Interaction design
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Interaction design is the creation and improvement of the relationship between users and products. At NEC Digital Studio this means digital products like websites and apps. We explore how users engage with a page or screen and its components (like buttons and forms). This connects real people and the products they use.
It’s not just about the visual appearance of the user interface. It’s about being efficient and functional. Even, at times, enjoyable. We consider aesthetics, motion, typography, space and even sound. All of these add up to the experience a user will have when using the product.
Throughout our iterative design process, we aim to eliminate risk. This means creating prototypes (simulations of the end-product) and testing these with users to understand if it meets their needs. If it doesn't, we'll revise our designs and test them again.
We also work closely with the developers of digital products. They assess the feasibility of the design concepts throughout the design process, and make sure the final product meets the standards we agreed.
We ask ourselves what a user would expect, and where they would look to find it. Good interaction design should be intuitive and seamless. When someone uses an app or website they should never have to stop and think about the design of the platform, or how to do something. Reducing friction in interaction design involves simplifying the navigation, minimising load times, maintaining a consistent design and ensuring accessibility.
There can also be value in designing positive friction to make sure a user carefully considers the potential consequences of completing a step in a process. For example, this might prevent users sending an email without including an attachment.
When you order a book online you can expect it to turn up on your doorstep the next day. The whole process, from ordering to delivery is the service. But how you buy the book, that’s where interaction design comes into play.
The interaction designer seamlessly structures how you search for the book you want, how you save books you might want to buy in the future, and even the forms you use to provide your shipping address and payment details. When these things are easy, you have a better experience and are a more satisfied customer who is more likely to come back.
