HOW UX DESIGN INTERSECTS WITH ARCHITECTURE

It may not seem intuitive at first, but there are a number of similarities between architectural design and user experience design, and those similarities have made my transition to UX relatively straightforward. First, both fields require the designer to listen to the stakeholders with empathy and an open mind. Listening well enables the designer to better understand the goals of the project, the concerns of the stakeholders, and the potential pitfalls associated with both.

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Second, both require the designer to recognize the difference between the client, the stakeholders, and the end-users; and to balance the needs of each to achieve the most effective design. (I would argue that architects could learn from UX design practices and put more emphasis on the end-user.) This recognition, combined with the research necessary to fully understand how the end-user will be engaging with the space (digital or physical), how success of the design will be defined, what the competition is doing, and how the space will be implemented or constructed, serves to form the foundations of the design.

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Third, communication is key throughout the process. Communication takes the form of frequent check-ins with the stakeholders to ensure the design is headed in the right direction, collaborating with teammates, sharing the proposed design with the engineers who will be responsible for making it work so that problems and opportunities can be flagged early, conferring with the managers to verify the design is on schedule and on budget, and testing the design with potential end-users to confirm it is meeting their needs. Another component of communication is the ability of the designer to set aside preconceived ideas and ego so they can be open to new concepts and constructive criticism in service of bettering the design.

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Last, the execution of the project, whether architectural or digital, requires the designer to be able to comprehensively describe the design such that the engineers, contractors, and developers are able to faithfully reproduce the design. During the execution of the project, the designer needs to be available to respond to questions and concerns, provide input on alternatives when budget or technology requires them, and be receptive to learning from the process to bring that knowledge to the next project.

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The intersection between UX Design and architectural design is greater than one might imagine. Ultimately, they are both about creating spaces where the end-user feels welcomed, comfortable, confident in their navigation, and left wanting to return.