Be able to complete specific tasks or get the information needed as quickly as possible.
Find next steps to be clear and intuitive, and not confusing.
Be able to either intuitively understand what to do, or to be able to easily find information that clearly indicates where to go to accomplish a task.
Not have to second guess actions.
Design Benchmarks
System Designs should…
Avoid complexity wherever possible.
Be consistent across product areas.
Convert complex ideas into simple content.
Maintain a structure which makes it easy to find information quickly.
Make it easy for people to handle their tasks with the least amount of friction.
Be helpful, easy to understand, inviting, robust, perceivable, and not robotic.
Delight the consumer in a way that keeps the experience engaging and interesting.
Be based on an understanding of human interaction and have the ability to predict consumer habits from consumer studies and research.
Use recognizable patterns that are commonly used in other software with which people are already familiar.
Ensure features are driven by tasks the consumer needs to complete.
Inclusive
Consumer Impact
Consumers should…
Know that their specific needs were considered when designing the site.
Not feel discriminated against, marginalized by the software, nor feel like their needs were not taken into consideration, regardless of their abilities.
Feel that the product anticipates potential problems and addresses them.
Design Benchmarks
System Designs should…
Allow consumers to navigate without difficulty.
Be accessible, and created using inclusive design that has been well-tested.
Have features that are accommodating, considerate, and wherever possible, personalized.
Be designed to consider all humans and circumstances while providing workarounds and solutions for outliers.
Not prioritize one group of consumers over others.
Be informed by a diverse team that reflects consumers in the real world (including people from different demographics, ethnic groups, genders etc.).
Have options for personalization instead of attempting to solve every edge case.
Should have a built-in feedback loop to enable corrections in the future including functionality for consumers to provide information regarding their experience which can then be consumed by developers and designers for the purpose of continuous improvement.
Innovative
Consumer Impact
Consumers should…
Be delighted by a wide range of innovative features, including small ones.
Be able to identify new and better ways of accomplishing tasks.
Get a sense that they are using an advanced product.
Recognize the difference between Heartland products and competitors due to the ease and ability to go beyond with the solutions presented, and that we solve problems better than other products do.
Feel like they are on a website with a look/feel they have not previously experienced.
Be tempted to tell friends about their experience.
Design Benchmarks
System Designs should…
Use modern design patterns
Be inspiring, functional, efficient, predictable, fast, creative, and original.
Help consumers accomplish what they want to do better than before.
Show evidence of thinking outside the box instead of being built as copies of competitors’ products.
Be innovative, but should not distract from the work the consumer needs to accomplish.
Help people get things done quickly and efficiently.
Empowering
Consumer Impact
Consumers should…
Feel confident that the site will help them achieve their goals, while maintaining a sense of control over what they are doing.
Feel that the product makes their job easier, and that they are able to complete their tasks quickly with little friction.
Design Benchmarks
System Designs should…
Help solve consumer needs and allow people to take control, and make them feel like they are better at what they do.
Be helpful, operable, and understandable while feeling personable and friendly.
Give consumers the confidence that they can successfully accomplish their tasks without any additional assistance.
Beautiful
Consumer Impact
Consumers should…
Get a sense from the design that this is a trustworthy brand.
Like the way the website looks and functions.
Be attracted to the overall design, and find it more than useful, but also appealing.
Feel like the interface is fun, current, and easy to use.
Design Benchmarks
System Designs should…
Be beautiful and should delight the consumer.
Make good use of white space, hierarchy, balance, and contrast.
Be simple and minimalist, but not overly utilitarian.
Be inviting, pleasant, and easy to look at.
Include well-structured information and make sense.
Be both functional and modern, while using inviting colors, with good use of icons and illustrations.
Use timeless and classic designs while avoiding seeming overly trendy while still feeling connected to the market for Heartland’s products. They should, however, not be overly constrained; they should remain creative.