How do you use UX values to guide your decisions?

1 Identify your UX values

The first step is to identify your UX values. UX values can be derived from various sources, such as your personal values, your professional values, your organizational values, your user values, and your societal values. For example, some common UX values are empathy, accessibility, usability, inclusivity, honesty, and sustainability. To identify your UX values, you can use different methods, such as brainstorming, value cards, value surveys, or value mapping. The goal is to generate a list of UX values that reflect your vision and mission as a UX designer.

2 Prioritize your UX values

The second step is to prioritize your UX values. Prioritizing your UX values means ranking them according to their importance and relevance for your specific project or context. Not all UX values are equally applicable or desirable in every situation. For example, you might value usability more than aesthetics for a medical app, but vice versa for a gaming app. To prioritize your UX values, you can use different techniques, such as value sorting, value ranking, value matrices, or value trade-offs. The goal is to create a hierarchy of UX values that help you focus and prioritize your decisions.

3 Apply your UX values

The third step is to apply your UX values. Applying your UX values means using them as criteria and guidelines for your decision-making process. For example, you might use your UX values to define your user needs, design your user research, create your design solutions, test your prototypes, or communicate your results. To apply your UX values, you can use different tools, such as value propositions, value scenarios, value stories, value checklists, or value metrics. The goal is to integrate your UX values into your UX activities and deliverables.

4 Evaluate your UX values

The fourth step is to evaluate your UX values. Evaluating your UX values means assessing how well you have followed and achieved your UX values throughout your project or practice. For example, you might evaluate your UX values by measuring your user satisfaction, user feedback, user behavior, user impact, or user advocacy. To evaluate your UX values, you can use different methods, such as value audits, value reviews, value reflections, value surveys, or value reports. The goal is to learn from your UX values and improve your UX performance and quality.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?