How should design be approached differently for beginner, intermediate, and advanced users?
It can be difficult to design user interfaces and interactions that cater to both novice and experienced users. Designers can balance the needs of both groups and create a consistent, unified user experience by considering how end users learn new skills and responsibilities.
Optimize your product for intermediate-level users
People's levels of expertise in a given activity tend to be distributed along the standard bell curve seen in statistical analyses of populations. In practically every knowledge- or skill-based activity, only a few people can be found on the extremes of a skill-level distribution, and most will fall somewhere in the middle.
Because it is so difficult to maintain a high skill level, expert-level users come and go, while novices evolve at an even faster rate. Although most intermediates start with little to no knowledge of how to use the digital product, they typically only stay in that position for a short period of time. Over time and with repeated use of the digital interface, both novice and seasoned users frequently arrive at the same destination: the intermediate level.
While everyone spends at least some of their time as a novice user, no one stays in that stage for long. On the other hand, because gaining knowledge and improving one's skills is enjoyable, novices either proceed to the intermediate level right away or abandon the program entirely in search of a product that will allow them to progress to the intermediate level.
Our objective should not be to cater to novice users, nor should it be to hurry intermediates into becoming experts. Our goals are threefold
- to quickly and painlessly transition newbies into intermediates,
- to remove roadblocks that stand in the way of intermediates who want to advance to the expert level, and
- to ensure that intermediates remain content while remaining firmly in the middle of the skill spectrum.
Our products must be user-friendly while also being robust enough for intermediate users, who make up the majority of users. However, we must still accommodate both new and experienced users.
When it is appropriate to address the needs of advanced users
In the case of some specialized products, it is acceptable to tailor the user experience to experienced professionals. Digital products used in research and medicine are examples of when an expert persona should be considered when designing. These instruments must be designed to achieve a high level of expertise. Consumers of such items will have the necessary technical background and will be prepared to put in a considerable amount of time and energy to become proficient in the application.
When it is appropriate to cater to novice users
Certain goods, particularly those used infrequently or by people with disabilities, must be simple and easy to use.
A thoughtfully designed web user interface should make it easier for users to quickly become acquainted with the site's navigation and functions. Even if a customer has previously visited your website and is familiar with the products and services you offer in general, he or she may require additional exposure to your website to memorize the organizational constructs. As a result, it is even more critical to make your website's interactions as open and accessible as physically possible. Furthermore, it is recommended to track user activities while on a website and make improvements based on user behavior analysis.
Essentials for New Users
When designing the user experience, keep in mind that consumers, particularly novices, are likely to be both educated and preoccupied.
Intelligent people always learn better when they understand the relationship between cause and effect. As a result, you must educate them on why things operate the way they do. Mental models are used to solve the paradox. Assume the user has a mental model of the interface that closely matches the represented model. If this is the case, it will provide an understanding of consumer demands without requiring them to learn how the product works.
If new users feel that the product interactions need to be clarified, they will most likely abandon it. As a result, the designer must ensure that the product represents the consumer's mental model of the product's purpose accurately.
If you want to advance new users to an intermediate level, the software must provide additional assistance until they can advance to the next level. In other words, any additional assistance you provide must be linked to the user's level of proficiency. When its services are no longer required, they must be able to vanish from the interface.
Essentials for experts
Expert-level users wield disproportionate power over less experienced users. When potential customers consider purchasing your offerings, they will value the expertise of a specialist over that of an intermediary. When an expert says, "it's not very good," they may be implying, "it's not very good for specialists," so listen carefully. Because novice users are unaware of this, they are more likely to heed expert advice. However, it is possible that it is outside of their situation.
Expert-level users constantly seek faster access to their standard working tools, which they will always request. Users who are product specialists are constantly looking for new ways to understand your product's total capacity. Experts always value new and robust features. Because they are familiar with the product, they are not alarmed by the increased complexity of any feature addition.
Things to keep in mind if you're an intermediate user
Intermediate users are comfortable using reference materials. They are motivated to learn and investigate more as long as it is within their capabilities. This group of users categorizes the features they use frequently and those they use infrequently. These users will want their favorite features to be prominently displayed in the UI, making them easy to find and recall.
The majority of intermediate-level users may require more time or motivation to learn advanced features. However, the fact that they are available gives them a sense of security and makes them believe that they made the right decision by subscribing to or purchasing the digital product.
Conclusion
Your product's structure must accommodate various types and levels of user expertise. In most cases, however, you will be required to devote your skills, time, and resources to designing the best possible interaction for the users who best represent your typical customer: those in the middle stage.
