote refers to the notion that just a single still image can convey a complex idea. The same with a prototype. A prototype is a clickable journey of your proposed design.
Using a prototype, it becomes much easier to convey your concept and user flow to your stakeholders. Thus saving a thousand hours of meeting.
#14 Like all forms of design, visual design is about problem-solving, not about personal preference or unsupported opinion. — Bob Baxley
Visual designs are not just some fancy vivid UIWhat is UI? A User Interface (UI) is the medium through which a user connects with the hardware or the software. When a user interacts with a hardware or a… elements or cool animations. It’s all about to solve end-users’ pain points. Personal colour and style preferences should not influence visual design. Instead, it is user opinions and expectations that should drive a visual designer.
#15 Because every person knows what he likes, every person thinks he is an expert on user interfaces. — Paul Heckel
Everyone around you can have a design opinion. But not everyone should design. It is your job to know your stakeholders and when to involve them in the design process. You can take their feedback, but do not allow them to drive you. Keeping everyone involved in your process and getting a lot of feedback can spoil the end-user experience. After all, too many cooks spoil the broth.
Becoming an expert in UX requires a lot of effort, time and research. It has nothing to do with someone’s likes/dislikes.
#16 If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied. — Alfred Nobel
Having multiple ideas for a specific solution is not a bad thing. Also, not all of those ideas need to work in the same way. We are human; we make mistakes, and that’s ok. So, come up with a thousand ideas and not with only one. Learn from your mistakes. Your thousand ideas will make a path towards a refined one that can have the ability to change the world.
#17 Don’t stare at a blank page for too long, be bold, and make the first incisive stroke. The rest will come naturally.” — James Kingman
You don’t need to spend too much time planning. Put down your wildest first idea on paper, screen or whatever way you want to share it. The only necessary thing is to make sure you love what you’re doing. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If you do something wrong, then only you will be able to make it right.
Conclusion
UX design is crucial to just about every product. It makes the latest technology accessible to all, makes our favorite products a pleasure to use, and determines which services and products we return to over and over again. UX professionals often inspire their fellow designers and us with valued quotes. These also work as a guideline to design efficient user experiences.
