Enter Fuzzy Math, a Chicago-based UX design firm focused on enabling the voice of users, synthesizing behaviors and research-based traits into actionable content enhancements. I spoke with the agency’s co-founders, Mark Baldino and Ben Ihnchak, in order to pull back the curtains on the psychology underlying design. Here are the four tips they offered me.
Know the Audience
As with any business, success starts with knowing everything about the demographic you’re providing a service to.
Be Fluent in Technology
In UX design, what’s under the hood matters just as much as what’s outside.
Remember Context
You should always keep the context of your product top of mind. Having a perfect app is useless if it doesn’t fit neatly into the wider context of its existence.
Balance Creativity With Functionality
One balancing act can sum up most of the theory behind UX design. At Fuzzy Math, the two cofounders told me, they aim to hire those who not only demonstrate a desire to be artistically fulfilled, but who also “want to bolster their expertise in both tech and creativity to better any digital experience.” That drive to focus on improving tech and art together is what creates great UX design. “UX design mandates a tactical, analytical approach, and designers need to understand that this industry requires a balance of having artistic ability and the expertise to execute functional products. Creating brochures, websites, and other tools requires not only the mind of an artist who understands how to create something visually stunning, but also the mind of someone who is conscious of how the product is going to be used in the end. Designers must leverage their creativity in a way that enables users with the final product.”
