In this talk the speaker made one thing clear: we’re all designing for users who never face loading screens, never make mistakes, and always have perfect internet. Meanwhile, actual humans struggle with our products in ways we did’t take in account
Something to keep in mind: if my design only works when everything goes right, it doesn’t really work at all.
The Loading Screen
We imagine users navigatin through our interfaces, but truth is that sometimes the pages take time to load. The speaker showed how even a half-second delay needs to be considered.
It is better to add proper communication about what actually went wrong and what the user can realistically do about it.
When Content Misbehaves
Designers design tidy cards that look good with short text like “Pizza.” Then real users come along with titles like “Martha’s Gluten-Free Artisanal Sourdough Breakfast Flatbread” and in that moment the layout is not working out anymore.
The solution? Design components that can stretch, shrink. Good design is about handling whatever users throw at it.
The Myth of the Mouse User
Ofter designer design for people with fast internet and desktop computers. But many users navigate using only keyboards, rely on screen readers or use touchscreens where hover effects don’t work
Real design considers all these ways people interact, not just the one we’re used to. It’s about making sure everyone can actually use what we build
Adapt or Die
Modern designs can now adjust to how people want to use them. Dark mode respects night owls eyes. Websites can remember content for when your signal drops.
Good design doesn’t force one experience, it adapts to each user’s needs.
The Hard Pill to Swallow
In short, the speaker’s closing argument is that if you’re not designing these states, you’re not doing your job.
After this talk I can’t look at a design without seeing all the invisible failure points. Because in the end, what separates good design from great design it’s how it gets thorugh the chaos of real world use.
