5 tips from the LEGO designer

1. All elements of the user experience are important

Often, designers and entrepreneurs focus on the product, even though the product is just one element of the user experience. Where are our users? What did they do before they started using our product? How did they know about him? What will they do after? All this should not be forgotten either. Each product is a kind of service. Therefore, it should be perceived as part of a single user experience.

2. Don't forget about fun

For a product to be successful, it must be more than functional. It should also evoke an emotional response from the user, and it should also be interesting and enjoyable to use.

Of course, this does not mean that you only need to entertain the user. But you can always find new ways to accomplish a task or add some unusual elements. This can significantly affect whether users like your product or not.

3. Use not only your head, but also your hands

At LEGO, Jonathan was always advised not to draw, but to build. The form and functionality of a product is much easier to understand when it becomes tangible. For this, you need to physically embody the idea.

Prototypes made of cardboard and other materials may seem primitive compared to CAD models, but nothing beats testing your product live, as some of the nuances can be overlooked on paper or a computer screen.

4. Sometimes you need to take a model apart to find the perfect solution

Sometimes the only way to fix something is to take it apart and start over.

When something doesn't work, we want to fix it as soon as possible. But at the same time, we are missing the opportunity to completely rebuild our model, taking into account the knowledge about its shortcomings, and make it even better.

5. Simplicity is the power

Just as Twitter uses a limited number of characters in a message to free people from the need to compose masterpieces, LEGO gives people the freedom to build quickly, efficiently. And most importantly, for this you do not need to have any special talents: anyone can try and succeed. After all, you can't put plastic bricks in the wrong way or write a tweet.

When people are asked to draw something in front of an audience, many simply hesitate and say that they cannot draw. People find it difficult, and they do not even try, never breaking the internal barrier. So simplicity is power.

6. Don't be afraid to change plans

Yes, the title says there will be five tips. But you need to be prepared for the fact that sometimes you have to change plans or break the usual order of actions if it no longer works. When you start working on something, you may not know what you will end up with, but that's okay. Just don't be afraid to change your plans.