Margaret Gould Stewart: How giant websites design for you (and a billion others, too)
Designing at Scale
The speaker discusses the concept of design, focusing on digital experiences and designing at scale for products like Google, YouTube, and Facebook.
What is Design?
- Designing digital experiences involves creating systems that handle massive scales of data processing.
- Designing at scale requires a balance of audacity to believe in global impact and humility to prioritize user needs over personal preferences.
- There is no formal education for designing at scale; designers learn through experience and self-teaching emerging best practices.
Importance of Details in Design
The significance of paying attention to small design elements is highlighted through the example of redesigning the Facebook "Like" button.
Attention to Detail
- Redesigning seemingly small elements like buttons can be complex due to various constraints such as size, language compatibility, and browser support.
- Despite its size, the Facebook "Like" button redesign took significant time due to its immense daily visibility across millions of websites.
Designing with Data
Utilizing data in design decisions is crucial for improving user experiences, as demonstrated by a case study from Facebook's photo reporting tool.
Data-Informed Design
- Data-driven design decisions should go beyond numbers; understanding user behavior and motivations is essential.
Designing User-Centric Products
The speaker discusses the importance of user feedback and empathy in designing products, emphasizing the need for a balance between data-driven decisions and human intuition.
Understanding User Feedback
- A survey revealed that 90% of friends want to know if they upset someone, highlighting the significance of communication.
- Design is a blend of art and science; while data informs decisions, design intuition is irreplaceable.
- Introducing change requires careful consideration as people can efficiently adapt to bad designs.
Navigating Change in Product Design
The speaker delves into the challenges of implementing changes in user-generated content platforms and the importance of managing user expectations during transitions.
Managing Change Effectively
- Simplifying rating systems based on user behavior can enhance engagement but may face resistance due to attachment to existing features.
- Communicating rationale behind design changes helps users acclimate faster, despite initial resistance.
- Change aversion is inevitable when altering widely-used products; understanding user attachment is crucial for successful transitions.
Designing for Global Impact
The speaker emphasizes the necessity of designing products with a global perspective, considering diverse contexts and ensuring inclusivity in product development.
Global Design Considerations
- Designing for diverse populations requires stepping out of personal bubbles to understand varied needs and challenges.
- Designing for accessibility involves addressing fundamental issues like reliable electricity and free press in different regions.
Challenges of Global Product Design
The speaker reflects on the complexities and responsibilities associated with designing products at a global scale, underscoring the need for humility and empathy in this process.
Embracing Complexity