7.1 Competitors
Competitors is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
Step by step
- Define the user problem connected to Competitors.
- Collect evidence before jumping to a polished solution.
- Create the smallest flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test needed to answer the question.
- Test the design with realistic content, states, and device constraints.
- Record what you learned and change the design based on evidence rather than preference.
10 practical examples
- Apply Competitors to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Competitors to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
UI/UX PRACTICE
Problem: A user struggles with Competitors.
Evidence to collect: interview, observation, analytics, or usability result.
Artifact: flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test plan.
Success measure: task completion, clarity, error reduction, or satisfaction.
Next step: test one assumption.Expected output
A user-centered design artifact for Competitors plus a clear statement of what evidence would confirm or reject the design decision.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Competitors using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
7.2 Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
Step by step
- Define the user problem connected to Feature Comparison.
- Collect evidence before jumping to a polished solution.
- Create the smallest flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test needed to answer the question.
- Test the design with realistic content, states, and device constraints.
- Record what you learned and change the design based on evidence rather than preference.
10 practical examples
- Apply Feature Comparison to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Feature Comparison to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
UI/UX PRACTICE
Problem: A user struggles with Feature Comparison.
Evidence to collect: interview, observation, analytics, or usability result.
Artifact: flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test plan.
Success measure: task completion, clarity, error reduction, or satisfaction.
Next step: test one assumption.Expected output
A user-centered design artifact for Feature Comparison plus a clear statement of what evidence would confirm or reject the design decision.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Feature Comparison using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
7.3 UX Patterns
UX Patterns is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
Step by step
- Define the user problem connected to UX Patterns.
- Collect evidence before jumping to a polished solution.
- Create the smallest flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test needed to answer the question.
- Test the design with realistic content, states, and device constraints.
- Record what you learned and change the design based on evidence rather than preference.
10 practical examples
- Apply UX Patterns to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply UX Patterns to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
UI/UX PRACTICE
Problem: A user struggles with UX Patterns.
Evidence to collect: interview, observation, analytics, or usability result.
Artifact: flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test plan.
Success measure: task completion, clarity, error reduction, or satisfaction.
Next step: test one assumption.Expected output
A user-centered design artifact for UX Patterns plus a clear statement of what evidence would confirm or reject the design decision.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for UX Patterns using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
7.4 Gaps
Gaps is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
Step by step
- Define the user problem connected to Gaps.
- Collect evidence before jumping to a polished solution.
- Create the smallest flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test needed to answer the question.
- Test the design with realistic content, states, and device constraints.
- Record what you learned and change the design based on evidence rather than preference.
10 practical examples
- Apply Gaps to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Gaps to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
UI/UX PRACTICE
Problem: A user struggles with Gaps.
Evidence to collect: interview, observation, analytics, or usability result.
Artifact: flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test plan.
Success measure: task completion, clarity, error reduction, or satisfaction.
Next step: test one assumption.Expected output
A user-centered design artifact for Gaps plus a clear statement of what evidence would confirm or reject the design decision.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Gaps using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
7.5 Opportunity Map
Opportunity Map is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
Step by step
- Define the user problem connected to Opportunity Map.
- Collect evidence before jumping to a polished solution.
- Create the smallest flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test needed to answer the question.
- Test the design with realistic content, states, and device constraints.
- Record what you learned and change the design based on evidence rather than preference.
10 practical examples
- Apply Opportunity Map to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Opportunity Map to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
UI/UX PRACTICE
Problem: A user struggles with Opportunity Map.
Evidence to collect: interview, observation, analytics, or usability result.
Artifact: flow, sketch, wireframe, prototype, or test plan.
Success measure: task completion, clarity, error reduction, or satisfaction.
Next step: test one assumption.Expected output
A user-centered design artifact for Opportunity Map plus a clear statement of what evidence would confirm or reject the design decision.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Opportunity Map using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
Chapter 7 review — 10 questions and answers
1. What is the main purpose of Competitors?
Answer: Competitors is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
2. What is a common mistake with Competitors?
Answer: Treating Competitors as a visual preference instead of connecting it to a user need, constraint, or testable outcome.
3. What is the main purpose of Feature Comparison?
Answer: Feature Comparison is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
4. What is a common mistake with Feature Comparison?
Answer: Treating Feature Comparison as a visual preference instead of connecting it to a user need, constraint, or testable outcome.
5. What is the main purpose of UX Patterns?
Answer: UX Patterns is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
6. What is a common mistake with UX Patterns?
Answer: Treating UX Patterns as a visual preference instead of connecting it to a user need, constraint, or testable outcome.
7. What is the main purpose of Gaps?
Answer: Gaps is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
8. What is a common mistake with Gaps?
Answer: Treating Gaps as a visual preference instead of connecting it to a user need, constraint, or testable outcome.
9. What is the main purpose of Opportunity Map?
Answer: Opportunity Map is a UI/UX design skill that helps make products easier to understand, use, test, and improve. The method should be tied to a real user problem instead of decoration alone.
10. What is a common mistake with Opportunity Map?
Answer: Treating Opportunity Map as a visual preference instead of connecting it to a user need, constraint, or testable outcome.