Alright, so you’ve probably heard the term UX (User Experience) thrown around a lot—everyone from app designers to your tech-savvy cousin is talking about it. But when it comes to really nailing the user experience, there’s an actual international standard for that. Yeah, it’s called ISO 9241-210:2019. Sounds super fancy, right?
ISO 9241-210 is like the holy grail of UX standards. It’s all about how to design tech, apps, and products with the user in mind. This 2019 version is the latest and greatest, and it tells designers, “Hey, remember that users are actual humans, not robots. Design your product as you care.” This is the official rulebook for making sure any product, app, website, or system is user-centered. In other words, it’s all about designing stuff that doesn’t suck for the people who use it. ISO 9241-210:2019 has six golden rules for how to make sure you’re building stuff that people want to use. Here’s the rundown:
1. Understand the Users, Their Needs, and Context: Know Your People
Before you even start designing anything, you gotta know who you’re designing for. What do they need? Where are they using this thing? What’s their vibe? Gen Z hates apps that make us jump through hoops—we want simplicity. Get to know what your users want and how they’ll use your product IRL.
Translation: Don’t just guess what users want. Ask them, and don’t assume everyone’s the same.
2. Involve Users Throughout Design: Keep Us in the Loop
Look, if you’re building something for us, don’t wait until it’s done to ask if we like it. Keep us involved at every stage. Run your ideas by real users (aka, us) so you don’t waste time designing something nobody wants.
Translation: We want to help you design, so ask for feedback early and often.
3. Make Sure You’re Solving the Right Problem: Don’t Fix What Ain’t Broken
Sometimes, designers get so obsessed with making things look cool that they forget what the actual problem is. ISO 9241-210 tells you to focus on solving real user problems—not just slapping on a new color scheme and calling it a day.
Translation: Don’t waste time on features we don’t need. Fix real problems.
4. Design the Whole Experience: It’s More Than Just Pretty Graphics
Good UX is more than just a slick interface. It’s about how everything works together—from the design to how easy it is to use. The whole user experience should feel seamless like everything was meant to be there.
Translation: Design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about the vibes of the whole experience.
5. Check and Test, Then Test Again: No One Likes Bugs
Before launching anything, ISO 9241-210 tells you to test it. Not just once but over and over. It’s like beta-testing a new game—gotta make sure everything works the way it should so users don’t hit roadblocks.
Translation: Don’t launch your product full of bugs. Test it with real users first.
6. Improve Continuously: Keep It Fresh
Design isn’t a one-and-done deal. Once your product is live, keep improving it based on user feedback. Trends change, user needs evolve, and no app or system is ever perfect on day one.
Translation: Always be updating. What worked last year might suck now, so stay ahead of the game.
So why should you care about all these steps and processes? Because products that follow this standard end up being WAY more user-friendly. Think of your favorite apps—whether it’s Instagram, TikTok, or Spotify—they’re easy to use and designed with you in mind. That’s what ISO 9241-210 is all about.
When companies follow these standards, they’re saying, “Hey, we care about making our product good for you.” It’s like the difference between a well-organized app that just flows and one that makes you want to delete it in frustration. ISO 9241-210:2019 is the playbook for designing products that don’t make users want to scream. It’s all about focusing on what real humans need and designing with empathy. It keeps us involved, helps solve the right problems, and ensures we don’t get stuck using trashy interfaces. When you’ve got a good UX, it’s not by accident. It’s because the designers were thinking of us from the start—and that’s what this standard is all about.
Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash