How to Design for the Human Mind: Cognitive Science for UX
Successful design requires a real understanding of people—our capabilities, how we perform, and our limits. Much of this revolves around our cognition, the mental processes behind how we think and act. A foundational understanding of cognitive science is therefore crucial for UX professionals. Simply put, you can't create truly usable and successful products without understanding what makes us tick.
In this Master Class with Celia Hodent, PhD in psychology and author of The Gamer's Brain, she demystifies the human mind for UX designers. You'll discover the key limitations of perception, attention, and memory, and learn how to apply these insights to create intuitive and engaging designs. Forget the neuroscience trends, hype and misinformation—this isn't about knowing brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. Instead, you'll gain practical knowledge that will elevate your work and enhance your communication with stakeholders.
You'll learn:
- How the brain learns and functions: Building a mental model of your users starts with understanding how their brains work.
- Busting brain myths: Separate fact from fiction to make informed design decisions.
- Cognitive limitations and design: Learn how to design for the constraints of human perception, attention, and memory (e.g., applying Gestalt principles and accommodating working memory).
- Motivation and emotion in UX: Discover the most relevant theories and how to leverage them to create engaging experiences.
- Real-world design applications: See cognitive science principles in action with concrete examples.
This Master Class is suited to both seasoned UX professionals and beginners—it’s an opportunity to explore the intricacies of the human mind to empower you to create designs that truly resonate with your users.
Speaker
Celia Hodent is an expert in the application of cognitive science and psychology to improve products, systems, services, and video games. She currently leads an independent UX consultancy, working with a wide range of international media and enterprise companies.
She works in-depth with companies to help ensure their products are both engaging and successful by considering the entire user experience they will provide to their audience. Celia conducts workshops and provides guidance on the topics of playful learning (“gamification”), ethics, implicit biases, and inclusion in tech and video games.
Celia holds a PhD in psychology and has over ten years experience in the development of user experience (UX) strategy in the entertainment industry, and more specifically with videogame studios through her work at Ubisoft, LucasArts, and as Director of UX at Epic Games (Fortnite). She is founder and chair of the Game UX Summit, and a member of the Foresight Committee at CNIL (National Commission on Informatics and Liberty, an independent French administrative regulatory body).
Celia is the author of The Gamer’s Brain: How Neuroscience and UX can Impact Video Game Design (2017), The Psychology of Video Games (2020), What UX Really Is: Introducing a Mindset to Great Experiences (2021), and co-editor of Game Usability: Advice from the Experts for Advancing UX Strategy and Practice in Videogames (2022).
To learn more about Celia or contact her, visit her Twitter: @CeliaHodent or her blog: celiahodent.com.
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