About Me | Allison Partin

KEEP IT SIMPLE - DESIGN WITH EMOTIONS IN MIND.

THE PROCESS

This workflow reflects how I approach user experience design: grounded in empathy, focused on clarity, and always mindful of how a product makes the user feel. As a UX designer, I strive to craft experiences that are not only functional and intuitive but also emotionally resonant. Whether it's a sense of ease, delight, or trust, every decision is made with the user's feelings in mind.

STEP 1: DISCOVER

UNDERSTAND USERS, CONTEXT, AND EMOTIONAL DRIVERS

Stakeholder interviews and brainstorming workshops
User research through interviews, surveys, etc.
Emotional mapping - what should the user feel / not feel?

Goal: Gain deep empathy with users' goals, frustrations, and emotional context.

In this phase, I gather insights not just on user needs but also their emotional states and motivations. Understanding these elements ensures the design truly resonates and avoids negative feelings like frustration or confusion.

STEP 2: DEFINE

CLARIFY PROBLEMS AND EMOTIONAL GOALS

Affinity mapping
Problem statements and emotional tension points
Experience principles: clarity, ease, confidence, delight

Goal: Prioritize problems that matter emotionally and functionally.

Here, I translate research into clear problem definitions while highlighting emotional challenges. I also set experience principles to guide all design decisions toward positive emotional outcomes.

STEP 3: IDEATE

GENERATE IDEAS ROOTED IN SIMPLICITY AND FEELING

Sketching and wireframing (both low and high fidelity)
Collaborative ideation with cross-functional partners
Design sessions to explore ease and emotional tone

Goal: Create ideas that solve real problems and evoke the right feelings.

Now, it's time for brainstorming. Brainstorming with a focus on simplicity ensures that the proposed solutions are user-friendly. I also consider the emotional tone of the design to foster feelings like trust, delight, or calmness.

STEP 4: PROTOTYPE

MAKE IDEAS TANGIBLE QUICKLY

Clickable prototypes using design software (Figma, InVision, Sketch, etc.)
Micro-interactions to enhance emotional feedback
Scenarios that reflect real user stories

Goal: Testable representations of design, built for feedback, not perfection.

Through prototypes, ideas are brought to life early and allow for real user and stakeholder feedback, especially when it comes to how the design feels in use, which is critical to emotional engagement.

STEP 5: TEST AND ITERATE

DESIGN REFINEMENT BASED ON PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL REACTIONS

Usability testing
Ask emotional-focused questions (ex: How did this experience make you feel?)
Improve and refine

Goal: Validate simplicity and emotional resonance.

Testing is about more than usability, it's about understanding emotional responses and quickly refining the design to improve user satisfaction and reduce frustration.

STEP 6: DELIVER AND COLLABORATE

POLISH THE DESIGN AND GUIDE IMPLEMENTATION

Final design file with development-ready specifications
UI consistency checks
Emotional consistency - does the final product still feel right? Is it missing anything?

Goal: Ship designs that are intuitive, clean, and emotionally tuned.

One of the biggest things that I value is working together with developers. This collaboration with ensures the final product matches the design vision and maintains the intended emotional experience users expect.

STEP 7: REFLECT AND LEARN

WHAT WORKED WELL? WHAT CAN I IMPROVE?

Post-implementation feedback
User impact stories

Goal: Gain design experience and see new perspectives.

Reflection helps me continuously improve both the product and my own skills by learning from successes and challenges encountered during the project.

ALLISON PARTIN