20 Don’ts Every Good UX Designer Should Know!

1. Don’t Fear Compromising

A UXer should have the guts to compromise….
Be able to choose one above others… be able to let go!
At some point, we have to compromise something…

Example:

• A good looking button while it’s hard to understand it’s functionality
• A working button with not very good looking…

2. Don’t Stop Researching

A UXer should have good researching skills!

UX without research is meaningless, always search for similar cases, examples, similar experiences, so you can build on it…

Some designs believe that creativity means making something new from scratch! well, that’s when you will start failing…

Learn to get benefit from previous experiences and build on it.

3. Don’t Forget to Set Values

Prioritize!

Prioritizes the tasks, the values, the items, the comments…
Nothing should be all equal, always set different values and put everything in the correct place with the correct estimated efforts and don’t forget to time-box it based on its priority.

4. Don’t be so Prideful!

Be open to new and different suggestions.
Be flexible and a good listener!

Listen, receive, under-stand the user and the feedback.

Sometimes the UX role is more like a coordinator than a design machine, gather info, arrange them and then put them in the correct place, all inputs should be from outside not from inside, not from what we think or what we feel about it.

let go of pride to build good products together!

5. Don’t hold on to Perfection

Accept failure!
We learn from failing, so if you did it wrong this time instead of getting disappointed, encourage yourself!
Because now you just knew what didn’t work.. and now you can try other new approaches.

If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative. 

— Woody Allen

6. Don’t Design only

UX design is a package, package that includes a lot of things such as containers, shadows, buttons, and most importantly “TEXT”

We don’t only produce layout, we produce a whole solution!
and the experience can never be complete without text and content.

I hear a lot of designers saying: “I don’t know what to write here, or I don’t know how to write at all, I only design” well, that’s your first steps to fail.

Choose the words very carefully, don’t use dummy text, check the spelling, use real data and select words wisely.

Work on your writing skills and learn how to deliver a whole package of good UX experience.

8. Don’t Just deliver!

As a UXer we are testers and reviewers!

The UXer task doesn’t end on delivering…. because a UXer is not just photoshopers, a UXer is delivering a whole experience.

Make sure that the product adds value, the design fulfills the user needs, and most importantly… review our own work! our own presentations and our own deliverables…

Basic Checklist:

• Consistency
• Alignments
• Spelling
• Real text

7. Don’t be careless

Make sure everything is organized!

• Projects
• Layers/symbols
• Emails
• Layout
• Thoughts and ideas

Everything should be well organized, to avoid dropping any part of it.

9. Don’t be lazy!

Be firm with yourself, don’t let go of the design rules even for once!

For example:

• Make sure you are following consistency in the same design.
• Make sure you are following Gestalt rules in the UI
• Make sure that the experience is adding value
• Make sure you didn’t ignore any user/client feedback.
• Make sure your work is reviewed.

10. Don’t be Hesitant

Be a decision maker!
Don’t wait for your manager or business owners to decide for you, search and think about the problem, find solutions and have the courage to decide which direction should be applied.

11. Don’t Lose Focus

It’s okay if it’s hard to focus on all the inputs you receive, but it’s not ok to get distracted and move on without finding a solution for it… focusing is a very important aspect in the UX process, documenting the inputs and making sure you don’t miss any of it helps to deliver with quality and efficiency.

If you are a hard-to-focus person, try these:

• Write down everything
• Document your givens
• Create reminders
• User a todo list app

12. Don’t wait for answers

be proactive!
A UXer should always strive for information, run after them, they don’t wait for someone to bring them the givens…

Go to the users, ask them, go to the clients, make sure you understand everything very well, don’t just sit at your desk and wait…

13. Don’t skip the Details 

A mandatory skill in any UXer is to be a details oriented person…
the details are what makes the whole picture finished, especially in UX work, because we start with prototype and wireframes, so make sure you add up all the details to it, don’t skip, don’t deliver an overview, make sure that all details are added, line widths, font sizes, paddings… etc.

Details are what makes a picture finished!

14. Don’t lose hope!

Be Persistent, keep on trying…
Keep searching for a solution, don’t say “the client wants it at the bottom and at the bottom will always send a wrong message, which means I don’t have any other solutions, I’ll keep it this way, it’s out of my hands” 

A good UXer is a strong fighter!

Don’t let it go, keep finding ways and workarounds till you are satisfied of what you deliver… 
Don’t stop… Keep trying!

15. Don’t Compromise the experience 

It looks good, it doesn’t have to work!! 👎🏻

Don’t forget that we are UXers so how it works is more important than how it looks…
So if you can make it look good and work well then you are on the right track!

Never compromise the ease of use!

16. Don’t fall in the communication trap!

Communication and negotiation skills are very important aspects any UXer should have, we are not just designers, we are communicator too!
A good UXer needs to know how to communicate his/her insights and yet be wise enough to receive feedback and comments without rigid thinking and with a very flexible attitude.

17. Don’t fall in love with your design

A UXer should be very objective!
Have an open mind to listen to users inputs and keep changing, and rebuilding, if you got attached to your design you will never be able to enhance it, you will never be able to start over or change a small part of it…

Any edit will hit you offensively which is exactly the opposite of what we want to achieve.

You are not your design!

18. Don’t stop learning!

Teach your self, keep on learning new things, new tools, new methodologies... never stop reading, studying and researching.

19. Don’t be afraid to say “No”

Most of the time we face struggles in the solutions we provide, the good UXer is the one who can stand up for what he believes in, and provide materials, researches and data-driven inputs to communicate his method, don’t let go, say “No” and stand up for your design!

Saying NO is a design Skill. Asking WHY is a design skill. Rolling your eyes is not a design skill!

20. Don’t drop your pencil!

Always sketch, think on papers, draw, use colors… get your hands dirty, don’t design in your imagination or “I think it won’t work” try it out!

Step by steps after putting your hands on things will get more clear and more meaningful.