Digital services often dedicate entire teams to user experience (UX), and for good reason! A fluid and pleasant experience is crucial when it comes to satisfying customers, generating repeat business, and setting yourself apart from the competition.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at what UX is really all about, how it could benefit your digital products and services, and what the future may hold for UX design…
What Exactly is UX?
User experience (often expressed as ‘UX’) relates to how a consumer feels when interacting with a particular product or service. In the digital world, this often means how enjoyable they find using a particular website to be, or how functional a mobile app is.
Good UX design practices lead to smooth and enjoyable interactions for those who use your services. In recent years, with the rise of digital products and services, UX design has become an increasingly important part of keeping your customers happy.
Some of the main considerations made in UX design include visuals and aesthetics, user psychology, and digital system structure and architecture.
UX vs. UI
One element which is closely related to UX is user interface (UI). UI incorporates everything the customer interacts with directly on a surface level. This generally includes visual design, buttons and icons, and the text which is visible to them. UI is the touchpoint between user and machine.
UX, however, refers more broadly to the entire experience, and how the user feels when interacting with a particular service. UI is an important part of UX design, but the two shouldn’t be considered one and the same.
The Main Principles of UX
There are a few central principles of good user experience design, and each must be considered throughout the development of a digital product or service.
1. Usability
Usability should feed into much of your design, particularly when it comes to websites and applications, no matter what your product is. The importance of usability cannot be overstated – users really do not like having their patience tested!
More specifically, ‘usability’ in the world of UX relates to how easy it is for users to accomplish the task they set out to. The more quickly, effectively and accurately a user can complete their goal using your service, the better the experience, so keep it simple and intuitive!
One important part of making your product highly usable is considering the structure, architecture and hierarchy of your website. This determines the general path that a user has to follow to get what they came for.
Many products and services go through rigorous usability testing before being released to the public. Tests can provide valuable insight into how easy it is to navigate a particular service, and can reveal issues early on, before they have a chance to cost you any business!
2. User-Focused
A user-focused experience is key. After all, users are at the heart of UX! Always put yourself in the shoes of the user, and try to identify any hurdles they might face when using your product or service.
Creating a user-focused experience may involve doing some specific research on exactly who your customers are. Find out exactly what they’re looking to gain from your product, what turns them off from using certain services, and what their general likes and dislikes are.
All of this research should inform your UX design from the start. It’s much easier to make these considerations in the planning phase, rather than fix problems further down the line!
3. Accessibility
In the context of UX, ‘accessibility’ refers to the ease with which users can navigate a system regardless of how experienced they are with the nature of your service, and whether or not they have any impairments.
Accessibility in UX design will often consider providing ways for people to interact with the service regardless of factors such as vision or hearing impairments, or any physical or cognitive restrictions they may be facing.
Inclusivity is the name of the game here, and it’s important to remember that there are approximately 16 million disabled people in the UK alone.
4. Personas
In UX, ‘user personas’ can be massively helpful when it comes to better understanding your audience. A persona is essentially a profile created of a fictional person who is representative of your users, and generally based on research.
By creating a persona that accurately represents your target audience, you can make decisions relating to UX with greater confidence, and be sure that what you’re doing is right for your users.
Elements you’ll want to include when creating a UX persona include a name, demographic information, an image, their desires, personality characteristics, needs, goals and challenges. The more detailed the persona you create, the more insight they will give you into the ideal UX of your product or service.
5. Consistency
Consistency of experience is vital when you provide products and services which span multiple platforms. This means ensuring that the different versions of your service share a relatively similar process, aesthetic and result.
However, in UX, consistency also refers to the user’s expectations, and to what extent these expectations are met. Users come to any service with pre-existing ideas of how it should function, which are based on similar experiences they’ve had elsewhere in the digital world.
For example, if your service involves a search function, then users will expect there to be relevant filters to help them sort through results. Consistency incorporates the inclusion of these elements, making your product consistent with others that the user already knows.
How UX Can Benefit You
If you run any sort of online digital service and you aren’t incorporating UX design practices, you’re missing out! Let’s take a more specific look at how UX can benefit you and your business…
- Customer loyalty relies on the convenience and enjoyment the user has whilst engaging with your products. Great UX can keep your customers happy and coming back to your site again and again.
- Increased conversion rates are one of the benefits of effective UX design. Turning traffic into purchases isn’t always easy, but UX design ensures that the process is as smooth and enjoyable as it can be for the user, whilst removing any ‘pain points’ or hurdles which may turn them away.
- Economic efficiency is often a result of great UX design, which can reduce unnecessary and ineffective spending by showing you what really makes a difference to your customers. It can also take pressure off customer services – the happier the user is, the less work you need to do!
- Brand reputation can benefit from great user experiences, as individuals are far more likely to recommend a product or service if they’ve had a pleasant experience with it in the past. Research shows that a majority of users judge the credibility of a brand on the appearance of its website.
- Enhanced customer engagement and satisfaction means better revenue for your business. A more satisfied and engaged customer who is having a great experience using your service is far more likely to make additional purchases than one who is struggling to navigate the structure of your website.
- Decreased bounce rates are one of the primary goals of UX, particularly in e-commerce. UX ensures readability, ease of use and visual attractiveness, meaning that fewer potential customers will leave your site before they’ve had a chance to look around.
A Sample Case Study
To demonstrate how UX works, it can be helpful to look at an example. In online gambling sites, when a customer receives an offer, it’s essential that they can locate it quickly and easily, and navigate their way to the relevant game.
The best online casino bonuses in terms of UX are no wagering free spins, which don’t require players to meet demanding wagering requirements. These promos also allow players to access their bonus with a minimal amount of fuss and without having to spend too much time combing through the T&Cs!
Research
In order to achieve great UX design, an amount of research and planning is necessary. You need to know who your customers are and build your product or service with them in mind.
Considering the virtual journey taken by your users – from reaching your landing page to becoming a customer – is essential. One popular technique for early planning is to use ‘wireframing,’ which is essentially a way to design a site on a structural level, creating a 2D map and layout plan.
The process of prototyping then enables you to plot out the user’s path through your initial wireframe designs. At this early development stage, UX design aims to reduce resistance and make the journey as smooth and fluid as possible.
Usability testing comes next, and this involves observing and interviewing sample users as they engage with wireframe designs and prototypes. Feedback informs development, which is then implemented into the prototypes and tested again.
UX Across Different Platforms
UX design and the user’s journey don’t only apply to websites. It’s also important that apps, mobile browser versions of sites, and even wearable tech versions are given the same thought and consideration.
Whatever the format, it’s important that there’s a consistency and a uniformity between your products and services, so that your brand remains clearly defined and the user’s journey is a simple one.
Emerging Technologies & The Future of UX
Like all industries, UX design must continue to progress, continuously innovating and dynamically improving in order to meet customer needs, provide a competitive edge, and ensure that products and services are as customer-friendly as they can be.
Emerging technologies such as AI, VR, machine learning and voice activation are likely to be incorporated into the UX design process, enhancing the experience of users further still. These new technologies can be used – and in some places already are being used – to personalise user experiences, build consumer profiles, and to make assumptions and predictions about their preferences. In turn, this data is used to adapt the user’s experience to their personal requirements.
Furthermore, there are ethical implications of UX design which we predict will become increasingly relevant as demographics and customer bases change. In order to remain relevant, a UX designer must be conscious of cultural shifts, and factor these into their work.
There’s no doubt that, as digital technologies become increasingly integrated with our day-to-day lives, and as the way we spend our money continues to change, the UX design industry has a bright future ahead of it.