Does Your Startup's UI/UX Need a Unique Point of View?

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the importance of having a unique point of view in the UI/UX design of a startup's product, rather than simply following design trends set by leading companies.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Design Aesthetics and Trends

1. Questions related to the content of the section?

• The author noticed that startups were heavily influenced by the design aesthetics of leading companies like Notion and Google, adopting similar color palettes and minimalist styles.
• The author sees this as a disadvantage, as it means the startups have no distinct point of view on their customers.
• When startups follow design trends, they subconsciously remind users of the "leading" trendsetters, rather than establishing their own unique identity.

2. Why does the author see this as a disadvantage? The author believes that design should have a distinct point of view on the target users. By simply aping the design trends of leading companies, startups lose the opportunity to create a unique character and connection with their audience.

3. What are the advantages for small founder-led teams to follow design trends? For small teams without experienced designers, following existing design trends can help minimize time and resources spent on UI/UX decisions. It allows them to quickly launch a product without having to develop a unique design from scratch.

[02] Designing with a Point of View

1. What example does the author provide to illustrate designing with a point of view? The author discusses the design of a chatbot for a fintech app targeted at women. The goal was to make the app feel warm and connected with the audience, rather than having a "clinical" look common in stock trading apps.

2. What was the author's approach in designing the startup's dashboard? The author wanted the dashboard to be beautiful, functional and useful. This meant using a colorful, pastel-based palette to evoke positive emotions, rather than a plain, "clinical" interface.

3. What was the author's underlying philosophy in designing the dashboard? The author believed dashboards should not be dry, clinical interfaces, but should have a distinct point of view that reflects the startup's values and connects with the users.