“Most people believe that User Experience is just about finding the best solution for your users — but it’s not. UX is about defining the problem that needs to be solved (the why), defining the types of people who need it to be solved (the who), and defining the way in which it should be solved to be relevant to those people (the how).” – Whitney Hess

Read more in Whitney’s great 52 Weeks of UX article “StartUXs.“

1. Delivering great user experiences plays a significant role in your company’s success
2. Designs should intice passion and make people feel engaged and energized
3. Simply using Web 2.0 technologies does not guarantee an optimal experience

“Your work should have purpose—addressing actual, urgent problems that people are facing. Make sure that you can clearly articulate the core of the issue before spending an ounce of time on developing the design. The true mark of an effective designer is the ability to answer ‘why?’. Don’t waste your time solving the wrong problems.” – Whitney Hess

This quote is from Whitney’s excellent article “Guiding Principles for UX Designers.”

1. Design is underpinned by the designer’s ability to not only look, but also to see
2. Design is about more than just solving problems
3. Good designers have the trained ability to represent the world as others expect to see it

“Ease of use isn’t the only measure of a positive user experience; pleasurably is just as important. Something can be dead simple, but if it’s outrageously boring or cold it can feel harder to get through. Designs should have flourishes of warmth, kindness, whimsy, richness, seduction, wit — anything that incites passion and makes the person feel engaged and energized.” – Whitney Hess

This quote is from Whitney’s fabulous article “So you wanna be a user experience designer — Step 2: Guiding Principles”. Check it out – it’s full of great insights and inspiration!

1. We need to keep our eye on people
2. User Experience is about more than just finding the best solution for your users
3. Great design gives us something to relate to and to feel connected with

“Differentiate yourself by fully understanding the problem before you attempt to solve it… Don’t just fall in love with a solution and go full-force on making it look great, but really make sure that whatever you design is fitting a need in the world and has a purpose.” – Whitney Hess

Whitney’s quote is from the School of Visual Arts’ article “Video Notes from the Field” in which designers gave video advice for students thinking of becomming designers. View Whitney’s blog post about the video here.

1. Have undying, unending passion for design
2. The true mark of an effective designer is the ability to answer “why?”
3. Think of your work not as a job, but as a calling