lesson 2.9 - applying audience needs: practical design ideas
A practical session where you will apply the concepts of audience needs and efficient design to develop your own interface ideas.
Welcome to the design studio! Over the last few weeks, you've learned about the different "puzzle pieces" of your audience—from visual needs and motor challenges to skill levels and cultural backgrounds. But in the real world, users aren't just one piece of the puzzle; they are the whole picture! Today, we are going to mix it all up. You'll learn how to design for users who might be tech experts but have poor eyesight, or total beginners who need to work fast. It's time to stop just talking about design and start doing it. Grab your pencils (or mice) - let's build something amazing.
Learning Outcomes
The Building Blocks (Factual Knowledge)
The Connections and Theories (Conceptual Knowledge)
The Skills and Methods (Procedural Knowledge)
Recall specific interface features that address visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive needs (e.g., alt-text, captions, large click targets).
Identify design conventions that support different skill levels (e.g., wizards for novices, shortcuts for experts).
State the importance of 'inclusive design' in meeting the needs of a diverse audience.
The Connections and Theories (Conceptual Knowledge)
Explain how a single design feature (like high contrast) can benefit multiple user groups (e.g., users with low vision and users in bright sunlight).
Analyse the potential conflicts between design goals, such as the trade-off between 'simplicity' for novices and 'data density' for experts.
Evaluate a proposed interface layout to determine its suitability for a specific, complex user profile (e.g., an elderly expert).
The Skills and Methods (Procedural Knowledge)
Apply knowledge of audience needs to annotate a wireframe or sketch with specific design justifications.
Create a low-fidelity interface design that combines solutions for accessibility, efficiency, and demographics.
Develop a 'rationale' for design choices that explicitly links a feature to a user need (e.g., "I used a breadcrumb trail because...").
Digital Skill Focus: C.3.6 User-Centred Design: Specifically, the procedural skill to "create a set of digital wireframes for a simple application or website to communicate its structure and layout," focusing on how layout choices meet specific user needs.
Designing for Real People: The "Whole User" Approach
Real users are complicated! They don't just fit into one neat box. A user might be a computer expert Expert UserI have no idea what this means but also have broken their arm Motor ImpairmentI have no idea what this means. Another might be a total beginner Novice UserI have no idea what this means who speaks a different language DemographicsI have no idea what this means.
User-Centred DesignI have no idea what this means means considering all these factors at once. Today, we look at how to combine everything you've learned into practical design solutions.
1
The "Intersection" of Needs
When needs overlap, they can create unique design challenges.
The "Impatient Expert" with Low Vision: They want speed (shortcuts, density) but need clarity (large text, high contrast).
Solution: A high-contrast "Quick Actions" dashboard with large, clear icons instead of text lists.
The "Anxious Novice" with Motor Issues: They are scared of making mistakes and struggle to control the mouse.
Solution: Huge "Undo" buttons, "Are you sure?" confirmations, and very large spacing between buttons to prevent accidental clicks.
2
Solving Conflicts: Adaptive vs. Inclusive
Sometimes, what one user needs is the opposite of what another needs.
Inclusive Default: Designing one interface that works "well enough" for everyone. This usually means prioritising clarity and simplicity.
Adaptive Interface: Allowing the user to change the interface.
Example: A "Dark Mode" toggle for visual comfort.
Example: An "Advanced Mode" switch that hides helpful wizards for experts.
3
Practical Design Toolkit
Here are the specific tools you use to solve these problems in your wireframes:
Feature
Best for...
Why it works
Breadcrumb trail
Novice / Cognitive Needs
Shows the user exactly where they represent ("Home > Account > Settings"). Prevents getting lost.
Input Controls
Motor Needs / Efficiency
Using Dropdowns or Radio Buttons instead of typing text reduces effort and errors.
Progress Indicators
Cognitive Needs / Novice
A bar showing "Step 2 of 4". Helps users with anxiety or memory issues manage the task.
Keyboard Navigation
Motor Needs / Expert
Allows users to tab through fields without a mouse. Vital for accessibility and speed.
4
The Power of Rationale
Designing a feature is only half the job. You must be able to explain why you did it. This is your Design RationaleI have no idea what this means.
Weak Rationale: "I made the button red because it looks nice."
Strong Rationale: "I made the 'Delete' button red to use User PerceptionI have no idea what this means of danger, warning the user before they make a mistake."
Task The 'Impossible User' Challenge
1
Choose Your User
Pick ONE of the following profiles to design for:
Profile A: "The Rush" - An expert tech user who is in a massive hurry and is using the app on a bumpy bus ride (Motor challenge).
Profile B: "The First-Timer" - A nervous novice user who has forgotten their glasses (Visual challenge + Low confidence).
2
Sketch the Wireframe (25 mins)
Draw the "Room Booking" screen for your chosen user. You must include:
A way to select a date and time.
A way to choose a room.
A "Confirm" button.
Crucially: Specific features that help YOUR user (e.g., huge buttons for the bumpy bus ride).
3
The "Because" Annotations (15 mins)
Draw arrows to 3 key features of your design. Write a justification for each using this formula:
"I included [Feature]... because [User Need]... which helps them [Benefit]."
Example: "I included a progress bar... because Profile B is nervous... which helps them know how long is left."
Outcome: An annotated wireframe of a booking interface tailored to a complex user profile.
Application to the Component Sample PSA
The skills practised in this synoptic lesson are the exact skills required to achieve the higher mark bands for Component 1.
Component 1: The Majestic Cinema
The PSA brief explicitly states the audience includes "families with young children, teenagers, and customers with accessibility needs". To achieve high marks in Task 2 (Interface Design), you cannot simply design four generic screens. You must demonstrate that your design choices solve the specific, intersecting problems of these groups.
Example Application: When designing the 'Ticket Booking' screen, you might choose large, distinct buttons (for motor needs/elderly users) but include a 'Quick Book' feature (for impatient teenagers/experts).
Task 4 (Review): You must review how well your interface meets user requirements. This lesson provides the vocabulary to justify your choices, e.g., "I used a progress bar to reduce anxiety for novice users while keeping the layout clean for experts."
Component 2: Pedal Power Cycles
While Component 2 focuses on data, the Dashboard you create in Task 2c is a user interface for the bike shop owner.
Example Application: If the owner is an expert in bikes but a 'novice' with computers, your dashboard must use Input ControlsI have no idea what this means (like Slicers or Buttons) rather than requiring them to type complex formulas. This applies the lesson's principle of matching the interface to the user's specific intersection of skills and needs.
Out of Lesson Learning
⭐ The "Accessibility Audit"
The Majestic Cinema needs to ensure its new app works for everyone. Visit a popular e-commerce website (like Amazon or eBay) and identify one feature that supports a "Novice" user and one feature that supports an "Expert" user.
The Majestic Cinema needs to ensure its new app works for everyone. Visit a popular e-commerce website (like Amazon or eBay) and identify one feature that supports a "Novice" user and one feature that supports an "Expert" user.
Write down the name of the feature (e.g., "Search Bar auto-complete").
State which user group it helps and why.
⭐⭐ The "Conflict Resolution"
In the Majestic Cinema scenario, "Teenagers" want a fast, cool, dark-mode interface, but "Elderly Patrons" need high-contrast, bright backgrounds with large text.
In the Majestic Cinema scenario, "Teenagers" want a fast, cool, dark-mode interface, but "Elderly Patrons" need high-contrast, bright backgrounds with large text.
Write a short paragraph proposing a solution to this conflict for the 'Home' screen.
You must use the terms Inclusive Default and Adaptive Interface in your answer.
⭐⭐⭐ The "Inclusive Pitch"
You are pitching your design for the "Ticket Booking" screen to the Majestic Cinema management. They are worried that making the buttons large for accessibility will make the app look "ugly" or "childish" to their younger customers.
You are pitching your design for the "Ticket Booking" screen to the Majestic Cinema management. They are worried that making the buttons large for accessibility will make the app look "ugly" or "childish" to their younger customers.
Write a 100-word script for your pitch.
Argue that your design is functionally superior because it addresses the intersection of motor needs (ease of clicking) and mobile usage (using a thumb on a small screen), benefitting both groups.
Last modified: December 11th, 2025
