How to make good UX decisions quickly, even if you don’t have all the answers.

Daring decisions in UX

In the vast world of UX and product design, we often find ourselves balancing on a tightrope. On one end, we have the plethora of research tools at our disposal: usability testing, focus groups, large-scale surveys, and more. These UXR tools, valuable as they are, offer insights, validate our design, and provide a semblance of assurance. On the other end, however, is our own instinct, gut feeling, and the essence of the very creativity that drives our designs.

Testing as a tool, not a crutch

One might argue, why not just keep testing? Get all the data, understand all the user pain points, and perfect the product. While that sounds like a prudent approach, it’s an illusion. Testing can only tell us so much. The biggest pitfall? Using tests as crutches. They can become a reason to avoid trusting our own intuition, a shield against making decisions, an excuse to delay and defer.

The endless loop of redesigning and testing is the siren song for many innovators. It promises a safe harbor, a definitive answer in a world riddled with ambiguity. But here’s the stark reality: Data is a tool, not a compass. It can illuminate our path but cannot instill in us the courage to tread it. The artistry of design, the heart of innovation, lies not just in what we can measure, but in what we feel.

This is the allure and danger of “waiting”. The more we wait for validation, the more we risk stagnation.

Consider this: Every groundbreaking innovation, from the light bulb to the iPhone, was birthed from a delicate dance between insight and instinct. Would relentless testing have given birth to Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ or the chords of Beethoven’s Symphony №9? Unlikely. It was their intuition, their leap into the unfamiliar, that created masterpieces.

Understanding what and when to test