7 UX lessons we can learn from Star Wars

Welcome, dear reader, to an article that brings together two of your favourite topics: UX design and Star Wars. Yes, you read that right. We are about to explore what the legendary saga can teach us about creating a stellar user experience. And no, we are not going to suggest adding lightsabers to your website, even if that would be pretty cool. So grab your Jedi robe, call Chewbacca, your favourite Wookiee co-pilot, and let us set off for a galaxy far, far away, or at least towards better UX design.

Let’s take a look at the 7 UX lessons Star Wars can teach us.

Lesson 1: Create a galaxy of user personas ?

The Star Wars films are known for their memorable characters, each with their own personality, motivations and backstory. In UX design, creating user personas is a way to put that lesson into practice.

Take the character of Luke Skywalker. Luke is the classic example of the hero’s journey, starting out as a farm boy on Tatooine and becoming the Jedi Knight who saves the galaxy. In UX design, Luke’s journey can inspire a user persona for a beginner who is just starting to explore a new tool or technology. This user might feel overwhelmed by the complexity of a dashboard and need guidance to get started.

By using Star Wars characters as inspiration, UX designers can build meaningful user personas.

Now consider Princess Leia, a determined leader deeply committed to the fight for her people’s freedom. In UX design, Leia’s motivation can inspire a persona that represents a power user who is passionate about the product and looking for advanced features and customisation options to optimise their workflow.

Finally, let’s look at Han Solo. A smuggler and rogue initially driven by self-interest, he eventually becomes a hero fighting for the greater good. In UX design, Han’s journey can inspire a persona representing a casual user who is looking for a product that is simple and easy to use, meets basic needs, but may not be interested in advanced features or personalisation.

By drawing on these Star Wars character examples, UX designers can build user personas that reflect a range of needs and expectations.

Lesson 2: Maintain consistency, you must

One of the defining features of the Star Wars franchise is its consistency in both visual design and storytelling. From the iconic opening soundtrack to the distinctive sound of lightsabers, Star Wars has a unique aesthetic and style that has remained consistent across its films, TV shows and other media. This consistency helps create a cohesive universe in which audiences can fully immerse themselves.

In UX design, consistency is just as important. Users need to be able to navigate a dashboard or website with ease and expect a seamless experience from start to finish. This means using consistent design elements such as fonts, colours and icons across all pages, and ensuring the user interface remains intuitive and easy to use.

Lesson 3: Feedback, a powerful ally you will make

Another important UX principle that Star Wars can teach us is the value of feedback. In the films, lightsabers emit a distinctive hum when activated, instantly signalling to the user that the weapon is ready. Similarly, blasters produce a recognisable sound that confirms a shot has been fired.

In UX design, feedback is essential to help users understand how a dashboard or website works. When users perform an action, such as clicking a button or submitting a form, they should receive immediate feedback to confirm that their action was successful. The same applies when creating a password on a new platform. If the password is not accepted, the system should clearly indicate what is missing. This feedback can take the form of visual cues such as highlighting a button, audio responses like a sound effect, or informative text messages.

Lesson 4: The path of clarity you shall follow

In the Star Wars films, the story is generally easy to follow. The characters’ motivations are clear, and the plot is mostly straightforward, well, almost. It may get a little confusing at times, but it always ends up making sense. This kind of clarity is just as important in user interfaces. Users need to understand what the dashboard does, how it works, and what actions they need to take to reach their goals.

UX clarity can be achieved through clear language, intuitive navigation and visual cues. Clear language means using simple, concise wording that is easy to understand. Intuitive navigation means designing a system that is easy to use and helps users quickly find what they are looking for. Visual cues refer to icons, buttons and other design elements that guide users in understanding how to interact with the product.

Lesson 5: User feedback you will receive

Throughout the Star Wars saga, characters are constantly giving and receiving feedback. It helps them improve their performance and reach their goals. Think of all the moments between Master Yoda and Luke during Luke’s training on Dagobah. Or the regular exchanges between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Feedback is essential and forms part of the storyline itself.

User feedback helps designers identify issues with the product and make the necessary improvements. It can be gathered through user testing, surveys or feedback forms.

It also helps reveal new features or enhancements users would like to see in the product. I always recommend scheduling a feedback session two to three months in advance when launching a new dashboard.

Lesson 6: Pay attention to accessibility, you must

Accessibility is another key UX principle illustrated in the Star Wars universe. For example, the character C-3PO is designed to be easily understood by users who speak different languages. His distinctive design, including his gold plating and glowing eyes, makes him easy to recognise, even for viewers who do not speak English.

In UX design, accessibility is essential to ensure that all users can access and use a website or application, regardless of their abilities. This means designing interfaces that are easy to read and navigate, and providing alternative formats such as audio descriptions for users with disabilities.

Think about the typical red and green indicators found in many dashboards. If you rely only on colour and not on shapes to reinforce your message, a colour-blind user simply will not be able to use it. As dashboard designers, our goal is to make the experience work for all types of users.

Lesson 7: The power of storytelling you will recognise

One of the reasons for Star Wars’ success is its ability to capture the audience’s attention. The story, the characters and the setting are all designed to keep viewers engaged and interested. The films are compelling narratives with strong characters, dramatic plotlines and epic battles that spark the viewer’s imagination.

Storytelling is about building a narrative around your dashboard that engages users on an emotional level. Gamification involves adding game-like elements such as points, badges and leaderboards to make the product more engaging. Think of your Garmin device that rewards you with points or badges when you run regularly. Personalisation means adapting the product to meet the user’s needs and preferences. I know it might sound like a stretch, but yes, your dashboard should tell a story to your user.

In conclusion, we have learned that the Force is strong with good UX design. By channelling the power of consistency, clear feedback, accessibility and compelling storytelling, we can build dashboards that even a Jedi Master would be proud to use. Whether you are designing a lightsaber or a financial dashboard app, remember to keep these UX lessons in mind.

May the UX be with you, and may “the Force be with you.”