Flowcharts, diagrams, mockups, etc. are synonymous with UX design. Most UX designers have a suite of tools we use to create these resources, and take a lot of pride in delivering beautiful files that allow anyone to understand the complex interactions, choices, and forks that make up a user journey.
Frankly, creating these file is a huge part of our job, and are where we provide a lot of our value. But a flowchart is an expression of a concept. It’s simply a way of articulating that concept. The underlying concept is the actual user experience. The user experience is supposed to be as simple as possible. I think pretty much everyone would agree with that.
But a weird thing happens when a UX Designer is really good at demonstrating complex concepts through visual UX designs. A great flow chart will make it really easy for anyone to digest and understand a complex user experience – creating the misconception that the underlying concepts themselves are simple and straightforward.
Flowcharts can mask complexity
It’s seems counterintuitive to consider flowcharts as an element that can create complexity, but that’s exactly what can happen if a designer is just really good at articulating complex concepts through a flowchart. In fact, this is a highly sought-after skill in the UX Design world!
To be clear, I am not implying that this is bad. Rather, I see this as a great example of why a layered approach to solution design is so critical to UX. If you can’t articulate a concept without flowcharts or some other visual reference, it’s either too complex or… you don’t understand it well enough yet.
In UX design, communication is critical for simplicity
I use flowcharts a lot. They are incredibly helpful in both communicating concepts, and creating a record of defined processes. That being said, I always explain my UX solutions with… words. If other team members can’t understand my explanation, then I know it needs some work.
I view communication through words, written or spoken, as the ultimate validation of concepts. I use flowcharts and prototypes to further articulate solutions, and I definitely use flowcharts to help me design solutions. When it’s time to evaluate those solutions for effectiveness and simplicity, I put it into words.
Simplifying the complex or complicating the simple
Growing up, I was fortunate to have a dad who was full of wisdom. He would share these gems with us in concise, yet powerful, phrases. When it came to studying, one of my favorite phrases was intended to help up us gauge how effectively we had mastered a topic: “If you can’t teach it to someone, you don’t know it.”
He used this phrase to help us understand the difference between memorizing information and applying that information – which was his requirement for “knowing” something. It’s a profound concept in it’s simplicity.
I’m sure many of us can think of teachers that were able to simplify complex ideas. This is a admirable trait. But I’m sure we can all think of a few that had the uncanny ability to complicate the simple. This is the risk of being really good at flowcharts and visuals.
So in summary: flowcharts are wonderful. They’re critical in UX design. They can also hide the complexity of a solution when they are intended to communicate concepts that can’t be articulated with words.