UX – More than just a buzz word and a pretty design!

UX stands for “User experience” which encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with a company, its services, and its products.

User experience (UX) focuses on having a deep understanding of users, what they need, what they value, their abilities, and also their limitations.  It also considers the business goals and objectives.

There are many elements that work towards great UX. It must for instance match the exact needs of the customer, be simple and elegant and follow best practice. It is also important to remember that UX can always be improved so continual improvement should always play a big part of UX design.

User Experience is seen in every aspect of life
UX is about creating a seamless user experience that solves the users pain points and eliminates confusion – there is no need to reinvent the wheel. It is applied to everything we do and influences us all the time. There is good UX and bad UX. When we experience bad UX it makes us feel frustrated and influences how we feel about the company or product. This is what UX designers try to overcome with good UX research, analysis and design.

It’s important to remember that UX is more than just design as it is also based on data. It focuses on the users and every touch point in their journey with a brand. Having some UX influence within a project is the goal. It is all dependent on time, budget and UX maturity, aiming for improvement not perfection. Using UX methodologies helps to eliminate bias from the client, the agency, the company and focuses on the objectives and the user.

All UX should start with UX Research
User research is the foundation of all User Experience (UX) practices. For any website design understanding your audience and how they use your website for instance, sets the foundation of how you will work towards evolving what service you provide.

User research allows a designer to put the user first and the design into context. They can then develop a greater understanding of the how and why they will be using a product or service and any problems that need to be solved to create a seamless user experience.

There are many forms of User Research which focus on the attitudes and behaviors of users. Qualitative and Quantitative research allows us to build a bigger picture on what and how the user is doing with the product, as well as why they are doing it and how it makes them feel. 

All these elements work together to build up a greater understanding of who the customer is and what challenges they face. A solution can then be created that works for the business, the brand, and the end user.

Always remember that not all forms of user research need to be done on any one project. Focus on what research needs to be done to successfully reach a successful outcome.

If you would like to understand more about UX and how it can improve your customers experience get in touch with an experienced UX Agency so they can discuss your requirements in more detail.

You can also find out more about what a UX designer does by following this link: https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/ux-design/what-does-a-ux-designer-actually-do/