What is a design pattern?

A design pattern is defined as a reusable solution to a common design problem. In the field of user experience and interface design, design patterns provide established best practices that have been proven effective in addressing recurring challenges designers encounter.

These patterns can vary in scope, ranging from simple elements like buttons and navigation menus to more complex arrangements like user onboarding processes or error handling. By utilizing design patterns, designers can create more intuitive and efficient user interfaces, as they build upon familiar concepts that users have already encountered in other applications or websites. This familiarity helps reduce the learning curve and enhances usability.

While user interface guidelines are important, they tend to offer broader principles rather than specific solutions. Visual assets focus on aesthetics, such as images and graphics, rather than functional design challenges. Methods for user research are concerned with gathering insights about user needs and behaviors, not necessarily providing design solutions. Thus, understanding design patterns is crucial for effectively addressing user needs and enhancing the overall user experience.