Bubblefish UX

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻? A design critique is a focused, time-bound review of design work — not for "approval" but for "improvement." It invites feedback, tests assumptions, and challenges decisions to ensure the design is on the right path. While modern tools like Figma and Miro make sharing screens easy, the real magic happens off-screen. It’s about questions, discussions, and deep thought, not just pretty pixels. No "tool" can replace the human insight that fuels a powerful critique. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗜𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼 1️⃣ The Setup: Send the work ahead of time. No one should see the design for the first time in the meeting. Provide context: “Here’s the problem I’m solving, the assumptions I’m working with, and the questions I need feedback on.” 2️⃣ The Rules: 1. No "I like it" or "I hate it" statements. This is not a taste test. 2. Feedback should be specific and framed as a "how might we" question. 3. The presenter can't explain or defend their work, only ask questions. They listen, take notes, and let the feedback land. 3️⃣ The Flow: 1. The designer sets the scene (problem, goal, and challenges). 2. Participants review, ask questions, and provide feedback. 3. The designer, as they would do in any other research session, asks questions, trying to understand and flesh out the feedback provided. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺) ⚠️ People critique personal taste instead of functional decisions. 🎯 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦 — "𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭?" 𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. ⚠️ Designers feel like they’re on trial. 🎯 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘚𝘦𝘵 𝘢 "𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨" 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮. 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘦𝘭, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵. ⚠️ Too many voices, too many directions. 🎯 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘴 "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘕𝘌 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳?" 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲? Every. Single. Week. Critiques aren't for the "final stage" — they're for the messy middle. When you’re neck-deep in the fog of uncertainty, that’s when you need them most. Early and often. That’s how momentum builds. Companies like IDEO, Google, and Apple rely on this process to push creativity forward. It’s why they rarely "get it right the first time" — but they always get better. Progress > Perfection. Are you running design critiques, or are they running you? Drop a comment with your biggest critique challenge — I’ll respond with a tool, tip, or approach to level it up. Let’s stop defending and start designing. #WhenUXGoesOffTool #UX #DesignCritique #ContinuousImprovement #DesignLeadership #BubbleFishUX #UXAgency

Let me ask you something: are the KPIs you're tracking helping your users? Or are they just numbers that make you feel productive? Most businesses focus on easy-to-measure stats like clicks or call volume. But what if we measured how easy it is for users to solve their problems? That’s where User-Centered KPIs come in. It’s a way to measure success by starting with the people you’re here to serve: your users. 💡Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Map the user’s journey – What do they need? What’s getting in their way? Start with actual data: user feedback, call logs, heatmaps, or usability studies. 2️⃣ Set meaningful metrics – Instead of vague goals like “more engagement,” focus on outcomes that solve problems, like reducing calls by fixing FAQ pages. 3️⃣ Collaborate – Get your teams talking—customer support, designers, developers. When everyone aligns with user-focused goals, amazing things happen. 4️⃣ Keep improving – Your KPIs should evolve. Track progress, collect feedback, and tweak as you go. 🤷Why should you care? Because KPIs that ignore user needs don’t just fail the customer—they fail your business. We’ve seen it firsthand. Focusing on user-centered metrics, we helped reduce unnecessary customer service calls by 23% for one client, reducing costs for the business but also resolving users’ problems and avoiding waiting for phone calls or emails. For another, we redesigned their website and boosted conversions by 7x. The best part? It’s not rocket science. It’s research. It’s putting the user first. 🫵 Your turn: What’s one KPI you’d change to make it more meaningful for your users? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts. #WhenUXGoesOffTool #UX #KPIs #DesignLeadership #UserExperience #BusinessGrowth

Most companies create personas that end up forgotten in digital folders. But what if personas could guide your entire company's decision-making? 🔝 What is a Persona Workshop? A Persona Workshop brings together team members from different departments to: 1️⃣ Collaboratively build user profiles 2️⃣ Share insights about customer needs 3️⃣ Create a shared understanding of users 👌 Why It Works When multiple teams contribute, personas become more than just documents. They become: 1️⃣ Living insights 2️⃣ Shared strategic tools 3️⃣ Guides for product development 📈 Key Benefits 1️⃣ Aligns team understanding 2️⃣ Reduces costly redesigns 3️⃣ Creates user empathy across departments 🧭 When to Use Persona Workshops 1️⃣ Starting major projects 2️⃣ Company mergers 3️⃣ Entering new markets 4️⃣ Complex service designs 🚀 Pro Tip Don't just create personas. Make them a living part of your team's strategy. Want to transform how your team understands users? Follow us for a new UX method every week! #WhenUXGoesOffTool #Personas #AligmentWorkshops #UserExperience #UXDesign #DesignStrategy #ProductDevelopment #CustomerInsights #BusinessInnovation #TeamCollaboration #DesignThinking #ProfessionalDevelopment #UserResearch

We read this the other day and wanted to share it with you before you go... Have a beautiful weekend! 😁 #quotes #quoteoftheday #inspiration #inspirationalquotes #motivation #life #wisdom #truth #thoughts #qotd #lovequotes #quotestoliveby #mindset #inspire #positivevibes #selflove #success #poetry #words #lifequotes

Remote usability testing is a great way to connect with users where they are—in their real lives, outside of the design bubble. This isn’t new. In the early 2000s, UX teams would mail prototypes and wait days or weeks for feedback. With just a few pages and a bit of patience, they uncovered insights that no app could ever reveal. Today, remote usability testing is even more powerful. So how does it work? Here’s the secret: the simpler, the better. You send your user a task. Give them something to complete and observe how they interact. Set up a call if you need to, but keep it short and to the point. This is all about watching where they pause, struggle, or smile—things you’d miss if you were focused on running a flashy demo. 1️⃣ Common Challenges (And How to Fix Them) Remote testing has its hiccups. Without face-to-face connection, it’s harder to build rapport. Sometimes, tech glitches make it awkward, and users can feel distanced. Here’s the workaround: be human. Start the session with a friendly intro and set the stage for them to be honest, even if it’s critical. Encourage them to “think out loud” as they go. And then? Just listen. 2️⃣ Why This Works (And When to Use It) When you’re working with users from different backgrounds, time zones, or tech levels, remote usability testing is a game-changer. It’s especially powerful for projects that need real-life feedback on a tight timeline or budget. I’ve seen it in action with companies like Chambers, who used remote testing to develop their new website for an audience from every corner of the world, and HMRC, which uses it to reach users all around the country for many projects. These examples show that remote testing isn’t just convenient; it’s essential for reaching diverse audiences and getting genuine feedback. 3️⃣ The Takeaway: Listen More, Click Less In the rush to design and prototype, it’s easy to focus on tools and overlook the users themselves. Remote usability testing reminds us that UX isn’t about Figma or Photoshop; it’s about understanding people. When we drop the tools, we reconnect with the core of UX: empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. Ready to give it a shot? Follow us for new UX methods every week! #whenuxgoesofftool #uxresearch #userexperience #remoteusability #uxdesign #userinterface #productdesign #ux #ui #webdesign #userresearch #interactiondesign #userinterfacedesign #uxdesigner #digitaldesign #testingmethods #userinsights #designresearch #uxprocess #humancentereddesign #empathyindesign

#FridayThoughts #QuestionEverything #CriticalThinking #AskSmartQuestions #ProblemSolving #PersonalDevelopment #Leadership #BusinessWisdom #SuccessMindset #ProfessionalGrowth #InspirationalQuotes #SelfImprovement #ContinuousLearning #VanessaRedgrave

🪰👀 Imagine being a fly on the wall, watching how your users interact with your product over weeks or months. That's exactly what diary studies allow you to do – without the creep factor! 😅 Instead of a one-time interview, you ask users to keep a diary of their experiences, struggles, and "aha!" moments. 💡 It might sound simple, but these entries reveal how your product fits (or doesn't fit) into their daily lives. 🌞🌚 Real-World Example: 🏥👩⚕️ In a hospital setting, nurses were asked to log their interactions with patient health records over time. This diary study uncovered valuable insights about their behaviors and experiences that couldn't be captured through one-off research methods. 🩺📊 Challenges and Solutions: 🧗♀️🔧 1. Participant fatigue 😴 – Keep entries short and engaging to prevent drop-offs. 2. Authenticity 🎭 – Encourage honest feedback, especially the negative stuff – it's pure gold! 💰 When to Use Diary Studies: 📅✅ - Frequent engagement services - Habits and routines For one-off interactions or quick feedback, stick to methods like usability testing. ⏰💨 Diary studies remind us that great UX is about seeing the world through your users' eyes – every day, one entry at a time. 👀🌍 Curious? Let's chat! 💬 How could you use diary studies in your projects? 🤔 #DiaryStudies #UXResearch #UserExperience #UserJourney #ProductDesign #UserInsights #UXDesign #ResearchMethods #QualitativeResearch #ContextualInquiry #UserBehavior #UserFeedback #UXStrategy #DesignThinking #EmpathizeWithUsers #HumanCenteredDesign #UserCentric #ProductDevelopment #InnovationDesign #DesignInsights

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend! #FunFriday #JokeOfTheDay #StartTheWeekEnd

You’ve been lied to. Recently, I read a post by Jason Clauss highlighting how some people insist that crafting exceptional user experiences requires fancy tools. But the truth? The most powerful UX methods don’t need any of them. The real magic of UX doesn’t start on a screen. It starts in conversation, on paper, in sticky notes. It starts with understanding your users. Forget Figma for a second. Let’s talk about “Customer Experience (CX) Strategy” Not just the digital version—the raw, human kind that makes the difference between another generic customer interaction and an unforgettable brand experience. A great CX strategy isn’t about making customers happy—it’s about creating a journey that keeps them coming back. From awareness to post-purchase, every touchpoint matters. 🔑 Key Steps for a Winning CX Strategy: 1️⃣ Talk to Real People – Build personas based on actual pain points. Use journey maps to understand their frustrations and what makes them stay. 2️⃣ Align with Business Goals – Make sure your CX efforts fuel growth. Show how it impacts retention, loyalty, and revenue to win leadership buy-in. 3️⃣ Omnichannel Consistency – Customers expect the same experience whether they’re online, in-store, or on your app. Deliver seamless experiences across all platforms. 💡 Empower Employees – Your team is on the front line. Train them not just on products but on delivering exceptional service and empathy. 📊 Leverage Data – Triangulate data from multiple sources, qualitative and quantitative. Let data, not guesswork, drive your next move. 🔄 Measure, Adapt, Repeat – CX is never done. Continuously refine based on real customer feedback. 💥 Action time! Have you mapped your customer journey? Start small. Talk to your customers and see where you can improve. #WhenUXGoesOffTool #CXStrategy #CustomerExperience #BusinessGrowth #UX #CustomerJourney #HowToBecomeAGreatUXer #BusinessStrategy #UXTips #UXMethods

Should we move from Minimum Viable Product (#MVP) to Minimum Valuable Experience (#MVE)? What are your thoughts? Learn more about what an MVE is in today's article! Link in the comments! #UserExperienceDesign #ProductDevelopmentTrends #FutureOfUX