The Power of Design Hypotheses: Guiding Your UX and UI Design Process
A well-defined design hypothesis is the cornerstone of a successful UX and UI design process. It sets the stage for research, influences the final outcome, and helps you navigate the complexities of design. Without a clear hypothesis, you’re like driving a car without headlights – you might still reach your destination, but you’ll likely encounter more obstacles and uncertainties along the way.
Why Design Hypotheses Matter
There are three compelling reasons why no design process should begin without a well-defined hypothesis:
- Guiding Research: A good design hypothesis helps you focus your research efforts on the most critical areas, ensuring you gather relevant data and insights to inform your design decisions.
- Nailing Solutions: A hypothesis provides context and direction, enabling you to ideate solutions that address specific problems and user needs.
- Maximizing Learnings: By testing and validating your hypothesis, you can gain valuable insights and iterate on your design, leading to continuous improvement and growth.
Components of a Good Design Hypothesis
While there’s no one-size-fits-all template for a design hypothesis, there are three essential elements to include:
- Design Change: Clearly define the problem you’re trying to solve and the design change you propose.
- Objective: Identify the “why” behind the change – what specific goal or outcome do you hope to achieve?
- Underlying Assumptions: Map out the assumptions that underpin your hypothesis, including any evidence or data that supports your claims.
Examples of Good Design Hypotheses
Let’s explore two examples of design hypotheses in action:
Simple Design Hypothesis
Moving the sign-up button to the top of the page will increase our conversion to registration by 10 percent, as most users don’t look at the bottom of the page.
Robust Design Hypothesis
Shortening the number of screens during onboarding by half will boost our free trial to subscription conversion by 20 percent because:
* Most users don’t complete the whole onboarding flow
* Shorter onboarding will increase the onboarding completion rate
* Focusing on the most important features will increase their adoption
* Which will lead to aha moments and better premium retention
* Users will perceive our product as simpler and less complex
The Benefits of Design Hypotheses
By incorporating design hypotheses into your workflow, you’ll be able to:
- Guide your research and discovery efforts
- Make informed design decisions
- Maximize learnings and iterate on your design
- Enhance your career prospects and seniority as a designer
Remember, design hypotheses are not just the domain of product managers – designers should be proactive in working with hypotheses to drive success and growth.