Vision, Hearing, & The Brain: The Top 10 Things You Need to Know about Perception
at UX Brighton 2013
Type
talk
Keynote on the psychology of perception for designers of websites, apps, software and products. Weinschenk shares her top ten research findings on vision and hearing: peripheral versus central vision and scene gist, selective attention (seeing is not the same as paying attention), the emotional influence of shapes, short-term memory limits, malleable reconstructed memories, and the power of auditory cues — so products are easier to use, more engaging, and better matched to how people actually perceive.
People
Susan Weinschenk
Methods
Usability TestingUsability testing reveals where people struggle while attempting realistic tasks with a prototype or service. In a moderated session, a researcher observes the participant and may ask them to explain their thinking. Use it to investigate confusing language, layouts or interactions and identify improvements. Agree research questions, recruit likely users and prepare believable tasks that do not reveal the solution. Explain that the service is being tested, then mostly watch and listen rather than guiding participants. Record observations and follow up on unclear behaviour. Plan accessible sessions, including participants’ own assistive technology when appropriate.
Visual DesignShaping look and feel — typography, colour, layout, imagery — so hierarchy, meaning and emotion support usability and brand without fighting perception.
Interaction DesignDesigning how people act with a product over time: controls, states, feedback, flows and micro-interactions. Turns goals and constraints into concrete behaviours that feel clear and forgiving, informed by perception, cognition and the physical or digital context of use.