5 Key Lessons from "Psychology in Design" to Help You Advance UX: The Right Way to Ask Users for iOS Permissions

5 Key Lessons from "Psychology in Design" to Help You Advance UX: The Right Way to Ask Users for iOS Permissions

In the world of user experience (UX) design, understanding the psychology behind user behavior is crucial. By incorporating psychological principles into our design process, we can create more intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. In this article, we will explore key lessons from "Psychology in Design" and "The Right Way to Ask Users for iOS Permissions" to help you advance your UX skills.

Lesson 1: Design for the Way People Are, Not the Way You Wish Them to Be

One of the most common patterns in reading behavior is the "F" shape. This means that users tend to read in a horizontal movement across the upper part of the content and then scan vertically down the left side, forming the shape of the letter "F". Understanding this pattern can help us optimize the placement of important information on a webpage, ensuring that users can quickly find what they're looking for.

Additionally, it's important to remember that people are not always logical in their decision-making. As the saying goes, "Half the people in the world are below average." This relates to Hicks Law, which states that the more choices we give users, the longer it takes them to make a decision. When designing interfaces, we should aim to simplify choices and guide users towards the options that are most relevant to their goals.

Lesson 2: Keep the Most Important Information Above the Fold

When users arrive at your website, they usually have a specific goal in mind. Therefore, it's crucial to prioritize the most important information and place it above the fold. This ensures that users can quickly find what they're looking for without having to scroll down the page.

According to Joe Hallock, a Principle Design Manager at Azure, there are significant differences in color preferences between genders. Blue is the most favorable color among both men and women, while orange is the least favorable. Men tend to prefer bold colors, while women prefer softer colors. By understanding these preferences, we can create more visually appealing designs that resonate with our target audience.

Lesson 3: Value Easy-to-Find Information over Beautiful Design

In a survey organized by Hubspot, it was found that visitors value easy-to-find information more than beautiful design or fancy UX. This highlights the importance of prioritizing usability and ensuring that users can easily navigate through your website to find the information they need. While aesthetics are important, they should never come at the expense of usability.

Now, let's shift our focus to the right way to ask users for iOS permissions. When it comes to requesting permissions, it's important to be transparent and clear about what users will get in return. Asking for access before you really need it is not recommended, as users may be hesitant to grant permissions without understanding the benefits.

Getting access the first time is critical. If users are bombarded with permission requests right off the bat, they may be more inclined to deny access. The first version of Cluster, for example, saw only a 30-40% acceptance rate when asking for permissions upfront. By delaying the request until users absolutely need it, acceptance rates can significantly increase.

Double system-style dialogs can also be effective in gaining user permissions. By presenting users with a clear choice between "Give Access" and "Don't Allow", you can minimize the number of users who deny access at a system level. This approach has been shown to have a denial rate of less than 2% among total users.

Educational pre-permission overlays are another successful strategy. By providing users with information about the benefits of granting access before asking for permission, you can increase acceptance rates. In one case, explaining the benefits of photo access led to a 46% increase in people granting access when asked at a later, more opportune time.

Lastly, user-triggered dialogs have proven to be the most successful in obtaining permissions. By timing the permission request to align with the user's intent, acceptance rates can reach close to 100%. For example, asking for photo access after a user taps on a camera and selects "Choose Photos" resulted in an acceptance rate of 89%.

In conclusion, understanding the psychology behind user behavior is essential for advancing UX skills. By designing for the way people are, prioritizing important information above the fold, and valuing easy-to-find information over beautiful design, we can create more user-friendly experiences. When it comes to asking users for iOS permissions, it's important to be transparent, delay the request until necessary, and align the timing with the user's intent. By incorporating these lessons and strategies into our design process, we can create interfaces that truly meet the needs and expectations of our users.