Introduction
Designing a website that really works means changing perspective. Sure, we have our own ideas, and often the client's wishes come into play too. But in the end only one point of view counts – the user's. Who uses the website? What needs and expectations does this person have? Keep that in mind and you get truly user-centred design. So it is time to set your own taste aside for a moment and see the world through the users' eyes!
In the end, the change of perspective in web design is not an extra – it is the foundation for everything that is supposed to work. Those who understand users and respond to their needs deliver websites that not only look good but also score. Because empathy for the user creates designs that land and delight.
Changing perspective in web design – why your taste does not matter today
Okay, let's be real: when we build a website at Wagemut, it is not about celebrating our own style or creating the look we like best. Sorry, personal taste, but you stay outside today. In web design one single perspective counts: the user's.
And that is exactly why we constantly have to change perspective when designing. Who is the end user? What needs, preferences or perhaps even limitations do they bring? And what do they expect when they land on the website?
Taking perspective: who actually visits this site?
Let's start with a fundamental question: who is the visitor, actually? Age, interests, profession – all things we should know about the target group. There is no such thing as "the user", but different personas moving through the web with different lives and expectations.
And sure, even though we hear it often: "But I think it's cool when the site has XY!" – that is not the point. What makes a great site is always what lands with the end consumer. And that is exactly where personas help: small fictional characters that represent the typical user. Taking perspective here means really putting ourselves in the user's head. What does the 35-year-old marketing manager scrolling through the website on the train expect? What expectations does the pensioner reading on his tablet bring?
Accessibility? Also a perspective!
Let's look back at the last blog post: accessibility is a topic that feeds directly into these questions of perspective. What if someone reads the site with a screen reader or depends on subtitles? Maybe the user currently has a temporary limitation (an arm in a cast or sudden hearing loss) or is in an environment where loud sound cannot be heard at all. If a website is to be accessible to everyone, we have to consider the perspective of every user group.
Context counts – situational changes on point
It is not only who uses the website that matters, but also how and where. Are users sitting in their home office with the whole screen at their disposal, or are they just scrolling on their smartphone in between? Do they have to find important information quickly, or do they take the time to read a few blog posts? The life situation can hugely influence how a page is perceived and used. That too is a question of changing perspective – and whoever just starts designing without thinking about context will fall flat on usability.
Questions of style? Sure, but targeted, please!
Yes, we as designers and clients all have our own style. But here too a change of perspective is needed: what really lands with future users? Even if our client wants bold colours or ultra-modern elements, what matters is what convinces the target group. Those who understand the user's perspective also know where personal taste may take a back seat. All in the name of user experience (UX).
Change of perspective = empathy for the user
In the end it is about looking at the website through the user's eyes. For us that means: the user is at the centre, not the designer's ego and not the client's wishes alone. Changing perspective means empathy – the ability to recognise needs and design accordingly. Because those who understand their target group deliver a design that not only looks cool but also works.
