Description
When putting together a design, it’s important to consider your audience and how they’ll be using what you create. People are always trying to work more quickly and efficiently. Anything that can help with that is a plus. It’s important to make sure that using your design accomplishes a specific task and fits easily into their workflow to deliver what they need, when they need it.
Here are some things to consider:
- What specific components of the workflow need to be promoted or suppressed in your design?
- Does the user complete their workflow "solo" or do they need the support of their teammates? How do you enable those conversations?
- What elements in your design can you remove to more closely match and expedite your users' workflow?
- What features do you have in your design that distract the user from completing their workflow?
- What tangible tasks does the user accomplish in their workflow? How does your design expedite completion of those tasks?
Keep in mind that the most used applications are ones that fit a specific need, are quick and easy to use and allow people to seamlessly accomplish something and move on.
Examples
This calendar easily integrates into a workflow. It displays a little calendar icon in the top bar of your Mac so that you can quickly click to have it open on top of whatever you are already doing. Quickly add tasks or meetings to your schedule, then get back to whatever you were doing before.
Rapportive integrates into your Gmail, allowing you to quickly see the LinkedIn profiles of your contacts right in your email. No need to go back and forth between your email and LinkedIn to make sure you have any details correct - it'll show up right in your email.
image from Rapportive.com
Related Principles
Use learned structures
Use common language
Allow customization