Demystifying UX: Understanding User Experience

In today's digital landscape, user experience (UX) has become a pivotal aspect of creating successful products and services.

It's no longer enough to have a visually appealing interface; delivering a seamless and intuitive user experience is paramount.

Let's delve into what exactly UX entails and why it matters.

When Did the Study of User Experience Begin?

First, some quick history to get us up to speed.

The phrase "user experience" was first coined in the 1990s, by cognitive psychologist, Don Norman, as technology use expanded and evolved.

Although the term came about relatively recently, the principles of user experience actually stretch back thousands of years, all the way to ancient China, where the practice of Feng Shui began.

Practitioners believe that the arrangement of a physical space, like how furniture is positioned in a room, could bring someone luck or improve their health and happiness.

Today, lots of different industries still rely on these same basic ideas.

In the tech world, user experience mostly focuses on how people use or interact with products.

Defining User Experience (UX)

According to the Nielson Norman Group, User Experience (often abbreviated as UX) refers to the overall perception and interaction a user has while using a product, service, or system.

In a business setting, it encompasses every touchpoint a user has with a brand, from the first visit to a website to the final purchase or action taken.

UX focuses on optimizing these interactions to ensure they are efficient, enjoyable, and aligned with the user's goals.

Simply put, the user experience is how a person, the user, feels about interacting with or experiencing a product.

A product is a good, service, or feature.

It might be a physical product, like a video game controller or a bag of potato chips, or a technology product, like an app, website, or smartwatch.

Describing UX to Family and Friends

If user experience is done well it is invisible.

When I'm asked to explain what I’m studying to people who’ve never heard of UX, I tell them about Aza Raskin.

He’s the interface designer who invented the infinite scroll feature in 2006.

Social and commercial apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TickTock keep us all in an addictive game of never-ending roulette thanks to their UX.

Aza has said that infinite scrolling wastes about 200,000 human lifetimes per day.

That’s the power of UX.

In short, it is the art and science of designing products that are easy to use to meet user expectations and business goals.

Examples of Great UX Design

UX might sound foreign and overly technical but we come across it every day.

Observe the world around you and you’ll find endless examples of great UX design.

Don’t believe me?

Check out this article about good design from the Google Design team to discover the genius in the designs of everyday objects you might have previously overlooked (click and scroll down).

The Components of Good UX

According to Google UX Design Certificate, for a user to have a good experience, the product needs to be:

• Usable

• Equitable

• Enjoyable

• Useful

These characteristics can help evaluate a product’s design.

Let's break each down.

Usable

If a product is usable, it means the design, structure, and purpose of the product are clear and easy to use.

To evaluate a product for usability, you can ask questions like:

• Is everything in the design easy to find?

• Is the design’s functionality easy to understand?

• Can users accomplish specific tasks within the design?

These questions can help you determine whether the design delivers a usable experience.

As an example, think about a ketchup bottle.

Historically, ketchup came in a glass bottle. The user had to hit the bottom of the glass to make ketchup come out.

Often, no ketchup or too much ketchup would come out of the bottle.

Today, the ketchup bottle has been redesigned into a plastic squeezable bottle, which makes it easier to use and allows users to control how much ketchup comes out.

Equitable

If a product is equitable, it means a design is helpful to people with diverse abilities and backgrounds.

In other words, the product’s design addresses the needs of a diverse audience and ensures a high-quality experience is delivered to all users regardless of background, gender, race, or ability.

Equity means providing people with the tools they need to accomplish their goals and support improved quality of life.

Equity goes beyond the concept of equality, where everyone is given equal resources because people often need different tools and support based on their needs.

This is especially important to keep in mind for those in commonly disenfranchised groups.

To evaluate the equity of a product’s UX, you can ask questions like:

• Are the needs of a diverse group of users considered?

• Does the product’s design address the needs of traditionally underrepresented and excluded groups?

These questions can help determine whether the design delivers an equitable experience.

Imagine you are evaluating how equitable a social messaging app is.

You might consider the design more equitable if the keyboard emoji list includes different skin tones and gender-neutral avatar options.

Enjoyable

If a product is enjoyable, it means the design delights the user.

The design reflects what the user may be thinking or feeling and creates a positive connection with them.

A product’s design doesn’t have to be enjoyable for it to function properly. But, an enjoyable design adds to an already functional product and can enhance the user’s feelings about the experience.

To evaluate how enjoyable a product’s UX is, you can ask questions like:

• Are there aspects of the design that consider the user’s feelings?

• Does the design inspire delight in the user?

• Does the design keep the user engaged throughout their experience?

These questions can help determine whether the design delivers an enjoyable experience.

Imagine you are evaluating how enjoyable a video streaming app is.

Design aspects that might increase how much you enjoy the product include personalized recommendations based on previous watching habits, or the ability to customize the appearance of your account.

Useful

If a product is useful, that means it solves user problems.

In other words, the design intentionally solves a user problem that the designer has identified. It’s important to note that, while similar, useful and usable have different meanings.

A product that is useful isn’t always usable.

The same is true for the opposite.

The distinction between the two is that usability refers to the product working well and being easy to use, while usefulness refers directly to the ability to solve user problems.

To evaluate how useful a product’s UX is, you can ask questions like:

• Does the design add value to the user’s experience?

• Does the design solve a problem for the user?

• Does the design help the user achieve a specific goal?

These questions can help determine whether the design delivers a useful experience.

Imagine you’re evaluating how useful a banking app is.

Users typically download these apps because they need a place to manage their money.

With this in mind, aspects of the app that might be considered useful are features that can be used to transfer money between accounts and pay bills.

5 Reasons Why UX Matters

1. Customer Satisfaction

A positive user experience leads to higher customer satisfaction. When users find value in your product and enjoy using it, they are more likely to become loyal customers and advocates for your brand.

2. Engagement and Retention

An intuitive and enjoyable UX encourages users to spend more time on your platform. Users are more likely to return and engage with your product if their initial experience was positive.

3. Business Impact

A well-designed UX can have a significant impact on your bottom line. Users who have a positive experience are more likely to convert into paying customers, leading to increased sales and revenue.

4. Competitive Advantage

In a crowded market, a superior user experience can set your product apart from the competition. Users are more likely to choose a product that meets their needs and provides an enjoyable experience.

5. Reduced Costs

Investing in UX upfront can lead to cost savings down the line. By identifying and addressing usability issues early, you can avoid expensive fixes and redesigns in the future.

Some Helpful UX Design Resources

• Interaction Design Foundation: A library of open-source UX design resources, including new articles published every day. There are also local meet-ups (virtual and in-person) that are free to attend and open to everyone.

• Adobe XD Ideas: A blog curated for entry-level UX designers. You’ll find inspiring examples of great design, valuable career tips, and more.

• UX Collective on Medium: An article platform with stories on user experience, visual design, product design, and more. Articles on Medium are written by a large variety of writers and cover a range of topics.

• Nielsen Norman Group: Research-based UX guidance, including a ton of helpful articles about the design process, research methods, and user testing.

In conclusion, user experience (UX) is the culmination of design, usability, accessibility, and psychology, all working together to create a seamless and enjoyable interaction between users and products.

Focusing on UX is no longer optional but essential for businesses aiming to thrive in a user-centric digital landscape.

By prioritizing user needs and crafting experiences that are not only functional but also delightful, you can build strong customer relationships and drive sustainable business growth.