SUMMARY

The speaker discusses designing for speed and friction in UX, sharing stories and examples to illustrate how perception affects user experience.

IDEAS:

• Larry Tesler’s contribution to UX with copy and paste is monumental.
• Speed in UX refers to technical enhancements like image optimization.
• Friction involves deliberately slowing down users to improve experience.
• Houston Airport reduced baggage claim complaints by increasing walk time.
• Legacy systems limit the ability to implement new technologies quickly.
• Elevator speed complaints were addressed with mirrors and music, not speed.
• Simplifying search interfaces can significantly enhance user perception of speed.
• Financial Times increased engagement by improving site speed by one second.
• User behavior is influenced by occupied time, intention, state of mind, and importance.
• Most mobile web users are browsing without specific intentions at home.
• Page load time is the top priority for users, followed by ease of finding content.
• Attractive site design ranks lowest in importance compared to speed and usability.
• Optimizing images can drastically reduce webpage load times and improve UX.
• Even technically fast sites can be perceived as slow by a third of users.
• Clear button affordances and labels are crucial for user recognition and interaction.
• Hidden critical paths in UX design can lead to low user engagement or conversions.
• Proximity in UI design implies relationships between elements, guiding user assumptions.
• Visual feedback like ripples on buttons confirms user actions and reduces frustration.
• Staggered animations can create the illusion of faster loading times for users.
• Content placeholders are preferred over spinners or skeleton screens during loading.
• Prioritizing the loading of important content can improve the perceived speed of a site.
• Offline experiences like games can retain users during downtime or connection issues.
• Reframing problems and focusing on user perception can lead to better UX solutions.

INSIGHTS:

• Perception of speed in UX is as critical as actual technical speed improvements.
• Reframing user complaints can lead to innovative solutions beyond technical fixes.
• User experience optimization often involves psychological tricks rather than tech upgrades.
• The importance of a task influences user tolerance for slow digital experiences.
• Simplifying UI can make a site both technically and perceptively faster for users.

QUOTES:

• “Slowing someone down actually makes them speed up which makes no sense but it will do."
• "You can’t optimize anymore, it gets to a point where you optimize the design, you actually degrade on the experience."
• "By making the site one second faster they increased engagement for everybody."
• "51 percent of users will abandon a site if it loads slowly."
• "If you’re going to use icons, always use a label."
• "People have negative connotations with spinners partly to do with the beach ball or the sand oil."
• "Skeleton screens are popular but the way we implement them is often wrong."
• "Always adapt these things like don’t just go right we need to implement skeleton screens now."
• "67% of users came back to the experience that’s quite powerful right."
• "Reframe the problem, think about user perception, keep navigation clear and simple.”

HABITS:

• Dedicate work to pioneers in the field as a sign of respect and inspiration.
• Break down talks into stories that illustrate key points for better engagement.
• Use real-world examples to explain abstract concepts in user experience design.
• Continuously optimize images as a simple yet effective way to improve UX.
• Regularly assess user behavior to inform design decisions and improvements.
• Prioritize page load time in design considerations for maximum user satisfaction.
• Employ visual feedback mechanisms to confirm user interactions on digital platforms.
• Implement animations thoughtfully to enhance the perception of speed in UX.
• Test different loading screen variations to find the most user-friendly option.
• Adapt UX strategies based on specific contexts and user behaviors for relevance.

FACTS:

• Larry Tesler invented the copy and paste function, revolutionizing computer usage.
• Houston Airport reduced baggage claim complaints by changing passenger walk times.
• Financial Times found that a one-second speed increase boosted user engagement.
• 51% of users will abandon slow-loading sites, impacting potential conversions.
• Most mobile web users browse without specific intentions, affecting design strategies.
• Images constitute about 52% of a webpage’s weight, affecting load times significantly.
• A third of users perceive technically fast sites as slow due to poor UX design.
• Clear navigation and button affordances are essential for positive user experiences.
• Content placeholders during loading are preferred by 90% of users over spinners.
• Trivago retains 67% of users during downtime with an engaging offline game.

REFERENCES:

• Larry Tesler’s invention of copy and paste
• Houston Airport’s baggage claim strategy
• Financial Times’ website speed optimization
• Chrome Dev Summit 2018
• Google Photos’ image loading strategy
• Trivago’s offline game for retaining users
• Awards.com collaboration on a book about speed
• Skillshare course on UX design

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Optimize images to reduce webpage load times for better user experiences.
• Use clear labels with icons to ensure user understanding and interaction ease.
• Prioritize important content loading to enhance perceived website speed effectively.
• Implement visual feedback like button ripples to confirm user actions reassuringly.
• Consider psychological aspects when addressing complaints about system speeds.
• Employ animations strategically to create illusions of faster loading times for users.
• Test various loading screen designs to determine the most favorable user experience.
• Adapt UX strategies based on context and research rather than following trends blindly.
• Create engaging offline experiences to maintain user interest during connection issues.